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INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION


Report revealed that there was little operational standardisation across international school admissions. Admissions at international schools differ widely, in terms of both the numbers and the titles of admissions staff. The report highlights the most effective marketing tools from the


admissions perspective. Among these are referrals from families of pupils currently or formerly at the school, school tours, videos, relocation agents, HR managers, social media, and newsletters and magazines. Although the SSATB is US-based, judging from my visit to April’s


Council of British International Schools (COBIS) conference for admissions and marketing professionals, the experience is pretty similar. The conference was hosted by the Prague British School. Its team


had done an excellent job of putting together a programme that reflected the challenges of forward-thinking international schools and provided professional development opportunities in key areas like digital and risk and security. Certainly, that audience was keen to engage with the employer


market. They recognised, in particular, the value of video to tell the story of their schools. Social media was also playing an increasingly key part in their marketing strategies. HR and relocation professionals should be able to glean a lot from


school websites, and these are set to grow in importance. Schools that deal regularly with incoming relocating families


understand both the pressures on the employer and the parents’ perspective. While appreciating that it is ideal to visit a school well ahead of decision-making, they realise that sometimes video and live Skype have to suffice. AtRe:locate’s International Education Forum in February, Heather


Mulkey, of ISL, recounted having to, on occasion, take a laptop round the school to reassure an anxious parent. Many international schools are extremely good at meeting the needs


of relocating families. Presentations by ACS International Schools, TASIS and Marymount at the forum gave examples of the steps they take to support employers and relocating families. These include parent groups, who play a huge role in settling families and ultimately retaining talent for their employers. See relocateglobal.com for details. Vicky Seehafer, director of admissions at Hong Kong International


School (HKIS), reinforces the point. “Our parents are very actively involved in the school community, from volunteering in the classroom and serving on the Parent Advisory Group to chaperoning on field trips. The Parent Faculty Organisation is an important part of our community and also runs programmes to help settle incoming families.”


Summer schools Though it brings a host of opportunities, relocating to a new country can be stressful, particularly for children, who must cope with a change of school as well as unfamiliar surroundings. By accustoming children to their new school and giving them the


chance to make friends, summer schools can help to instil a sense of belonging before the academic year begins. For parents, they have the added advantages of freeing them to focus on the many things that have to be done following a relocation move, giving them a feel for the school and its facilities, and enabling them to meet other parents in their new area. “Many of our families, and new families especially, send their children and teens to the day sports and drama camps in August,


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