EDUCAT ION
THE INTERNET, AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN PARTICULAR, HAS OPENED UP NEW WAYS TO COMMUNICATE FOR SCHOOLS AND PARENTS School s G e t Social
WORDS BY CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS
also the reassurance of seeing that your childâs teachers have the digital know-how that matters when it comes to crafting timely, well honed messages. Social media is an immensely powerful tool, explains Dave Watkin, assistant head at Culford School, who notes that: âThe power of social media is bringing to life the stories of the school in real time.â And thatâs particularly valuable where, as at Culford, parents include a mix of locals and families who may be thousands of miles apart. âIn the international boarding market, itâs keeping parents who may be at a distance from their children engaged in their childâs day to day life,â says Dave Watkin. Facebook and Twitter are probably the best-used social media channels, but youâll also find schools on Instagram and YouTube, as well as LinkedIn. Even Pinterest features, though used less to promote schools than as a fabulous visual resource where teachers can inspire and support pupils with images and teaching aids, all with a weblink back to the original site.
chools might have been slightly slower than their pupils to take to social media â but boy, are they making up for it now. Itâs a rare school that doesnât have its own Facebook page, and theyâve taken to Twitter like ducks to water â or should that be a birdie to tweets? And who can blame them, given the number of different audiences theyâre able to reach. Take Kingâs Ely, which reaches out to âcurrent families, members of staff, the students themselves and former students,â says Jordan Day, head of media and public relations at the school. âOur website and social media platforms are also a fantastic way for prospective families to get a feel for all the opportunities that are on offer here at Kingâs Ely, and what a vibrant community we are.â Parents donât have to move far from a comfy chair to see what their childâs school has been up to on an hour-by-hour â almost minute-by-minute â basis. Over a 24-hour period on Twitter, whizzy events and activities reported in 280 characters or less by local schools included successes in sport (a winning hockey fixture), a successful brush with gourmet cookery (no taste buds harmed in the process), the unveiling of a new pupilsâ art exhibition and a cyber skills-sharpening session. On Facebook, another school in our area was gearing up for an open day with the unmissable offer of a free teddy bear for every visiting child (itâs a safe bet that interest was high, possibly unbearably so...). In addition to showcasing classroom- to-playing-field news and views, thereâs
âParents donât have to move far from a chair to see what the school has been up toâ
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