Year: 2025

Schools often only discover the limits of closed platforms when something important changes. Common issues include:

• fee increases with no alternative provider
• redesigns that require full rebuilds
• slow support or reduced development capacity
• missing integrations with admissions systems or MIS platforms
• limited control over hosting or performance

 

WordPress avoids all of these constraints. Schools keep ownership, control and future-proofing.

Security Depends on Implementation

Schools regularly handle sensitive digital content, including admissions forms, exam information, safeguarding documentation and leadership communications. WordPress supports secure processes for all of these. Where issues arise, they typically relate to:

• incorrect permissions
• documents uploaded to the wrong place
• bypassing approval or staging
• outdated plugins
• suppliers without WordPress expertise

This is why choosing the right implementation partner is essential. Governance and configuration protect your website, not restrictive technology.

The Plugin Question and Supplier Transitions

One criticism raised during the OBR incident concerned plugins. In reality, plugins are only insecure when unmanaged. A school website built by a skilled team uses reputable, well supported plugins with ongoing patching. WordPress has standardised update notifications, version control and rollback options that reduce risk significantly.

Changing suppliers is also simpler with WordPress. Schools can retain control of their website, codebase and hosting. Proprietary systems do not allow this freedom, which is why supplier transitions often require rebuilding the entire site.

Future-Proofing Your School Website

School websites now serve multiple functions including marketing, admissions, compliance, communication and reporting. These needs will continue to expand. WordPress supports this evolution without forcing schools into expensive replacements every three to five years.

Because it is modular, integrations for email marketing, event bookings, data capture, analytics, PPC tracking and SEO improvements can be added without affecting the core platform.

Final Thought

The OBR leak was not caused by WordPress. It was caused by the way the system was used. WordPress remains one of the most secure, audited and capable CMS platforms available. Independent schools should not feel pressured into systems that remove ownership or flexibility. The safest website is not the one with the tightest restrictions. It is the one that is implemented correctly, maintained well and designed to evolve with the needs of the school.

Independent schools attract a far more specific audience than the average PPC campaign, which is why generic targeting never works well. Parents searching for private education tend to follow predictable patterns: early-years parents explore options locally, senior school parents research more widely, and Sixth Form parents often compare academic outcomes and pathways.

PPC allows you to meet each group with tailored messaging. Campaigns can be segmented by age group, distance, household characteristics, and search behaviour, ensuring that only families who are genuinely in-market see your ads. This precision not only reduces wasted spend but increases the likelihood that clicks will convert into sign-ups.

Parents researching independent schooling also behave differently online during exam-result periods, fee announcements, and press coverage. BBC reporting on AI and education highlights how broader education trends influence family decision-making and search habits. PPC enables schools to respond in real time, adjusting spend and messaging as interest rises or falls.

This level of agility is something organic search alone cannot deliver, making PPC indispensable for timely, event-led admissions activity.

Geo-Targeting That Reduces Wasted Spend

Independent schools rarely recruit evenly across all local postcodes. High-intent areas often cluster around neighbourhoods with the right demographic fit, commutable catchments, or feeder primaries. PPC enables schools to target these areas with exact precision.

Geo-targeting can be set at:

• specific postcodes
• radius targeting around the school
• high-value commuter routes
• local authority or ward-level segments

This approach ensures your ads appear only to families close enough or interested enough to realistically attend an Open Day.

For boarding schools or schools with region-wide appeal, geo-targeting can be expanded to cover national or international audiences, with separate messaging for boarding enquiries vs local day applicants.

The result is a budget focused on the most viable families, not broad audiences unlikely to convert.

Ad Copy That Speaks to What Parents Actually Care About

Strong PPC performance depends on more than good targeting. The wording of your ads needs to speak directly to what matters to families comparing independent schools. This includes:

• academic results and outcomes
• pastoral care and wellbeing
• specialist pathways (STEM, sport, arts, boarding)
• campus facilities
• values, ethos, and community
• class sizes and teaching approach

For Open Day campaigns, clarity always wins. Parents want to know:

• what they will see
• who they will meet
• whether places are limited
• how easy it is to book

Calls to action should reinforce urgency with phrases such as “Book your Open Day place” or “Register to meet our teachers”.

High-performing campaigns also include structured snippets, sitelinks, call extensions, and admission-year variations to increase visibility and increase click-through rates.

