A Lifetime in Marketing Design

Whether I am designing a prospectus, recording a video, building a website or taking professional photographs, my creative associates and I are passionate about what we do. Design matters to us – deeply. And so does quality.

Every prospectus I design is as unique as the school or college it represents. I work closely with our clients to develop graphic styles that express their character, ethos and aspirations. I have no such thing as a standard prospectus; they are all different ­in format, shape, size, pagination, quantity.

Our websites are lively, engaging and beautifully designed. The creative synergy between my myself and my web coding associates ensures the most consistent possible brand presence for your school. Our CMS access is quick, simple and intuitive; making our sites easy to maintain. We can give CMS training to your key staff as part of our package. Websites can be as simple or as complex as you want. Our basic web architecture can be extended to include whatever additional features are required.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. With my stunning, impactful professional photography that is certainly true. My eye-catching images have the ‘wow’ factor and capture the spirit and character of your teaching and learning perfectly. I have a powerful reputation for engaging, thoughtful, creative and inspirational images.

Furthermore, I work with schools to build a portfolio of images throughout the school year that captures their key events and highlights. I am generous with our time and never charge extra for this unique service. Most of our competitors take all their photographs on one day and if you want more than that, you pay for it. I believe in going the extra mile and doing the job properly. Read what my clients have had to say about me, and you’ll know exactly what I mean by that.

My ultra high resolution photographs mean that I’m able to produce stunning quality, vibrant display prints at sizes up to 20 feet square with no loss of quality.

Bespoke Services at Competitive Prices

Every school is different. Not only by virtue of its unique proposition – its circumstances, its offering, its catchment, its character, its history, its aims, its ethos and its aspirations – but also because of its unique marketing requirements and its unique marketing budget.

Some schools appreciate the simple practicality of a traditional A4 format, whilst others are happy to think outside that box. Consequently our prospectuses come in all shapes, sizes and finishes – and in whatever quantity is needed to fulfill its desired shelf life. Most schools operate on two or three year cycles; the rule of thumb being, the longer the run, the greater the economy. Having said that, some schools prefer to change annually – or find themselves waiting upon an Ofsted report, for example, and we can handle that with our amazing short-run digital printing. We really do have the flexibility to accommodate schools whatever the requirement.

Many schools find the display of large scale inspirational photos beneficial in helping set the tone within the school and to crystalise the school’s pride in its students and its activities. We provide stunning exhibition grade photo panels at more or less any size to suit any location. Larger than life, floor-to-ceiling installations? No problem! Two or three storey atrium? No problem! Large scale exterior photo installations? No problem! Aluminium site signage scheme to match your branding? No problem! You name it, we can do it: LED or backlit illuminated displays; translucent photos for windows; photos direct onto the floor; wall and ceiling banner hangings. Tell me what you want and we’ll figure out how to achieve it for you.

Clearly there is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ solution. The vast majority of our output is therefore bespoke. For this reason it’s not possible for me to publish a menu price list. Each project will be considered and costed individually. Once quoted and contracted, what you see is what you get – with no unexpected additions or nasty surprises.

What have schools said about my services over the years?

We have worked with Russel Spinks since 2004 and have always been overwhelmed with the results. He has the unique ability to understand the school’s requirements, and work extremely closely with us to make sure that the true essence of the school is captured in our brochures. His creative and innovative approach to product design and marketing is a major factor in our continuing to use him for all our promotional work. He is extremely professional and totally reliable, and his competitive rates coupled with the high quality of the finished product makes him a winner every time.

Jane Prideaux, The Maplesden Noakes School

I first worked with Russel in 1993. Since then I have come to rely on his all-inclusive School Marketing service to produce our prospectuses, website, DVD and display photographs through the headship of two different schools – please look and judge the quality of his work for yourself! We have enjoyed a creative, reliable and personal service, which is always competitively priced. Most importantly, he has been responsive to our needs, sensitive in dealing with our young people and he has always met our deadlines without fail!

Jenny Payne, Highsted Grammar School

I had used Russel Spinks and his team for many years to produce prospectuses during my previous headship. Having been appointed to Orwell Park, one of my first priorities was to produce a brand new prospectus. Russel and his team were called in and the result was spectacular. We were so delighted with the outcome that we then used them for a total redesign of our online presence.

I have always found him easy to work with; they he is endlessly helpful. He takes the time and trouble to really understand the unique nature and circumstances of each school. He goes out of his way to ensure that the final product is not only the perfect tool for the job, but is something which everyone in the school can embrace.

The quality of his products and service is outstanding and he is entirely dependable. We find his rates competitive. Value for money is a vital consideration for any school and it is reassuring that they work on a fixed price contract basis with clear service and product specifications.

