How to Create a Practical School Marketing Plan (with Examples)

A good school marketing plan isn’t about adding noise. It’s about filling your places with the right pupils.

This guide is designed for independent schools and Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) and includes a complete school marketing plan example you can adapt for your own setting. It’s data-led, realistic, and written to help you take clear, confident action.

Why You Can Trust MTM Consulting

For over 35 years, MTM Consulting has helped schools make confident, evidence-based decisions. Our data insight, research, and strategic expertise give leaders a clear picture of their market and the tools to act effectively—turning insight into stronger enrolment, clearer positioning, and long-term sustainability.

Start with a Clear Brief

Before you start building your plan, define your purpose. Ask yourself:

• What do we need to understand or achieve by the end of this plan?
• What evidence or insight will help us make better decisions?

A strong school marketing plan starts with clarity. Every question, campaign, and message should work towards that goal.

What a School Marketing Plan Should Include

A practical, evidence-based plan should be short, focused, and easy to track. Build it around these key sections:

1. Objectives and KPIs

Set 3–5 specific, measurable goals.

Track the full journey: enquiries, event attendance, applications, offers, and acceptances.

2. Audience and Catchment

Identify who you’re targeting and where they live.

Use postcode and lifestyle data to size your opportunity and find growth areas.

3. Value Proposition and Key Messages

Define one clear promise, supported by three proof points.

Keep language simple and parent-focused.

4. Channel Mix

Your website should be the central hub.

Add search, social, email, and events, but do fewer channels well. Assign an owner for each.

5. Timeline and Budget

Plan term by term.

Name who’s responsible for each task.

Create flexible budgets that allow for change.

6. Reporting and Review

Build a one-page scorecard showing your funnel from enquiry to enrolment.

Include a short “start, stop, scale” note each month for SLT review.

Plan Around Admissions Cycles

Families make decisions at specific times and your plan should match these windows.

Year 7 Entry

Autumn: Build awareness through events and content.

Spring: Support families with decision-making tools.

Summer: Create belonging with welcome videos and pupil stories.

Sixth Form Entry

Autumn: Focus on subject tasters and pathways.

Spring: Support decisions through mock season.

Summer: Celebrate results and transitions.

Tie your campaign timings to your school development plan so academic, pastoral, and marketing teams work together.

School Marketing Plan Example 1: Year 7 Entry (Independent Day School)

Objective
Increase Year 7 applications by 15 percent with a higher share from new postcodes.

Personas and insight
Two core personas: an academically ambitious pupil seeking stretch and a busy commuter family prioritising journey time and care. Build these from short interviews and open day surveys, then validate with Qualitative Insights.

Message pillars
Challenge with care, breadth beyond the classroom, travel that works. Keep three proof points for each pillar, such as value added data, co curricular depth, and bus routes or partnerships.

Channel plan
Website hubs for Year 7 with subject tasters and FAQs. Search to harvest intent on independent schools near me and scholarships. Instagram Reels and short YouTube clips to show culture through students. Email nurture after every form fill with clear next steps.

Timeline by term
Autumn creates demand with launch content and open evenings. Spring supports decisions with small group tours and teacher Q and A. Summer builds belonging through welcome content and pupil buddy videos.

Budget focus
Prioritise search and short video first. Add retargeting once traffic grows. Reserve a small test pot for creative experiments.

KPIs and reporting
Cost per open evening registration, show rate, application starts, offers accepted, and new postcode share. Use Data Research to target growth postcodes and refresh them each term.

School Marketing Plan Example 2: Sixth Form Entry (Independent and MATs)

Objective
Grow non feeder enquiries and subject specific interest by 20 percent, with stronger conversion from taster to application.

Personas and insight
STEM focused GCSE pupil and arts pathway pupil, plus their parents. Map pains and goals, then refine with quick voice notes from student ambassadors. Align the overall approach with MTM 360 so curriculum, pastoral, and marketing plans work together.

Message pillars
Subject mastery and support, leadership and enrichment, clear progression routes. For MATs, include transparent information on published admissions arrangements and entry requirements.

Channel plan
Sixth Form website hub with subject tasters, sample timetables, and student stories. PPC on Sixth Form subjects and local intent terms. Student led Q and A events online and on site. Email sequences for GCSE pupils and parents with a single action per message.

Timeline by term
Autumn tasters and discovery events. Spring support during mock season with revision clinics and subject guidance. Summer results stories and bridging activities.

Budget focus
Lean into search for subject intent, then short video and retargeting. Low cost routes include ambassador led socials and partnerships with local schools or youth groups.

KPIs and reporting
Taster sign ups, event show rate, enquiry to application conversion, and subject choice distribution. Track everything in the Admissions Dashboard so SLT sees one version of the truth.

Budgets that scale and low cost options

What to fund first

• Core assets: fresh photography, short vertical videos, focused landing pages with clear forms.
• Always on: search to capture intent, then paid social for reach, then simple retargeting.
  

Three budget scenarios

• Small: search 45 percent, paid social 25 percent, content and video 20 percent, email and CRM 10 percent.
• Medium: search 35 percent, paid social 25 percent, content and video 25 percent, retargeting 10 percent, email and CRM 5 percent.
• Large: search 30 percent, paid social 25 percent, content and video 25 percent, retargeting 10 percent, testing pot 10 percent.
  

Low cost ideas that work for MATs and independents

• Student ambassadors create fortnightly short videos and host Q and A sessions.
• Partnerships with local primaries, clubs and faith groups for event invites.
• Governor and alumni networks for introductions and stories.
• Local media diaries for termly human interest pieces.
  

Back to basics proof point

• See how a simple, disciplined plan delivered results in this case study from School Management Plus: Back to basics school marketing.
  

Tie spending to evidence

• Use postcode and lifestyle inputs from Data Research to decide where to target.
• Record the channel split in your plan and show where you will flex first if results change.
  

Bringing It All Together

A strong school marketing plan is practical, measurable, and evidence-based.

At MTM, we help schools connect marketing, data, and strategy so every decision is rooted in insight.

With our tools and consultancy, you can:

Use the MTM Admissions Dashboard to align marketing, admissions, and strategy in one view

Capture and understand parent voice with Qualitative Insights

Build long-term sustainability through Business Strategy support

FAQs

How do I build a school marketing plan example fast
Start with a one page outline covering objective, personas, message pillars, channels, timeline, budget and KPIs. Populate targeting and postcode priorities from Data Research, then report monthly in the Admissions Dashboard.

What is a realistic budget for a small school
Fund search first to capture intent, then short video and simple retargeting. If you are in a trust, show a central pot plus per school top ups, and align spend to impact using MTM 360.

How should I split Year 7 and Sixth Form activity
Run separate journeys with their own hubs, content, events and email sequences. For MATs, coordinate dates across schools and share subject tasters while keeping local stories.

Which KPIs actually move applications
Track enquiry volume, cost per registration, show rate, application starts, offers and acceptances. Add two quality indicators such as new postcode share and scholarship or bursary interest, then review using the Admissions Dashboard.

What low cost tactics work for state secondaries and independents
Student ambassador short videos, community partnerships, governor or trustee networks, and local media diaries. Use insights from Qualitative Insights to keep messages relevant.

How often should leaders review the funnel
Monthly with SLT or trust leaders to decide what to start, stop and scale. Fortnightly working huddles keep actions moving between marketing, admissions and data teams.