In today’s digital age, effective communication is essential for any organisation, and schools are no exception. The role of a Communications Coordinator in a school has grown significantly in importance due to the increasing reliance on digital platforms such as school websites and social media. This role is vital not only for ensuring that statutory requirements are met but also for creating a platform that highlights the achievements of students, staff, governors, parents, and the community. Additionally, a key responsibility for the Communications Coordinator is to promote the school and its values across various digital channels, with a particular emphasis on LinkedIn to foster relationships with local employers for the benefit of careers education.
Key Responsibilities
The Communications Coordinator plays a pivotal role in maintaining the school’s public image and ensuring that it communicates effectively with all its stakeholders. This involves a range of responsibilities, including website management, social media promotion, and employer engagement. Each of these responsibilities supports the school’s strategic objectives, from compliance with legal requirements to building a positive reputation within the community.
Creating and Maintaining The School Website
A key responsibility of the Communications Coordinator is managing and maintaining the school’s website. The website is often the first point of contact for parents, prospective students, and the wider community, making it a crucial tool for communication. It must be professional, accessible, and up-to-date while meeting statutory requirements set by the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted.
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Ensuring Statutory Complience
Schools in the UK are required to publish a range of information on their websites to comply with statutory regulations. The Communications Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that all this information is present and regularly updated. Some of the key statutory requirements include:
- School Contact Information: Schools must provide clear contact details, including the postal address, telephone number, and the name of the headteacher or principal.
- Admission Arrangements: Information about the school’s admissions process must be detailed, including links to the local authority's admissions page if necessary.
- Ofsted Reports: Schools are required to link to the most recent Ofsted report, allowing parents and the public to access inspection findings.
- Exam Results and Performance Tables: Schools must publish the results of the most recent academic year, including details of pupil progress, attainment, and performance in external exams.
- Curriculum Information: The website must outline the curriculum followed by each key stage, including subjects taught, assessment policies, and how the school supports pupils with special educational needs (SEN).
- Policies and Procedures: Schools must publish a range of key policies, such as the behaviour policy, safeguarding policy, complaints procedure, and the school’s charging policy.
- Governance and Finance: Information about the governing body, including governors' interests, attendance records, and how the school spends its funding (such as Pupil Premium and Sports Premium), must be available.
The Communications Coordinator ensures that all of these elements are displayed in a user-friendly and accessible manner, ensuring that parents and external agencies can easily find the information they need.
Design and Accessibility
Beyond statutory requirements, the Communications Coordinator is responsible for the overall design, usability, and accessibility of the school’s website. This involves:
- User Experience (UX) Design: Ensuring that the website is easy to navigate, with clear menus and intuitive layout. This includes ensuring that parents and students can quickly access key areas, such as term dates, newsletters, and contact information.
- Mobile Compatibility: As more users access websites via mobile devices, the Communications Coordinator must ensure that the site is mobile-friendly, responsive, and works across different platforms.
- Accessibility: The school’s website must comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, can access the content. This involves considerations such as alt text for images, easy-to-read fonts, and the ability to navigate the site via a screen reader.
By maintaining a high standard of design and functionality, the Communications Coordinator ensures that the website not only fulfils its legal obligations but also serves as a valuable tool for engagement with the school community.
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Celebrating The Achievements of Stakeholders
A central part of the Communications Coordinator’s role is ensuring that the website is not just a functional tool for statutory compliance but also a platform for celebrating the achievements of the school community. This includes students, staff, governors, parents, and the local community
Promoting Student Achievements
The Communications Coordinator plays a crucial role in celebrating and promoting the achievements of students, both academically and personally. This can be done through a dedicated section on the website, showcasing:
- Academic Achievements: Celebrating excellent exam results, awards, and progress in learning. Highlighting success in subjects such as STEM, the arts, and sports can also be motivational for students.
- Extracurricular Activities: Recognising students who have excelled in sports, drama, music, and other extracurricular activities. Sharing photos, videos, and stories from events helps showcase the school's diverse range of student talents.
- Personal Development: Highlighting students who have overcome challenges, demonstrated leadership, or made significant contributions to the school or community, fostering a positive and inclusive school culture.
Highllighting Staff and Governors
The school’s staff and governing body also deserve recognition for their hard work and contributions to the school’s success. The Communications Coordinator can highlight:
- Teacher Achievements: Celebrating staff who have received awards, achieved additional qualifications, or implemented innovative teaching methods.
- Governor Contributions: Recognising the voluntary work of the governing body, particularly in areas such as school improvement, safeguarding, and community engagement.
Celebrating Parental Involvement
Parents are key stakeholders in the success of any school, and the Communications Coordinator can use the website to celebrate their involvement:
- Fundraising Efforts: Acknowledging parent-led fundraising initiatives and the positive impact these have on the school.
- Parent Volunteers: Highlighting parents who contribute their time and skills to school activities, such as reading schemes, school trips, or event organisation.
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Engaging With The Local Community
Schools are integral parts of their local communities, and the Communications Coordinator can celebrate partnerships with local businesses, charities, and public organisations:
- Community Partnerships: Showcasing collaborations with local organisations, such as businesses that provide work experience or charities that support school events.
- Alumni Success Stories: Sharing stories of former students who have gone on to achieve success in their careers or personal lives, serving as role models for current students.
By ensuring that the website regularly features the achievements of all stakeholders, the Communications Coordinator fosters a sense of pride and belonging within the school community.
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Promoting The School Via Social Media
In addition to managing the school’s website, the Communications Coordinator is responsible for promoting the school’s achievements and values through social media. Social media platforms provide an opportunity to reach a broader audience, engage with parents and the community in real time, and build the school’s reputation..
Choosing The Right Platforms
Different social media platforms have different audiences and purposes, and the Communications Coordinator must strategically choose the platforms that will have the greatest impact for the school.
- Facebook: Ideal for reaching parents and local community members, Facebook allows for more detailed posts, event promotion, and photo sharing.
- X: A platform suited to quick updates and short-form content, Twitter is useful for engaging with education professionals, local authorities, and media outlets.
- Instagram: A highly visual platform, Instagram is effective for sharing photos and videos of school events, student achievements, and creative work.
- LinkedIn: A professional networking platform that can be used to connect with employers, promote careers education, and highlight school achievements in a more formal setting
Connecting With Employers
The Communications Coordinator uses LinkedIn to connect the school with local businesses, industries, and public organisations that can offer work experience, internships, apprenticeships, or employment opportunities for students. This is essential for building strong links between the school and the local economy, giving students real-world opportunities to develop their skills and build their confidence.
Promoting Careers Education
LinkedIn is an excellent platform for promoting the school’s careers education programs, including:
- Work Experience Programs: Sharing details about work experience placements and partnerships with local employers.
- Alumni Success: Featuring stories from former students who have gone on to successful careers, showing current students the potential career paths available to them.
- Employer Engagement Events: Promoting careers fairs, industry talks, and networking events that connect students with potential employers.
Data Protection
An essential part of the Communications Coordinator’s role is ensuring that all digital communications comply with safeguarding and data protection regulations. This includes:
- Parental Consent: Ensuring that the school has obtained parental consent before sharing any photos or personal information about students on the website or social media.
- Data Protection: Ensuring that all communications comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), particularly when collecting and storing personal information.
- Content Moderation: Monitoring social media channels for inappropriate content or interactions and taking action where necessary to protect students and the school’s reputation.