THE WINNERS
The AMCIS Impact Awards are now in their seventh year and are a fitting way to celebrate the work of admissions, marketing and communications teams in AMCIS member schools. This is a chance to highlight campaigns and other initiatives which have made a significant impact on schools and their communities. This year, there are six categories plus a discretionary award for the Team of the Year and a special Lifetime Achievement award.
Our thanks to everyone who took the time to join in and submit an entry – or, in some cases, multiple entries – and congratulations to the winners!
You can read more about the winning entries in this brochure.
Jennifer Hirst, AMCIS Chair & David Milner, Immediate Past AMCIS Chair
SHORTLISTED SCHOOLS
Admissions Category
Dame Allan’s Schools
Exeter School
Rossall School
Stafford Grammar School
Strathallan School
Branding Category
Brentwood School
Ibstock Place School
Malvern College
St Michael’s Prep School
Wellington College Prep
Communications Category
Aysgarth School
Bedford Modern School
The High School of Glasgow
The Perse School Cambridge
Wycombe Abbey
Digital Category
Ackworth School
Felsted School
St George’s School, Ascot
St Michael’s Prep School
Whitgift School
Small Budget Category
Giggleswick School
Hymers College
Ibstock Place School
King’s School ELY
Lancing College Strategic Marketing Category
Halcyon London International School
Highfield & Brookham School
St Mary’s School, Hampstead
Stamford School
TASIS England
AMCIS is here to inspire everyone who works in independent school admissions, marketing and communications to do the best job possible, by providing you with CPD, career & networking opportunities, professional qualifications, and the expertise to help your school thrive – all in a friendly, supportive membership community.
AMCIS membership
To enquire about becoming an AMCIS member – and benefit from discounted events & training fees - see amcis.co.uk or email enquiries@amcis.co.uk.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IMPACT AWARD
Tory Gillingham
AMCIS CEO 2004-2025
We presented Tory with a special Lifetime Achievement IMPACT Award, to thank her for 21 years of dedication to AMCIS, as she prepares to retire in summer 2025
“She is a powerhouse of fizzing, positive energy, always full of ideas and motivation to make the world a better place“
Julie Robinson CEO, Independent Schools Council
Click below to watch a short video of thanks to Tory
Click above for Tory’s thank you speech
ADMISSIONS IMPACT AWARD WINNER
Dame Allan’s Schools
LessFear,MoreFun: BringingExcitementtoEntranceAssessments
“Theresultsachievedbyreimaginingtheentrancetestday wereclearproofofwhatanimpactthechangemade;not justtothenumberofpupilsrecruitedbutalsotothemore efficientuseoftimeforallthestaffinvolved.Ontopof that,thenewapproachmadeitmucheasiertoseewhich childrenwouldtrulythriveattheschool.”
TheJudges
NBtheprojectdescriptionandimpactdataoppositeisan abbreviated/paraphrasedversionofthefullsubmission.
ARecognising the anxiety traditionally associated with entrance exams, Dame Allan’s Schools set out to radically reimagine the assessment experience for entry into Years 7–9. The brief was clear: make the process more enjoyable and less intimidating, while gaining a more holistic understanding of each pupil. The school’s leadership aimed to turn the admissions day into a memorable and welcoming introduction to school life not simply a test of academic performance
The initiative introduced a number of innovative, low-cost changes:
Online adaptive testing replaced traditional exams, reducing time spent on assessments by over an hour and making the process less daunting. This also allowed same-day interviews, eliminating the need for follow-up visits and maximising convenience for families.
Sixth Form buddies greeted and accompanied pupils throughout the day, creating an instant sense of community and reassurance
Casual clothing was encouraged, allowing children to feel more at ease and ready for the physical and team-based activities that followed.
Staggered arrivals and small group sizes helped minimise overwhelm. Informal teacherpupil chats, often involving LEGO model-building, allowed staff to observe pupils’ social and problem-solving skills in a low-pressure setting.
Fun, active sessions in the Sports Hall included obstacle courses, logic puzzles, and traditional games These helped students decompress and enabled staff to observe teamwork and creativity beyond the academic sphere
Comprehensive parental communication ensured families understood the changes and could help prepare their children, reducing anxiety in advance.
This thoughtful redesign shifted focus from purely academic testing to a broader, more pupilcentric experience. The school gained deeper insights into candidates’ personalities and potential, while students enjoyed a positive, relaxed first encounter with Dame Allan’s.
IMPACT
The data speaks for itself:
Attendance surged: Boys’ turnout increased from 88.5% to 97.4%, while girls’ attendance rose from 95.1% to 98.4%.
