Parents don't always choose the highest performing schools, even when the school is local.
That's what a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found when it looked at the data behind pupil intakes in England.
The report concludes that “other factors influence [parents'] decision-making process.”
In other words: while good exam results and a high Ofsted ranking are important, they don't automatically translate to higher enrolment.
But what does?
Let's take a look at the story behind the statistics.
With pupil numbers forecasted to fall by 800,000 students between now and 2035, schools across the UK are about to find themselves competing with other local schools for fewer and fewer pupils.
Schools need to focus on what could make a prospective parent choose them over their neighbour.
Luckily, parents are happy to share what they care about.
In December 2025, the Parent Voice Project launched with the biggest ever poll of parents in England. Over 6,000 parents were asked what mattered to them the most when choosing a school for their child.
Location topped the list, with parents saying it was the most important factor for them. And in second place, parents said what mattered most to them was a school's reputation.
This remained true across all demographics, for both state and private schools.
But what do parents actually mean when they say "reputation"?
Many schools would assume that when parents talk about reputation, they mean a school's academic performance, like its position on League tables or its exam results. Or perhaps they mean its Ofsted ranking.
But a closer look at the Parent Voice Project's results tells us the truth.
So parents aren't talking about league tables, Ofsted or exam results. When parents talk about a school's local reputation, they are actually talking about positive word-of-mouth.
When you want to find out what a school is like, who better than a parent whose child already attends? That's the logic behind millions of school decisions every year.
For parents, it makes perfect sense. For schools, it means that keeping your current parents happy is essential.
But it also represents an opportunity.
What most schools don't realise yet is that happy parents are one of their strongest tools to maximise pupil intake.
The obvious next question is: what makes a parent happy?
Every parent is different, of course. Some parents care about a school offering a wide choice of extracurricular activities for their child. Others care more about available teacher support or the quality of the facilities.
However, there are some widespread things that parent want that schools can count on. These are:
Schools who regularly reach their pupil intake goals are experts when it comes to these six parent values. Their parents are recruiting new families for them, simply through word-of-mouth.
These are the kind of things you want your existing parents to be saying about you:
"We love our child's school. They always keep us in the loop about her learning."
"I'm never confused about where to find something. The school's put it all in one place for parents."
"It's really easy to get in touch with the school when I need to, and they send me reminders if I've forgotten to reply to them."
You might already be telling prospective new families - at open days, in brochures, on your website - about all the amazing things your school does. But the data shows us that parents are more likely to believe it when it comes from other parents.
Which is why, if your current parents aren't already shouting about your school from the rooftops, it's time to get them to start.