The impact of school staff perceptionson parental choice of next school :A study into the perceptions held by staff in contributing schools about the schools theycontribute to and the impact that may have on the marketing decisions of the next school.

摘要

Can and do staff at contributing schools have an effect on the decisions parentsand students make about their next school? The writer's experience as a pastcontributing primary school principal and a current intermediate schoolprincipal would suggest that the comments a teacher or principal makes about aanother school may influence parents and students in their selection of their'next' school.The study seeks to explore contributing school staff perceptions about theschool/s they contribute to, their knowledge about the school/s, how they gainknowledge about the school/s, and the frequency they provide advice on schoolselection to parents or students. A key element of the study is the focus on theperceptions held by contributing school staff of the schools to which theirschool contributes. The New Zealand school system is an increasinglycompetitive school environment.New Zealand compulsory education is relatively fragmented with a wide rangeof schools being present within a self-managing framework overseen by acentral Ministry of Education. Each school delivers individually tailoredlearning programmes based on a nationally mandated curriculum. This hasresulted in a system of schooling that is inherently competitive and whereparents have considerable choice about which schools their child may attendalthough enrolment zones or enrolment criteria can at times restrict this choice.The result of this environment is that many schools have to engage in bothdirect and indirect marketing to ensure their survival. This marketing mayinclude a range of activities including open nights, community newsletters, aglossy school prospectus, or newspaper advertising. Contributing schools oftenact as information gatekeepers to prospective students and families,interpreting, allowing or not allowing information to pass on to studentstherefore the perceptions that contributing school staff have about a school mayinfluence the advice they give or the access to students that they allow.A written survey was provided to all staff at three contributing schools. Allthree schools contributed to the same two intermediate schools. The surveycontained multiple-choice questions, with a small number of open-endedquestions.Staff in the case study schools showed little factual knowledge about theschools to which they contributed. The majority of staff felt they had no viewsfor or against particular schools, nor were they asked directly for informationabout the 'next school' very often.The writer identifies an area for further study, suggesting a study involvingYear 6 students, parents of year 6 students, contributing school staff and staff atthe next school. This study would seek to compare the sources and type ofinformation students and parents had about 'next school' selection and theinfluences contributing school staff may have on the type or content ofinformation available.