Explore every episode of the podcast smj: school marketing journal
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 259: Trends in school experience – Interview with Dr David Willows and Suzette Parlevliet | 17 sept. 2026 | 00:19:54 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Dr David Willows and Suzette Parlevliet In this interview episode, Brad is joined by [YELLOW CAR] co-founders Dr David Willows and Suzette Parlevliet to examine what 30,000 accounts of school life reveal about students, parents and employees. They explore why relationships matter and how a lack of coherence can surface as student pressure, parent confusion and employee workload concerns. The challenge for school Heads is to listen beyond surveys, communicate the insights and align what the school promises with what its community experiences.
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 258: Short-termism weakens trust | 10 sept. 2026 | 00:19:59 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine why quick wins can borrow from future trust. They distinguish acting quickly from short-termism, where immediate pressure replaces a school's long-term strategic direction. The discussion explores why marketing that reassures leaders can unsettle parents, whose school choice can unfold over years rather than campaign cycles. The trio challenge Heads to maintain continuity through change and consider families' longer decision journey. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 257: Turning strategy into action – Interview with Chris Post | 03 sept. 2026 | 00:20:00 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Chris Post In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Chris Post, Headmaster of the Boys' Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore, the United States of America, to examine how strategy can guide decisions and drive action. Chris explains why broad, agreeable plans fail to move a school forward and why sharper choices require rigorous debate and alignment between the Board and leadership team. He shares how a strategy-on-a-page keeps priorities visible, guides decisions about programs, positions and resources, and creates the discipline to ask what should continue, what should change and what needs to stop. | |||
| 256: Trust through repeated proof | 27 août 2026 | 00:19:59 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine two connected principles: consistency builds trust and reputation lags behaviour. They explain how families build confidence from patterns across touchpoints, while contradictions act as a confidence tax. The discussion explores why reputation changes only after behaviour has been experienced long enough to be believed, and why pressure reveals whether a school's priorities and decision logic are genuinely stable. They challenge Heads to resist short-term reputational fixes and ensure communication reflects behaviour the school can repeatedly prove. Episode link: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 255: Deep Dive – Interview with Ros Curtis AM | 20 août 2026 | 00:45:54 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Ros Curtis AM In this deep dive episode, Brad is joined by Ros Curtis AM, Principal of St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School, to reflect on 16 years of leadership as the School grew from around 800 to more than 1,400 students. Ros explains how clear values, a relentless focus on students and consistent storytelling helped strengthen academic reputation while protecting the School's sense of community. She discusses why marketing must reflect reality, how trust is built through relationships and integrity, and why Heads are stewards who must guard against complacency and arrogance. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 254: The Head as Asker In Chief – Interview with Alan Jones | 13 août 2026 | 00:19:33 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Alan Jones In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Alan Jones, Principal of Christ Church Grammar School in Claremont, Western Australia. Together they examine why the Head is central to school philanthropy. Alan explains that the ask only becomes possible after trust has been built and the educational purpose is clear. He describes fundraising as a long-term relationship, strengthened when donors understand the difference their support can make and feel part of the school's direction. He also explains why Heads must thank donors personally, steward relationships carefully and show what their generosity has achieved. | |||
| 253: Visible difference, meaningful value – Part 2 | 06 août 2026 | 00:19:57 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully continue examining two principles: differentiation or invisibility, and the market defines value. They explain why distinctiveness should create clarity without becoming rigid, and why differentiation communicates particular value rather than superiority. Parent language and enrolment feedback become leadership intelligence, testing whether the school is understood as leaders intend. They challenge Heads to decide what their school must be known for, sharpen that signal consistently and ensure the promise made to families aligns with their experience. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au. | |||
| 252: Replacing assumptions with clarity – Interview with Tim Watson | 30 juil. 2026 | 00:19:55 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Tim Watson In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Tim Watson, Principal of Northern Beaches Christian School (NBCS), to explore how schools can replace assumed understanding with shared clarity. Tim explains how the school's Compass document illustrates NBCS's founding principles, beliefs, values and educational commitments, helping leaders distinguish what must remain fixed from what can change. He discusses how this concise reference point guides Board recruitment and decision-making, preserves continuity through generational change and gives the school freedom to face the future without losing the intent that shaped it. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 251: Visible difference, meaningful value – Part 1 | 23 juil. 2026 | 00:17:42 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine two connected principles: differentiation or invisibility, and the market defines value. They explain why a school's strengths only influence choice when parents can recognise, understand and use them when comparing schools. They explore how presenting every program and proof point can obscure what matters most, why purpose must be translated into meaning for families, and why Heads must establish a clear hierarchy of strengths. The discussion challenges Heads to make the school clearer, not broader, without diluting its purpose. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 250: School choice: what's changed, what's next – Interview with Graham Catt | 18 juin 2026 | 00:19:09 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Graham Catt In this interview episode, Brad is joined once again by Graham Catt, Chief Executive Officer of Independent Schools Australia, to discuss what School Choice Counts has achieved and what now matters for school leaders. Graham explains why the campaign's strongest stories were not about sectors, buildings or funding, but families, students and communities. He argues that Heads need to move beyond election-time advocacy by building ongoing relationships with local MPs, helping parents understand how policy affects fees and affordability, and equipping families and school communities to engage confidently in conversations about school choice. