3 Topics Most Schools Avoid — But Shouldn’t

Every school has the best interest of its pupils and families at heart, but the desire to shield their communities from the realities of daily school life means opportunities to engage are often missed.

Schools are brimming with passionate people who care deeply — often zealously — about improving the lives of young people. Add the emotive topic of educating our youth to the mix, and it can become difficult for schools to talk openly about those challenges they feel compromise their standing.

Keeping up appearances is a tempting tactic, but schools who hesitate to communicate candidly with their communities are missing an opportunity to connect with stakeholders, humanise the efforts of school staff, and drive engagement with important school improvement initiatives.

At Eduprise, we work closely with schools to improve how they communicate with their communities. Here are three topics most schools are uncomfortable talking about — but should anyway.

1. Fundraising and Volunteering

Seldom seen is the school with a big enough budget to facilitate the many extracurricular and enrichment activities laid out in its school improvement plan. These activities are designed and hosted for the benefit of young people, yet many schools are uncomfortable approaching their communities about the fundraising and voluntary effort needed to make them happen.

In reality, there’s no harm in asking; most of the schools we work with are surprised by the generosity of their parents and families, who are more than willing to contribute time or money toward activities they can tell will benefit their child. The issue lies not in asking for money, but in failing to communicate to parents and carers why an activity is worthwhile. First, consider how to demonstrate the value of what your school is asking stakeholders to support. With a clear value proposition in place, your audience will be more likely to engage.

2. Problems at School

When problems arise at school, it is tempting to avoid talking with the community about them. While some schools feel that difficult, emotional subjects are best left buried, there is a real opportunity to have an open conversation with school stakeholders in the wake of an issue or challenge at school.

At Eduprise, we encourage schools to conduct a “communications post-mortem” after an incident has occured in a school. By sharing post-incident learnings, stakeholder communications can be developed and distributed that restore confidence in school procedures and prevent difficult topics from accruing a life of their own in public discourse.

3. The Daily Work of School Staff

While many schools share updates on the activities of their pupils, few do the same for their staff. Parents love to hear and see the progress their children are making at school, but it also pays to remind school stakeholders of the challenging and important work that goes into the daily operation of a school. By sharing small updates on the work of school staff, schools can humanise their efforts, appear less faceless, and cultivate a more understanding relationship with their community.

Learn How to Get School Communications Right

Many of the topics schools want to talk about require delicacy of tone and a considerate approach. It can be difficult to accomplish, but it’s never impossible. If you’d like to learn how best to approach sensitive communications, why not speak to the team at Eduprise?