Landing Pages That Convert Interest Into Registrations

A strong PPC campaign can get families to click your ad, but a poorly designed landing page will stop them committing. Schools often lose potential attendees at this stage because their landing pages are too general, contain too much information, or require parents to dig for details.

A high-performing Open Day landing page should:

• focus on a single action: “Register now”
• summarise essential event details above the fold
• include a short, accessible form
• reassure with testimonials or quotes
• show real photography rather than stock images
• highlight what makes the school worth visiting

The most successful pages feel welcoming and family-oriented, not corporate. They reassure parents that visiting will be worth their time and that the school will be easy to navigate on the day.

Schools that integrate automated confirmation emails, reminder flows, and calendar invites see significantly higher attendance rates, reducing no-shows and improving the admissions pipeline.

Optimising Campaigns in Real Time

One of the greatest strengths of PPC for independent schools is how quickly campaigns can be refined. Unlike print or outdoor advertising, you’re not locked into a single message. You can see instantly which ads resonate, which audiences convert, and which areas need adjusting.

Key metrics tracked during Open Day campaigns include:

• click-through rate
• conversion rate
• cost per sign-up
• impression share
• postcode-level engagement

Schools often see significant gains by shifting budget towards high-performing audiences or refining weaker ad copy. For example, if ads mentioning Sixth Form facilities outperform those about academic results, the messaging can be updated immediately.

This live optimisation ensures every pound is working towards the schools’ recruitment goals. It also helps admissions teams understand demand patterns, including which year groups or entry points show strongest interest.

Retargeting Families Who Need More Time

Many parents research schools over several weeks or months before committing to a visit. Retargeting ensures your school remains visible to those who showed interest but did not complete an action.

Retargeting campaigns can be tailored to:

• website visitors who viewed the admissions page
• parents who started but didn’t complete an Open Day form
• families who visited multiple pages over multiple days
• people who interacted with your social content or prospectus

These ads typically deliver the highest conversion rates of any PPC segment because the audience is already warm. Messaging might highlight limited places, showcase real parent testimonials, or offer a reminder of the event date.

This gentle persistence mimics the multi-touch admissions journey parents naturally take, helping nudge families from interest to registration.

Using Social Proof to Build Confidence

Parents deciding between several independent schools seek reassurance. They want evidence that your school is a safe, effective, happy environment where their child will thrive.

Social proof can dramatically improve PPC performance when used within ads and landing pages. High-impact examples include:

• quotes from current parents
• quick snapshots of exam success
• alumni stories
• satisfaction scores
• links between school values and daily practice

Data from FFT Education Datalab notes shifting demographics and competition within the independent sector, where parents are becoming more discerning and financially cautious. Social proof helps reduce hesitation and positions your Open Day as the logical next step.

When combined with strong creative featuring real photography, this builds trust quickly and effectively.

Why PPC Outperforms Organic Search for Open Days

Search engine optimisation remains essential for long-term visibility, but it cannot match the speed and precision of PPC for event-led campaigns. Open Days are time-sensitive. You need traffic quickly and predictably.

PPC outperforms SEO for Open Day sign-ups because it:

• reaches families exactly when they’re searching
• allows you to control the message and timing
• dominates the top of search results pages
• provides instant visibility during competitive windows
• supports multiple entry points (Year 7, Sixth Form, Prep, EYFS)
• aligns budget directly with measurable outcomes

In many cases, PPC becomes a critical conversion tool that complements SEO. Organic search brings the long-term audience. PPC brings the families who are ready to book a visit today.

This combined approach gives schools the best possible balance between sustained growth and rapid admissions activity.

Integrating PPC with Your Admissions Funnel

Strong PPC campaigns don’t sit in isolation. They work best when aligned with your admissions strategy, term dates, and enquiry patterns. When schools integrate paid search with wider marketing activity, the impact compounds across the entire funnel.

Effective integration includes:

• syncing campaigns with admissions cycles
• aligning messaging with prospectus downloads and school tours
• ensuring landing pages match your values and differentiators
• coordinating with email nurturing and follow-up workflows
• tailoring campaigns by entry point (Reception, Year 3, Year 7, Sixth Form)

When PPC data feeds back into admissions and marketing teams, schools gain valuable insights on what families care about most. For example, if keywords relating to wellbeing outperform academic search terms, this can shape Open Day talking points, social content, or email follow-ups.