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 249: Strategy drives story. Meaning before message. | 11 juin 2026 | 00:18:12 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine why strong school communication begins before the wording stage. Combining the principles of strategy drives story and meaning before message, they explain why schools can sound articulate while still leaving parents unsure about what matters most. The trio discuss how weak strategy turns communication into a list, why more content rarely builds confidence, and how clearer intent gives story direction and message weight. They challenge heads to settle purpose and meaning before asking marketing teams to write. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 248: Reputation risk management with your board – Interview with Tracey Cain | 04 juin 2026 | 00:19:03 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Tracey Cain In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Tracey Cain, Chief Executive Officer at H/Advisors, to unpack reputation risk in independent schools. Tracey explains why what matters to a school community must matter to the school, and why that community now extends beyond staff, parents and students to alumni, neighbours and local influencers. She explains how Heads and boards can prepare before risk eventuates by listening early, testing likely scenarios and building the trust, policies, processes and culture needed to manage risk as part of day-to-day school operations. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 247: Experience beats message | 28 mai 2026 | 00:19:56 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully explore the sixth principle in the series: experience beats message. They discuss why messaging can open the door, but parent confidence is shaped by what families repeatedly experience through tours, follow-up, responsiveness and prospective parent touchpoints. The trio examines how mixed signals weaken trust, why the enrolment journey is the brand made visible, and why Heads must lead the standards, systems and behaviours that give the school's message something true to stand on. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 246: Deep Dive – Interview with Shane Hogan | 21 mai 2026 | 00:44:55 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Shane Hogan In this deep dive episode, Brad is joined by Shane Hogan to explore what school leadership requires when communities need stability and confidence. Drawing on a career across Catholic and independent schools, boys' and girls' education, and interim roles in schools under pressure, Shane discusses why visibility, relationships and discernment matter as much as structure. He explains why marketing must reflect the school's lived experience, how staff, parents and alumni influence enrolment confidence, and why school Boards need to understand the long-term work behind positioning and enrolment growth. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 245: The new parent mindset reshaping school choice – Interview with David Woodgate | 14 mai 2026 | 00:19:36 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and David Woodgate In this interview episode, Brad is joined by David Woodgate, Chief Executive of the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA) in the UK, to examine how millennial parents are reshaping school choice. David explains why reputation, tradition and results are no longer enough to create confidence, as parents look for clearer evidence of value, individual care and alignment between a school's promise and lived experience. Together, they discuss what this shift means for Heads, admissions and marketing teams, and why every interaction must build trust in the school's value in a competitive market. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 244: Can a school create external confidence before it has internal coherence? | 07 mai 2026 | 00:19:23 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully explore why external confidence depends on internal coherence. They discuss why staff goodwill is not the same as shared understanding, how parents sense mixed signals across tours, conversations and follow-up communication, and why alignment is built through repeated leadership decisions, not announcements. The trio examines the risk of a school sounding clearer than it feels, and why Heads must ensure the school's story is understood and reinforced by their own staff before it can be trusted by prospective families. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 243: Enrolment pressure and the new parent priorities – Interview with Chris Lang | 30 avr. 2026 | 00:19:57 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Pauline Shuttleworth and Chris Lang In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Pauline Shuttleworth, imageseven Advancement Specialist, and Chris Lang, co-founder and Head of Sales for Asia Pacific at Digistorm, to examine the changing enrolment landscape for independent schools. Using the findings from Digistorm's 2025/26 State of K–12 School Admissions Report, they discuss how softening demand and growing enrolment pressure are shifting admissions from reactive management to data-informed planning. This requires Heads to sharpen their positioning and take a more intentional approach to the parent journey. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 242: Is your brand yours to reshape or yours to steward? | 23 avr. 2026 | 00:20:01 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully explore why school brands are not personal platforms for leaders to reshape They explore the difference between ownership and stewardship, explain why a school's brand is inherited rather than invented, and discuss how leaders can renew and clarify its message without distorting what families already trust. The trio also examines how pressure can tempt schools to broaden or soften their story, and why steadiness, coherence and conviction give parents confidence when enrolment decisions feel uncertain. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 241: Are you leading or just explaining? | 26 mars 2026 | 00:19:58 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully discuss a confronting principle for school Heads: leadership is communication. Every decision, silence, delay and repeated phrase signals what matters most, and families read into those signals long before they read a strategy document. The trio explores why enrolment confidence is shaped by coherence, not volume, how pressure reveals a school's true priorities and why clarity cannot be delegated. Episode link: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 240: School fees, affordability and enrolments – Interview with Jack Stevens | 19 mars 2026 | 00:19:37 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Jack Stevens In this interview episode, Brad speaks with Jack Stevens, CEO of Edstart, about what findings from Edstart's 2026 School Fees Report mean for school Heads. The discussion explores why fee increases have remained steady, yet continue to outpace inflation, how staffing costs and government funding pressures are reshaping school budgets and why parent perceptions of value matter more than ever. Brad and Jack reveal how flexible payment options can reduce friction, improve parent experience and support both enrolment and retention.
