How to Create an Effective School Prospectus
Practical Tips to Help Your School Stand Out with a Prospectus and Engage Prospective Families
What is a School Prospectus?
Digital & Print Examples
A school prospectus is a professional document, often presented as a printed brochure or digital school prospectus, designed to showcase your school to prospective families. It highlights your ethos, achievements and community spirit while giving parents a clear picture of what their child’s experience could be like.
Traditionally, schools distribute printed school prospectuses during open days and open evenings. However, many now also feature a digital prospectus on their website, allowing parents and students to explore the school anytime from home.
How to Design the Best School Prospectus
Print & Digital Tips
Designing an effective school prospectus isn’t just about creating something that looks good – it’s about communicating clearly and consistently. Your prospectus design should reflect your school’s identity and align closely with your website and other school marketing materials. This consistency across online and offline platforms builds trust and presents a unified image to prospective families.
When deciding what to include, focus on what makes your school stand out. Share your values, goals for pupils and the kind of community you foster. The most engaging school prospectuses balance informative content with warmth and personality, giving families a genuine sense of what life at your school is like and why it’s the right choice for their child.
The most effective school prospectus designs present a cohesive brand that showcases the school’s colours, style and logo. Your marketing material needs to be balanced with both imagery and useful information for parents and students. Professional photography and the inclusion of imagery is not just to fill space, these are key assets that provide a feel of the school and the environment. They allow people to see the schools key strengths, facilities and activities.
We recommend that you also take into consideration personal touches like student testimonials and highlight details like admissions, courses and contact information. Most importantly, your school prospectus needs to be designed to be readable, including a strong call to action to encourage families to find out more about the school and the ultimate goal of filling out the admission form.
Digital vs Printed School Prospectus
Which is Right for Your School?
For many years, printed school prospectuses and leaflets have been a key part of school marketing and they remain a valuable asset. Most people tend to look past printed materials now as they might appear ‘outdated’ or ‘less effective’ but when people are handed something there is 80% more chance they will remember you.
As technology evolves, digital school prospectuses are also becoming more popular among primary schools, sixth forms, colleges and universities.
A digital version mirrors the printed design but can be viewed easily on any device. It’s flexible, updates can be made quickly, and it keeps your content accurate. This also saves print costs and makes your school prospectus instantly accessible online.
Most schools find that offering both formats work best ie a printed prospectus for open events and a digital prospectus for parents researching online.
How to Make a School Prospectus That Attracts Families
Creating a school prospectus begins with careful planning. Start by identifying your goals and audience – what do you want families to know and feel about your school? Build your content with clear, engaging writing that communicates your values and key messages.
High-quality photography is essential, capturing real moments that reflect your school’s spirit. Once your content and visuals are ready, work with a design team experienced in school prospectus design to produce a professional layout that aligns with your brand.
At Education Office, we recommend booking a photography session with us so we can capture key moments and provide clean images for your school prospectus.
Before finalising, proof read carefully to ensure all details are accurate. Then, produce both printed and digital versions so your prospectus reaches as many prospective families as possible.
What Should Be Included in a School Prospectus?
A well crafted school prospectus is one of the most effective ways to showcase what makes your school unique. It should reflect your values, highlight achievements and give families a real sense of life at your school.
Start with a warm welcome from the headteacher, outlining your vision, ethos and values. Include clear information about your curriculum, pastoral care and enrichment opportunities such as trips, clubs and extracurricular activities.
To help families connect with your story, feature success stories, pupil quotes and parent testimonials that capture the spirit of your community.
Your prospectus should also include practical information parents look for, such as:
- Admissions details – how to apply, key dates and contact information.
- Ofsted rating and performance highlights – presented in a positive, easy-to-read way.
- Facilities overview – classrooms, outdoor spaces and specialist areas such as sports halls or labs.
- Support and inclusion – how you support SEND pupils and promote equality.
Presentation matters. Use high-quality photography, consistent branding and a clear layout to make your prospectus easy to navigate and visually appealing. The quality of design and print reflects the quality of your school.
For your digital versions, these can include embedded videos, virtual tours and downloadable PDFs, perfect for parents browsing on phones or tablets.
Whether printed, digital, or both, your school prospectus should be concise, engaging and memorable, giving families everything they need to see why your school is the right choice.
Where to Print a School Prospectus
Professional Printing Services in Crewe, Cheshire
Choosing the right place to print your school prospectus makes a big difference. At Education Office, we specialise in school prospectus printing and design services that capture your school’s identity. From initial concept and content writing through to design, print and digital flipbook versions, we handle everything in-house to ensure a polished, professional result.
Creating Your Perfect School Prospectus
Education Marketing Experts
Whether you’re updating an existing design or starting from scratch, our team of education marketing experts can help you create a school prospectus that truly represents your school.
Contact Education Office today to discuss your project and discover how we can help your school stand out to prospective families.
Email: sales@designoffice.co.uk