The AMCIS Podcast: Recent Episodes
Simon Jones From The Bonjour Agency
Welcome to The AMCIS Podcast, the place for anyone in Admissions, Marketing and Communications in Independent Schools. Each episode we'll be talking to someone in the school marketing sector and finding out more about the association, the schools and the annual conference.
Summary
In this conversation, Martin Broadhurst discusses the use of AI in various fields, particularly in marketing and education. He highlights the benefits of AI in improving productivity and creativity, such as generating meeting notes and brainstorming ideas. Martin also addresses concerns about job security and the need for AI literacy and policy. He mentions the impact of AI on visual content creation and the importance of human involvement in editing and controlling outputs.
Takeaways
- AI can significantly improve productivity and creativity in various fields, such as generating meeting notes and brainstorming ideas.
- Job security may be enhanced by embracing AI and demonstrating its value in improving work outcomes.
- AI literacy and policy are crucial for effective and responsible use of AI in the workplace.
- Human involvement is necessary in editing and controlling AI-generated content.
- AI is being integrated into everyday tools, such as Apple products, and is becoming the norm in many industries.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Martin Broadhurst
Artificially Intelligent Marketing podcast
https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinbroadhurst/
https://x.com/MPBroadhurst
https://www.threads.net/@mpbroadhurst
Summary
In this conversation, Simon Jones speaks with Katharina Roelofsz and Anna Stevenson, who work in marketing and admissions at Headington School and Norwich School, respectively. They discuss their experiences at the AMCIS conference and share their key takeaways. They also talk about the importance of personalisation in marketing, the role of outside expertise, and the challenges of managing emails and resources. They touch on the topic of single-sex education and the benefits it offers. Finally, they discuss their plans for the summer holidays and the need for strategic planning and time management.
Takeaways
- Personalisation and building relationships are key in school marketing.
- Outside expertise can bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the education sector.
- Managing emails and resources is a constant challenge in school marketing.
- Single-sex education offers unique benefits and opportunities for students.
- Strategic planning and time management are crucial for effective marketing.
- The summer holidays provide an opportunity for reflection and planning.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Katharina Roelofsz
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/katharina-roelofsz-a7106943
Anna Stevenson
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/norwichpr
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools.
In this episode we're at the AMCIS conference 2024.
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools.
In this episode we are speaking to Sarah Cunnane, Head of Media & Communications at the Independent Schools Council.
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools.
In this episode we are speaking to Tom Rogerson, Head of Cottesmore School.
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools, I’m Simon Jones and in this episode it’s a little bit different because I’m coming to you live from the AMCIS Admissions Conference in central London on a rather chilly Thursday.
I’m stood outside the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury and I’ve really been looking forward to this event, not just because there are some great speakers at this event but also because I get to talk to them directly for this podcast episode.
Come with me as I take you around the AMCIS Admissions Conference so we can speak to some of the people here.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Daniel Virr
d.l.virr@mgs.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-virr-870228249/
Joy Cheung
joy.cheung@sidcott@org.uk
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-cheung-21580919b/
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools, I’m Simon Jones and in this episode we’re celebrating Black History Month with three fantastic guests. Sabrina Moutarde is the Head of Marketing at St James’ Schools, we have Susan Fontenelle, Head of Admissions at Queen Anne’s School, Caversham, and we’re also joined by Chanelle Root, Digital Marketing Co-ordinator at Crosfields School in Reading.
We get to talk about how each of them came to work at their schools, what Black History Month looks like where they work, who their role models are, whether they think it makes a difference in the workplace when you’re a person of colour and we talk about other things in between.
This is a lovely episode, not just because it’s Black History Month but also because we have three amazing people with us, and they’re amazing of course, every month of the year.
So come with me now as we speak to Sabrina, Susan and Chanelle.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector.
AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools, I’m Simon Jones and in this episode we have two guests both coming to us from Eltham College. Now, earlier this year AMCIS ran the IMPACT awards (you’ll probably remember hearing about that) and Eltham College won the IMPACT Award for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion with something they’d done called ‘Every Name Matters’, an initiative that addressed the mispronunciation of pupils’ names – which some said made them feel undignified, insecure or inferior.
I was very excited to hear about this because I have one of the easiest names in the world to get right and so I needed to understand what it’s like for others with harder to pronounce names. So if you’re like me and you have an easy-to-pronounce name, or if your name is harder to say and you have close association with this topic then this is the episode for you.
