Five steps to media success

Telling your local media about your involvement in Outdoor Classroom Day will not only help raise the profile of your school and show what you are doing to support children’s health, wellbeing and happiness, but it will inspire other schools in your area to join the movement, and celebrate the UK and ROI’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) theme.

These five steps to media success will help you on your journey!

1. Make a list of media outlets in your area
Include newspapers, online news platforms and radio. You should be able to find the newsdesk contact details in the ‘contact us’ section of their website.

2. Download our media pack for schools
The media pack for schools contains everything you need to get the word out. Use and adapt it to fit with your school and Outdoor Classroom Day celebrations.

3. Decide when to send your media release(s)
The media release template to send before the day includes text to help you put out a photocall if you would like to invite media on the day. Both include standard text for you to use and adapt, as well as a section for you to tell media about your Outdoor Classroom Day.

4. Send the media release(s) to your media list
It is good etiquette to send media releases individually rather than as a group email. Attach the media release as a Word document and copy it into the email as well. Send your release as early in the day as possible so your story is in a journalist’s inbox when they start work. Use and adapt this message:

Good morning

As the global Outdoor Classroom Day approaches/as the dust settles following the global Outdoor Classroom Day on DATE, I thought your readers/listeners would be interested to hear how our children are celebrating/celebrated with over XXX,XXX others from around the world. I have attached a media release, along with a media pack with more information about the campaign. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss or arrange an interview with a spokesperson.

Kind regards

5. Help journalists with what they need to cover your story
Some journalists will cover the story simply using the information you have sent over, others will want to find out more or arrange an interview with a spokesperson. Be as quick and clear with your responses as possible and keep records of press media attending on the day if you have invited them or dates and times of interviews taking place.

Finally, if you receive some great coverage, post it online with the hashtag #OutdoorClassroomDay so that everyone taking part can share in your success!