Phil Smith Communications is a highly professional and effective outfit. With each project we have worked on with Phil (campaign planning, media relations and awards development) we have seen real impact and success both in terms of the coverage we have received and the project objectives being met. With a strong understanding of how universities work and the media they need to engage with, we will definitely be working with Phil in the future.

Sam Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Winchester

 

I have really appreciated Phil Smith Communications' skills in taking my drafts and thoughts to create polished pieces ready for consideration by the editorial decision-makers for a variety of different outlets ranging from Times Higher Education to Wonkhe. As a result of these publications I have received invitations to speak at conferences and events which allow me to raise the profile of my institution. I would not hesitate in recommending working with Phil if you would like to find time to write more opinion pieces and disseminate research work to the general HE sector.

Professor Harriet Dunbar-Morris, Pro Vice-Chancellor Academic, University of Buckingham

 

I first contracted Phil Smith Communications to research and draft nominations and seek supporting testimonials for a series of high-level public awards for senior academic staff at Sheffield Hallam University. Within a matter of days, Phil had returned well-researched, convincingly drafted nominations with a host of testimonials from senior public figures. Phil made the whole process effortless – a one-hour briefing was all that was required to produce excellent results – and those he contacted for research commented on his professional and diligent approach. We subsequently commissioned Phil for a number of other projects.

Tim Watkinson, Director of Communications and Engagement, University of Leeds

 

Phil Smith Communications is an experienced, intuitive education consultancy that can help you with a range of projects from complex, change management communications to increased media coverage and thought leadership development. Phil has excellent media contacts and a firm grasp of the challenges facing the education sector right now and understands the relationship providers must have with their students, alumni, businesses and local communities. Phil has worked on two high-profile publications for me during my time at Bournemouth University and Solent University and was excellent at managing – and delivering – these projects end-to-end within budget and on time. I recommend him whether you are looking to outsource specific projects, need leadership training and support for the top table, or require media support day-to-day to boost your external profile.

Emma Wray, Head of Communications and External Relations, University for the Creative Arts

 

I am delighted to provide a testimonial for Phil Smith, as our PR agent covering all brands in the UK, but with a specific focus on Glion Institute of Higher Education. From the moment we started working together in 2018, Phil demonstrated his deep understanding and knowledge of education. His approach was strategic and addressed our specific needs with precision. His ability to craft compelling narratives and engage with key influencers has resulted in heightened brand recognition. Through his efforts, we have witnessed an increase in media coverage and online presence. I sincerely recommend Phil to others seeking top-notch public relations services. With his expertise, and very good results, I am grateful for the positive impact this has had on our company's image.

Anouck Weiss, Chief Communications Officer, Sommet Education

 

Phil Smith Communications has helped the University of Nottingham to showcase both our knowledge exchange and business engagement successes. Phil is great to work with, quick to understand our objectives and consistently delivers results. I would be very happy to recommend him to others.

Stephen Hillier, former Marketing Projects Manager, University of Nottingham

 

I have worked with Phil Smith in three different organisations. Most recently, for Explorance, Phil developed various thought leadership articles and interviews focused on key issues in higher education as part of a long-term nurturing campaign for prospects and customers with the goal of both informing and encouraging interaction. The work helped position Explorance and myself as thought leaders on important topics such as improving the student experience/voice. In addition to this, by sending relevant and informative content on a regular basis, we were able to illicit responses that led directly to new sales. Working with Phil is great. Not only is he organised and efficient, he is really easy to get on with and is always well prepared with new ideas. Phil is an expert in the higher education sector and his in-depth knowledge and understanding of current affairs has helped us stay focused and relevant. I really appreciate how he takes the time to understand the challenges we face in our niche and then come up with new ways to help us achieve our goals. I would most certainly recommend Phil. He is the true professional and his work is invaluable.

John Atherton, Vice-President - Sales (EMEA), Explorance

 

Phil Smith Communications works closely with me on all aspects of media and PR as well as supporting the rest of our team – his advice and support is always timely, well-researched and valuable. With Phil’s help our media presence has grown exponentially, as have invitations for us to speak at national events, including the Schools and Academies Show, MAT Summit and a range of conferences across the country. With this increased profile comes a greater recognition of our voice in representing the sector and we now spend a large proportion of time on a wide variety of advisory boards, both to the Department for Education and other stakeholders who have an interest in teacher education. The impact of this stronger voice has been evident in some of the major ‘wins’ we have helped to shape: the relaxing of the rules on the skills tests; a continuation of the uncapped allocations approach; and the raising of cap on fees to £9,250 being just a few select examples. In addition to our media work, Phil has supported us as we have grown our team. He has also worked on the development of the ‘member voice’, creating case studies, blogs and articles with our members which in turn is having a positive impact on engagement. We have come to view Phil as a valued member of the NASBTT team as the working relationship is far more like that of a team member than an external consultant. We would recommend Phil’s services without hesitation.

Emma Hollis, Chief Executive, National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers

 

I have been working with Phil Smith Communications since 2022 after Phil came highly recommended to me by a colleague. Phil has supported me through advice and preparing articles in order to promote my school and share its good practice with our wider community. Phil's work has certainly had a positive impact on our school as we are receiving a lot of positive feedback, and our reputation is spreading far and wide. Phil is incredibly easy to work with. He is knowledgeable, intuitive and skilled in what he does. He also works effectively and with integrity. He is certainly someone you can explain what you need to and he will both advise and act on it promptly. Without hesitation, I would recommend Phil to other organisations.

Kathryn Pennington, Headteacher, East Hunsbury Primary School

 

Scholastic has worked with Phil Smith Communications on a number of projects: one of these was the launch of a Key Stage 3 assessment resource. As we are a primary school-focused education publisher we needed Phil’s expertise to help give our name resonance in secondary schools. Phil created a thought leadership report, with contributions from well-known and influential assessment experts. This was sent to influencers in the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted and unions, plus secondary school headteachers. We had individual responses from the DfE and Ofsted, and more importantly, schools said they saw the report as telling them that they were not alone in experiencing the issues they had been, and it gave them a clear roadmap forward. The report has since led us to offers to speak at national events, and sales of our assessment resource. Phil is great to work with. Very incisive and gets straight to the nub of the issue. He is able to clearly delineate the lines between sales, marketing and PR, which is essential in this role. He has a great understanding of the education system, and is very easy to get on with, always delivering projects to time and budget. I would have no hesitation in recommending Phil to any other company.

Chris Ratcliffe, Head of Education, Scholastic UK

 

Phil Smith Communications is a fantastic consultancy and has supported myself and my team in reaching a huge audience in the education sector. Not only is Phil able to ensure that our articles are powerfully written, he also has the ability to make sure they are seen by those we want to reach the most. Through our discussions, Phil’s calm approach and thought-provoking questions transform these conversations into informative and inspiring articles and blogs. I would certainly recommend Phil Smith Communications to any organisation that would like to reach the education sector to enhance their business profile.

Hayley Sherwood, Founder, 1decision

 

Phil Smith Communications acts for the Institute of Economic Development as our retained PR consultancy and has dramatically increased our profile over the period – but, more importantly, this has been undertaken in a manner that supports the strategic aims of the business. Phil has brought his commercial acumen, knowledge of PR and the media, and creative skills to our organisation and has been responsive and professional throughout. We would not hesitate to recommend him to others.

Nigel Wilcock, Executive Director, Institute of Economic Development