This is of course a real reason to market your Maths! But there are other reasons why schools might want to promote a particular course – perhaps you’ve just introduced a computer science GCSE or are concerned about the viability of some of the language courses you offer and want to boost your intake.
The key is to make sure you’re using a marketing approach. As a new HoD I used the ideas below – and was accused by the school’s then Deputy Head of ‘aggressively marketing my subject’. I took that as a compliment, especially as it meant my A-level classes were full.
1. Find out why current students take that subject – and why they don’t. If you’re offering a new subject, invite potential students to a meeting, explain the course and get them to tell you what they see as pros and cons.
2. Be open to changing how you teach. If you get feedback that other subjects offer more links to the real world, or have more project work, investigate how you can offer this.
3. Profile your staff and their expertise, passion and experience. Schools often fail to explain why teachers are great at teaching their subject, especially at more advanced levels. Why not let them blog about their subject?
4. Link to research and news stories that show the value of the subject. Students often have preconceived ideas about how useful a subject is. Even if you think they are positive, they might be too narrow – for example students might see computer science as being only suitable for programmers and see that as not for them.
5. Gather testimonials and write case studies. Sharing exam results is important, but you should also make sure to personalise this by showing how students engaged with and succeeded in your subject. Don’t just focus on your top students either – look for those who you worked hard with to achieve a pass.
6. Show off great work and achievements. Make sure that you are feeding your great stories into school marketing activities such as the school website, social media channels and newsletters. Or create your own department newsletter.
7. Build relationships with potential students throughout their current studies. Given an opportunity like the Budget Maths one, it makes sense to identify potential A-level Mathematicians early in the school and give them positive tastes of advanced maths throughout their studies. Don’t narrow their focus to just GCSE material.
Click here to read the original article posted by Simon Hepburn on Marketing Advice for Schools on Apr 29, 2020.
