Since 1988, parents in England have been able to express a preference for their child’s school. With school choice comes competition and with competition, inevitably, comes marketing. 

But within the context of education, marketing can be a tricky term - after all, schools are unlikely to be filled with natural marketers used to shifting units of a consumer product or building omnichannel advertising campaigns that generate a clear return on investment.

So, what do we mean by marketing in the context of schools and trusts, how can it be used to deliver real benefits, and what are the pitfalls to avoid?

This was something we set out to delve into in a 2023 paper we co-authored in the prestigious journal, Review of Educational Research, which investigated almost everything that has been written in English about school marketing.

To do this, we drew on a review of 81 different studies of school marketing from around the world to understand the challenge and opportunities that exist and offer some practical suggestions for what to do and what not to do when using marketing techniques in your school.

With these insights, coupled with deep insights into long-standing best practice, here are five fundamental tenets of education marketing everyone should know:

1. Research, listen and understand

Good marketing is first and foremost about listening to and understanding your target audience so you can offer the very best and most relevant service. 

Yet, most schools are not systematic in their research. Most collate informal insights, for example after parents’ evenings or open days. This is helpful but does not go far enough.

What is better is the use of well-thought-out surveys of pupils, parents and local community groups. This sort of regular, formal feedback is more likely to ensure that you will truly understand your community and keep track of how well you are serving it.

2. Use segmentation and targeting responsibly

Market segmentation is about understanding different groups of your community that may have particular needs, eg, demographic or faith groups or pupils requiring special sports or music facilities.

Some schools use market targeting to ensure they are welcoming a broad range of pupils. Others aim to attract groups who will benefit from their special provision.

Both activities are useful. However, our review found substantial evidence of schools using segmentation and targeting to exclude groups of pupils or to attract those who are easiest to teach, and so help boost league table performance. This is a misuse of marketing.

Schools must redesign their marketing strategy when it likely leads to social division. 

3. Be accurate and honest

Promotion is one part of marketing that gives parents vital information to inform their choice. However, schools should be careful with their use of images and text. 

Our review found extensive examples of promotions on websites, brochures and other media that did not reflect reality or made completely unverifiable claims.

Promotions should be an authentic representation of the school demographic, activities and culture. And if you make claims, you must be able to substantiate them. 

4. Don’t use teachers as salespeople

When schools are gathered into a group, eg, not-for-profit Charter Management Organisations and for-profit Education Management Organisations in the US or trusts in England, then branding can create a cohesive identity internally and externally. 

However, schools must ensure the lure of snazzy brand campaigns does not take teachers away from the classroom and detract from their time for pupils. 

We found examples of US teachers being asked to go door to door to recruit pupils or to use their social media accounts as “sales” tools. With “brand manuals” costing between $20,000 and $50,000, we question whether schools’ budgets could be better used.

5. Marketing is no substitute for school practice

Overall, our review suggests strongly that when school leaders feel competitive pressure, they can be tempted to respond by changing the information available to families instead of adjusting their offerings to better serve pupil needs. Marketing is a useful tool, but not a substitute for real change. 

This temptation is particularly strong for schools struggling for numbers as our review showed clearly that these are the schools most likely to use marketing.

It’s understandable why, then, the idea of a marketing push may be appealing, but as point one makes clear, it’s far more important to focus on your actual audience, and their needs through listening, than trying to change the narrative through forced marketing efforts that will likely only fall flat.

The need for legislation…

Marketing is new to most schools in England and with falling pupil numbers and a dearth of teachers entering the profession, it is likely to be something more settings need to become familiar with in the years ahead.

Strangely, though, despite the Committee of Advertising Practice having special rules in place for advertising everything from financial services, motoring and food to medicine and environmental claims, there is nothing about marketing or advertising schools. 

This must change if English schools are to be supported to market themselves responsibly and derive the benefits that doing so can offer.

Agnes Nairn is pro-vice-chancellor of global engagement and professor of marketing at the University of Bristol.

Ellen Greaves is a Max Weber fellow in the Department of Economics at the European University Institute.

Deborah Wilson is dean of the faculty of humanities and social sciences at the University of Bath