Acceptance rates climbed: Among the top 10 performing candidates, there was a 20% increase in accepted offers for boys, and a 10% increase for girls.
Crucially, this impact was achieved without a dedicated marketing budget—only using existing staffing and assessment resources making it a standout example of strategic innovation and effectiveness in admissions
BRANDING IMPACT AWARD WINNER
Malvern College
“Tomorrow’srolemodels,shapedtoday
“Malvern completed a thorough base to their rebrand initiative through conducting both customer and competitor research. They created an extremely strong strapline which works extremely well throughout all their print and digital materials. The brand extension to their Prep School and Alumni arm has worked very well. Brand graphics allow for strong storytelling across all mediums. A film reinforces their messaging, alongside bite-size pupil testimonials, which they have used in their advertising. They have shown best practice when it comes to a rebrandproject.”
TheJudges
NBtheprojectdescriptionandimpactdataoppositeisan abbreviated/paraphrasedversionofthefullsubmission.
Malvern College set out to transform its brand communications to better reflect its progressive values and resonate with modern audiences. Historically reliant on its heritagerich imagery—manicured lawns and Gothic towers—the College recognised the need to evolve in a competitive marketplace.
The brief was to move away from traditional, outdated tropes and develop a brand that celebrated the real, diverse community of Malvern: modern, inspiring, and inclusive. A core objective was to establish a brand that could resonate across its global network, drive pupil recruitment, and galvanise internal and external stakeholders around a unifying message.
An intensive period of stakeholder engagement included interviews with staff, students, parents, alumni, and leadership. This, combined with audience profiling using CACI Acorn data, shaped the school’s new brand platform. Central to this was the positioning statement: ‘Tomorrow’s role models, shaped today’—a message that defined not only what Malvern stood for but what it stood against, notably ‘toxic entitlement.’
The concept was applied across all communications channels—recruitment literature, a new website, school films, social media, internal documents, HR collateral, and staff appraisals— embedding the brand across the fabric of school life. Profiles of pupils, staff, and alumni highlighted how individuals grow into modern role models, showing how diverse talents and journeys are equally valued. This approach was visually reinforced with distinctive design elements and storytelling motifs that made the brand instantly recognisable.
Budget: £71k across research, video, and website development. All profile copywriting, design, and creative collateral were produced in-house by the marketing team.
IMPACT
Website and Video: Three new websites (for the College, Prep School, and alumni society) were launched. A suite of 10 videos—including a Sky AdSmart campaign—spotlighted role model stories.
Engagement: A post on teacher Sarah Angus, a Tatler Lifetime Achievement finalist, received 11,175 impressions and 835 interactions—among the top-performing posts of 2024.
Advertising Reach: The role model AdSmart campaign hit 101.32% of its impression target (over 90,000 views) and boosted visits to the landing page by 130.77%.
Admissions Impact: October Open Day bookings increased by 57% compared to March 2024, 57% over October 2023, and 33% over October 2022.
Internal Adoption: The brand platform has become the framework for HR processes, internal communications, and global brand alignment, with alumni and international campuses adopting the messaging. Malvern’s rebrand is now an active, living identity—woven into daily life and propelling the College confidently into the future.
COMMUNICATIONS IMPACT AWARD WINNER
Bedford Modern School
TheCrumblingConcreteCrisisatBedfordModernSchool–aCommunicationsChallengeLikeNoOther
“...a brilliant example of crisis management on a large scale. The school’s communications were exemplary, not only managing the immediate crisis, but also making the longer-term implications part of their ongoing marketing strategy, thereby turning a threat into an opportunity. As a result, existing parents complimented the school’s handling of this major disruption,andtherewasanincreaseof8percentinregistrations andthe conversionrateroseby4percent.”
TheJudges
NBtheprojectdescriptionandimpactdataoppositeisanabbreviated/paraphrasedversionof thefullsubmission.
BIn August 2023, Bedford Modern School (BMS) faced an unprecedented challenge when the UK government mandated immediate closures of areas built with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)—a material used in many mid-20th-century buildings. Over 70% of BMS’s Senior School was rendered inaccessible, as were parts of the Junior School and sports facilities. This coincided with a leadership transition and the loss of the External Relations team’s office space, forcing the team of seven to work in cramped conditions with a single shared phone line.
The school’s communications strategy, led by the External Relations team, was rapidly redefined to meet three key aims:
1.Manage the crisis narrative and provide clear, timely updates.
2.Communicate the temporary relocation of the Junior School to a site 1.9 miles away.
3.Reassure all stakeholders that BMS remained operational and committed to its core educational values.
