The impact of school staff perceptions
on parental choice of next school :
A study into the perceptions held by staff in contributing schools about the schools they
contribute to and the impact that may have on the marketing decisions of the next school.
University of Canterbury. Educational Studies and Human Development
Doi
Abstract
Can and do staff at contributing schools have an effect on the decisions parents
and students make about their next school? The writer's experience as a past
contributing primary school principal and a current intermediate school
principal would suggest that the comments a teacher or principal makes about a
another school may influence parents and students in their selection of their
'next' school.
The study seeks to explore contributing school staff perceptions about the
school/s they contribute to, their knowledge about the school/s, how they gain
knowledge about the school/s, and the frequency they provide advice on school
selection to parents or students. A key element of the study is the focus on the
perceptions held by contributing school staff of the schools to which their
school contributes. The New Zealand school system is an increasingly
competitive school environment.
New Zealand compulsory education is relatively fragmented with a wide range
of schools being present within a self-managing framework overseen by a
central Ministry of Education. Each school delivers individually tailored
learning programmes based on a nationally mandated curriculum. This has
resulted in a system of schooling that is inherently competitive and where
parents have considerable choice about which schools their child may attend
although enrolment zones or enrolment criteria can at times restrict this choice.
The result of this environment is that many schools have to engage in both
direct and indirect marketing to ensure their survival. This marketing may
include a range of activities including open nights, community newsletters, a
glossy school prospectus, or newspaper advertising. Contributing schools often
act as information gatekeepers to prospective students and families,
interpreting, allowing or not allowing information to pass on to students
therefore the perceptions that contributing school staff have about a school may
influence the advice they give or the access to students that they allow.
A written survey was provided to all staff at three contributing schools. All
three schools contributed to the same two intermediate schools. The survey
contained multiple-choice questions, with a small number of open-ended
questions.
Staff in the case study schools showed little factual knowledge about the
schools to which they contributed. The majority of staff felt they had no views
for or against particular schools, nor were they asked directly for information
about the 'next school' very often.
The writer identifies an area for further study, suggesting a study involving
Year 6 students, parents of year 6 students, contributing school staff and staff at
the next school. This study would seek to compare the sources and type of
information students and parents had about 'next school' selection and the
influences contributing school staff may have on the type or content of
information available