GUMLEY HOUSE SCHOOL FCJ

DRIVING CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION

Gumley is an aspirational and vibrant school where the development of the whole person is paramount.  The school was established in 1871 and has a long history of educating girls (and boys in the sixth form) who are ambitious, aspirational and motivated.

We were appointed in October 2018 and are delighted to be associated with the school as several members of the GD team are also alumnae.  The brief was to work with the school on building on its existing strong culture, ethos and values.  Gumley wanted to embed its innovative plans and future proof the school particularly in the light of increasingly discerning parents and mounting competition.

The perception audit identified many strengths of the school and along with the research project, we established the school's key priorities.  It was a simple three pronged approach: position the school academically; increase pride and aspirations internally; and reposition the school externally.  We worked with the school on shaping its offer and student experience, key messages and unique selling points, marketing collateral, celebration of good news and brand development.  We even reviewed the admissions criteria so that it now supports the school's pupil recruitment strategies.

As always, in projects as complex as this one, finding the single most important focus was vital; it soon shone through - the Gumley Girls themselves (and the sixth form Gumley Guys)!  The uniqueness of this excellent school would be captured in the storytelling of these students and their drive and determination to succeed in tomorrow's world.

We worked with the senior team and, in collaboration with the staff and students, cultural transformation started with the 4Es methodology: educating, engaging, embedding and enabling.  The stories reflect on the ethos and values of the school and have been brought to life.  The relaunch is complete and the academic repositioning of the school now matches the internal transformation.  Our work continues with Gumley as the priority now is the marketing of the Sixth Form.

"Our hope and expectation is that, through God's grace working in us all, each young person grows into their best self, with zest for life and the generosity and confidence to use their talents and gifts in the service of others.”                                                                                                                                    Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ) Schools Vision

"Pupils' confidence and awareness of how to contribute to society are developed through a wide range of opportunities.  Pupils are ambitious... they are proud of their school's traditions and values.”                                                                                                                                                                                                       Ofsted, October 2018

Quote:

“I have worked with Grebot Donnelly (GD) since the start of the project, initially as Deputy Head and now as Headteacher. GD have opened our eyes to a whole new world and it has been a truly transformational experience for us. We now have a modern brand and our profile has been raised externally. GD brought to the table a unique perspective, driven by research and evidence, which allows us to deepen our understanding of what is important whilst expanding our influence within the community. Our confident students are our drivers of change and we are excited about the future.” Stephen Byrne, Headteacher