Episode link: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 239: Is your brand a strategy or a symptom? | 12 mars 2026 | 00:20:00 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin A school's brand is not owned by marketing. It is shaped by leadership clarity, consistency and decision-making over time. In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully discuss why brand is a leadership responsibility, how mixed signals create uncertainty for families, and why enrolment confidence is built through coherence rather than volume. The trio explore the danger of reactive branding, the role of tone and direction, and why every major strategic decision becomes a brand decision, whether leaders intend it or not. Episode link: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 238: Is your mission decorative or directional? – Part 2 | 05 mars 2026 | 00:19:35 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Belinda McCubbin In part two, Brad and Bel explain why mission clarity should narrow your messaging, your promises, and the families who naturally feel called to your school. They discuss why broadening language can feel rational under enrolment pressure, but often creates confusion, hesitation and superficial comparison. The duo explore how mission-fit enrolment conversations reduce friction later and share a practical test for leaders to audit what parents would conclude from the last month of your communications.
Episode Links: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 237: Deep Dive - Interview with Dr Mark Merry | 27 févr. 2026 | 00:51:36 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Dr Mark Merry Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 236: Is your mission decorative or directional? – Part 1 | 19 févr. 2026 | 00:18:56 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Belinda McCubbin Most schools have a mission statement. Some use it as a reference point for decisions and others treat it as a familiar phrase that sits in the background. In this episode, Brad and Bel explore what happens when a mission becomes a practical leadership tool and the importance of having a directional mission. The duo discusses how direction shapes priorities, messages and resourcing. If it's decorative, it tends to appear in documents but rarely changes behaviour or drives decision-making. Part 1 sets up the key tests you can use to assess whether your mission is genuinely guiding strategy across your school. Episode Links: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 235: Why should I choose your school? - Interview with Brendan Schneider | 13 févr. 2026 | 00:20:00 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin Many school leaders feel they are doing 'all the right things' in marketing – posting consistently, investing in digital, telling their story – yet their school is still not being chosen by prospective parents. In this interview, Brad speaks with digital marketing practitioner Brendan Schneider about the real issue behind underperforming marketing – relevance. They discuss why differentiation is leadership work, how digital marketing simply amplifies unclear positioning, and a simple leadership exercise to uncover whether your team can clearly answer the question parents ask: 'Why your school?' Episode Links: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 234: First principles | 05 févr. 2026 | 00:17:23 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin The first episode for 2026 sees Belinda 'Bel' McCubbin welcomed as a regular voice, sharing what's changing in schools this year. The trio introduce two new formats: a termly deep dive interview with experienced school Heads and a 92-second mini stories capturing testimonials of common problems faced by Heads and how to move forward. The main conversation centres on first principles, and why they matter when teams are busy, yet outcomes remain unimproved. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 233: Closing the gap between insight and action – Part 2 | 27 nov. 2025 | 00:17:39 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe In this follow up to episode 232, Brad and Scully focus on how Heads can turn understanding into meaningful activity that changes behaviour or perception for your audience. They explore how to define success before acting, choose the right measures and build simple systems that keep teams aligned. The conversation highlights how structure prevents drift and sustains momentum through the term. The duo discusses practical steps for maintaining momentum and ensuring insights create meaningful improvement for families and staff. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 232: Closing the gap between insight and action – Part 1 | 20 nov. 2025 | 00:17:21 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Despite having more data and reports than ever, many schools still struggle to turn insight into meaningful change. Brad and Scully explore why execution often stalls through vague direction, thin ownership and weak inspection, and outline how Heads can close the 'strategy-execution gap'. They share practical examples across enrolment, communication and brand delivery, demonstrating how clarity, cadence and single-point ownership can transform insight into visible, day-to-day behaviour change.
