Communications and Marketing Strategy
How we articulate Wycombe Abbey’s vision and values to connect with and engage our audiences and support the fulfilment of the School’s strategic ambitions.
Statement of Purpose
The Communications and Marketing Department at Wycombe Abbey seeks to support the School to achieve its vision to be a world leader in girls’ boarding. With the publication of our Strategic Direction Wycombe Abbey 125 there is a renewed sense of purpose within the Communications and Marketing Department to help achieve the School’s ambitious goals. The School’s strategy focusses on six pillars.
This Communications and Marketing Strategy will:
• Support the fulfilment of our vision as set out in the School’s Strategic Direction document.
• Keep us focused; specific objectives and long-term goals will be clearly set out.
• Help us measure success; key performance indicators (KPIs) will enable us to evaluate our performance and consider how we are investing time and resources.
• Strengthen our brand; the process and expectation for embedding brand awareness will be clear across the organisation.
• Coordinate the message; all parties will be aligned about what to say and how to say it.
• Save money; we will only invest in projects that help us reach our goals.
Our Communications and Marketing Team is led by: Director of Communications and Marketing Sian Rees-Evans reesevanss@wycombeabbey.com
Who We Are
Our Vision
To be at the forefront of girls’ boarding education and recognised globally as a world class school.
Our Mission
To inspire every pupil to strive for ambitious goals and to recognise that they can make a positive difference in the world, now and in the future.
Our Aims
We will keep our aims at the heart of all we do:
• The pursuit of academic excellence.
• The development of each individual’s talents in creative, physical and social skills.
• The encouragement of faith in God and service to other people all in a happy, fulfilling and caring community.
What We Value
• Trust – We foster strong relationships built on trust through good communication, willingness to listen and honesty.
• Encouragement – We promote a positive atmosphere where all members of the community are supported to develop and fulfil their potential.
• Mutual Respect – We seek to understand and embrace differences in people, ideas and experiences with tolerance and understanding.
• Excellence – We believe in the importance of striving to be exceptional in whatever we do through the setting of ambitious goals and taking ownership of our decisions and actions.
• Balance – We understand the importance of supporting staff and pupils to thrive by maintaining a healthy mind and body.
• Dynamism – We are a forward-thinking school that nurtures the leaders of tomorrow for a global workplace.
• Innovation – We are excited about creating the future through being open-minded, curious and embracing change.
• Service – We recognise the great rewards that individuals reap in helping, supporting and giving to others both within the School community and beyond it.
Our Audiences
Our Communication Principles and Objectives
Wycombe Abbey’s communication principles are that all communications will be accurate, aligned with our values, complete, appropriate for the receiver, timely and authentic.
Our Communications Objectives are:
• To create a clear Communications and Marketing Strategy understood by all relevant stakeholders. This will help us achieve our organisational objectives and ensure all staff understand the value of the Wycombe Abbey brand.
• To communicate what makes Wycombe Abbey distinctive and enable audiences to understand what we have to offer.
• To create awareness of Wycombe Abbey by growing a meaningful social media following across a range of channels whilst maintaining quality of content.
• To support the Admissions and Development departments to create a world class marketing and alumnae experience from the moment of first contact.
• To increase reach and to promote Wycombe Abbey as inclusive and caring, particularly in terms of bursary candidates and staff job applicants.
• To fully embed the School’s internal communications guidance to ensure an effective flow of information between colleagues.
• To ensure clarity in relation to parental communication with the School, with a specific focus on new parent joiners.
Our Marketing Principles and Objectives
At Wycombe Abbey, we will take marketing decisions strategically with a data driven approach and with a view to attracting and retaining pupils and staff who will flourish at the School, enjoy all it has to offer and remain engaged once they leave.
Our Marketing Objectives are:
• To communicate the benefits of a Wycombe Abbey education and to reach those who would thrive as a pupil at the School.
• To reach a diverse and talented pool of prospective staff members and to articulate the benefits of working at Wycombe Abbey.
• To build a positive image of the School by nurturing good relationships with stakeholders.
• To continue to build quality content on the website, our main marketing tool.
• To gather feedback from stakeholders so that our offering can continually be improved.
• To work closely with our Admissions team to deliver a high-quality publications and events for prospective parents.
• To assist the Development and Alumnae Relations team as they seek to engage donors and Seniors.
• To work with the International team to strengthen the brand identity of our sister schools and to enhance collaboration with them.
Our Aims
Mission and Vision for the Communications and Marketing Department.
Wycombe Abbey’s Communications and Marketing Strategic Plan will be used as a tool to ensure that all communications and marketing decisions align with the strategic goals set out in Our Strategic Direction Wycombe Abbey 2020 - 2025. It will be evaluated and updated as needed and be supported by a detailed operational plan.
Our aims are to:
1. Ensure that atWycombe Abbey we effectively communicate with all stakeholders and clearly reflect the School’s values through our communications whether orally, in print or digital.
2. Help Wycombe Abbey staff be knowledgeable ambassadors for the School as they communicate key messages to parents, pupils and other staff.
3. Communicate what differentiates us from other schools and clearly define our identity. We will break down silos and refine and clarify communications procedures.
4. Embed the Communications and Marketing Department as a key resource within the School and one which works with others to market our offering.
5. Clarify our international schools’ brand identity and improve communication of our “family” relationship.
We aim to tell the Wycombe Abbey story.
Supporting the School’s Strategic Direction
How will the Communications and Marketing Department support the School’s Strategic Objectives and Vision?
Support academic departments to produce high quality resources.
Use social media to effectively promote the academic life of the School.
