Wednesday January 21, 12:30 – 13:30
Cost: £55 – £110, Box Set £225 – £670
Location: Online (Watch live or on catch up)
Course Outline:
This webinar box set series is designed to promote greater understanding of different international markets for student recruitment. The session will discuss application during the marketing and recruitment stage, induction, and day-to-day care of international students who join our schools.
This five-part series looks at the key markets for international student recruitment in 2024-25:
- Mainland China and Hong Kong – October 21, 2025
- Germany, Spain (and the rest of Europe) – December 10, 2025
- USA – January 21, 2026
- Nigeria – February 25, 2026
- Japan and Thailand – March 06, 2026
Each webinar will delve into the cultural sensitivities, language considerations, prospective family wants and marketing suggestions of each market to support members in adapting their marketing and pastoral strategies to maximise results and provision.
Training topics will include:
- Cultural sensitivities, norms and differences from the UK (religion, lifestyle, health, wellbeing, medicine, body language etc)
- Language considerations and communicating with current and prospective parents
- What this market wants from the UK education system
- Maximising marketing
- Promoting best practice in pastoral care provision on recruitment and arrival.
Learning outcomes:
- Greater cultural understanding of the markets you recruit students from
- Increased awareness of what to focus on from a marketing perspective, and how to engage with prospective families
- Understanding how to provide care and support to students from different cultural backgrounds.
Speaker:
Catherine Stoker, Founder of The Independent Education Consultant
Catherine brings extensive experience in independent education, with a particular passion for boarding prep and senior schools. Her career spans roles as a teacher and housemistress, board director and managing director of a leading London consultancy, and founder of The Independent Education Consultants. She has supported hundreds of families, always prioritising the individual child’s talents and needs alongside those of the family. Catherine advises UK and international parents on school choice, mentors children needing extra support, and prepares pupils for interviews and pre-tests. Known for her integrity and attentive listening, she is widely trusted for child-centred guidance.
Sara Thomas, Assistant Head, ACS Cobham
Sara Thomas is the Assistant Head of School, leading on wellbeing, at ACS Cobham. She oversees the boarding houses, medical centre, safeguarding team, student services and the pastoral systems at the school. Originally a languages teacher (French, Welsh, English & Spanish), Sara’s other previous roles include Head of Welsh Baccalaureate, Head of Sixth Form and Deputy Headteacher. She has worked in a variety of schools both in the UK and abroad.