Edward Funnell is the Head of Communications and Gideon Hammond is the Lead on Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) and also a teacher of maths & physics.
So come with me now as we step into Eltham College and speak to Gideon and Edward about this initiative, ‘Every Name Matters’.That’s all coming up in this episode so come with me as we speak to the Headmistress at Channing School, it’s Lindsey Hughes.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Eltham College
TES article
Education Choices Magazine Podcast
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gideon-hammond/
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector.
AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools, I’m Simon Jones and in this episode we hear from Lindsey Hughes, Headmistress at Channing School.
Lindsey delivered the keynote speech at the AMCIS annual conference so I asked her to dive into this a little deeper, finding out from her how marketing teams can be best prepared for an uncertain future, why it’s so important to collaborate with other departments and what the whole ‘10% braver’ thing is and where that came from. But we also talk about her ‘relentless optimism’ and what school marketing and admissions people can do if they’re not happy in their school.
That’s all coming up in this episode so come with me as we speak to the Headmistress at Channing School, it’s Lindsey Hughes.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools, I’m Simon Jones and in this episode I’m at the Annual Conference at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park in Cirencester.
I’m going to speak to a number of people here including a deeper discussion with Julie Ridge, Director of External Relations at Bedford Modern School, and Clare Sender, Head of Marketing & Communications at Minerva’s Virtual Academy, they’re an online school.
But first we’re going to get some coffee and see who’s here so come with me as I take you around the event at this year’s AMCIS annual conference.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools, I’m Simon Jones and in this episode we’re talking all about digital advertising in school.
I’m about to speak to Steve King from King’s College, Taunton, he’s the Head of Digital Communication at King’s College, he’s also a Houseparent and the Head of CCF. So we’re going to find out how he got into this role, what the team actually looks like there, which platforms they engage in on social media and how they post differently to each of them.
Steve is lovely, a very likeable guy so I think you’re going to love this episode. Which means I think we should go jump into it now so come with me as we scoot down the M5 and speak to Steve King.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools, I’m Simon Jones and in this episode I’m talking to Miranda Norris, she’s the Head at Felsted Prep School.
Now I think you’re going to love this episode. Miranda has a great background of other independent schools, international schools and also the state school sector. She offers some solid advice for marketing, admissions and communications teams as well as sharing her own stories of working in a wide variety of schools.
Not only this but Miranda’s opening this year’s AMCIS Prep School Marketing Seminar in London on 26th January. So if you’re listening to this episode before that event then it’ll give you a sneaky insight into Miranda as a person but if you’re listening afterwards then be assured that everything she says in this recording is separate to the London event which means you’ll get just as much value listening to her words.
Anyway, enough dilly-dally let’s jump across to Felsted Prep School where we meet up with the Head, Miranda Norris.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools,
I’m Simon Jones and in this episode I’m talking to a number of people, with the first half having been recorded at the AMCIS Admissions Conference in London, then in the second half we jump across into a private conversation with Mike Parker and Emma Schramm.
Mike and Emma are both Directors of Admissions and Marketing, Mike being at Durham School in the north and Emma being at Stover School in the South-West. We’re going to find out what their roles look like in each of their schools so if you’re even slightly into Admissions and Marketing then you’ll gain a lot from this episode.
But before we speak to them we’re going to step into the AMCIS Admissions Conference at the Holiday Inn, London, come with me and be a virtual guest at the event.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools, I’m Simon Jones and in this episode I’m talking to Alex Hutchinson, Head at James Allen's Girls' School or JAGS. We’re going to hear how Alex became a Head, the challenges of joining the school in the middle of a pandemic and what some of the biggest issues are facing the independent school sector right now. But, because this is the AMCIS podcast we also get Alex’s view on Admissions, Marketing and Communications in school. She gives us her insight from the viewpoint of a Head, and I think you might be interested in that too. That’s all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we jump into JAGS and speak to Head, Alex Hutchinson. Links https://www.amcis.co.uk/ (www.amcis.co.uk) https://www.thebonjouragency.com/ (www.thebonjouragency.com)
Welcome back to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency, with a new season of episodes where we speak to people in the independent school sector. AMCIS is the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools. I’m Simon Jones and in this episode I’m talking to Jenny Dinning, Head of External Relations at Bootham School. We’re going to hear Jenny’s views on the school sector, where it’s come from, how it’s changed, what’s important for parents right now, current and prospective, and what advice she has for people just starting out in this wonderful world of school marketing. You’ll love this episode and Jenny is wonderful. She talks from the heart, it’s not a presentation, instead it’s a delightful conversation where you can tell she’s talking while she’s thinking. But let’s get this intro out of the way and instead let’s find out the views of the sector from today’s guest, Jenny Dinning. Links https://www.amcis.co.uk/ (www.amcis.co.uk) https://www.thebonjouragency.com/ (www.thebonjouragency.com)
Welcome to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast to find out more about the people behind AMCIS as we hear from member schools and the AMCIS board. And in this episode we’re hearing from Oli Adams, Director of Communications, Admissions & Development at Brentwood School.