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au
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| 231: The enrolment journey – Interview with Anthony McCausland | 13 nov. 2025 | 00:16:14 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Parents are becoming far more sensitive to how schools communicate fees, and fee transparency is now one of the top factors shaping enrolment decisions. In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Anthony McCausland, Founder and CEO of Feesable, to discuss new national insights from the School Fees in Australia: 2025 Report. They explore how Gen Z parents are reshaping expectations, why clarity and simplicity build trust and retention, and the practical steps Heads can take to modernise fee communication and strengthen every stage of the enrolment journey.
Episode Links Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 230: How Heads build marketing maturity | 06 nov. 2025 | 00:18:13 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Heads feel like they're constantly firefighting. In this episode, Brad and Scully discuss how to replace that reactive cycle with calm and confident leadership through marketing maturity. They explore how disciplined systems create clarity, resilience and trust across your school and outline five practical steps to embed structure, align marketing with strategy and lead with confidence – building stability that lasts beyond any single person or change. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 229: Attracting staff – Interview with Sue Ellson | 30 oct. 2025 | 00:19:50 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Brad speaks to Sue Ellson, independent LinkedIn Specialist and career development author, to discuss how schools can attract and retain quality staff in a competitive employment landscape. Sue shares practical ways to build a stronger professional presence online, position your school as an employer of choice, and use LinkedIn to reach candidates. Together, they explore how Heads can shape staff attraction strategies that align with a school's values, strengthen culture and enhance reputation.
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 228: The Head's guide to managing message drift | 23 oct. 2025 | 00:18:14 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Even the strongest school brands can lose clarity through slow and silent erosion. Brad and Scully explore the hidden danger of message drift: how small, well-intentioned changes can blur your voice and weaken your impact. They discuss why drift is a leadership issue, how to spot it before it spreads, and share a five-step guide to re-anchor your school's story so it stays clear, consistent and trusted. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 227: This episode is not about AI – Interview with Bart Caylor | 16 oct. 2025 | 00:19:42 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Brad is joined by US education marketing strategist and Founder of Caylor Solutions, Bart Caylor, to explore how rapid AI advances are reshaping school communication and leadership. With tools like OpenAI's Sora 2 creating lifelike videos in seconds, the discussion dives into what this means for authenticity, brand risk and crisis readiness. Brad and Bart explore the dangers of 'work slop', how AI-generated noise dilutes brand trust, and explain why Heads must become AI-literate, lead with human purpose and set guardrails to protect their school's brand in a synthetic world. Episode links:
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 226: Relentless and remorseless | 07 oct. 2025 | 00:17:59 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe In this episode, Brad and Scully explain why consistency is the foundation of every strong school brand, and why it's so difficult to achieve. They explain how inconsistency erodes trust, why chasing the 'new and different' isn't always better, and how brand confusion impacts both parents and staff outlook and communication. To help school Heads lead with clarity, the duo introduces a practical seven-step framework for building strategic, visual and verbal consistency across every touchpoint. A seven-step school brand consistency framework:
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 225: Practical strategy gains through AI | 25 sept. 2025 | 00:18:42 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe
Brad is joined by strategy expert Graham Kenny and behavioural data scientist Professor Ganna Pogrebna to explore how school Heads can harness AI to shape strategy with confidence. They examine the creative and practical potential of large language models, from amplifying alumni stories and sharpening communication, to ideating fresh approaches for enrolment and open days. Together, they highlight the opportunities and risks of AI, how to avoid disenfranchising staff in the process, and why the most powerful uses of AI are often intensely practical.
