A school prospectus is an important way to introduce your school to prospective parents and families. It provides an opportunity to explain what makes your school special, showcase your facilities and communicate the values, opportunities and educational experience you offer.
Whether you are creating a prospectus for a primary school, secondary school, academy or Multi-Academy Trust, careful planning will help ensure that the finished brochure contains the right information in an engaging and easy-to-follow format.
At The School Print Company, we help schools bring their information, photography and branding together through bespoke school prospectus design and printing. Here are some of the key things to consider when planning your next prospectus.
1. Introduce Your School and Its Ethos
The opening pages should give readers a clear understanding of your school and what it stands for.
This might include a welcome from the headteacher, a brief history of the school, its vision and values, and an explanation of what pupils and families can expect from the school community.
Try to communicate the character of your school rather than relying on general statements that could apply to any school. Your ethos, approach to learning and community relationships can help prospective parents understand what makes your school distinctive.
2. Explain Your Curriculum and Learning Approach
Parents will want to understand what their children will learn and how their education will be supported.
Depending on the school, useful information could include:
- Curriculum subjects and areas of learning
- Teaching approaches and learning priorities
- Reading, literacy and numeracy provision
- Assessment and progress
- Enrichment opportunities and educational visits
- Preparation for the next stage of education
You do not need to reproduce every policy or curriculum document in the prospectus. Instead, provide a clear overview and direct readers to your website for more detailed information where appropriate.
3. Showcase Your School Facilities
Your buildings, classrooms and facilities help bring the prospectus to life.
Consider including photographs and short descriptions of classrooms, libraries, sports facilities, outdoor learning areas, specialist teaching spaces and other features that contribute to school life.
If your school has recently moved into a new building, completed a refurbishment or introduced new facilities, this may be an especially important part of the prospectus.
Our article on designing a school prospectus for a new purpose-built school building explores how a prospectus can showcase a school's environment and facilities.
4. Include Photography That Reflects Everyday School Life
Good photography can make a significant difference to the finished prospectus. Images of pupils learning, staff supporting children, school activities and the wider environment help readers build a picture of what being part of the school might feel like.
Where possible, use recent, relevant photographs that reflect your school accurately. A mixture of wide images showing the environment and closer photographs illustrating activities can create a more engaging visual story.
Think about how the photographs will work alongside the text. A well-planned layout gives images room to make an impact without making the prospectus difficult to read.
Schools should also ensure that photography is used in line with their permissions, safeguarding procedures and image-use policies.
5. Describe Pastoral Care, Wellbeing and Support
Parents often want reassurance that their children will be supported as individuals as well as learners.
Depending on your provision, you could include information about pastoral care, pupil wellbeing, safeguarding arrangements, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), inclusion and the support available to pupils who need additional help.
Keep this information clear and accessible. A prospectus should explain your approach and help families understand where they can find further details.
6. Highlight Enrichment and Extra-Curricular Activities
School life extends beyond lessons. Clubs, sports, music, creative activities, school trips, competitions and community projects can all help demonstrate the opportunities available to pupils.
Choose examples that reflect the range of experiences your school offers. These details can help prospective families understand the wider educational experience and the opportunities pupils have to develop their interests and confidence.
7. Make Admissions and Practical Information Easy to Find
A prospectus should be attractive, but it must also be useful.
Depending on the school and the purpose of the document, consider including:
- School address and contact details
- Website and other relevant contact information
- Admissions information and signposting
- School day arrangements
- Uniform information
- Breakfast clubs, after-school clubs or wraparound care, where applicable
- Links or references to relevant policies and further information
Check all practical details carefully before the prospectus goes to print. Where admissions arrangements or other information may change, make sure the wording is accurate and appropriate for the intended publication date.
8. Reflect Your School's Branding and Identity
The design should feel recognisably yours. Consistent use of your school logo, colours, typography and photography helps create a professional appearance and reinforces your identity throughout the brochure.
If your school has recently undergone a rebrand or moved into new premises, the prospectus may be an opportunity to bring the visual presentation up to date.
A bespoke design can organise information around your school's priorities rather than forcing your content into a standard template.
9. Choose the Right Size, Paper and Finish
The physical specification of the prospectus is worth considering early in the project.
An A4 format can provide plenty of room for detailed information and large photographs, while A5 or a square brochure may suit a more compact or highly visual presentation. The best choice depends on your content, budget and how the prospectus will be distributed.
Paper stock and cover finishes also influence the finished result. A professionally printed brochure should be designed around its intended use, whether it will be handed to prospective parents, distributed at open evenings or included in an admissions pack.
It is helpful to decide on the approximate page count and format before the design is finalised, so the layout can be planned accordingly.
10. Plan the Prospectus Around Its Purpose
Before starting the design, consider who will read the prospectus and when they will use it.
A prospectus for prospective Reception parents may need a different emphasis from one aimed at families considering a secondary school or sixth form. An academy or Multi-Academy Trust may also need to communicate a wider set of information and shared values.
It can be useful to prepare a content checklist, gather approved text and photographs, and nominate someone to check the proof before printing. This helps keep the project organised and reduces the risk of missing information or corrections being needed late in the process.
Bespoke School Prospectus Design and Printing
A successful school prospectus combines clear information, thoughtful design, relevant photography and high-quality printing. It should give prospective parents a useful understanding of your school while reflecting its identity and the experience it offers pupils.
At The School Print Company, we provide school prospectus design and printing for primary schools, secondary schools, academies and Multi-Academy Trusts across the UK. We can help with a new prospectus, a redesign of an existing brochure or printing a design that your school has already prepared.
You can find out more about our school prospectus design and printing service and the options available for your school.
Discuss Your School Prospectus
If you are planning a new school prospectus or updating an existing one, we would be happy to discuss your requirements.
The School Print Company
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Telephone: 01702 464150
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Contact us to discuss your school prospectus design, printing, format and finishing requirements.