This creates a cohesive journey where digital discovery and in-person experience reinforce each other.

Reporting That Helps Schools Make Better Decisions

Independent schools need clarity. Admissions teams, Heads, and governing bodies want to understand what’s working and why.

PPC offers detailed reporting that helps schools make more confident choices, including:

• open day registrations by postcode
• cost per enquiry and cost per attendee
• the strongest-performing keywords
• device-level trends (often higher mobile conversions)
• demographic insights that support pupil recruitment strategy

Our reporting format is built around the needs of education teams. Clear dashboards help you see not just performance but strategic implications, such as:

• which areas are producing high-quality enquiries
• which campaigns drive the most Sixth Form interest
• whether boarding audiences respond differently
• how early-year groups behave compared with senior applicants

This data helps leadership teams plan more effectively for the next cycle.

What This Looks Like in Practice

For many independent schools, PPC becomes one of the most reliable tools for delivering predictable admissions outcomes. Campaigns often show:
strong early interest within the first 48 hours
accelerating engagement in the final two weeks before an event
reduced cost per registration when retargeting is enabled
higher conversion rates from families who saw multiple ad variations

Open Day campaigns are especially impactful when combined with:

• optimised landing pages
• strong photography
• crisp messaging on values and life at school
• clear calls to action
• automated event reminders

The result is a smoother pipeline, more confident projections, and broader reach into postcode areas that may not have engaged previously.

This steady, predictable stream of sign-ups provides admissions teams with confidence and helps senior leaders plan staffing, timetabling, and marketing spend more effectively.

Why You Can Trust Lykke Education

With deep experience supporting independent schools and a specialist understanding of admissions behaviour, our PPC strategies are built around what actually works in the sector. We combine technical expertise, precise keyword targeting, and education-specific insight to deliver measurable results.

Our campaigns prioritise accuracy, transparency, and strong collaboration with school teams. Every ad, audience segment, and landing page is optimised to drive high-quality enquiries and real open day attendance, not just clicks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should an independent school spend on PPC?
Budgets vary, but many independent schools see meaningful results with £500 to £2,000 per campaign depending on location, competition, and entry points being targeted. The key is efficient targeting and constant optimisation rather than simply increasing spend.

Which platforms work best for school Open Day campaigns?
Google Ads is usually the highest-performing channel for admissions-focused campaigns because it captures families actively searching for independent schools. Meta and Instagram can support awareness, but search-led platforms convert more event registrations.

How quickly does PPC work for schools?
PPC delivers immediate visibility. Most schools see sign-ups within the first 24 to 48 hours of a campaign, with the strongest growth in the final two weeks before an Open Day. Retargeting improves performance further.

Can PPC help with Sixth Form recruitment?
Yes. Sixth Form audiences often search independently, using terms such as “Sixth Form near me” or “A Level results [city].” Targeted campaigns can capture high-intent families and students exploring post-16 options.

Does PPC work for boarding schools?
It can be extremely effective. Location-based targeting can be expanded nationally or internationally to reach the families most likely to consider boarding. Messaging, visuals, and landing pages must be adapted accordingly.

How do we know if the PPC campaign is working?
You’ll receive clear reporting that shows enquiries, registrations, cost per sign-up, strongest keywords, postcode heatmaps, and device-level performance. Most schools can track the full journey from advert to attendance.

Will PPC compete with our SEO?
No – PPC complements SEO. SEO builds long-term visibility, while PPC drives immediate demand. Running both together increases your chances of appearing for the keywords families search before an Open Day.

Do independent schools need an agency to run PPC?
PPC platforms look simple, but optimising them correctly is highly technical. Independent schools benefit from expert support because precision targeting, keyword refinement, and bidding strategies determine cost-effectiveness and conversion quality.

Accessibility allows all parents, pupils, and staff to engage with your content, regardless of device, ability, or context. For independent schools with diverse communities, prioritising accessibility is essential. This means readable text, accurate alt tagging, logical structure, strong contrast, and support for assistive technologies. Accessible school website design also improves comprehension, reduces support requests, and builds trust with families who depend on clarity. When accessibility is built in from the beginning, your site becomes a genuinely inclusive communications tool that serves the whole school community.