How to make your school open day feel organised welcoming and worth attending

A school open day is a sales event. Parents arrive having made a shortlist — perhaps two or three schools they are considering for their child — and the open day is where the decision is made. The quality of the teaching and the pastoral care are what matter most, but those qualities are hard to assess in a single visit. What parents can assess immediately is how the school presents itself. Whether it feels welcoming. Whether it feels organised. Whether it feels like a place their child would want to come every day.

Multi-storey school building exterior with a green courtyard

Bright empty school hallway with bulletin boards on the wall

Corridor displays that shape first impressions

Print plays a larger role in this than most school administrators realise. The banner (link) at the school entrance, the directional signs that guide visitors to the right building, the corridor displays that show the work students are proud of, the welcome board at the reception desk — all of these form the first impression that frames everything a visiting family sees afterwards.

From a single banner to a full refresh

We have worked with schools and nurseries across Berkshire on everything from open day banner printing to permanent corridor display systems. The work ranges from a single welcome banner on the day to a complete refresh of the printed environment — new floor graphics (link), new window vinyl, new wall displays (link) throughout the building.

Colourful interlocking foam number mat on a nursery floor

Modern minimalist reception desk with built-in lighting

The simple things that matter most on the day

For open days and parents’ evenings specifically, the most impactful things are usually the simplest. A large format welcome banner at the entrance. Clear directional signs that use the school’s branding. A display in the reception area that communicates the school’s values and achievements. Staff in branded polo shirts that make it easy for visitors to identify who to ask.

If your school has an open day or key event coming up, get in touch and we will talk through what is possible within your timeline and budget.

Get in touch about your school

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