Protecting your roll by promoting your school

Research into the challenges faced by schools in rural communities has found that one of the biggest hurdles is the low number of pupils on roll. With their communities tending to be smaller and more dispersed, 42 per cent of rural headteachers who responded to The Key’s survey said their school is undersubscribed.

With core funding for schools determined on a per-pupil basis, rural schools that are beset by low pupil numbers, as well as wider socio-economic and infrastructural challenges, are finding the demands on their budget aren’t covered by their funding.

However, one village school in Suffolk has worked to steadily double its roll to become stable again, increasing from 21 to 44 pupils. Snape Primary School in rural Suffolk implemented a number of promotional tactics, which could work in other schools facing similar challenges. While these tactics may seem simple, collectively they have made a difference for Snape.