Promote initiatives which encourage a reading culture.
Assist with documentation which articulates our Higher Education offering.
Ensure website content communicates our future focussed, high quality academic provision.
Support messaging which helps promote a sense of community.
Ensure messaging aligns with the School’s values.
Promotion of Flourishing@ agenda across platforms.
Articuate a sense of House families on website and social media.
Produce and publish materials relating to pupil wellbeing, pastoral care and safeguarding.
Promote the boarding experience at Wycombe Abbey which is central to the girls’ lives.
Promote the message that Wycombe Abbey is an inclusive School that cares for its staff.
Communicate our professional development programme for staff internally and externally.
Support the HR team with staff recruitment materials and effective promotion of job opportunities.
Help the School’s Leadership Team to embed the School’s values.
Work with Admissions to produce high quality marketing publications.
Assist with communications relating to Seniors.
Continue to enhance internal communications.
Unify and enhance our international schools branding.
Provide PR support to protect Wycombe Abbey’s brand and reputation.
Highlight our work with world class schools globally.
Continue to promote the School’s comprehensive cocurricular programme.
Communicate a sense of Wycombe Abbey’s global perspective via website content and social media channels.
Support the Seniors’ Office as it engages with Seniors of all ages.
Assist with communication of the School’s digital strategy to all relevant stakeholders.
Emphasise where Wycombe Abbey provides opportunities linked to the work place, emerging technologies and entrpreneurship.
Communicate the School’s ambitious campus masterplan using a range of media.
Support the development department to communicate its fundraising campaigns.
Help celebrate the School’s commitment to bursarial support.
Promote the School’s sustainability initiatives.
Celebrate the School’s rich archive by incorporating information in to relevant School publications. Communicate partnership activity appropriately.
Our Key Messages
• Pupils – we will support you throughout your educational journey atWycombe Abbey, recognising you as a unique individual.We will help you achieve your goals and develop the skills you need to live a productive, fulfilled life.
• Parents – we will provide your daughter with an outstanding educational experience tailored to her needs. We will work closely with you throughout your daughter’s time at School and will seek to nurture a lifelong relationship with our community.
• Prospective Parents – we realise there are a number of schools you might choose for your daughter(s); we will clearly articulate what we have to offer - a remarkable environment where girls can flourish and achieve their ambitions within a full boarding context.
• Prep Schools – we will engage with you through events, visits and regular communication to ensure that you can articulate what Wycombe Abbey has to offer your parents and help you identify the girls (including bursary candidates) who will thrive here.
• Partner Schools - we appreciate our close relationship with you and the two way transfer of best practice.
• Seniors – you are part of the Wycombe Abbey community for life and we would like to continue to help you succeed as you find your way in the world and draw on your experience and expertise to support younger women. Messages will be tailored depending on the age of the Senior.
Senior (age in years)
Key Messages
18 - 25 You are a Senior for life, and we would like to continue to help you succeed as you find your way in the world.
25 - 35 We recognise that you are busy, let us help you stay connected with your networks.
35 - 50 You are the future for the pupils of today. Your experience can be of great value to current pupils.
50 - 65 Your path shows what a pupil can hope to achieve with a Wycombe Abbey education
65 - 80+ The School isn’t the same place that you went to - it has evolved. Your memories and friendships of School are important. We will adapt our messaging for each constituent group.
• Former Parents (Friends of) – we recognise the support you have given over the years and the impact you and your daughter(s) have had on Wycombe Abbey.
• Donors – we are grateful for your generosity and engagement, there are a many worthy causes you could support and we are delighted you chose to support Wycombe Abbey.
• Legators – your support is valued, we will work with you to ensure your gift makes a difference for future generations.
• Staff – you are part of the Wycombe Abbey journey contributing to our pupils’ day to day experience and supporting them to achieve excellent outcomes. We are grateful for your efforts. We care about your professional development and wellbeing and want to listen to your views and take them into account as decisions are made.
• Prospective Staff – we seek to encourage well-qualified staff to consider working at Wycombe Abbey. We will use appropriate platforms to seek out prospective staff and help them to understand our full boarding environment.
• Governing Council Members – we are grateful to you for your leadership of Wycombe Abbey and the time you give to the School. The Executive Leadership Team and wider staff body will work with you to achieve our bold ambition to be at the forefront of girls’ boarding education and recognised globally as a world class school.
• International Sister Schools - we have a close relationship with our schools overseas and will work hard to develop these through the promotion of opportunities, collaboration and DNA transfer.
• Local Community – Wycombe Abbey wants to be genuinely connected to the community around it, outreach and partnerships are important to us.
• Local Authorities - we will communicate with emergency and social services when needed. We appreciate your guidance at times of crisis.
• Specialist Organisations (HMC/BSA/GSA) – Wycombe Abbey is a forward-thinking School with an illustrious past and bold plans for its future. We stand with the leading independent schools in the UK represented by our associations.
Key Channels of Communication
Examples: Meet the Head
Dove Day
Anniversary events
Parenting the Teenager
Fora: Music/Sport
New Staff Induction
Admissions
Seniors
Fundraising
Examples: Social Media
Website
Portals/Intranet
E-Bulletin
Photography
Podcasts
Film
Staff Handbook
Third Party Websites
Examples: Gazette
Seniors’ Supplement
Donor Reports
Publications
Campaign Materials
Prospectus
Admissions Materials
Sixth Form Course Guide
Academic Materials
Qualitative: comments from visitors, feedback surveys, coverage in the media and word of mouth. Events
Quantitative: website visits, event attendance, social media engagement.