Marketing and Admissions Manager - Gateway School, Great Missenden
www.gatewayschool-bucks.co.uk/
Introduction
At Gateway School we are committed to providing learning experiences that holistically prepare our children for their next schools and life beyond. We empower every pupil to excel in their educational journeys today, tomorrow and for the rest of their lives.
Our mission is to provide an engaging and inspiring learning environment that encourages children to be curious and ambitious, resulting in happy, confident and real-world ready learners. We hope for every child to be happy, successful and well-prepared for their ever-changing futures.
We believe in providing opportunities to develop character and promote curiosity, flexibility, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking within our curriculum. Throughout the school, our committed and highly-skilled staff encourage pupils to challenge themselves and build resilience whilst feeling safe, cared for and supported.
This commitment extends to our staff too. We know that children thrive when the adults around them are supported, trusted and empowered. At Gateway, our staff team is at the heart of our success. We work in a culture of collaboration and kindness, where professional growth is actively encouraged and where everyone is valued for the unique perspective and experience they bring.
Our school community is welcoming, forward-thinking and grounded in strong values. Staff and pupils alike take pride in our ASPIRE values – Achieve, Strive, Participate, Investigate, Respect, and Enjoy – which underpin everything we do.
We are very proud of our pupils’ learning journeys at Gateway School; they transfer to secondary school as confident individuals, with a secure sense of who they are and are well-equipped to take on their next challenges. We are equally proud of the professional journeys of our staff, many of whom take on new roles, lead initiatives and flourish within our close-knit and ambitious team.
The role
The Marketing and Admissions Manager at Gateway School (1 High St, Great Missenden HP16 9AA) plays a pivotal role in shaping the School’s growth, reputation, and engagement within the local community. This dynamic role encompasses all aspects of marketing, admissions, and communications — from first enquiry to enrolment and beyond.
The postholder will lead the School’s marketing and admissions activity, ensuring that Gateway’s values, excellence, and distinct offer are clearly communicated to both prospective and current parents.
We are seeking a proactive, creative, and results-driven professional with excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail. The ideal candidate will combine strategic thinking with hands-on capability, be confident working both independently and collaboratively, and take pride in seeing the tangible impact of their work.
Marketing and Communications
* Work with the Headteacher, Leadership Team, and Bellevue Marketing to design and implement the annual marketing strategy based on data, research, and performance analysis.
* Develop and deliver a termly marketing action plan to support pupil recruitment, retention, and community engagement.
* Manage all social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) — including content planning, creation, scheduling, community engagement, and performance reporting.
* Use Canva and other creative tools to design visually engaging digital and print content, maintaining a consistent and professional brand image.
* Lead on advertising and promotional campaigns, including digital ads (Facebook/Instagram/Google), print advertising, outdoor banners, and partnerships with local media.
* Create and share live and dynamic content (stories, reels, video snippets) that showcase daily life at Gateway and celebrate pupil and school achievements.
* Manage Gateway’s website and HubSpot CRM, ensuring all content and enquiry journeys are up to date, engaging, and conversion-optimised.
* Conduct regular competitor, catchment, and feeder school analysis to identify new opportunities for growth.
* Maintain a strong and consistent brand identity, ensuring tone, messaging, and visuals reflect Gateway’s ethos and values.
* Oversee photography, videography, and creative assets, keeping the school’s media bank current and relevant.
* Plan, promote, and deliver key marketing events and campaigns, including Open Mornings, Stay & Play sessions, Preschool promotions etc.
* Liaise with designers, printers, and external suppliers, as well as local media outlets to maximise exposure.
* Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of all marketing activities using data analytics and social media insights, adjusting strategy as needed.
* Build and maintain strong relationships with local nurseries, feeder schools and community groups to raise awareness and strengthen referral networks.
* Support and coordinate internal communications to ensure parents are kept informed and engaged.
Admissions
* Provide a warm, professional, and efficient point of contact for all prospective families.
* Manage the full admissions process from initial enquiry through to enrolment, ensuring timely and personalised follow-up at every stage.
* Conduct school tours and taster events, adapting each visit to meet the needs of the family and reflect the Gateway experience.
* Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in HubSpot and iSAMS, ensuring data integrity and compliance.
* Generate and analyse weekly and monthly KPI reports, identifying trends and opportunities for improvement in enquiry-to-enrolment conversion.
* Liaise closely with the Headteacher on all admissions decisions, ensuring a smooth, family-focused process.
* Manage and evaluate Open Mornings, Private Tours, and Parent Events, ensuring every family has a high-quality experience.
* Conduct parent feedback surveys at key stages (enquiry, joining, leaving) to monitor satisfaction and identify improvement opportunities.
* Present admissions and marketing updates to Governors and the Bellevue Group when required.
* Ensure that Gateway’s admissions process reflects the School’s values of care, aspiration, and community at every touchpoint.
Person Specification
Essential Experience and Skills
* Proven experience in marketing, admissions, or communications, ideally within a school or service-led organisation.
* Strong understanding of digital marketing and social media management, including content creation and advertising.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
* Data-driven mindset with the ability to analyse and report on performance metrics.
* Strong organisational and time management skills, able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
* Confident working independently, as well as collaboratively with internal teams and external partners.
* Professional, approachable, and positive manner when liaising with families and colleagues.
Desirable
* Experience working in an Independent School or education marketing environment.
* Degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
* Familiarity with school CRM and MIS systems (e.g. Wordpress, Hubspot & iSAMS).
Salary: £36,000 - £43,000 pro-rata, dependent on experience
Hours: 0.8 fte - 4 days per week, approx 32 hours.
The closing date for applications will be Thursday 27th November at Midday. Interviews will take place on Tuesday 2nd December.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we identify a suitable candidate before the advertised closing date.
Please send your CV and a covering letter detailing your suitability for the post to Becky Wilkinson (bwilkinson@blvue.com).