STANDING OUT: SOLVING YOUR TRUST'S RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES WITH STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

The new financial year is here, and for UK education trust leaders, it’s time to plan priorities and budgets for 2025/26. A key focus should be investing in effective communications strategies to attract high-quality staff and ensure strong pupil numbers across your schools. Getting your messaging right is crucial to stay competitive and meet recruitment and enrolment goals.

But the education sector is crowded. How is your Trust’s voice to be heard?

At Clothier Lacey, we specialise in results-driven education PR and communications. We partner with schools, colleges, universities and Trusts across the UK to deliver expert education communication strategies. We understand the unique pressures you face particularly the critical challenges of staff and pupil recruitment.

These hurdles can be overcome. They are precisely the challenges that targeted education PR and education communications strategies are designed to solve.

Challenge 1: Attracting and keeping great staff

Finding and holding onto top teaching talent and leaders is a major task. Staff seek more than just a salary; they want a supportive culture, personal development opportunities and a vision they can connect with.

Our solution:

Build a strong employer brand with carefully crafted communications and promotions. This involves actively demonstrating why your Trust is an exceptional place to work.

Our extensive education sector knowledge and PR expertise helps you:

• Showcase culture: Use storytelling and targeted content to highlight positive environments and staff success.

  
  

• Share your vision: Clearly articulate your Trust's unique mission to attract candidates who share your values.

  
  

• Promote growth: Make professional development pathways a key part of your branding.

  
  

• Target effectively: Reach ideal candidates through focused digital campaigns

  
  

PR is telling while advertising is selling. Create compelling recruitment stories and materials to attract people who will stay and help your Trust excel.

Challenge 2: Ensuring strong pupil recruitment

Parental choice, local competition and reputation significantly impact pupil intake. Effective market positioning is essential to demonstrate quality and your unique benefits.

Our solution: Build trust and demonstrate excellence via PR and communications activities. We work with Trusts like Northern Leaders Trust to develop education communications strategies that resonate.

We help you:

• Tell compelling stories: Craft narratives highlighting school strengths, results and specialisms.

  
  

• Explain your 'Trust Advantage': Clearly communicate the added value of your Trust network through effective promotional materials.

  
  

• Engage parents: Use outstanding website content, social media, positive local news and well-executed PR for school events, such as open days and seasonal events.

  
  

• Build reputation: Proactive education PR builds a positive profile, making your school the preferred choice.

Why strategy matters in communications for education: learning from campaigns

Many Trusts are investing in promotion. Consider the hypothetical 'Futures Together' campaign aimed at teacher recruitment. It used local social media ads, a website update which focused on 'making a difference' and a staff rewards package.

Our constructive view on the campaign (from a PR professional’s perspective):

What worked: It addressed a key need (staff and student recruitment), used multiple channels and reached the local area, thus creating a decent foundation.

Where the communications could improve: The core message lacked uniqueness, the visuals were generic and it didn't strongly differentiate the Trust from its competitors. The PR angle seemed underdeveloped – were staff stories shared? Was positive press leveraged?

How Clothier Lacey enhances campaigns with expert communications support for the education sector:

Our strategic approach delivers more impactful education communications solutions:

• Insight-driven strategy: We extensively research target audience motivations (teachers and parents).

  
  

• Unique value proposition: We define and promote what makes a Trust genuinely stand out beyond the basics.

  
  

• Compelling content: Authentic testimonials, videos and stories that bring the brand to life. We know that these are key components of modern communications for education.

  
  

• Targeted outreach: Precise digital advertising and focused education PR to reach specific audiences.

  
  

• Integrated communications: We ensure that the PR strategies work together with the other promotional activities to amplify key messages.

  
  

• Measurable results: We track metrics that matter – applicant quality, conversion rate, retention and overall brand sentiment lifted straight from your education marketing digital footprint.

Ensure you achieve a strong ROI from your new budget with carefully crafted education communications campaigns

Investing in professional education PR and education communications is not an expense; it is a justifiable and strategic investment into your Trust's future. It directly tackles recruitment challenges and builds the vital reputation needed for your campaign to succeed.

As you allocate your 2025/26 budget, let's discuss how strategic education communications can achieve tangible, measurable results for your Trust.

Ready to boost your recruitment outcomes and reputation with expert education PR and communications?

Contact Clothier Lacey today. We offer tailored education PR and communications solutions for UK Education Trusts. Let's discuss how we can help you achieve your goals.

Looking for a first class Education Recruitment Specialist? Contact The Education Network, a specialist education agency that places thousands of education professionals in supply, interim and permanent posts nationwide within Secondary, Primary and SEND schools.