5 ways to promote your school in 2021

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Here are 5 ways to promote your school in 2021.

As we bid farewell to the emotional rollercoaster that was 2020, we’re looking ahead to the New Year and the opportunities it will bring to schools.

We’ve all faced unprecedented levels of change this year. And you’ve no doubt adapted to new ways of teaching amid the restrictions and limitations of Covid-19.

In some ways, 2021 may bring a return to many of the ways things were prior to the pandemic. But there are a few changes that look set to stay for the foreseeable that are likely to affect how you will promote your school. This includes reduced capacity events, remote learning for some students and more reliance on technology and online tools than before.

Here we revisit some of our top tips for promoting your school to help you embrace 2021.

1. Build your school’s PR portfolio

Gaining good exposure for your school and finding ways to tell people what goes on in your school will continue to be important, especially if events in schools remain limited. This can be done in many different ways

When people talk about your school, make sure they have already seen you in a positive light. It’ll make it feel as if they know your school already. We predict that these positive conversations will continue to be predominantly online.

2. Have a dynamic and exciting website

For many schools, the restrictions on physical open days in 2020 meant a last minute scramble to create online open day materials.

Virtual Q&As with headteachers and online tours were put together at very short notice. And all schools did an incredible job of executing their open events online, in some cases with little or no experience of having done this before.

Whilst we’re hopeful that schools will be able to run some physical open days in 2021, we’ll no doubt see many schools retaining aspects of online open days too. The great news is that this time, schools have time to plan ahead. You can make sure you showcase the very best of what your school has to offer via a video, presentation or virtual event.

We were delighted to see our bespoke Wall Art appear as a backdrop for many of the open day videos schools shared in 2020. Due to its highly visual nature, Wall Art can communicate what’s great about your school in a single image. This is much harder to achieve through spoken words in a video or text on your website.

A few examples of fantastic Open Day videos in which our Wall Art made a cameo:

Summer Fields Oxford

St Pauls Catholic College 

Tilbury Pioneer Academy

Top Tip: Get ahead of the game. Now is the time for schools to work on any improvements they may need to make to their learning environment prior to filming for 2021. We’re excited to see our Wall Art popping up in more open day videos in 2021!

3. Create a buzz online

One of the best ways to promote your school in 2021 is through social media. We know that many schools are reluctant to use social media for a number of reasons, but the good news is that using social media can be safe, easy and very valuable for your school.

You can use your social media channels to highlight any special events or facilities you have on offer. Remember, the best tweets and posts include photos and/or videos. These don’t have to be photos of the pupils if that isn’t right for your school.  Pupils’ work and your facilities can speak volumes about who you are.

Top tip: Take a look at the social media channels for other local schools in your area to get an idea of the frequency and type of content they post.  Any content is better than none, so even if you only post once a week, this can have an impact.

4. Be proud of your strengths and shout about them

School signage could be your secret weapon to promote your school in 2021!

If prospective parents, pupils and teachers can’t visit the inside of your school, what they see on the outside will count.

People may drive past your school to get a feel for it before they commit to a decision. You can make a fabulous first impression with warm, welcome banners and school signs that mention your Ofsted rating, positive testimonials, latest results or anything else you’re proud of as a school.

Top tip: School signage can be colourful, fun and creative and is a great way to promote your school in 2021.

5. Positive learning environment

More than ever, pupils need a positive learning environment in which to thrive. When it comes to learning, a student’s surroundings are key. So one of the best ways to promote your school is by showcasing your visual environment.

Our bespoke Wall Art can completely transform your learning environment and make you stand out as a school. You can showcase your unique school values on your walls, inspire learning with a curriculum theme or adorn your walls with a History timeline that covers the length and breadth of your corridors. Some schools even use their walls to celebrate successful alumni or star pupils.

Top tip: Immersive learning themes are popular for Wall Art. When included within your open day video, immersive themes highlight that yours is an innovative school that invests in its pupils and cares about their learning environment.

 

Promote Your School in 2021

If you’d like to find out more about how to promote your school in 2021, get in touch!

We can arrange a Covid-safe visit to your school, free of charge. During this visit, we’ll discuss your objectives and assess your available space. We can make recommendations on how to maximise your space and budget.

Check out our Case Studies section to see more examples of our work.