Advice on engaging with schools

[Polly Bryant]

We have an education programme offering free assemblies and sessions to schools, all linked to deliver the national curriculum. We have sent multiple emails out to schools offering this but are getting very few even opening the emails.

Has anyone got advice on how to reach schools?

Thanks

Polly

[Anneka France]

Hi Polly,

Have you tried reaching out to the Royal Geographical Society? They have good links with schools and teachers across the country: https://www.rgs.org/schools/

Hope that helps!

Anneka

[Ursula Juta]

Hi Polly,

I always initially address emails to the head, so it’s worth finding out names/email address in advance and then I follow up with a posted letter too. Sometimes it also takes a few phone calls to prompt them!

Hope it helps.

Best wishes,
Ursula

[SCall1]

Having worked in schools as a teacher in the past you might have better luck trying to approach the Geography (or Science) lead directly who is responsible for that curriculum area. Sometimes school websites can say who that is. The person responsible for a particular curriculum area is often keen to get outside speakers in (and can probably give it more focus than the head). I know that I would have been receptive to such an email when I was Geography lead.

[Dan Turner]

HI Polly,

We have had problems with this, especially if you email admin@…….sch.uk.

Primary schools: Try and get a name of the headteacher and address it to them.
Secondary Schools: Try and get a name of a teacher in the department you want to target (i.e Geography).

I always follow up with a phone call.

[DCRT]

Hi, we are a little late to this discussion, but we found the same problem as yourselves … schools generally don’t open or answer emails. We even did an advert in a school visit magazine, but no joy. What actually worked for us was a Facebook post, which we didn’t think would work at all, but it did! That and phoning schools direct too.

Don Catchment Rivers Trust

• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by DCRT.

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