The Ultimate School Open Day Checklist

A well-run open day can tip a family’s decision in your favour; a disorganised one can undo months of marketing. This school open day checklist breaks the work into a realistic timeline, so nothing important is left to the week before.

8 Weeks Before: Lock Down and Launch Promotion

• Confirm the date — check for clashes with neighbouring schools’ open days, half-terms and major local events
• Set the schedule for the day (welcome, tours, talks, Q&A)
• Build the event registration page with a short, mobile-friendly form and UK GDPR consent tick box
• Add a homepage banner or pop-up to your website
• Brief staff and governors; start recruiting student ambassadors
• Begin social media promotion and email your enquiry list
• List the event on specialist directories, including SchoolOpenDays.co.uk, so searching families can find it

4 Weeks Before: Prepare the Visitor Experience

• Train student ambassadors — give them talking points and practise answers to common parent questions
• Prepare the head’s presentation and any subject talks
• Plan the visitor route: which classrooms, facilities and displays will be open
• Organise classroom displays and current student work
• Check signage, from the road entrance to the welcome desk
• Arrange parking, disabled access and buggy-friendly routes
• If you’ll be photographing the event, prepare photo consent arrangements

2 Weeks Before: Build Numbers and Finalise Details

• Send a reminder email to everyone registered
• Publish fresh social content — ambassador introductions, facilities clips, testimonials
• Confirm every staff member’s role and a staffing rota for the day
• Prepare information packs: prospectus, fees, transport, admissions timeline and key dates
• Test the AV equipment for presentations
• Plan refreshments and a comfortable waiting area

On the Day: Make It Personal

• Clear signage and a genuinely warm welcome at the door
• Keep the head’s talk short — parents come to see the school, not sit through a lecture
• Let student ambassadors lead tours; parents trust pupils’ honesty
• Encourage questions throughout, not just in a formal Q&A
• Capture visitor details properly (with consent) so follow-up is possible
• Hand out a feedback QR code or short survey before families leave

Within 48 Hours After: Follow Up Fast

• Send a personalised thank-you email with application information and key dates
• Answer any questions raised on the day
• Send the survey to no-shows as well as attendees — and invite no-shows to a private tour instead
• Log all attendees in your admissions CRM and assign next steps
• Review feedback and note improvements for next time

Final Thoughts

A successful open day is built weeks in advance and finished days after it ends. Schools that plan systematically, promote early, deliver a warm and authentic experience, and follow up promptly convert far more visitors into applicants. Listing your event on SchoolOpenDays.co.uk also ensures families searching for open days in your area can find it in the first place.