A new Reputation Protection and Promotion service for the Education sector, Chelgate Education, was launched in the UK today.
Chelgate Education is a specialist division of Chelgate Consulting, the Strategic Communications arm of Public Relations consultancy, Chelgate Ltd. The new service will offer its services across the education field, ranging from nurseries and infant schools to universities and multi academy trusts.
Chelgate’s Executive Chairman, Terence Fane-Saunders, said: “It is hard to think of a time when the education sector has been under such pressure. Almost three quarters of higher education providers could be operating at a loss by 2025 – 26 according to the Office of Higher Education Providers. Meanwhile, Independent schools are reeling from the Government’s VAT onslaught. Taxpayers, already under pressure, are funding around £10 billion a year for the student loan scheme. School budgets are under enormous pressure, with nearly half of England’s multi-academy trusts in deficit. The primary school sector, already overstretched, is struggling to meet the Government’s promise of 100,000 new nursery places, whilst facing their own acute workforce crisis. There’s barely a corner of the education sector which is not struggling with multiple major challenges.
But at the same time, the expectations of the public and the media who serve them are growing more demanding. Rightly, they hold our education institutions accountable for the care of our children and young people, and that accountability demands a corresponding commitment to openness, communication and engagement, all of which are good and necessary. But sometimes healthy interest and proper expectations of accountability can mutate, becoming closer to intrusion and misrepresentation, and educational establishments then find themselves having to respond, particularly when this is linked to a seriously harmful false narrative. The exceptional skills, experience and qualifications of the team at Chelgate Education ensure that our clients are in the best possible position to protect and promote their narrative, and respond to communications and relationship management challenges.”
Services offered by Chelgate Education will include Marketing Communications (helping clients get their messages across to their target audiences); Strategic Communications (including Issues Engagement and Reputation & Relationship Management); and Crisis & Acute Issue management (ensuring effective Crisis and Acute Issue Management procedures and systems are in place, and helping manage response when a crisis does strike).
The Chelgate Education team offers clients a unique blend of relevant experience and skills. It is headed by a Public Relations / Public Affairs professional widely recognised as one of the outstanding leaders within the industry. Another senior member of the team was responsible for Communications for one of the world’s leading universities. Another has a breadth of teaching experience which ranges from universities to special needs, whilst the team’s Senior Advisors offer a spread of experience that stretches from the management of national examination boards to the leadership of major independent schools.