VAT is both threat and opportunity – forcing schools to confront and communicate what they truly offer, says Sarah Monaghan

I can’t think of anything positive to say about the government’s decision to impose VAT on independent school fees. But it’s certainly achieved one thing – it’s forcing schools to stop being complacent about how they communicate their value.

For too long, some schools have coasted on reputation alone. Now, with fees rising by up to 20%, that luxury is gone. Every family is scrutinising every pound, and the schools that will survive – let alone thrive – are those that can clearly articulate why their education is worth the investment.

 Facing a different parent

For some fortunate families, VAT may be a mild inconvenience. But for many, it’s making them ask whether independent education is still affordable – or still worth the sacrifice.

The latest Independent Schools Council census reveals a 2.4% drop in UK pupil numbers on a like-for-like basis since the previous year – almost 11,000 fewer pupils. New pupil intake has fallen by 5.2%, or 5,700 children.

This isn’t surprising. In the past generation, independent education has become roughly twice as expensive relative to average incomes. Fees have risen by more than 550% in 25 years, while wages grew by just 217%. What once cost £12,000 a year now exceeds £18,000 for day pupils – and boarding fees are far higher.

 Real sacrifices, real conviction

Despite political narratives, most families in the sector are not super-rich. They include doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners, senior managers and skilled professionals.

Many are making real trade-offs: opting for camping in Cornwall over holidays in Tuscany, keeping a 10-year-old car on the road, or shelving that long-planned kitchen extension or loft conversion. Even with comfortable incomes, they’re feeling the squeeze as the cost of living – from energy and food to housing – continues to climb alongside school fees.

Take Hester, a GP in Cornwall with two children at independent school. Her £85,700 salary sounds comfortable until you break it down: £3,600 a month on school fees (including breakfast clubs), leaving just £1,400 for everything else after her husband covers the mortgage and utilities. “I could afford the fees when I signed up in 2020,” she says. “I wouldn’t sign up now. I just can’t afford it.” Yet she continues because she sees the difference. “The staff have time for your child and for parents – I don’t just feel like a name on a register.” Her eldest found his voice through the cathedral choir. Her daughter is thriving in STEM. “The school helps each child find their talent – and then nurtures it.”

These are the families that schools must now persuade, more convincingly than ever.

Know what matters most

To market your school’s value effectively, start by understanding what your current parents actually tell their friends about why they chose you – and why they’d choose you again.

That means conducting a comprehensive parent survey, and asking the right kind of open questions – not just once, but regularly. These surveys often reveal what your families truly value and give you the language that actually works – because it comes straight from them. So it’s not marketing speak, but how they actually talk.

At smaller schools, parents often mention the small class sizes, whole-child development, and outdoor learning. Their words are vivid and heartfelt:

• “Children can actually climb trees.”
• “The school’s like Hogwarts.”
• “There’s old-fashioned courtesy – children open doors for each other.”

Parents treasure the little moments: den-building, collecting conkers, joining teams, performing in plays. For many, it’s a stark contrast from previous schools where their child felt lost in the crowd.

At larger schools, academic strength is a clear draw, as well as sports, drama and arts opportunities, but the stories are still personal:

• “Speech Day still gives me goosebumps – seeing her collect the history prize where Old Carthusians have stood for 400 years.”
• “The Model UN programme didn’t just teach him about politics – it gave him the confidence to challenge ideas respectfully.”
• “Her housemaster knew she was homesick before she did – the pastoral care is extraordinary.”
• “The orienteering programme taught her resilience.”

Use their words

These parent surveys provide the authentic voice of your customers and give you content that can transform your marketing materials. So, use their words – verbatim – in your brochures, your website and your social media.

This authentic voice creates emotional connection because prospective parents can immediately envision their own children in these scenarios.

When a current parent says: “My shy daughter now leads assemblies with confidence”, it speaks to fundamental parental hopes and fears in ways that no marketing copy ever could.

Hearts first, then minds

Today’s prospective parents are mostly millennials, aged 29 to 44, who approach school selection with the same intensity as choosing a home. They’re not just buying education; they’re investing in their children’s futures, character development, and life opportunities. This means your school must appeal first to your parents’ hearts, then to their rational minds.

Think of the most memorable advertising campaigns – John Lewis Christmas adverts don’t sell product specifications, they sell family moments and childhood magic. Nike doesn’t list shoe features, they inspire with ‘Just Do It’. The same principle applies to schools – parents don’t choose based on classroom ratios alone, they choose the place where they can envision their child thriving.

This generation researches hard. They trust authentic voices, not polished pitches. They expect emotional resonance and social proof, not sales patter. They lead hyper-connected lives, conducting extensive research via their smartphones before making decisions, and they can quickly spot insincerity and misinformation. In essence, they need to believe in you before they’ll trust you with their most precious asset, their children.

Show real school life

A multi-channel strategy is essential, with emphasis on social media and video marketing. The key is authenticity over polish. Your prospective parents want to see real school life, not staged promotional content. Show-don’t-tell videos of genuine classroom interactions, playground moments and pupil achievements will resonate far more than ‘professional’ videos.

Your website should serve as the hub of this authentic storytelling, using direct response techniques that appeal to parents’ underlying desires and concerns.

Rather than listing facilities, focus on outcomes and experiences. Instead of “state-of-the-art science laboratories”, try “where curiosity becomes discovery” supported by pupil testimonials and photos of projects that excited them.

The brilliant thing about social media platforms is they allow for regular, authentic engagement. And, never forget, you can be sure your prospective parents will be checking these out and comparing you to your competitors.

Share, too, brief videos of pupils explaining their favourite subjects, teachers discussing their teaching philosophy, or parents reflecting on their children’s growth. These genuine moments by real people will build trust and emotional connection for you far more effectively than traditional advertising.

Do it right and your entire school community – staff, current parents, pupils, and alumni – will become your most powerful marketing force.

Research shows that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over any other type of advertising, and this is particularly true for major decisions like school choice where 41.3% of parents rely on recommendations from family and friends when selecting schools.

When they feel proud of their association with the school and can articulate what makes it special, they become authentic advocates who attract like-minded families.

The way ahead

Running (and marketing) an independent school has never been easy, but the current climate is especially demanding  –  and the imposition of VAT on school fees has only raised the stakes. Survival now means being both business-minded and digitally savvy. Marketing isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’ anymore. It’s essential if you want to keep enrolment strong.

The schools that will do well are the ones that create a genuine, magnetic pull through honest, consistent storytelling that really speaks to what families care about. That starts by stepping away from guesswork and really helping parents get to know you, connect with what you offer, and feel confident in choosing you.

At the heart of that is being able to express what your school really stands for clearly. Marketers call this the unique value proposition, but in plain speak: what kind of future are you helping to build for each child? What do people know your school for? And do parents feel you see their child as an individual, not just another pupil? So many families are making such big sacrifices to afford independent education right now, and they need to feel sure it’s going to make a meaningful difference.

VAT has made things harder, no question. But it’s also highlighted something crucial – schools have to get much better at communicating their value – not just in numbers, but in real, human terms. The schools that do this well will stand out and draw in families who really believe in what they do.

Now’s the time to start. So tell your story in a way that only your school can.

 

Sarah Monaghan is an independent marketing consultant specialising in independent schools. She runs copywriting service Connected Copy.