Frank Wise School

CHALLENGE

An estimated 1.7 million pupils in the UK have special educational needs (SEN) and a major challenge for the Government and schools has been to narrow the achievement gap between SEN and mainstream pupils.

The main objectives of this campaign were:

• To promote the success of Frank Wise School’s specialist work throughout Oxfordshire and the wider teaching community.
• To publicise the school’s Outstanding Ofsted 2010 report.
• To highlight ways in which the school is removing barriers to learning for SEN pupils, proving that children with disabilities can achieve well and enjoy learning. 

TACTICS

• Created news release for Oxfordshire’s regional media to announce Outstanding Ofsted achieved by Frank Wise School, drawing upon figures which revealed it was the only special school in Oxfordshire to have been recognised as ‘Outstanding’ since the new inspection system was introduced in September 2009.
• Pitched the school’s Headteacher as a thought leader on SEN learning to key national magazine.

RESULTS

• Frank Wise School’s message reached 13,254,993 people through 34 pieces of coverage secured in regional, online and national education media. This coverage equated to over £86,000 worth of advertising.
• Coverage was secured across all the target media including:
• TES Magazine (combined print and online circulation: 404,867) reaching the teaching community.
• ITV Meridian – over 2 minutes of footage reached a potential audience of almost 5 million viewers on TV and a further 6.5 million online.
• BBC Radio Oxford – interview with Sean O’Sullivan, Headteacher, broadcast three times throughout the day (listeners 83,000).
• Banbury Sound Radio – 12 broadcasts announcing the outstanding achievements of the school (listeners: 83,000).
• Print coverage across all of the regional newspapers and their online and digital editions including The Oxford Mail, The Oxford Journal, Banbury Guardian and Banbury Cake.
• A range of online education and news sites including Twitter.