AMCIS Prep School Conference, in partnership with IAPS is carefully curated to appeal to all those with full or partial responsibility for Prep School marketing on a limited budget, whether you're a full time specialist, a teacher juggling an extra responsibility, or a busy Head's secretary. With great speakers and the opportunity to meet others in a similar role to yours, it's our aim for you to return to school with fresh insights, shared experience, tried-and-tested ideas you can emulate, and renewed enthusiasm.
Future Ready 2027 brings together admissions, marketing and communications professionals from prep schools across the UK for a day of insight, inspiration and practical solutions. We will challenge current thinking and explore what it means to be truly future ready.
This conference will provide fresh and actionable ideas to take back to your school.
Future Ready is designed to be highly interactive and practical, combining:
Inspiring keynote presentations
Honest case studies
Interactive workshops
Panel discussions
Collaborative problem-solving
Roundtable discussions
Exhibitor insights
Networking throughout the day
You'll leave with new ideas, practical tools, valuable connections, a clear action plan for the year ahead, and an injection of inspiration.
This conference is ideal for:
Admissions Directors and Managers
Registrars
Marketing and Communications Professionals
Heads and Senior Leaders
Engagement and Development Teams
Anyone responsible for pupil recruitment, parent engagement or school promotion within a prep school.
The future of prep school admissions, marketing and communications is being shaped today.
Our programme will be added shortly.



Founder, Jazz Hands
Sam Dolan is the founder of Jazz Hands, a people-first brand strategy agency. With 25 years of experience
spanning the technology, beauty, and food and beverage sectors, she helps organisations solve business
challenges through clear, effective brand strategy.
Sam has led award-winning teams and built recognisable brands throughout her career. Her work includes
winning ITV's Ad of the Year for Cravendale's "Cats with Thumbs" campaign. She has developed expertise in brand
architecture, marketing strategy, and leadership across multiple industries, working with agencies and clients to
create commercially successful campaigns.
Sam shows organisations that effective brand strategy starts with clear communication and service-minded
thinking. She teaches marketers how to write briefs that inspire creative work, shift focus from price to value, and
build emotional connections with consumers. Her approach addresses the reality that 95% of purchasing decisions
happen subconsciously, making emotional engagement more valuable than promotional tactics.
Audiences learn how to develop creative courage that aligns with brand values and build agency-client
relationships that produce better results. Sam shares frameworks for transforming employees into brand
ambassadors and creating emotional connections that secure long-term customer loyalty.

RHL Consulting
Rachel Hadley-Leonard is one of the UK's most experienced consultants specialising in Marketing, Admissions and stakeholder engagement within the independent schools sector. With more than thirty years' experience across education, charitable and commercial organisations, she brings a fresh and practical perspective to the challenges schools face in an increasingly competitive market.
Through RHL Consulting, Rachel works with schools to strengthen recruitment and retention, improve conversion, enhance reputation and drive sustainable growth. Her clients include Prep, Senior, all-through and International schools, where she supports Heads, Governors, Leadership and Marketing and Admissions colleagues with reviews, stakeholder research, strategic planning, customer journey development, team structures and growth strategies.
Known for combining data, insight and experience, Rachel helps schools better understand their audiences, sharpen their positioning and create more effective recruitment and retention strategies. Her work is grounded in practical recommendations that deliver measurable impact.
Rachel also leads MAD Recruitment, a specialist service helping schools recruit outstanding Marketing, Admissions and Development professionals.
A highly regarded speaker, trainer and facilitator, Rachel teaches on the AMCIS Diploma and works with, and trains for, organisations including HMC, GSA, ISBA, AGBIS, AMCIS, IAPS, ISA and IDPE. She is a former independent school Governor, and a judge for global sector awards. She is a regular contributor to publications and conferences and is widely recognised for her expertise, insight and ability to challenge constructively while keeping schools focused on what matters most: sustainable growth and exceptional stakeholder experiences.
:
https://www.rhlconsulting.co.uk/
:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-hadley-leonard-
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