Schools produce a lot of numbers - exam results, predicted grades, test results, value-added scores and more. Some data is used in league tables. A lot comes with complex acronyms - such as MIDYS, FFT, ALIS or ALPS. Teachers get to know the most important numbers - but how do you communicate this to parents and other stakeholders?

The most important things to do with data are to SELECT, INTERPRET, PERSONALISE and PRESENT (SIPP). 

1. Select - this does not mean just picking the most positive data and ignoring the rest! It means using data to back up the key messages and strengths of the school, as well as explaining honestly and practically any issues that you want to address. 

Schools often overlook data that can support their key messages - for example I learned recently that one school has a excellent value added score for its less able students (and a pretty decent one for the more able!) but wasn't using it in marketing. 

If you're not good with numbers, I suggest finding your Head of Maths or Maths Co-ordinator - they'll love to extract and explain the data to you!

2. Interpret - means explaining the data in ways that parents and other non-specialist audiences can understand. Teachers understand what an Average Standardised Residual of +0.3 in ALIS means (good news), but parents need to know that it means A-level results were statistically above those to be expected from the intake! 

Equally, parents may wonder why your VA score has dropped from 100.1 to 99.9 - you need to explain that these numbers are statistically the same (a graph showing change over a longer time period helps here!)

3. Personalise - data means showing what the data actually means for individuals (usually students) at the school. If 100% of students move up the expected number of levels from KS1 to KS2 (well done again!), use a case study or examples of their changing work to show how much they have learned. 

If you 've had a great A-level year, show how this has helped students achieve places in top universities. 

4. Present - many people looking at schools will not be that used to viewing data and presenting key data in a simple format will help them focus on the key issues. Consider using infographics (click on infogram for details) to pick out key highlights online or in published documents. 

At the same time, you need to be aware that you will have parents who will be very familiar with data analysis - so make sure you have raw data to back up any assertions and members of staff who can explain how your data has been presented. 

Thanks to John Tomsett for the idea for this article. Although his article is around performance related pay he suggests that forthcoming changes to pay structures will give teachers more power in the employment process, that they could hold more than 1 job offer* and negotiate with school leaders! 

I'm actually not against this in principle, but there is a marketing issue to consider. Schools need to consider, manage and in many cases improve their reputation as an employer. Doing this will of course also help you find the great teachers that will make a difference in the classroom. 

Here are some ideas to help with this process: 

1. Highlight and communicate the achievements and success of your teachers. Schools that have successful teachers are usually good schools to work at. Encourage staff to write about their training and development and to enter for awards. 

2. Create a great employment package. Schools have the opportunity to offer a wider range of benefits than ever before, from childcare to healthcare, cycling schemes to IT. Ask your current staff what they value the most or what they'd like to have added. 

3. Set up a 'talent bank' and keep in touch with them. Most schools get a large number of unsolicited applications. Very few, in my experience, do anything more than store then in a filing cabinet. Some will get back in touch with applicants when a relevant job comes up. I'd suggest creating a quick email list and sending them occasional updates and of course vacancies. 

4. Make the application process user-friendly. Making applicants jump through too many hoops when applying just reduces that number that you will have to choose from. Think carefully about how much information you are asking for, and try to make your application form as similar as possible to others so applicants can focus on writing a good cover letter rather than reformatting everything.  

5. Think carefully how the interview process will 'sell' your school.  Don't invite 10 teachers to interview and leave them sitting in the staff room for hours while others are interviewed. Give candidates time to meet key members of staff, especially the department they will be working in. If your school has particular issues (especially anything highlighted in an OFSTED report), take time to explain to candidates what the school is doing to help. 

6. Don't just focus on the 'best' candidate. When recruiting it's possible to quickly focus on the one candidate who seems to be the best, and ignore others. But in the new world order, the 'best' candidate might be testing a number of schools and you might hire someone else!  

7. Not really a marketing issue, but you need to make sure you treat your teachers well. One school was recently described to me (by a parent!) as 'good for students but not for the teachers'. If teachers are put under too much pressure or if turnover is high, or if senior management don't back their teacher up on issues such as behaviour, word quickly gets out!

If you'd like to read more about employer reputation management and have deep pockets, I wrote a wider academic article on the subject for Strategic HR Magazine 8 years ago (before I became a teacher).

Please add your ideas below by leaving comments! 

*PS:  I'm one of the few teachers I know to have done this. I turned up as a PGCE student for an interview to be told that 'the other teacher hadn't turned up for interview' (I should mention I teach Chemistry and this was when we were still in the economic boom). I went through the usual interview processes and was offered the job at the end of the day. 

I summoned up all the courage I had to do something I'd been told not to do by every teacher I'd spoken to. 'Well', I said, 'I have another interview tomorrow and I'd like to wait until then before letting you know', This, of course, is the teaching equivalent of Oliver asking for more and I half-expected to be marched off the premises. However, I am grateful that the Head involved let me go to the other interview - of course I turned down the other school and took her job!