Link to Workshop:
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 224: How to hire a marketer | 18 sept. 2025 | 00:17:55 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Hiring a marketing professional isn't like hiring a teacher, it requires a different approach. Brad and Scully outline 10 key questions every Head should ask before making a decision. They explain why defining success first matters, how to spot true experience and why strong marketers acknowledge their limits. The duo also reveals how facing failure, the ability to explain and planning systematic approaches to tasks are signs of true expertise. Link to Article: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 223: The art of qualitative conversations – Interview with Jill Goodman | 11 sept. 2025 | 00:17:06 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe
Episode Links: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 222: Consistency vs creativity – Part 3 | 04 sept. 2025 | 00:17:59 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe In the final part of their series on consistency and creativity, Brad and Scully explore the Head's role as the ultimate brand custodian. They explain why brand leadership cannot be delegated, how micro-moments influence perception and why modelling behaviours is essential to embedding culture and identity. The duo also discuss how every staff member, student and alumni contributes to the brand and share practical ways for Heads to empower their teams, close alignment gaps and ensure the school's values are lived out every day. | |||
| 221: Innovation in School Marketing and AI – Interview with Dr Adrian Camm | 28 août 2025 | 00:20:00 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Brad is joined by Dr Adrian Camm, Principal of Westbourne Grammar School in Victoria, to explore the school's innovation in not only the classroom, but also how they communicate with prospective parents. Adrian shares Westbourne's three-year digital strategy, from AI-driven data analysis to multilingual 'knowledge concierge' avatars that respond 24/7 and provide personalised enrolment touchpoints to enhance the connection with families. Ultimately, they unpack how using technology to handle transactional and administrative tasks leaves staff free to handle the relational. Episode Links: Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 220: Consistency vs creativity – Part 2 | 21 août 2025 | 00:17:21 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe In part two of their conversation on consistency and creativity, Brad and Scully explain why campaigns alone can't build brand trust. They unpack the critical differences between brand and campaign thinking, highlighting the risks that short-term tactics, like fee discounts, pose to a school's image and current parent relationships. Emphasising the importance of consistency between promotional peaks, they explore how Heads can adopt a brand first mindset and ensure every campaign reinforces long-term messaging and strengthens the school's reputation. | |||
| 219: WhatsApp Warriors – Interview with Phillip Heath | 14 août 2025 | 00:19:27 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College, to discuss the potential risks of parent WhatsApp groups. Phillip explains why trust and culture must be the centrepiece, why schools should monitor group chats and avoid "swinging at every pitch". Phillip outlines a 3R test (Repeated, Reasoned, Relevant) to help Heads decide when intervention is the best course of action and explain how clear boundaries protect staff while allowing for constructive responses that don't add fuel. | |||
| 218: Consistency vs creativity – Part 1 | 07 août 2025 | 00:19:03 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe | |||
| 217: AI avatars to augment your communication and training – Interview with Nick Jensen | 31 juil. 2025 | 00:19:40 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe In this special interview episode, Brad is joined by Nick Jensen from ACTS Education to explore an innovation in school marketing – AI avatar simulations. These simulations offer school staff a space to practice and develop skills whilst simulating difficult scenarios. AI avatars can be used as virtual registrars for enrolment interactions to help prospective parents find information about your school. Nick also shares early demos that simulate a prospective parent's enrolment interaction and discusses how Heads can shape this innovative technology to reduce workload and improve efficiency. Episode Links: | |||
| 216: The funnel is broken | 24 juil. 2025 | 00:19:58 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 215: Build your lighthouse | 26 juin 2025 | 00:16:34 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 214: When your why is different – Interview with Brian Harris | 20 juin 2025 | 00:19:53 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 213: Be a lighthouse, not a lifeboat | 12 juin 2025 | 00:17:27 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe In this episode, Brad and Scully introduce a metaphor that challenges the way school leaders approach problems. Many Heads of school rely on 'lifeboat thinking', a reactive, short-term approach focused on immediate fixes. While this approach may feel effective, it often leads to misalignment in message internally and amongst parents. Instead, the duo discuss how Heads can become lighthouses by guiding their marketing and communications team through clarity, consistency and strategic messaging. They explore the consequences of reactive leadership and offer five questions to help shift from a rescue to a strategic mindset. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 212: How demographics will shape your school - Interview with John Black | 05 juin 2025 | 00:19:29 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Brad is joined by John Black, Founder and Executive Chairman of Education Geographics, to discuss the evolving enrolment demographic of Australia and how schools can proactively respond. John outlines the critical trend changes impacting enrolments, including slowing population growth, evolving migration patterns and family dynamics. Together, they explore how schools can use data to align their messaging, values and strategy with Australia's changing population. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 211: Escape the campaign trap | 29 mai 2025 | 00:16:39 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au | |||
| 210: Pulling in the same direction - Interview with Mike Connor - Part 2 | 22 mai 2025 | 00:18:43 | |
School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe Enrolment begins inside your school. In this special interview episode, Brad sits down with Mike Connor, Founder and President of Connor Associates, to explore why alignment is a leadership responsibility. Mike unpacks how internal culture shapes external perception, and why every teacher plays a critical role in marketing. Together, they dive into how teacher interactions influence parent decisions, how Heads can lead by modelling marketing, and why retention depends on continually reinforcing the reasons families chose your school.
Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au
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