Execution and Channels
Communications spanned across internal and external channels, including:
Social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X)
Weekly or ad-hoc parent bulletins
Assemblies, tutor communications, and staff briefings
Regular community and alumni updates through newsletters and OBM magazine features On-site signage, information banners, and short-form films
Efforts emphasised transparency, resilience, and creativity—from posts showing staff in hard hats to stories of orchestra rehearsals in the Science Centre atrium. A “tuck truck” was introduced to maintain student experiences, while off-site venues ensured continuity in cocurricular programming.
Particular focus was given to rebranding and communicating the Junior School’s temporary relocation. This included stakeholder engagement, signage within a week, and adjusted admissions operations across two campuses.
IMPACT
Despite operational disruption, BMS successfully maintained its reputation and community confidence:
Open Day 2023: 504 families attended (only a 2.5% drop YoY); registrations rose by 8% and offer-to-acceptance conversions increased by 4%.
Retention: No significant in-year fluctuation in student enrolment.
Media: Balanced local and regional press coverage helped strengthen relationships with key journalists.
Digital Engagement: A 326.5% increase in website visits and a significant rise in page views followed the initial RAAC announcement. Social media follower numbers and engagement also increased.
Parental Feedback: Positive sentiment captured in a 2024 RSAcademics survey praised the school’s “direct communication” and “swift and bold” actions.
Budget: Less than £2,250, with no dedicated communications spend—demonstrating exceptional return on minimal investment.
DIGITAL IMPACT AWARD WINNER
Ackworth School
GoAckworth,GoFurther
“...eye-catching branding and digital media to achieve trendbucking results. The content was used in targeted digital advertising,leadingtocampaignlandingpageswhereparents coulddirectlybookavisitorregisterfortheopenevents-resulting inahugeupliftYearonyearforuptakeofbothoftheseevent types. They showed clearly how their digital efforts have showcasedtheschoolinawaythatremainstruetotheirQuaker ethos, in a way that appeals unmistakably to their target audience,andhavebeenrewardedforthisthroughthec40% increasedschoolvisits.Awesomework!”
TheJudges
NBtheprojectdescriptionandimpactdataoppositeisanabbreviated/paraphrased versionofthefullsubmission.
Ackworth School—a Quaker day and boarding school for pupils aged 2½ to 19—sought to boost brand awareness locally and attract more families to visit, especially for two key Open Days. Despite its rich heritage and strong values, Ackworth remains lesser known, particularly among nearby aspirational communities balancing the demands of modern family life.
The campaign brief focused on increasing visibility and enrolment by showcasing Ackworth’s distinctive wraparound care, nurturing environment, and flexible learning options—including flexi-boarding and extended school hours—positioned to support whole families, not just pupils. While academic excellence was implicit, the emphasis was on warmth, support, and Quaker values.
Working with long-standing agency partner The Wrapped Brand Agency, the school launched a strategic digital-first campaign titled “Go Ackworth, Go Further.” The multiplatform approach included:
Paid ads on Google Search, Display Network, YouTube, and Facebook.
A new landing page designed to convert ad traffic into visits and enquiries.
A door drop of 30,000 leaflets targeting carefully selected households using geodemographic data.
A series of bespoke videos illustrating Ackworth’s values, community, and after-school opportunities, which drove viewers to the campaign page.
Initial “quick wins” included boosting visibility of existing campaigns with refined creative and strategic targeting. These were followed by longer-term engagement efforts like video storytelling, designed to bring the school’s culture to life authentically and visually.
IMPACT
Open Day Growth: May’s event saw more than 40 family registrations—up from 28 the previous year, which had been a record high.
Bespoke Visits: 26 individual family visits were arranged in April–May, more than double the 11 recorded over the same period the year prior
Revenue Potential: Based on the average lifetime value of one converted family (£50,000), the £8,000 digital campaign could yield over £3 million in long-term income, though final conversion figures will confirm this for 2025 entry.
Brand Perception: Staff, pupils, and the public praised the campaign’s authenticity, with internal relationships between marketing and the wider school community also positively affected.
The campaign not only raised awareness but made Ackworth’s ethos visible and accessible, delivering significant ROI from a modest digital budget.
SMALL BUDGET AWARD WINNER
Hymers College
ScienceTriathlon:
EngagingacademicallygiftedSixthFormapplicants
“This initiative stood out for its innovation, relevance, and ability to engage its audience effectively. It delivered a significant return on investment, driving student enrolment and increasing interest from prospective families. The value of its external coverage and resulting PR was immense, successfully raising awareness of the school and its offering within the wider community. Notably, its strong emphasis on Science and STEAM aligns with the priorities of today’s curriculum, makingitbothtimelyandimpactful.”
