GREAT WALSTEAD SCHOOL

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

APPLYING FOR THE ROLE OF

HEAD OF MARKETING AND ADMISSIONS

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ABOUT GREAT WALSTEAD

Great Walstead School was founded in 1925 by Robert James Mowll in Enfield, North London

(known then as Kilvinton Hall School). The School moved to its current location just outside the

charming and quintessentially English village of Lindfield, Haywards Heath in 1927.

Originally, Great Walstead was founded as a boys’ boarding school, evolving into a boarding and

day school in 1960, with the first girls joining in 1978. RJ Mowll’s dream was to provide an

education where each boy would be encouraged to develop as a rounded person with religious

awareness and practical skills.

Today Great Walstead it is a thriving co-educational day and weekly boarding school

educating children from 2½-13 years of age. Situated just 45 minutes from London (by train) and

within 260 acres of magnificent woodland, Great Walstead provides a unique, nurturing

environment where over 460 pupils flourish both in and outside the classroom. A Great

Walstead pupil is compassionate and polite, with a strong sense of values built upon a Christian

foundation and, of course, adventure!

GREAT WALSTEAD VISION

‘To inspire all our pupils to achieve their potential in all areas, through the support and

dedication of our staff in a caring Christian environment.’

GREAT WALSTEAD VALUES

Christian faith

A compassionate Christian ethos at the heart of Great Walstead School, nurturing all our

pupils spiritually and morally.

Dedication

We are a professional and dedicated staff united in our vision to provide a positive and

rewarding educational experience for all.

Success

We have a school that inspires and enables each pupil to fulfil their individual potential. We

value each child’s achievement – celebrating academic and non-academic successes;

fostering confident, independent and well-rounded pupils who work well together.

Environment

We have an appreciation of our glorious woodlands and outdoor spaces; encouraging the

whole school community to enjoy and respect such stunning surroundings; exploring creative

ways of learning, through outdoor activities and engagement with the natural world.

Communication

We have a strong and professional partnership founded on trust, mutual respect and integrity,

between pupils, staff, parents and Governors working together towards a shared vision.

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GREAT WALSTEAD FACILITIES

• 260+ acres of woodland

• Chapel

• Weekly boarding facilities

• All weather pitch

• Large multipurpose sports hall

• Heated indoor pool

• Outdoor pitches (Football | Rugby | Cricket)

• 400m grass running track in the Summer Term

• Performing arts centre

• Dedicated ceramics workshop and kilns

• Home economics classroom with appliances

• Design technology workshop

• Music School

• Science laboratories

• Three ICT suites

• New challenge course

• Treehouse

• Onsite catering team (Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner)

• Mini farm situated within two acres of Walled Garden

• Bookshop for children

• Qualified onsite Matron

• ‘The Keep’ - dedicated after school and holiday club

SENIOR SCHOOLS

100% of our leaving pupils gain entry to their chosen senior schools. We are proud to say a large

proportion of our leaving students achieve Scholarships and Awards.

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Popular senior schools which Great Walstead children move on to are as follows:

• Ardingly College

• Bedales

• Brighton College

• Burgess Hill Girls

• Bede's

• Cranbrook

• Charterhouse

• Christ’s Hospital

• Dean Close

• Eastbourne College

• Hurstpierpoint College

• Lancing College

• Millfield

• RGS Guildford

• Roedean

• Rugby

• St Leonards-Mayfield

• Tonbridge

• Woldingham

• Worth

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Head of Marketing and Admissions

Responsible to: The Headmaster

Main Purpose of Role

The Head of Marketing and Admissions takes overall responsibility for leading the development

and implementation of marketing and communication strategies to ensure attraction,

recruitment and retention of pupils to the School. The post holder reports directly to the

Headmaster and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and line manager for the

Commercial Lettings Manager with direct responsibility for the Admissions element of the Office

and Admissions post.

