1. Communications Plan Name of school: Project team: This could include teachers, the principal, school council members, Parent Association members, interested parents, students etc. Date: Template adapted from http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/schadmin/schops/schoolcomms/sctoolkit-7-gdl.pdf

2. Background and Scope Start by thinking about how you currently communicate. Are you projecting the right message to the right audience? Take some time to research your current approach to communications. It will help you undertake the next step

3. Setting Objectives In this field, give a brief background of your communications: • Describe what you do now and what you want to change. • If you have undertaken an audit of your communications needs, list a summary of your findings here. • Is this plan a six-month plan, 12-months, two-years?

4. School Goals What goals has your school set itself in your School Strategic Plan? Your school’s communications will be more relevant if they link to your school’s goals and targets.

5. Objectives (Communications) Why do you want to communicate to your audience? Is it to: raise the profile of the school in the local community; develop relationships with local businesses; enhance students career prospects; or encourage parents to read the newsletter more often? Naturally, it is difficult to do everything at once, so keep your objectives realistic. The best communications plans have no more than four objectives. These might include: • increase your school enrolments • change public perceptions of your school • change the media’s perceptions of your school • establish a network of advocates for your school • strengthen parent/caregiver participation at your school • establish a new identity for your school • improve student attendance • improve your teacher retention rate.

6. Target Audiences Target audience List all of the audiences – local, national, or even international – that you want to reach. These might include: • new and potential parents • existing parents • local community • local media • past or present students • local businesses • your colleagues.

7. Key Messages Key messages are the messages you want your audiences to remember. The best messages are short and simple. Each of your objectives will have at least one target audience (i.e. parents, local businesses, students). What and how you communicate may need to vary accordingly to each audience. It is important to identify the audience and understand their perspective and current level of awareness. Knowing your audience will help you to select appropriate messages and determine how to deliver them

8. Evaluation Plan How will you evaluate?

9. Budget How will you fund costs? What is the priority?

10. Issues/Risks

11. Tactics-Group 1

12. Tactics-Group 2

13. Tactics-Group 3

14. Tactics-Group 4