Oli is also Chair of AMCIS but it’s not like he’s been an AMCIS member since 1997. In fact we get to find out just what Oli was doing himself back in 1997 but we also find out what he did before working in Marketing, how his family looks we even touch on the pandemic but not too much (you’ll be glad to know).
He also talks a little about the AMCIS conference in May and how to get the most from it.
So let’s not waste any more time. Come with me as we speak to the person who is Oli Adams from Brentwood School.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Lizzi's AMCIS Webinar
Welcome to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast to find out more about the people behind AMCIS as we hear from member schools and the AMCIS board. And in this episode we’re hearing from Lizzi Gardner from Perrott Hill School.
Lizzi is the schools Director of Marketing and Communications and joined AMCIS five years ago.
We’re about to discover what Lizzi was doing before working at Perrot Hill, how the pandemic has changed school admissions, marketing and communications and how change affects how you talk about how you market your school.
But naturally we also hear how Lizzi feels about the annual conference in May and why she’s looking forward to it.
So let’s jump into this episode right now with Lizzi Gardner.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Lizzi's AMCIS Webinar
Welcome to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast to find out more about the people behind AMCIS as we hear from member schools and the AMCIS board. And in this episode we’re hearing from David Milner at Sedbergh School.
David is the school’s Director of Marketing and International Relations but he’s also Vice-Chair at AMCIS, which puts him in a fantastic place to talk about AMCIS from the point of view as a board member and as a Marketing Director.
We’re about to discover what David was doing before working at Sedbergh, how he sometimes answers the phone at 3am with his international recruitment hat on, and even what business he started when he was 14 years old, I don’t think you’ll guess what that was.
But naturally we also hear how David feels about the annual conference in May and why he’s looking forward to it along with why it’s perfect for people who’ve never been before.
So let’s jump into this episode right now with David Milner, Vice-Chair at AMCIS and Director at Sedbergh.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast to find out more about the people behind AMCIS as we hear from member schools and the AMCIS board. And in this episode we’re diving into Kingston Grammar School as we speak to Registrar Jodi Shalgosky.
Now Jodi is the school’s Registrar, she’s been associated with AMCIS for a number of years and she’s also great fun! So in this episode we hear all about what Jodi did before working in school admissions, her experience in being an AMCIS member and what her thoughts are on the annual conference in May.
I think you’re going to like this epiosde, if only to hear all about the different careers Jodi enjoyed prior to working in the independent schools sector.
So let’s not waste any more time but come with me now as we speak to Registrar at KGS, Jodi Shalgosky.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome to The AMCIS Podcast, brought to you by The Bonjour Agency. This is the podcast to find out more about the people behind AMCIS as we hear from member schools and the AMCIS board. But for this, the very first episode we get to hear from AMCIS CEO, Tory Gillingham.
In this episode Tory shares with us what AMCIS is all about, what we can expect from the annual conference in May 2022 and we also find out about the team at head office.
But then we also find out something about Tory herself. What she enjoys doing at the weekend and if wasn’t for Covid which country she would choose to visit. It wasn’t what I was expecting, that’s for sure.
That’s all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to AMCIS CEO, Tory Gillingham.
Links
www.amcis.co.uk
www.thebonjouragency.com
Welcome to our new podcast. This is an exciting new venture for AMCIS and we’re really looking forward to bringing you insights into the association as we get closer to the annual conference in May 2022. The first episode will be out shortly so make sure you Follow or Subscribe to this podcast channel right now so you’ll know the very day it’s released. But in the meantime thank you for showing an interest and we’ll be back with you very soon.
AMCIS online
www.amcis.co.uk
twitter.com/amcisnews