School Consultations

Once your consultation document is ready, the next step is making sure it reaches the right people. Sharing a consultation isn't just about sending out a letter, it's about making sure all relevant stakeholders have a fair opportunity to see it, understand it, and respond.

In many cases, the consultation will need to be published on the school's website. You should also consider whether it needs to be made available in other formats, such as printed copies in reception or translated versions. Some documents even need to be displayed on school gates and notice boards.

It's also important to keep track of who you're sharing the consultation with. This might include families via your usual school communication routes (like newsletters, parent apps, or email), but it often goes further, neighbours, local community groups, parish councils, local businesses or early years providers may also need to be informed. In some cases, hand-delivering or posting letters is the most appropriate method.

Careful planning at this stage will make analysing responses easier. You will find a handy Distribution Log in the templates that can help you keep track of this.

Keeping a tally of how many copies were sent, to whom, and by which method will help ensure your consultation is robust and inclusive and provide a useful record will support pulling together a report of the outcomes to the decision makers. (A report template can be found here)