There are currently no dates set for future Training Days. Information about our last event is shown below as an indication of the topics and quality of speakers. 


International Marketing & Admissions  Training Day for School Staff 
Thursday 1st March 2018
Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow, UK

British boarding schools - Upping our game

Is your school match fit to compete in the increasingly competitive global arena? This training course is designed to equip staff responsible for international marketing and student recruitment with the skills they need to help their school break away from bland brands and stand out from the crowd. 

If there is one training course you attend this year, make it this one as you will not be disappointed. We have assembled a programme full of experts to take your marketing and admissions onto a whole new level.

On this course you will learn:

• How to influence what agents say about your school and be at the forefront of their minds when they are recommending schools to families.
• What is happening in key recruitment markets right now
• The latest on Tier 4 and how to ensure your school is avoiding the pitfalls of compliance.
• The art of storytelling and how to win hearts and minds amongst families and agents.
• How to structure the admissions and marketing department to achieve success and reduce conflict.
• What small details make a difference when parents are choosing between schools?
• What to consider when translating your website, including technical and cultural aspects, and what to watch out for. 
• The dos and don’ts of agent contracts and how to avoid the pitfalls.
• What is digital marketing and what practical tips can you use to increase the quantity and quality of international student applications.
• What tips the balance to convert international enquiries to boarders? You will hear directly from a panel of experienced agents and have a chance to pose your own questions to them.

Feedback from previous attendees:

"Your training courses always exceed expectations and are excellent value for money."

"A must-do event"

"Fresh insights. Fresh inspiration. Just what I need right now."

Programme

Time	Session	Speaker
9.30am	Registration and refreshments
10.15am	Welcome	Suzanne Rowse, Director, British Boarding Schools Network Ltd
10.30am	'It's who knows you.' What do agents say about your school when you are not in the room? So many people have been brought up being told ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’. But does this tell the whole story? Many opportunities come when you’re least aware of them. You might be in contact with all the major agents but are they thinking of you when sitting in front of prospective families you’d love to attract to your school? In this interactive presentation, Andy Lopata returns to the British Boarding Schools Network to explore how you can take control of the conversation even when you’re not in the room.	Andy Lopata, Business Networking Strategist, International Speaker and Author
11.30am	Global Market Update. Feedback from our latest Agent Survey on what is influencing parents right now when choosing a British boarding school.	Jan Shilling, Director of Strategy & Development, British Boarding Schools Network
11.50am	Break in the Atrium - opportunity to speak to exhibitors
12.10pm Parallel Session 1	How to Win Hearts and Minds through the Art of Storytelling.  It is no longer sensible to simply rely on a glossy brochure, or a well-structured website, to market what your school is offering. The internet is becoming the primary source of information and digital analytics demonstrate that users will always watch a video first, rather than read text supported with photos no matter how compelling. So, if you want to raise profile, and attract more applicants and the right quality candidates, it’s a case of ‘show me, don’t tell me’. In this illustrated seminar veteran television producer Paul Woolwich will reveal how to win hearts and minds through the art of visual storytelling, how to make impactful videos and the need for a USP.	Paul Woolwich, BAFTA award-winning television producer
12.10pm Parallel Session 2	Tier 4 Compliance and Update With Brexit only one year away, Matthew Burgess will give an update on recent developments affecting schools and international pupils.  As usual, he will also summarise changes in Tier 4 over the last 12 months and provide top tips for effective sponsor compliance and 0% visa refusals!	Matthew Burgess, Consultant, VWV
12.50pm	Buffet Lunch in the Atrium - opportunity to speak to exhibitors
1.50pm Parallel Session 1	Structuring the marketing and admissions team for success. In recent years the challenges faced by Marketing and Admissions teams have increased and evolved exponentially. But the size, skill set and structure of the team dealing with these challenges has typically remained static. Having the right roles structured in the right way means you can meet, and ideally exceed, the needs of prospective families and fundamentally improve the quality of service delivered by your department. It is therefore vital that your Marketing and Admissions department is structured appropriately. Based on her experience, Kathy explains how to review the structure of your team in a way that maximises performance at the same time as reducing personal uncertainty. She will explain how to start the process, discuss some of the issues likely to arise during the course of implementing a new structure and suggest ways to minimise angst for all involved.	Kathy Campbell, Director, Pair Education
1.50pm Parallel Session 2	The dos and don'ts of Agent Contracts. This session will highlight the importance of having a written agreement in place with overseas Agents. Alexandra will explain how things can go wrong and give suggestions as to how to mitigate the risks associated with these arrangements to protect your School yet maintain a good working relationship with the Agent.	Alexandra Ireland, Solicitor, VWV
2.10pm Parallel Session 1	Focus on the detail … “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” George Eliot When all else is equal, why will your prospective families choose you rather than the competition?  What will they find on your website?  Facebook page?  Twitter?  Hear on the Telephone?  Will they be able to find you/know where you are?  And if they visit, the first and last impressions are crucial.  Having ‘shopped’ web sites and telephone responses and visited several hundred schools in the last 16 years, Jan has some abiding memories – good and bad!  How will your school stand out from the crowd?  Jan will take us on a “whistle-stop tour” of the little things that can make a big impact.	Jan Evans, Director, RSAdmissions
2.10pm Parallel Session 2	Translating Websites: Why, how and what to watch out for?   In today’s online world, your school’s website is an indispensable marketing tool. Having spent a lot of time, money and effort crafting the perfect web presence, don’t forget that English speakers only account for 25.3% of all Internet users. Therefore, translating your site into one or more foreign languages will increase your school’s reach around the globe. There are many things to consider aside from language when translating websites – you’ll want to be aware of technical and cultural aspects; there’s also the question of multilingual SEO and AdWords. David will explain the benefits of multilingual website translation, how to go about it and things to watch out for.	David Wheatley, Director, Dot Comma Translations
2.30pm Parallel Session 1	Digital Marketing for International Student Recruitment at UK Boarding Schools This session will cover: What is digital marketing? Digital marketing strategy Digital marketing tools Digital metrics & analytics (real world case study) International student recruitment  Visiting lecturer, Elliott King, Director and Co-Founder of London digital agency MintTwist, will show you how to increase the number and quality of students applying to your school simply through using the right digital marketing tools and tactics.   Elliott has over 20 years of professional experience, helping hundreds of brands such as Roche Pharma, Virgin and Accenture to navigate and leverage the digital revolution. At MintTwist, he works very closely with education establishments including City, University of London, Goldsmiths and Discovery Education to develop their digital strategies and implement change.	Elliott King, Director, MintTwist
2.30pm Parallel Session 2	What do marketing and admissions teams need to know about GDPR? Are you concerned about getting ready for The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) given the vast amount of personal data used by marketing and admissions teams and the potential impact on day to day operations? This session will help you to understand what you need to do before GDPR comes into force, giving practical examples specific to marketing and admissions staff and focussing on pragmatic steps you can take to prepare now.	Alexandra Ireland, Solicitor, VWV
3.10pm	Break in the Atrium - opportunity to speak to exhibitors
3.25pm	Prize Draw
3.30pm	The Agent's view: what tips the balance to convert enquiries to boarders? Practical tips for marketing and admissions staff on what makes a difference to parents in different countries to help convert enquiries to boarders. Followed by a Q & A session of experienced agents.	Panel of experienced agents from a range of key recruitment countries: Germany, France, Middle East, Kazakhstan, China and Kenya
4.30pm	Finish Those staying on for the BBSW can check into bedrooms and the evening programme will start at 5.30pm

