How the upcoming DfE white paper may impact trust marketing

Over the last month, I have been privileged to spend time face-to-face with MAT leaders across the sector. Within my role at Cleverbox and through close relationships with many of these trusts, I’ve been able to have open and honest conversations with CEOs, COOs and marketing leads about how they are thinking about the months ahead.

One topic that has come up consistently in those discussions is, of course, the pending Department for Education white paper.

The feeling across the sector is that this paper will somewhat redefine the direction academy trusts are expected to work towards. But until there is clarity it’s inevitable that MATs are holding fire on any long-term marketing decisions. 

There is a fairly consistent view emerging across the conversations I have been having about how this direction of travel could impact trust communication, with a strong emphasis on:

• Clear and confident trust level messaging, with a strong focus on who the trust is, what it stands for and how it adds value to schools and communities
• Consistency of comms across all schools within a trust, rather than fragmented individual approaches
• How trusts explain leadership, governance and improvement clearly to parents and staff
• The need for communications that reassure and build confidence during this period of change
• A clear push towards ‘credibility’ and ‘authenticity’ – something I’ve been pushing our clients to amplify for a long time

Therefore, marketing is becoming as much about promotion as it is about clarity and building confidence.

What we are doing now

Although we are awaiting the white paper to be published, there is still a great deal we are doing in the background to be ready for action:

• Building and strengthening relationships with trust leaders through open, practical conversations
• Assessing current trust positioning and how clearly it is landing with key audiences
• Reviewing the ‘story so far’ for each trust, including how strategy is communicated internally to staff and externally to parents
• Working with leadership teams as they plan for 2026, ensuring they are well prepared for change when it comes.

How we will support trusts

When the white paper lands we expect to support trusts with:

• Clarifying their trust level message in clear, plain language
• Ensuring communications feel confident and consistent across the whole organisation
• Presenting trusts as strong, well led and purposeful organisations
• Supporting trusts that are looking to strengthen their position or prepare for mergers and collaborations

Whatever the details of the policy, the fundamentals will remain the same. Trusts that can clearly explain who they are, why they exist and how they work will be in a stronger position.

If you are a trust leader thinking through these questions, starting the conversation now can help ensure clarity and confidence when the white paper lands. Feel free to drop me a DM, and I’d be happy to talk through how the Cleverbox team and I can support the next chapter of your trust’s story.