Listening, Learning and Leading at The British School of Milan
Simon Lockyer, Principal, The British School of Milan
When I arrived at The British School of Milan, I was stepping into a new role in a new country, leading a school with a distinctive structure: our parents are co-owners. I knew from the outset that understanding their views would be critical. To my surprise, the parent community had never been formally surveyed. I set out to swiftly change that—not only to gain a clearer sense of the landscape, but also to demonstrate that their voices truly mattered in shaping the school’s future direction.
. I had previously commissioned RS Academics’ parent surveys at other schools and witnessed first-hand the value of the insights they provided.
The reports helped cut through the ‘noise’ that senior leaders can sometimes hear from a vocal minority. The surveys had helped me pinpoint areas of consensus and, in turn, clarify where to focus my efforts. So, when I began exploring how best to gather structured parental feedback, RSAcademics was naturally on my radar.
I did look at three different providers, but ultimately the familiarity and reliability of RSAcademics’ parent surveys – combined with the ability to benchmark – made the decision straightforward. I needed a survey process that would be accessible to our international parent community, many of whom do not have English as their preferred language. The process proved remarkably easy to administer, and the response rate was impressively high.
The majority of the feedback we received was positive and affirming, , both reassuring and valuable for internal messaging. However, the real value for me came from the 2000+ comments. Together, they provided an excellent overview of how parental priorities had shifted and what mattered most to our families. The feedback helped me understand where the community most wanted to see progress, setting the pace and direction of change. The survey then became one of several key inputs that shaped the school’s strategy and action plans.
One of the clearest themes that emerged was the need for a more meaningful interface between the school and parents – something beyond academic updates and reports. Families wanted ways to connect with one another and with the school around broader themes such as parenting, technology, and wellbeing. This insight led to the launch of BSM plus in September, which has quickly become an important part of our school culture. Through Tea and Talk with the Principal, Coffee Connect with staff and a high-profile lecture series open to all, we have created spaces where families can come together, not just as recipients of information but as active participants in our community.
The survey also guided us to make improvements in other areas. We recognised the need to refine our communication channels and took decisive steps to improve them. education We also reviewed aspects of our co-curricular programme, leading to the creation of a new role and an expanded provision,
with a particular emphasis on outdoor education. Parents recognise the physical limitations of our site, and their feedback has helped us prioritise elements of our capital investment strategy.
What truly stood out throughout the process was how positively parents responded when invited to share their views. They valued being heard, and they appreciated that we were open about the results and transparent about our planned actions. One piece of advice I would give to any school considering a similar project is once you invite feedback, you must be ready to act on it. Whilst setting reasonable expectations. But if you follow through, the effect on trust and community cohesion can be powerful.
This was the fourth survey I have done with RSAcademics, and the experience once again proved highly rewarding. The survey questions are well crafted, the reports are clear, accessible and straightforward to share with staff, and the process requires very little legwork from the school.
The result for us has been a stronger, more connected community; greater clarity around parents’ priorities; and a clear, evidence-based foundation for strategic decision-making.