Insight and Foresight.

Research is essential for informing strategy. Informed by your brief, our research provides the insights which help your leadership team make data-driven decisions, address challenges proactively, and achieve sustainable growth and success.

Our tailored research modules are undertaken exclusively by us. We gather comprehensive data on market trends, competitor performance, and the needs and preferences of parents and pupils, to provide you with a clear understanding of your place in the market.

We then combine this with wide sector knowledge from our own research reports to provide you with the insight and the foresight to plan effectively for your school’s future.

Our modules can be commissioned independently or collectively as part of a Brand Audit.*

*If you can’t see the precise research module you need, just ask us - we can create a bespoke one for you.

  • "I wanted to say how pleased we are and appreciative of RBC’s professional and sensitive approach. They did a brilliant job and we are very happy with the findings presented to us. We have much to consider and work on! "

  • "RBC provided valuable observations about our present Open Days, as a result of which we are implementing a number of changes."

  • "Brilliant, relevant and really interesting data which I know will be incredibly useful. Even as someone very close in age to Gen Z their research was incredibly insightful and well thought-out."

  • "We found receiving a report, along with the additional verbal feedback and discussion session very useful, focusing on key areas for improvement."

  • "Excellent presentation - I could have listened to Carolyn and Katie all day. Really feeling motivated to recruit Generation Z!"

OUR MODULES

Text reads Non-Joiner Interviews

The vital research module.

  • We interview families who turned down a place at your school and provide insight into key areas of your school’s marketing.

  • Understanding your position in the marketplace and why parents turned you down.

  • • Your Admissions Process
    • The family’s Customer Journey
    • Your school’s admissions process versus your competitors
    • Which other schools families are choosing and why

    A full report and recommendations, debrief session with you and your SLT.

  • As soon as possible after parents have turned you down and before they get involved with their chosen school. For most senior schools with defined acceptance dates, late Spring and early Summer Term are usually the best times.

Text reads Mystery Shopping

Walk in prospective parents’ shoes.

  • We visit your school as a prospective parent - either on an open day or an individual tour - and embark on the admissions journey.

    Our report then provides a fresh and impartial view of how your school comes across.

  • • Seeing your school from the viewpoint of a prospective parent.
    • Informal conversations with other prospective families.

  • An in-person visit to your school:

    • Hearing the Head’s talk
    • Taking the tour
    • Meeting key members of staff and pupils
    • Casting an impartial eye over your facilities

    We can even visit your competitors’ Open Events and report on how they compare to yours.

    A full report and recommendations, debrief session with you and your SLT.

  • Any time in your marketing cycle to fit your open day/personal tour dates.

Text reads Feeder Head Interviews

The original influencers.

  • Feeder Heads are a critical stakeholder group whose influence on their parents and advocacy for your school is critical.

    We carry out telephone interviews with Heads identified by you to investigate their views on your school and compare you with your competitors.

  • A deep understanding of their perception of you and your position in the marketplace, with the opportunity to rectify any misconceptions, connect with new feeder schools and develop and improve relations with this key stakeholder group.

  • • What they know about you and whether it is accurate
    • Whether they recommend you to their parents
    • What they say about you
    • The type of pupils they recommend to you
    • The type of relationship they like to have with next stage schools

    A full report and recommendations, debrief session with you and your SLT.

  • Ideally in the Summer to inform your marketing cycle in the coming year, but is also effective at other times.

Text reads Stakeholder Insights

The voice of your community.

  • Staff, parents, pupils, governors, alumni and local opinion formers are all at the heart of your school community.

    Their views are critical to ensuring your school continues to deliver a great service to its pupils. We talk to stakeholders via a range of methods, using whichever is most appropriate.

  • • Understanding what stakeholders think about the school
    • Identifying what’s working well and what needs improvement
    • Ensuring ongoing support from your school community
    • Encouraging advocacy and spreading the word about how good your school is
    • Informing a successful marketing strategy
    • Defining your school brand and communicating its unique values

  • • Face to face and telephone interviews
    • Online questionnaires
    • Focus groups

    A full report and recommendations, debrief session with you and your SLT.

  • • When you’ve lost touch with stakeholder views
    • When a new Head takes up their post
    • When you are facing a big decision and need insight to make the right choices
    • If you are writing marketing strategy and need to understand the core components of your brand
    • When you need to test the temperature of your community
    • As part of a comprehensive School Brand Audit

Text reads Competitor Audit

How you stack up against other schools.

  • We look at all of your key competitors to see where your school sits within the market place.

    We combine this with research into local consumer habits and our knowledge of the wider independent sector to give you an overview of where you are and identify where you would like to be.

  • • Keeping up to date with what your competitors are doing and how you compare to them
    • Assessing your own offer and planning any changes
    • Reporting to Governors

  • • Comprehensive digital research using our extensive knowledge of the independent school sector
    • Opinion former interviews on you and your competitors

    A full report and recommendations, debrief session with you and your SLT.

  • Annually, to keep a check on all the key criteria for your competitors including school facilities, changes of staff, fees, results.

Text reads Geo-demographics

Location, location, location.

  • Provides a broad overview of your geographical location, taking into account the location of your feeders and competitors, areas of appropriate social profiling for targeting new locations and potential travel routes.

  • • Identifying potential new target areas
    • Planning marketing activity
    • Planning bus routes

  • • Detailed maps showing postcodes of your pupils and identifying year-by-year trends
    • Areas of appropriate affluence and birth rate that can be added for potential targeting and marketing planning

    A full report and recommendations, debrief session with you and your SLT.

  • When you are planning marketing campaigns to increase numbers in the school.

Let’s chat.