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Key Responsibilities

General

To develop and implement a coherent marketing strategy for the whole School, in close

consultation with the Head, aligned with Great Walstead’s aims, vision and values, so that pupil

recruitment and retention is optimised at all times;

To promote and raise the profile of the School locally and nationally amongst all constituencies,

including parents, prospective parents, local senior schools, businesses and the wider

community in general

Marketing

• Develop the whole school marketing strategy including product development, pricing,

multichannel communications plans and parent engagement programmes to support

enrolment growth across the whole school

• Develop, maintain and implement a strategic marketing plan, with clear aims and

objectives, timetable and costs and a differentiated approach for each of the main areas:

EYFS, Pre-Prep, Juniors, Middles and Seniors

• Manage all elements of the School brand to ensure it remains consistent with the values,

personality and objectives of the School

• Provide strategic marketing support for Head, Senior Leadership Team and Board of

Governors. Ensure the systematic collection, review and analysis of market information

to identify competitor tactics, market trends, new opportunities and challenges

• Develop, implement and regularly update a five-year Marketing Development plan to

work in tandem with the School Strategic Plan

• Undertake market research related to the strategic development of the School including

competitor analysis, demographic and economic reviews, and examination of

educational trends

• Build relationships with outside agencies associated with the aim of having Great

Walstead School being known locally and nationally (Press, BSA, IAPS, ISC, LEA, TISCA,

AMDIS)

• Ensure marketing policies are kept up to date and in line with the latest safeguarding and

data protection laws

• Attend national recruitment fairs for prep schools

• Research and implement new, innovative and imaginative marketing ideas

• Ensure the School is presented in the best possible way to promote Great Walstead’s

values

• Evaluate advertising and other promotional strategies

• Remain up-to-date with current trends and new technologies

Communications

• Develop and drive an integrated communications strategy for the School incorporating

PR, Marketing and Online

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• Promote and manage excellent communication practice across the school, support

colleagues as required, to ensure that all communication is of high standard, consistent

and relations with current parents and other stakeholders are as effective as possible

• Implement communications plans to increase brand awareness and recognition for the

organisation both internally and externally

• Develop relationships with key media to secure and grow media coverage both online

and offline.

• Write UK press releases for local and national media

• Manage the Publicity Consent process and ensure that systems of communication

adhere to data protection and acceptable use of ICT policies

• Prepare and send prospective parent communications in association with the

Admissions Manager

• Day to day management of GWS’s website and the relationship with outside agencies

supporting the School in this regard (website designers, search engine support) - Direct

responsibility for writing online content and ensuring weekly edit and review of website

content to keep it up to date - Upload articles and images to website using the Content

Management System - Monitor educational and promotional links and ensure that any

microsites are maintained and current - Monitor website analytics and produce a

quantified analysis of website performance

Admissions and events support

• Responsible for the operation and coordination of the Admissions process providing

clear direction to the Admissions Manager

• Oversee and support the Admissions Manager with administration of enquiries, from

initial parent contact to inclusion on the database, ongoing liaison, follow-up and

feedback

• Responsible for the delivery of the School’s recruitment targets, recruiting into the School

at all entry points of an appropriate number and calibre

• Promote and take a prominent role in organising and staff resourcing for the School

Open Days and other relevant School events

• Advise and support on event planning to improve participant experience and ensure the

communication of key messages and appropriate brand values

Planning, reporting and budget management

• Liaise with the Director of Finance and Operations to produce and manage an agreed

budget ensuring resources are maximised, value for money is obtained, and

overspending does not occur

• Responsible for the analysis and forecasting of pupil numbers including the monitoring

of pupil recruitment

• Monitor and report all high level metrics, revising strategies and relevant plans where

appropriate

• Provide information relating to trends in Admissions and current or emerging

recruitment challenges and/or opportunities to the SLT and/or governors as required

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• Develop, refine and monitor all marketing and admissions related policies, systems and

procedures

• Keep abreast of all matters related to education in general and to the independent

sector in particular ensuring constant monitoring of relevant guidelines, compliance

regulations and best practice

Commercial Lettings

• Line manager the Commercial Lettings Manager

• Oversee and support the maintenance, marketing and growth of the school’s facilities

hire ‘business’, with a view to boosting revenue streams for the School and its provision

for education to agreed targets

• Oversee the reporting of Facilities Hire accounts to the Director of Finance and

