1st Edition
How to Build Communication Success in Your School A Guide for School Leaders
This book provides a step-by-step guide to achieve best practice communication within schools. Communication is a critical component in building strong partnerships with parents, attracting and retaining the best teachers, building and protecting a school’s reputation and, ultimately, in ensuring that students can be at their best.
Aligned to the National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers (2015), as well as Ofsted and the Independent Schools Inspectorate requirements, it provides an ‘inside out’ approach to create and communicate a compelling vision, building leadership communication skills and supporting the day-to-day management of communication in schools.
Full of practical strategies, audit tools and planning materials to help develop your communication approach, this guide covers key topics such as:
- attracting and retaining the best teachers;
- improving the effectiveness of leadership and management;
- building the reputation of the school;
- working with parents; and
- knowing what to do in a crisis.
How to Build Communication Success in Your School is essential reading for headteachers, school leaders and all those interested in education management and leadership.
Introduction
Chapter 1: Communication matters
Chapter 2: Hear from the parents
Chapter 3: How are you doing?
Chapter 4: Your starting point: your vision
Chapter 5: What is holding you back?
Chapter 6: Know your audiences
Chapter 7: Create your own Marketing advantage
Chapter 8: Build your skills
Chapter 9: Inspire and motivate
Chapter 10: Stop the overload
Chapter 11: Take the technology advantage
Chapter 12: Communicating change
Chapter 13: When crisis hits
Chapter 14: Communicating inclusively
Chapter 15: Put it into action
Chapter 16: Are you succeeding?
Chapter 17: Keep going
Chapter 18: You’re ready to go
Bibliography
Appendix 2.1: F2C survey results
Appendix 4.1: SWOT Analysis for Schools Template
Appendix 4.2: Example survey questions for parents
Appendix 4.3: Example survey questions for teachers and governors
Appendix 6.1: Understanding how far you need to move your audience’s mindsets
Appendix 7.1: Example school media policy
Appendix 9.1: Building an impactful story
Appendix 9.2: Delivering an inspirational message
Appendix 10.2: An example to support parents in finding information Appendix 12.1: Question and answer template
Appendix 13.1: Crisis Communication in Schools - Key Messages Template
Appendix 13.2: Crisis communication plan template
Appendix 13.3: Crisis Management Communication Principles for Schools Appendix 15.1: Your School Communications Plan
Appendix 15.2: Building your parent/student/teacher partnership agreement
Biography
Karen Dempster is a director of Fit2Communicate, UK. She also has a background in corporate and not-for-profit communication.
Justin Robbins is a director of Fit2Communicate, UK. He specialises in internal and change-focused communication.
"How schools portray themselves is even more important in this information-rich society, and rather than being afraid of the challenges, schools should embrace the opportunities available that are able to share the daily magical moments that take place in school. If the communication systems are now out-dated within your school, then this is the book for you."— Colin Hill, UKEdChat
