Unless it鈥檚 to celebrate a glowing Ofsted report, many school leaders tend to file talking to the media in the 鈥渄eal with in a crisis鈥 category.
But as education communications experts, our experience has shown us that when schools and trusts build a relationship of trust with the media it鈥檚 not just a defensive tactic, it can be a strategic opportunity too.
At the on May 15, we will be running a session full of practical tips on how to “handle” the media 鈥 that is, how to build long-term, professional relationships that work well for schools, trusts, the communities they serve and the media. Our session will also debunk several myths about the media, the most common of which is that 鈥渏ournalists just want a negative story鈥.
It’s a myth that journalists only want a negative story.
We鈥檝e both worked with education journalists for decades 鈥 one of us was an education correspondent on a national newspaper for seven years. Education journalists tend to be thoughtful, informed and genuinely interested in what鈥檚 working well in schools and trusts. They are looking for stories that are symbolic of what is actually happening in schools, not corporate soundbites nor overly polished PR pieces.
A great example is from a primary school in Manchester, which piloted a bold new approach to oracy and pupil voice across the curriculum. Rather than wait for coverage, they invited a local education reporter in to see the project in action. The result was a positive feature in The Guardian that gave credit to staff and pupils and opened up wider discussions about speaking skills in the national curriculum. The school controlled the narrative by carefully sharing the story, not waiting to be asked about it.
That said, we won鈥檛 pretend that all media encounters are easy. Some local journalists undoubtedly do chase sensationalist headlines, especially when under pressure to generate clicks or fill space. But even then, a respectful and consistent relationship can influence the tone and accuracy of coverage.
Start the relationship before you need it
It鈥檚 tempting to see the media as a transactional relationship 鈥 something that only matters when a headline looms. But like all strong professional relationships, it鈥檚 best built over time and in times of calm.
Journalists want clarity, context and honesty. It鈥檚 OK not to have all the answers.
One of our clients, a medium-sized multi-academy trust, sends short updates each term to a small list of local and regional journalists. These aren鈥檛 flashy press releases 鈥 just a digest of pupil-led projects, leadership changes and community events. Over time, journalists have started asking follow-up questions and have covered some of the more unusual initiatives. When the trust faced some unexpected challenges, the local press gave them fair and accurate coverage, in part because a relationship of trust was already there.
Be clear, honest and prepared
What journalists want from school leaders is in some ways much the same as what most parents and staff want: clarity, context and honesty. It鈥檚 OK not to have all the answers straight away, but being responsive, accurate and open goes a long way.
Being 鈥渕edia-friendly鈥 doesn鈥檛 mean being slick. It means being prepared and anticipating the narrative in advance. It鈥檚 essential to have key messages about your school or trust that you can use across different contexts and to know who will speak and what you鈥檒l say when a story breaks.
Think like a journalist: who is the story about and what is the emotional reaction?
The most powerful media stories aren鈥檛 about policies or performance tables, they鈥檙e about people. A good story connects with the audience on a human level. It makes them feel something: pride, empathy, surprise, even outrage. If you can show the lived experience behind a headline, whether it鈥檚 a pupil overcoming adversity, a teacher going the extra mile, or a quiet innovation changing lives, you鈥檙e far more likely to engage the media and the public.
The most powerful media stories are about people.
One London secondary school that made national headlines last year did so not because of exam results, but because of a creative approach to tackling food insecurity. They integrated cooking, budgeting and nutrition into the school week. The story reached BBC News and The Times, not because the school pitched it as PR, but because it had compelling emotional value.
Don鈥檛 retreat when things go wrong
Schools and trusts are often in the midst of multiple crises, from staffing issues to parental complaints and safeguarding incidents. In these moments, the instinct can be to retreat behind 鈥渘o comment.鈥 But there are ways to be professional without being defensive.
If you鈥檝e built a relationship in advance, it鈥檚 far easier to say: 鈥淲e鈥檙e managing a sensitive issue and following due process, but we鈥檒l keep you updated when we can.鈥 Journalists don鈥檛 expect instant answers, but they do appreciate updates and responsiveness.
There are ways to be professional without being defensive.
At our session we鈥檒l be joined by Mike Pettifer, CEO of , who previously worked as a senior civil servant at the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Together we will discuss the ways trust leaders can help to control the narrative around their MAT and share practical advice which any school or trust leader can use straight away.
Jessica and Anna’s on May 15 at the Schools & Academies Show in London (in the MAT Summit). Get in touch before then at and