Book now

Course Fees

Connected Members: £295 for the first delegate and £280 for the second delegate(s) from the same school. Rates exclude vat. 

Non Connected Members: £330 for the first and £315 for the second delegate(s). Rates exclude vat.

Payment & Cancellation Policy:

• An invoice for your place will be emailed upon receipt of your booking.
• Full payment is required prior to the event.
• Written confirmation by post or email is required if you need to cancel your booking.
• A full refund can be made for cancellations received by 19th January 2018. No refunds are available for cancellations received after this date as we have to confirm numbers to the venue and we will be charged in full for places.

Last chance to book!

Book now

Speaker Biographies

 

Andy Lopata, Business Networking Strategist, International Speaker and Author

Andy Lopata was called ‘one of Europe’s leading business networking strategists’ by the Financial Times and ‘a true master of networking’ by the Independent. A very experienced international speaker, Andy is the author of three books on networking, has been quoted in a number of other business books and is regularly quoted in the international press. His fourth book will be published by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2019. Andy is a Fellow of the Professional Speaking Association (PSA) and of the Learning and Performance Institute and a Master of the Institute for Sales Management. He is also one of just 23 recipients of the PSA’s top honour, the ‘Award of Excellence’. 

 

 

 

Jan Shilling - Head of Strategy & Development, British Boarding Schools Network Ltd

Jan’s career in schools’ marketing has, in her words, been “lengthy and varied”! She is a modern linguist (French and German) who started her international career working in world markets for a well-known, UK blue-chip company. Subsequently, from hands-on and Director level marketing and admissions positions in several GSA, HMC and IAPS member schools, she progressed to major strategic roles within the Independent Schools Council where she advised schools and educational organisations on matters of policy, strategy and recruitment. Working initially for the information arm of the Independent Schools Council - ISCis London & South East - advising 540 member schools on their marketing and recruitment, she then took on the role of Head of ISCis International, where she headed up their consultancy service to overseas parents searching for UK schools. In this role, she also advised schools on their international marketing strategies, and established strong links with overseas agents. Initially working for BBSN as an Associate Consultant,  Jan joined BBSN as a permanent member of the team in September 2016 as their Head of Strategy and Development.

 

 

Paul Woolwich, Award-winning TV Producer

Paul Woolwich is a Bafta, RTS and Emmy award-winning senior executive producer with more than 30 years’ experience in factual television with the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five and ABC (USA). For the past three years he ran Amnesty International's Audio Visual Studio - responsible for all video and stills appearing on the movement's global digital news and social media platforms and its website, www.amnesty.org. He hasproduced/directed or executive produced more than 400 documentaries and made programmes for Discovery, CNN and WNET and been an editorial consultant to Discovery Networks (Europe). 
He has also executive produced a major drama series, Second Sight, staring Clive Owen, for the BBC and WGBH (Boston) and Dirty War for BBCFilms/HBO.

