Blake Mark Productions partnered with The Willows Primary School to support Reception admissions by increasing awareness, school tour attendance, and parental consideration during the admissions window.
Using targeted paid advertising across Google and Meta, the campaign focused on reaching local parents at the point of decision-making and guiding them towards a single action: booking a school visit.
The activity contributed to a 25% increase in school preferences on the initial September lists compared to the previous year.
The Willows Primary School benefits from strong in-person engagement. Parents attending school tours regularly place the school within their top two preferences.
The challenge lay earlier in the journey. Too few prospective parents were discovering the school in time to arrange a visit. With limited internal capacity for digital marketing, the school required an external partner to increase local visibility in a way that was appropriate, cost-effective, and aligned with the values of an educational setting.
Key challenges include
Blake Mark Productions delivered a focused paid media strategy across Google Ads and Meta Ads, designed specifically around Reception admissions.
Campaigns were structured to prioritise high-intent search behaviour alongside targeted social advertising, ensuring the school appeared both when parents were actively researching Reception places and when building early awareness locally.
Messaging centred on the school’s ethos and philosophy, positioning tours as a low-commitment opportunity for parents to experience the school first-hand.
The campaign successfully increased local awareness of The Willows Primary School at a critical point in the admissions cycle.
By focusing activity around school tours, the advertising supported a clear and consistent journey from discovery through to in-person visits. Parents arrived with a stronger understanding of the school’s ethos and values, making tours more meaningful and more likely to convert.
The result was a measurable improvement in admissions outcomes, reinforcing the role paid digital advertising can play as part of a wider pupil number strategy when applied with focus and intent.
“Thinking strategically about pupil numbers, we realised that everyone we show around names us as a top two preference. The question was how to get more people through the door to view the school. We recognised that advertising was risk free. Parents could come and see the school without any detriment, which made them more likely to take a punt and book a visit. Digital marketing has been an unbelievable success in getting our ethos, our philosophy, and our message out into the wider community. The team at Blake Mark Productions provide a knowledgeable, gentle guide through the maze of digital marketing, allowing you to reap the rewards while concentrating on what you do best.”
Headteacher, The Willows Primary School
If your school or education organisation delivers a strong experience once parents visit, digital advertising can help more families take that first step.
Blake Mark Productions supports schools and education providers with targeted digital campaigns designed to increase visibility, encourage visits, and support admissions outcomes without adding pressure to internal teams.
To discuss how a similar approach could work for your organisation, get in touch with our team.