Rowland Constantine, Orwell Park School

Simon Langton Boys’ Grammar School has worked with Russel Spinks School Marketing since 1992. I was appointed to the school in 2001 and have since increased the involvement we have with them, simply because of the outstanding quality of his work.

We find Russel’s approach extremely sensitive to the culture and ethos of the school. He has made a great effort to get inside our unique character. In producing our marketing materials he has captured that ethos perfectly, and he has even caught our irreverent sense of humour. He works unobtrusively and to great effect. His photographic record of the school year is outstanding, both in the way it provides authentic documentary portfolio of a school at work, and in the superb quality and sensitivity of the photographs. In these days of tight budgets it is also pleasing that his work is so competitively priced, such that we have been able to commission them for additional projects made out of the savings from our anticipated marketing budget.

We use Russel for all our school marketing materials. These go beyond the regular prospectus brochure for parents, to include a series of promotional displays which we use around the school and, most recently, we have used him to produce our publicity materials and stand at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition. This is an extremely prestigious event, with only the country’s leading universities and research institutions exhibiting. Ours was the only school at the exhibition but our display materials were more than equal to those of the much larger and wealthier organisations involved in the event.

Dr Matthew Baxter, Simon Langton Boys’ Grammar School

We have used Russel Spinks and his school marketing service to produce our prospectuses since 1997.

We continue to be impressed by the very high quality and presentation of the finished product alongside the reliability and dependability of his service. The quality of his professional photography is outstanding and the consultancy’s strong creative and interpretation skills ensure their images are eye catching and reveal a deep insight into the life of the school.

As for any contract, we use a competitive tendering process and consequently we are confident that Russel Spinks School Marketing provides us with excellent value for money. The consultancy is generous with its time and this ensures he understands and captures the ethos and priorities of the school. It is this commitment that enables him to portray such an in-depth and accurate picture of the school. Furthermore, his inclusive photography package provides us with a wealth of additional images to use in other areas of school publicity.

Both prospective and current parents, students and staff frequently comment most favourably on the quality of our prospectus, often making very positive comparisons with others they have seen.

James Skinner, Beths Grammar School

Russel Spinks has worked with Royal Liberty School since 2003. We are always impressed with the high quality, personalised service we receive. Russel’s creative designs and stunning photography make our prospectus totally unique to us, reflecting the special character of our school.

Julia Deery, The Royal Liberty School

Russel Spinks school marketing consultancy has worked with Dr Challoner's Grammar School since 2002 and we have always been extremely impressed with his creative and innovative approach to design and marketing and his superb 'all inclusive' photography. He understands our requirements at a very profound level and has worked tirelessly to ensure that these are fully met. Russel Spinks and his colleagues provide a 100% reliable service and the finished product is always of outstanding quality as well as being competitively priced.

Dr Mark Fenton, Dr Challoner’s Grammar School

Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School have used Russel Spinks school marketing services since 1990. The consultancy has always provided a friendly and highly personalised service, tailored to our individual needs.

Whilst their team has attended our needs over a long period of time, Russel’s in-depth interpretation of what is required to market the school effectively has been creative and innovative throughout, evolving to take full advantage of new communication technologies in the rapidly changing world of the 21st century.

His photographic skills and extraordinary eye for detail have produced images which always portray our school and its students in their very best light, and it is without hesitation that we have commissioned the consultancy to produce not only our latest printed prospectus, but also our first ever video DVD.

The service provided by Russel Spinks and his colleagues has always proved reliable and dependable, and whatever the economic climate, we have always found his prices realistic and competitive.

Tony Hanman, Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School

I have worked with Russel Spinks since 1997 and in two different schools. This, along with his experience in a whole range of different educational contexts, means that he interprets our requirements very quickly and accurately to develop imaginative design solutions for our prospectuses and other marketing material. Getting him to handle everything, including our school website, saves us a great deal of time and money as well as making the process so much more efficient and the outcomes so much more coherent.

His creative ideas always help us to go just where we want to go, and, on occasions, to places we had never even considered going! We used him for our first ever DVD. We were so pleased with the results that we immediately commissioned a second for our Sixth Form.

We also use his stunning photographic images as high impact inspirational prints inside and outside the school buildings – some of these impressive photos are substantially bigger than life size and allow us to celebrate student achievement and to illustrate the wide and exciting range of our activities.

The service we get from Russel is exemplary; deadlines are met; the final product is impeccable; the price is always right. I value the relationship we have with the consultancy and I can trust Russel to do his job to promote the school in a memorable and eye-catching way, reflecting perfectly to our unique ethos and values package.

