Emily was recently invited onto John Murphie (ex-ISBA) and Elise Tonnard’s new podcast – ‘The Education Periscope‘ as their very first guest.
(Full episode available here).
During the conversation, Emily highlights that when prospective families look at a school, it is tempting to assume they are comparing facilities, results and co-curricular breadth. They are not. Not really.
They are asking a far simpler question: What’s in it for us?
Everything else is secondary.
A statement like “excellent facilities” might feel reassuring to write. It signals investment, quality and ambition. But to a prospective parent, it is incomplete. The immediate response is inevitable: so what?
What does that actually mean for my child?
Does it build confidence? Does it unlock opportunity? Does it lead to better outcomes or a more engaging day-to-day experience? If you cannot answer that clearly, the claim has little value.
The same problem applies to much of the sector’s default language. “Outstanding pastoral care.” “Broad curriculum.” “Holistic education.”
Familiar, comfortable and almost entirely interchangeable.
For families, these phrases only start to matter when they are translated into lived experience. How will my child feel here? How will they be supported when things go wrong? What will they become as a result of being in this environment?
Features are not persuasive. Benefits are.
This is where many schools have a clear opportunity. Stop listing what you have. Start articulating what it does.
A modern science lab is not a feature. It is the place where curiosity is developed and confidence in problem-solving is built. A wide co-curricular programme is not breadth for its own sake. It is the mechanism through which every pupil finds their niche and sense of belonging.
The shift is subtle, but critical.
When we work with a school, this is exactly where we focus. We move past the surface-level claims and dig into the hidden nuggets of greatness that actually differentiate the experience. The moments, outcomes and advantages that families will value once they are made explicit.
Because ultimately, prospective families are not choosing a list.
They are choosing an experience. A feeling. A future.
And if you cannot clearly show them what that looks like for them, someone else will.
Get in touch to discuss more ways you can improve your school’s marketing & admissions.