As an education PR agency, we’ve worked with many companies and institutions wanting to talk to the education industry across nationals, trade press and podcasts. Every sector has its own quirks and education is no different – it’s a competitive space, so you need to know how it works. Here are some of our top tips and insights into the world of PR for education.

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Who are you trying to reach?

We target a bunch of different stakeholders. If you haven’t thought about this, now is the time – it’s a really important step to make sure the PR is reaching your objectives. Audiences we tend to target are:

  • Teachers – Headteachers, subject leads, teachers, TAs
  • Government leaders
  • Industry influencers and thought leaders
  • Parents and PTAs
  • Subject-specific school and professional development hubs

What do we know about them?

Understanding your target audience’s behaviour is super important when it comes to PR for education. Recognising their needs and challenges mean you can create stories that really speak to them. We know that those working in education:

  • Have limited budgets
  • Are time poor
  • Respond to targeted content
  • Value tangible support
  • Are real people too, with interests outside of their job!

Bear these in mind when creating your story – you can make your story about these issues, or you can cater to the issues with the content you’re providing.

Macrotrends in education

It’s really important to monitor trending topics in your sector to make sure that your story isn’t out of touch. Some key topics in education include:

  • Digital applications – The shift towards digital learning platforms and resources was accelerated by the global pandemic
  • STEM focus – Growing focus on STEM education, driven by the needs of a rapidly evolving job market
  • Tightening belts – Budget constraints in the education sector
  • Oracy – Increasing recognition of the importance of oracy in education, not just for language subjects but across the curriculum, including maths
  • The rise of AI and machine learning – Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are beginning to play significant roles in educational content delivery and personalised learning experiences
  • The rise of homeschooling – Informal learning platforms have expanded the market for educational resources outside traditional school settings.

Key dates in the education calendar

Hooks are essential to explain why you’re talking about a particular issue now. It plays into the typical storytelling – the who, why, what, where and how – which is essential.

The education calendar provides many evergreen key dates to hook your story to. These include:

  • September: Back to school
  • October: World Teacher’s Day
  • November: Anti-bullying week
  • December: Computer education week
  • February: Children’s mental health week
  • March National reading month
  • April: Easter break
  • May: Start of exam season
  • June: Child Safety Week
  • July: End of the school year
  • August: Exam results

What teachers read

Our market research team conducted research focused on teachers, uncovering exactly what types of content they engage with. Here are some key quotes directly from teachers themselves:

  • Education leader: “I would love to say I have the time to read the newspaper on a Sunday, but I don’t – it will be online or listening to the radio on the way to work.”
  • Headteacher: “I am a member of the National Association of Head Teachers; their magazine is key.”
  • Headteacher: “If I can, I try and have a read through Schools Week.”
  • Primary Teacher: “I still get a lot of my ideas and resources from social media – TikTok, Instagram, Facebook.”

A guide to education media

As mentioned, media relations look a little different in each sector. Here’s a guide to education media, and what to bear in mind when building your story.

Education is inherently political

A lot of education journalists move on to become political reporters. It’s really important that your spokespeople and your content speaks to the political conversations around education – particularly in light of the upcoming election.

Education reporters are really competitive with each other

They read each other’s work closely. They all want exclusivity, as a ‘scoop’ over their competitors.

Remember the parents

A lot of national press covering education and learning will want the content positioned to parents, as that’s their readership. It also opens us up to pitching parenting and lifestyle reporters.

Teachers are under a lot of pressure

So, anything that you can give them that is immediately practical or has a lighter element to it will be welcomed.

Social media groups for teachers are very active

It should be part of the strategy if you genuinely want to reach this audience. Some include

Education is a sector that we know and love here at Definition, because it allows you to participate in important and emotive conversations about politics, society and how we live.

If you’re eager to get your education PR moving, get in touch – we’d love to chat.

Jasmin Martin

Written by Jasmin Martin, Senior Media Relations Executive at Definition

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