Operations

Development

• Responsible for delivering a number of key fundraising, supporter engagement and

communications programmes, having direct responsibility for:-

o Alumni engagement including an events strategy for alumni and produce a

regular e-Newsletter and running an alumni social media platform

o Organising occasional fundraising events, and in due course, soliciting gifts from

own portfolio of donors

o design a programme of events for alumni, parents and friends of the School

o implement a stewardship programme for donors; design events and

communications for these donors with the aim to increase the fundraising

potential and contribution of this group

• Responsible for organising and resourcing (within budget) occasional fundraising events

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PERSON SPECIFICATION

Selection

Criteria

Essential Desirable Assessment

Qualifications Marketing Qualification (eg. CIM)

Educated to degree level or

equivalent

School

Marketing

Qualification

(eg. AMDIS)

Master’s

degree or

evidence of

further study

Application

Form/Certificates

Application

form/Certificates

Experience Broad experience of managing a

marketing function

Significant budget, brand and PR

management

Significant experience in the

design and production of print

materials and publications

Successful experience of writing

of press releases, marketing

campaigns, progressive

communications and

presentations

Experience of managing

suppliers eg designers, printers

and advertising agencies

People management

Experience of

working in a

school

Experience of

the

Independent

education

environment

Relationship

management

Application

Form/Interview/

References

Knowledge Excellent current knowledge of

website and social network

marketing

Knowledge and understanding

of maintaining a website

through a CMS

Sound knowledge of Google

Analytics and ability to analyse

Understanding

of the

principles and

practices of

fundraising and

alumni

relations

Application Form/

Interview/References/In

tray exercises/Testing

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results and draw meaningful

conclusions

Knowledge and understanding

of effective customer care and

management

Awareness of

the importance

of safeguarding

Skills Able to communicate sensitively

and effectively with parents,

pupils staff and stakeholders

Excellent communication skills,

including high standards of

written communication,

grammar, spelling and proof-

reading ability

Creative, imaginative with a

proven track record in

innovation and taking the

initiative

Able to handle sensitive

information with discretion

Self-motivated and works well in

a team with the ability to inspire

Able to plan, organise and

prioritise effectively

Excellent interpersonal skills and

attention to detail

An ability to lead and manage

projects with two or more

stakeholders using a

collaborative and professional

approach and to operate well

under pressure

Strong planning and research

skills

Proficient use

of MS Office

(Word, Excel,

Outlook and

PowerPoint)

Adobe Creative

Cloud

Interview/References/In

tray exercises

Personal

Qualities

Suitable to work with children

A committed, enthusiastic and

adaptable individual

Interview/References

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Energy and positive attitude

Possess an innovative and

imaginative approach

Personal warmth to gain

confidence of pupils, staff,

parents and other stakeholders

Commitment to the values and

ethos of the school

Presence, intellect, tact and

credibility to represent the

School at all levels and to a

variety of audiences.

Be proactive in matters relating

to safeguarding and health and

safety.

The duties and responsibilities in this job description are not exhaustive and the post holder may

be required to undertake any other duties which may be required from time to time. Any such

duties should not, however, change the general character of the post.

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THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates are invited to contact RSAcademics by email or telephone to arrange a

confidential discussion with Emma Craig who is leading the search:

Emma Craig 07879 616516 emmacraig@rsacademics.co.uk

The deadline for receipt of applications is 10am on Tuesday 13th March 2018.

An application form can be downloaded from www.rsacademics.co.uk where the post is listed

under current vacancies.

Candidates should complete the application form electronically and email it to RSAcademics,

together with a short covering letter which explains your reasons for applying. Please address

your letter to Trish Couldrey, HR Director. There is no need to submit a CV.

Please email your completed application form and covering letter (both as PDF files please) to

Hilary Battye at applications@rsacademics.co.uk

Hilary can also be reached by calling the Head Office on 01858 467449

The process is as follows:

• All applications will be acknowledged by email. If you have not received

acknowledgement that your application has been received within two working days of

sending it, please contact the Head Office by telephone

• Following the closing date candidates will be contacted directly by the School.

Founded in 2002 by Russell Speirs, RSAcademics specialises in schools, in the UK and internationally,

advising on marketing strategy and research, leadership consultancy and the search and selection of

Heads and senior staff. Comprising a team of the best schools’ marketing professionals and respected

former school leaders, RSAcademics provides a high quality service to schools with rigour, experience

and warmth. Please visit www.rsacademics.co.uk for more information.