Unhelpful influences

Awards, reviews and the growth of the school brand: three aspects of marketing noise which do little to help parents in their quest for finding the right school for their child. In this chapter, Matthew bemoans the unhelpful hype which sadly can end up dominating the information to prospective parents.

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Awards are great. And winning awards is even better. The pride and acknowledgment to be chosen as the best deserves recognition and praise. In independent education you have dedicated and committed staff going above and beyond to create the very best educational opportunities for children. Schools are often innovative and creative places, pioneering new ideas for teaching, curriculum and pastoral care. All these things matter and deserve to be championed and celebrated.

The problem comes with how awards are used in marketing. Prospective parents will often see awards on school websites, highlighting winners or shortlisted schools. But winners of what exactly, how many entered and what specifically were the criteria? Glibly claiming to be 'the best' when not all peers entered an award gives the wrong impression. Awards are big commercial undertakings and there's money to be made. And it's because of this that it can shift from being a...

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Disclaimer: Independent education has a wide range of views and the use of quotations does not imply that these contributors share the same views as the author. The views and opinions of the author may also not necessarily be shared by all schools mentioned in this book. The author and publishers do not warrant, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, that the contents are error-free and shall not be liable for any loss, however arising, as a result of the information contained in this book.

Cambridgeshire