TheJudges
NBtheprojectdescriptionandimpactdataoppositeisanabbreviated/paraphrasedversionof thefullsubmission.
In recent years, Hymers College identified a challenge: while the school welcomes both full-fee and bursary students into its Sixth Form, applications from academically strong bursary candidates had declined. The Admissions and Marketing team set out to address this with a strategic, low-cost outreach initiative. The brief was to:
Raise awareness of Hymers Sixth Form in the local community
Attract academically gifted pupils, particularly for bursary places
Promote the school’s excellence in Science
Support local schools with a challenging enrichment opportunity
The result was the Science Triathlon, a new competitive event launched in early 2024. Year 10 pupils from 11 local schools formed teams of four to tackle real-world inspired challenges across Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Activities were hosted in Hymers’ state-of-the-art labs and facilitated by Sixth Form science students—offering academic aspiration and peer mentorship. Following the competition, families were invited to a celebration event, which included prize-giving and tours of Hymers’ science facilities. This created a rare opportunity for parents from local schools to experience Hymers first-hand.
To support the event, the team raised £1,600 in sponsorship from alumni and partner networks— underscoring the community value of a Hymers education. The total cost was just £2,998.23, meaning net spend was under £1,400, well within the Small Budget category limit.
IMPACT
Student Reach: 14 teams (56 pupils) from 11 schools participated.
Parental Engagement: 73% of families attended the celebration event.
Conversions: The family of a competition winner enrolled one child into Year 10 and another into Year 7—worth an estimated £120,000 in school fees.
Bursary Applications: Two academically gifted competitors have since applied for Sixth Form bursaries, with applications still open.
Open Event Conversion: 10% of families from the Triathlon attended the Sixth Form Open Evening.
Media & Awareness:
4 local media features
Over 200,000 organic social media impressions
Positive feedback from teachers, such as Sirius Academy’s Director of STEM who praised the event for “opening pupils’ eyes to new possibilities.”
Looking ahead to 2025, interest has grown significantly:
+55% more schools expected
+29% more teams and pupils
+75% increase in sponsors
+72% growth in sponsorship income
This cost-effective initiative not only enriched local education but also delivered strong enrolment outcomes and renewed community engagement with Hymers College.
STRATEGIC IMPACT AWARD WINNER
St Mary’s School, Hampstead
SpacetoBecome
“This school recognised the need for a strategic approach to marketing where none had previously existed. Their approach, commencing with an internal audit, was inclusive, meaningful and creative, embracing a wide range of media, comms channels, and audiences. The impact was significant, including record open event turn-outs, applications almost doublethepreviousannualaverage,andtheopeningofanewPre-Nursery class. Theschoolwasalsolisted intheCatholic Good SchoolsGuide forthe firsttimeasoneoftheTop5UKPrepSchoolsfor2024.”
TheJudges
NB the project description and impact data opposite is an abbreviated/paraphrased version of thefullsubmission.
In January 2024, St. Mary’s School, Hampstead – a small Catholic girls’ prep school in North London – launched its first strategic marketing campaign, ‘Space to Become’. With no previous marketing review or strategy, and seven independent schools on their road alone, it was time to refresh their approach. Many first-time visitors had not heard of the school, or harboured misconceptions about its provision.
The campaign strategy emerged from a comprehensive external marketing audit in September 2023, which highlighted both the school’s hidden physical scale and the nurturing environment it provides for academic success. The campaign aimed to redefine the school’s image, differentiate it in a competitive market, and increase awareness and admissions.
The strategy was shaped by audit findings, admissions data, and the school development plan. It focused on the theme of “space” as both physical and metaphorical – spacious classrooms, a virtual reality room, five playgrounds, and the freedom for girls to grow. The campaign was rolled out across multiple channels. A new Instagram account (@stmhnw3) launched in October 2023, showcasing the school’s spaces with engaging organic and sponsored content. A new prospectus, the first in eight years, was published in August 2024, emphasising aspirational visuals and spatial design.
Advertising extended to Instagram, local press, educational publications, and the London Underground, all carrying the ‘Come and find your #SpacetoBecome’ message. Community engagement included a themed Afternoon Tea in September 2024, targeting local stakeholders. Additionally, a pupil-led Young Marketing Club created student-designed maps to reflect the school’s facilities and ethos. A new website and promotional film, both designed around the ‘Space to Become’ concept, are set to launch by the end of 2024.
IMPACT
The campaign delivered tangible results:
Admissions: September 2024 saw a record 22 pupil registrations (up from a 12/month average), prompting the addition of a new Pre-Nursery class in January 2025 – the largest Early Years cohort since 2019. Seven new pupils joined during 2023–24, bringing total enrolment to 216.