He regularly conducts storytelling master-classes for media students at top British universities and for the staff of international terrestrial and online broadcasters.

 

 

Matthew Burgess - Consultant, VWV

Matthew has over 25 years' experience in private practice, in-house at a FTSE 100 and, between 2008 and 2014, as General Secretary of the Independent Schools Council.

Matthew led ISC's successful challenge to the Charity Commission's approach to public benefit in 2010/11, in a judicial review described as 'the most significant case in charity law for 50 years'. 

Originally a corporate lawyer, Matthew has branched out to develop experience in school regulation and inspection, charity law, safeguarding, student immigration and effective governance.  He has been a fierce advocate for independent schools in the media and with Government, most notably the Department for Education and UK Visas and Immigration.

 

 

Kathy Campbell, Director, Pair Education

Graphic Design and Marketing graduate Kathy Campbell began her career in London in the publishing and design industry. Following the birth of her daughters, Kathy opted to make a career change and embarked upon a career in teaching and freelance design work, which quickly led to involvement in the marketing department of a school and subsequently to a rewarding career in School Admissions and Marketing. Over the last 17 years she has held posts on Senior Leadership teams at independent day schools and boarding schools, including Stowe and Shrewsbury School. At Shrewsbury School, Kathy played a key role in the introduction of girls to this long established boys’ boarding school. In January 2016, Kathy launched Pair Education, and has spent the last two years advising a wide range of schools across the world on strategic planning, departmental re-structuring and how to successfully deliver best practice in admissions and marketing. Her expertise comes from a thorough understanding of the particular nuances of school admissions and marketing, which can only come through having worked at the coal face for many years!

 

 

 

Alexandra Ireland, Solicitor, VWV

Alexandra is a Solicitor in VWV's Birmingham based Commercial team. She assists the team with the diverse range of instructions they receive, from general commercial contracts to specialist intellectual property matters and international school projects. She also has a particular interest in dealing with data protection and Freedom of Information issues.

 

 

Jan Evans, Director, RSAdmissions

Jan Evans has over 25 years’ experience of marketing, IT and training in a variety of commercial environments.  For the last 20 years she has worked in Admissions and Marketing for Independent Schools.

In 2001, Jan left her role as Development Director at Farnborough Hill to set up her own company, with her husband, Robin, in order to develop RSAdmissions.  RSAdmissions was the first, and is still the only, marketing and admissions database for Independent Schools created and supported by people who have ‘done the job’.  Their software is installed in over 100 schools in the UK with over 400 users.

Jan divides her time between training, advising (and listening to!) her clients and running bespoke training seminars for individual schools and organisations.  Jan’s twin passions are customer care and the importance of the roles of ‘front of house’ staff in our schools. Over the years she has delivered training for all of the professional bodies in our sector. The AMDIS Certificate in Admissions Management course, delivered by Jan and her colleagues is now in its 11th year and represents the practical outcome of Jan’s determination that Admissions Management is worthy of a formal qualification.

 

 

David Wheatley, Director, Dot Comma Translations Ltd

David Wheatley has founded and managed a successful language services business from scratch to become the UK's leading specialist educational and notarial translation agency. David is a keynote speaker at several leading events in the education industry. He consistently delivers projects on time and under budget and his company is rated outstanding by clients in satisfaction surveys.

Dot Comma's story is a simple one: they love languages; they’re obsessed with cultures; and they cannot help being sticklers for detail. And being translators themselves, they understand the problems, potential pitfalls and business reputations that are all part of a translation. So Dot Comma’s is to guide you through this minefield, help with the linguistic and cultural decisions that make your text do what you really need it to, and give you an insight into how translation is more useful to your school when it’s not just words.

 

 

Elliott King, CEO, MintTwist

Elliott King is an entrepreneur; CEO and Co-Founder of the digital agency, MintTwist and Co-Owner of the digital innovation company, RadLab ventures. Elliott is the co-author of a recognised Digital Marketing training course, that is used by (among others) City, University of London. Elliott is a regular speaker on all things digital and acts as a Visiting Lecturer for Universities and training institutions world-wide.

Elliott started programming computers in the 1980's and has over 20-years of professional experience, helping hundreds brands such as Roche, Virgin and Accenture to navigate and leverage the digital revolution.

His proudest accomplishments include;

• The ongoing honor of leading the highly talented, committed and likeable group of individuals that is MintTwist
• Being invited to address 100+ international NGOs at the United Nations (Geneva) on the ‘Future of Mobile Communications’
• Co-authoring the material and acting as the visiting lecturer for City University's courses on 'Strategic Digital Marketing' and acting as a regular speaker on 'all things digital', for organisations such as UK Department of Trade and Industry, Federation of Small Businesses, Dubai Government, City University and more.