Geoff Wybar, Gravesend Grammar School

Get in Touch

Russel Spinks
School Marketing Consultancy
Prospect House
Maidstone Road
Lenham
ME17 2QH

T: 01622 859259
M: 07340 015193

What is Working Life?

An immersive three-day experience for students during Year 10. Designed and delivered by professionals from the world of work. We bring a wealth of real-world experience and are experts in all aspects of people management, interviewing and hiring. Our message therefore carries a far greater resonance than if it was delivered by the students’ own teachers.

Working Life engages students with the mind set and sensibilities of the workplace and is applicable to students’ dealings with colleges, universities and employers. Its activities are designed to give students the insider’s ‘edge’ in Applications, CVs, Personal Statements and Interviews. Working Life also pays great dividends for the students during Year 11 and post-16 setting, where their newly developed employability skills and emotional intelligence often manifest themselves in a transformational way not only with greater maturity and confidence, but also better organisation, focus, planning, self-management, motivation and teamwork.

Working Life is aimed at 14 and 15 year olds and is structured to be fun, challenging, exciting and competitive. Its activities are unexpected by most students ...and this makes it a truly memorable experience as the course unfolds.

Working Life is held in schools for the whole Year Group (normally Year 10) on three consecutive days. We deliberately suspend their reality by taking them out of their familiar routines:

• This is a non-uniform activity. Our aim is that students feel a) dressed for business and b) different to their normal school day persona. In our experience, if they have an opportunity to look and feel different, they will rise to the occasion and be open to participating more fully.
• We invite students not to call us Sir or Miss. We are all on first name terms – as we would be in the working place. This is another aspect of making them feel more like colleagues than school students. We find that by treating them as adults ­– having first explained the protocols, expectations and sensibilities which exist in workplace situations – most students rise to the occasion and adapt quickly to this more mature way of behaving.
• We prefer students to be seated in an open square format rather than in rows of desks. Our aim is create the feeling of a business meeting rather than a ‘normal’ school lesson.
• We do not need students to take coursework notes. We provide each student with an extensive handbook of notes at the end of the course. Nor is there any homework, tracking or assessment. We do make our own informal observations and notes which enable us to identify those students who deserve to have their course completion certificates upgraded to a Merit, or in exceptional circumstances, a Distinction. We even have a Course Director’s 'Top Student of the Course' award, for the individual who impresses the most. At the outset, we make it clear to all students that they come to Working Life with a clean sheet. We don’t know anybody’s back story, so everybody starts on a perfectly level playing field.

Working Life generally follows the pattern of normal timetable period times. Students are divided into tutor groups of max 30 students. These can be either existing form groups or shuffled by the school to create new opportunities for students to work with one another. Depending on the total size of the year group, we will have five or six tutors delivering the programme. Each tutor will need to have a classroom in which he/she is based. The tutors remain static and the student groups rotate among the tutors, from period to period. Each group will have what we call their ‘home tutor’ so that they have a specific person to call upon if they need encouragement, advice, guidance or assistance. Having our tutor rooms located close together makes it all run more smoothly and efficiently. The school will be responsible for arranging and administering its own student registration procedures at start of day, lunch and close of day. We will fit in with whatever the school needs to do in this respect.

We make it crystal clear to students that: a) all school rules apply to them whilst on Working Life; b) if they are instructed to do anything by a teacher, this will take precedence over anything we may have told them to do; and c) the normal formalities and manners of school life (such as Sir or Miss) still apply in all their dealings with school staff.

What do schools say about Working Life?

"Each summer term brings excited anticipation for our Year 10 students attending their Working Life course at Dr Challoner's Grammar School. Working Life provides a refreshing, tailored and professional service and the students enjoy attending innovative workshops to aid their learning of the all-important “employability skills” which employers seem to believe are lacking from our school children. We have worked with Russel and his fantastic team of business professionals for the past four years and the soft skills gained benefit the students’ journey into work experience, university and the world of work."

Dr Mark Fenton, Headteacher, Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham

"We have always valued work experience for our students. It gives them an opportunity to be a part of the 'real world of work' and experience working as part of an adult team. From applying for the post, attending an interview, to managing their own time. Unfortunately our recent experience is that the quantity and quality of placements has decined considerably. Although some students have a fantastic experience, many do not. It is for this reason that we have decided to replace work experience with a three day Working Life Course. I know the boys will enjoy the challenges they will be provided with and we want all our students to have the same high quality experience and opportunities to devleop the skills and knowledge to make them successful in the future. It is also a considerable bonus that we can provide this high quality, innovative programme for considerably less than the cost of 'hit and miss' work experience placements we have provided in recent years."