Engagement: March 2024’s Open Morning saw 29 families attend – a four-year high. Summer tours rose 15% year-on-year.
Digital growth: Instagram gained 500+ followers in under a year; August 2024 alone saw 33,000 profile views – 69.7% driven by paid campaign ads.
Recognition: The school earned Top 5 UK Prep status from the Catholic Good Schools Guide and was Highly Commended at the ISA Awards for Outstanding School Sport.
Web traffic: Visits to admissions pages rose from 472 in April to 705 in July
Total marketing spend was £7,200, with an additional £20,000 secured mid-year for the film and new website. The initiative demonstrates significant, measurable impact for a small school in a highly competitive market.
Ibstock Place School
Abrandtransformationtoaninspiringplacetoflourish
“This school’s teamwork shone through, from the motivational impact of a new Head to the small marketing team’s sensitive approach which successfully embraced the entire school in the wider re-brand and roll-out team. Tremendous teamwork was also evident during the 12 months following initial roll-out when a huge number of initiatives served to reinforce the brand and during which period the team also covered a month-long absence of their directorofmarketingduringafamilyhealthcrisis Asaresultofthe initialre-brand,year-on-yearpupilregistrationsroseby25percent (Pre-PrepandPrep),7%(Senior),and4%(SixthForm)”
TheJudges
NBtheprojectdescriptionandimpactdataoppositeisanabbreviated/paraphrased versionofthefullsubmission.
In a saturated South West London market, Ibstock Place School faced diminishing brand recognition, despite offering a distinctive educational experience on an 8-acre botanical campus beside Richmond Park. The arrival of Headmaster Chris Wolsey in 2022 marked a turning point: he issued a clear, ambitious brief to elevate the school’s profile through a bold rebrand that would reflect the energy, ethos, and excellence he saw daily The challenge was twofold—define a compelling identity, and build awareness across a competitive landscape.
Inherited by a newly-formed marketing team—just one person initially—the brand consisted solely of a traditional navy crest and a Latin motto. A full brand redevelopment was launched with minimal budget and maximum intent. Through extensive consultation with staff, parents, pupils, and alumni, the team articulated five core brand pillars that genuinely reflected the school's values and became a lived identity, adopted in assemblies, bulletins, and across all communications:
A joyful, nurturing culture
Ambition to achieve
An inspiring place to flourish
Rooted in kindness
Feet on the ground, eyes on the future
Visually, the brand retained its crest but added a premium navy and gold palette, new typography, and a vibrant secondary colour system to represent the four sub-schools (Pre-Prep to Sixth Form). These updates were delivered through professionally developed brand guidelines.
The rollout was swift and far-reaching: website, signage, uniforms, prospectuses, minibus wraps, social media, and a new brand video and film—all handled by the small but agile team. The project was managed entirely in-house, with only £2,875+VAT spent on external brand development and guidelines. Despite this lean budget, the quality and cohesion of the output was transformative.
Success was driven by extraordinary teamwork. From launching new platforms to producing compelling content, the growing three-person team achieved a total brand reset within 12 months. Notably, they maintained momentum despite personal hardship, covering leadership duties during a colleague’s family health crisis. Their collaborative resilience brought the brand to life, redefining Ibstock’s identity, elevating visibility, and demonstrating the power of a unified, mission-driven team.
IMPACT
Open Event Registrations (Autumn 2023 vs 2022):
Pre-Prep/Prep: +32%
Senior (11+): +110%
Sixth Form: +16%
Pupil Registrations (YoY):
Pre-Prep/Prep: +25%
Senior: +7%
Sixth Form: +4%
Representatives of the winning schools receive their awards from AMCIS Chair Jennifer Hirst and Immediate Past Chair David Milner
The AMCIS IMPACT Award winners were announced live at an awards ceremony during the AMCIS Annual Conference on 12 May 2025. We asked those present what it’s like to be a winner. Click on the images to see what they said.
“Not only is it amazing to be recognised by my peers, moreimportantlyitisthefantasticrecognitionformy team (Kate Edwards, Adam Clark and Amy Patterson) aswellasthewholeschoolcommunity”
Rebecca Allan, Dame Allan’s School (Admissions Awardwinner)
“Well this was unexpected... When our headmaster originally came to me with the very 'brief' brief to createaSTEMbasedoutreacheventforourschool, I neverimagineditwouldonedaywinanaward!”
Charlotte Hutchinson, Outreach Manager, Hymers College(SmallBudgetAwardwinner)
