The Education Communications Group
BSF Specialist – College Specialists
The Company
The Education Communications Group (ECG) was formed by a team of professional educationalists and communication specialists. The company has its roots in a practical understanding of day-to-day teaching and communication needs – particularly linked to the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative and also Higher & Further Education community and business issues.
Having first hand knowledge of taking schools through the BSF process, ECG can provide effective, tested, communications tools to deal with a variety of stakeholders, encompassing consultation with the wider community, media relations management to opening ceremony protocols. Its consultants can also advise and provide strategy with an implementation timeline that is bespoke to individual needs should that be required – or quite simply templates for discreet areas of communication to assist your BSF project team.
Our expertise with Colleges has enabled institutions to raise their profile, attract more students and build links with employers to boost courses including modern apprenticeships. Campaigns have included everything from re-branding to crisis media-management, prospectus development to event management and TV coverage.
Consultant profiles
Michael McPherson
Michael is an experienced teacher and school leader with over twenty years experience working in a range of educational establishments.
He has been engaged in the Building Schools for the Future project from the outset having being involved in developing a local authority submission and, more recently, as a Principal of a phase one, wave one school.
Michael now uses his experience to support Local Authorities and schools involved in the Building Schools for the Future programme; chairs a BSF communications group and works with Head teachers to help develop their Strategy for Change and school designs.
Having being involved in the BSF process with a number of schools, Michael recognises the importance of communicating with stakeholders and he has produced a number of resources that aid schools to do this effectively.
Cliff Chamberlain
Cliff, who is a marketing and communications professional has specialised in communications for Schools and Colleges for the past 17 years. His experience and ability to innovate, has helped educational establishments get their message across to the many stakeholders they have to engage with. Cliff’s style is to work in close partnership with clients, helping them raise public awareness through a variety of media and increasing their client base.
Having much experience in the field of new build establishments, Cliff’s focus is on helping you achieve your objectives from conception to completion creatively, with cost effective solutions, and can facilitate graphic design, print and digital media production.
Maria Potempski
Maria, who is a qualified teacher herself, is also a Public Relations specialist with over 20 years of media experience handling press relations with local, regional and national publications. She has also worked in Market Research specifically for consultation programmes and was previously contracted to the DTI as a specialist Education / Industry adviser for Leicestershire. Part of the project was to develop what has now become the Education Business Company.
Maria has worked with a number of Schools, Colleges and Universities in terms of researching student and employer perceptions of institutions, raising awareness of the establishment through media relations with a view to gaining more students and developing business and joint community partnerships. She has also dealt with crisis media management should it arise.
