What makes a good school communication policy?

Why this matters for UK schools

School communication succeeds when every message has a clear purpose, reaches the right families through a channel they actually use, and makes the required action obvious. Below is our step-by-step implementation guide for school leaders and office teams.

Practical steps

1. 1List each official communication channel and its exact purpose (portal/email for routine items, SMS for urgent closures).
2. 2Set realistic staff response timeframes and protect staff wellbeing with defined quiet hours.
3. 3Explain how parents report absences, update contact details and log end-of-day collection changes.
4. 4Document how guardian identity is verified before pupil information is shared.
5. 5Review the policy annually with governors, office staff and parent representatives.

Sources and further reading

• DfE — Data protection in schools
• DfE — Digital and technology standards