April Saunders, Headteacher, The Royal Liberty School, Romford

“Working Life is an innovative, left field approach to the culture of the workplace, designed to expose students to the innate challenges of work. By focusing on the soft skills needed in the current work market, this independent programme offers a healthy antidote to the typical stodgy, government-driven careers and enterprise thinking. Working Life can also be used effectively as a viable alternative to traditional work experience. It not only imparts the skills students need to live, thrive and survive in the future world, but also gives them a unique and valuable insight into the realities of working.”

Ken Moffat, Head of School, Simon Langton Boys’ School, Canterbury

“The chance to work so closely with external professionals opens eyes and minds – and sometimes a voice from outside has far greater resonance for students. Working Life gives them a competitive edge in a demanding world.”

Geoff Wybar, Headteacher, Gravesend Grammar School

“Working Life is certainly a bold and innovative approach to work related learning. Having used Russel Spinks’ creative services for our marketing communications for many years, it comes as no surprise that his company has been able to develop such a positive and dynamic approach to teaching Employability Skills. Direct access to the wisdom and experience of seasoned business professionals really does open up a whole new dimension in the classroom.”

Tony Hanman, Associate Headteacher, Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School, Rochester

What do students say about Working Life?

Every course we conduct is measured by student feedback – before and after – via objective questionnaires and subjective ‘own words’ statements.

On content, relevance, delivery and content, our overall rating for acceptance and appreciation by students typically falls in the 80% to 90% range.

Specifically, we measure against certain value added criteria:

To what extent do you think universities and employers attach value to those skills, attitudes and attributes covered by Working Life? 88.4% (Dr Challoners, 180 Year 10 students, Amersham, 2015)

Has Working Life highlighted any valuable key areas where it is important that YOU develop yourself further? 88.2% (Dr Challoners, 180 Year 10 students, Amersham, 2015)

Do you think Working Life will give you a competitive 'edge' over others who have not had this type of employability skills training? 87.6% (Dr Challoners, 180 Year 10 students, Amersham, 2015)

Compared with what you knew BEFORE about Employability Skills, to what extent do you consider have you acquired valuable knowledge and insight on this Working Life course? 87.8% (Dr Challoners, 180 Year 10 students, Amersham, 2015)

Specific student comments ...in their own words

(Dr Challoners, 180 Year 10 students, Amersham, 2015)

"The principles we have been taught have given me a greater ability to apply myself and to understand the importance of working hard to achieve my goals." Alex Kendall

"The WL principles will help me get a job to start raising funds for university. It has taught me how to work in a team with people whom I didn't see eye to eye with. The WL skills will give me confidence when running for House Captain, Head Boy or School Captain and other jobs in the school. These skills will also help to make me a better leader outside school in cadets and with friends." Oliver Plunkett

"Working Life will allow me to achieve more in my studies; keeping a plan for both short-term and long-term goals." Jay Haldipur

"The attitudes I have absorbed from Working Life will help my organisational skills in areas where deadlines are key - such as revising. Collaboration skills will help me to work as part of a team to complete a task both well and on time." Joseph Derry

"Working Life will help me to conduct myself in a way that makes me more employable and helps me to stand out from the crowd." Tom Joy

"I now feel much more confident in presenting myself for interviews (both inside and outside of school) and I feel better informed about the qualities interviewers are looking for and how to answer questions about myself." Thomas Franks

"I will be able to feel more confident in future interviews – eg for the Sixth Form. Also I will do more extra-curricular activities as I know this will make me more employable in the future." Seyon Sundrakumar

"Working life has helped me to know that first impressions really matter and this will enable me to create the correct impression that I want to show to teachers and to new colleagues, and later to universities and employers." Robbie Delaney

"Working Life has prepared me for interview situations and I now have an advantage over students from schools which don't teach enough about employability. I think I will be less likely to make any silly errors." Matthew Jones

"Working Life has helped me realise that I need to participate in more activities, as well as emphasising the importance of exam grades." Chris Mann

"Working Life makes me feel more confident to contribute to and discuss issues with teachers. I feel more presentable and better able to go into an interview or job application whilst in the Sixth Form, confident and fully aware of what to do and say. I will continue to develop my soft skills and work hard to be the stand-out candidate in a university interview, job application or even in school." Sam Fernandez

"Working Life's WMD sessions have given me the advantage of learning how to impress potential universities / employers by the way I speak, how I present myself and through my non-verbal communication." Henry Moore

"After Working Life I know I am going to become more adventurous!" Kieran Roy

"Thank you for the WL environment. I have really enjoyed the experience!" Matthew Goodwin-Freeman