Communication is the key to resolving problems and making processes work more efficiently. So we’re sharing our top tips to help you improve your communication school-wide.
With some teachers receiving some much-needed downtime amid coronavirus, this is the perfect time to improve communication processes for now and for the future.
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Make an effort to attend and conduct short meetings
A short face-to-face catch up session at the beginning of each week, or each day can help all staff members stay in the know about issues facing the school. According to research reported by Forbes, face-to-face meetings are better for building trust and professional intimacy. This is down to how our brains process the continuous nonverbal cues we give off.
P.S. Amid coronavirus, why not Skype with teachers? This keeps all teachers updated with events instead of sending a blanket email.
Knowing you have this short briefing each day, can reduce the number of unnecessary emails sent to teachers each day. Staying on top of admin can be exhausting, mainly when you receive so many from parents already.
Set specific limitations for emails
When interviewed by the BBC, Neelam Parmar, director of e-learning at Ashford School, in Kent, said that in her school they have a policy that discourages the sending of emails in the evening. A policy that is usually respected by both parents and teachers.
Introducing this sort of policy into your school can help keep communication focused and within school hours. Teachers are already under a lot of pressure, with Schools Week stating that three-quarters of teachers reported being stressed out, and 49% said their workplace culture had a negative impact on their health and wellbeing.
Highlight achievements
Making an effort to shout about all the good things teachers have been doing in your weekly or daily catchups is essential. Celebrating all the significant initiatives or ideas, different teachers have had can help by improving morale and give them the recognition they deserve.
It can be easy to get waylaid and only mention all the negative elements your school needs to improve upon, but focusing on all the positives can mean your meetings end on a high note. Everyone leaves feeling more energised for the day or the week ahead. The positive bits need to be communicated, too!
Implement a school communication app
Communication isn’t just crucial for within the school grounds; parental engagement is an Ofsted target many schools can struggle to reach. A communication app helps you keep parents in the know, consistently. Instantaneous communication is never achievable with paper letters and other traditional communication methods.
With a communication app, parents can book parents’ evening slots, permit school trips and much more with ease. If you’re wondering how you get every parent signed up to the app, or have other questions, check out our blog post: How to get the most out of our school communication app for more information.
We’re offering a 30-day FREE trial, so you can see first-hand the benefits a school communication app can provide your school.