Back to school marketing campaigns: How to engage teachers and decision makers in September
Why ‘Back to School’ is a golden window for education marketers
Back to school isn’t just a season, it’s a prime opportunity for education suppliers to get in front of decision makers in schools. Teachers and school leaders return with fresh focus, new budgets, and a renewed appetite for solutions that make a difference. If you sell to schools, your campaign needs to be ready to cut through the noise from day one.
When does ‘Back to School’ really start in UK schools?
While most schools resume in early September, planning starts as early as June and July, especially for senior leaders, department heads and Business Managers. Here’s a rough calendar to help you plan:
- Early July – post exam season, most school staff are already thinking about September and prioritising purchasing needs and development plans
- Late August – GCSE and A Level Results Days. Many staff are in school to congratulate students. A key day for education suppliers to put their messaging in front of decision makers… and don’t forget, Scottish schools return to the classroom in mid-August (see all school opening dates in our UK Term Dates guide)
- Early September – Teachers return, inboxes are cleared, and classroom priorities are set. A great time to talk to teachers about their needs for the academic year.
- Mid September – Schools settle in, new routines are embedded, and regular school life can begin in earnest.
Buzz’s Top Tip
Aim to land email campaigns the last week of August and second week or September and postal campaigns in the first week of September to capitalise on inbox clarity and leadership attention.
What kind of messaging works best post-summer?
Back-to-school audiences are time strapped and mission focused. Your messaging should:
- Focus on student outcomes or teacher time saving
- Address current school pain points (attendance, budgeting, mental health, recruitment). Take a look at our School Insights Survey for deeper knowledge.
- Offer easy wins (free trials, webinars, quick-start guides)
- Reflect a tone of support and empathy, not hard sell
Email Subject Line Inspiration:
- Back to School? Here’s something to save you time this term.
- A ready-to-go resource for your September priorities
- New term, same challenges—here’s help
- Support your pupils from Day 1 this term
Which teachers and decision makers should you target?
At Buzz Education, we help you reach:
- Headteachers & SLT – Strategic, interested in big-picture solutions
- Classroom Teachers – CPD, resources, curriculum tools
- Business Managers – Budget planning, procurement, value-for-money solutions
- Pastoral Leaders / Attendance Officers – Behaviour, wellbeing, safeguarding tools
Data Insight
Combine postal and email campaigns with targeting filters like Ofsted rating, school size, Free School Meal Numbers or MAT membership for greater relevance and impact.
Channel strategy: Why multi-touch wins
One email isn’t enough. Back to school is crowded so your brand needs to be seen and remembered. We recommend:
- Postal Mailer – High quality, tactile, delivered first week of September
- Email 1 (Late Aug) – Subject: “Something to help you start the year strong”
- Follow-up Email (Mid-Sept) – Subject: “Still looking for support this term?”
- Optional: Phone call – Especially for high-value offers. Buzz Education’s Opportunity Leads data can support you with this.
Buzz Insight
Clients using a multi-channel approach see up to 3x response rates compared to single-touch email alone.
Success snapshot
One of our clients, Chartered Insurance Institute, increased their school workshop bookings from 180 to 700 by aligning their campaign with the return to school window and targeting key decision makers with a strategic series of email broadcasts. Find out more about how we successfully helped them to sell more to schools.
“Buzz Education is like an extension of our in-house marketing team. They’re so easy to work with and nothing is ever too much to ask. They’re quick to respond and can turn things around promptly when I need. The campaigns suit our needs perfectly.”
Want help building something similar?
Start smart this September
The first 4 weeks of term can define your entire sales quarter. If you’re planning to sell to schools this year, a back-to-school campaign isn’t optional, it’s essential.
Here at Buzz Education we help you to:
- Access GDPR-compliant school contact data
- Target over 650,000 teachers and decision makers by subject, region, role, and more
- Deliver email and postal campaigns that land with impact
Get started today
Let’s build your perfect Back to School campaign.