Discover the Best Times During the School Year to Offer Your Kids Yoga Classes to Schools!

If you are interested in getting your kids yoga classes into schools and nurseries, whether this is for extracurricular classes, lessons within the school day or workshops for teacher well-being. This blog will hopefully be useful for you.

I will share with you information about the times of year that are really great for making connections in school and why.

If you would like a copy of my marketing plan for you to edit for yourself, you can get that here.
 
I am a previous member of Cerys Keneally’s Approaching Schools Academy, and I highly recommend this programme. Cerys has opened the doors to the academy and if this getting into schools is a goal of yours, this is a supportive and effective way to meet your goals. Check it out here
 
Let's dive into my thoughts on the best times to reach out to schools...

I think that there are three main things to consider here....

Financial times
Schools get given funding at different times of the year.

In England, schools receive funding in three key blocks each academic year. The timing is important for schools as it impacts when they can allocate budgets for services like external programs, including extracurricular activities such as kids' yoga.

Here's a general outline:
1. April (Start of Financial Year):
   Schools receive their main block of funding from the Department for Education (DfE) in April, which is the start of the financial year. This funding covers the bulk of the school’s operating costs.
 
2. July:
   Some schools receive updated or additional funding based on any adjustments or changes to pupil numbers for the upcoming school year. This is often when schools review their budgets for September. So this is particularly relevant if you would like to get an annual contract with a school for an academic year.
 
3. September/October (Start of Academic Year):
   At the beginning of the academic year in September, schools reassess their budgets and set allocations for different programs. The October census, which counts the number of pupils on roll, influences future funding allocations.
 
These are ideal times for contacting schools about yoga programs, as they are likely planning or adjusting their budgets.
 
Specific Funding
In England, schools also receive specific funding streams targeted at areas like sports and mental health. These funds provide great opportunities for programs like kids' yoga, as they align with both physical and mental well-being goals.
Here are the key funding streams and their timing:
 
1. PE and Sport Premium
   -Funding is allocated in two installments, typically around October/ November and April / May. Depending on the type of school.
   -This funding is provided to primary schools to improve the quality of PE and sport. It is intended to help schools develop or enhance their physical activity programs, which can include activities like yoga.
   - All primary schools receive this funding based on the number of pupils in Years 1-6.
More information about this and how it applies to kids yoga teachers can be found on my video about this here.
 
2. Mental Health and Well-Being Support in Schools
   -There isn’t a universal funding stream specifically for mental health in schools. However, there are several grants and initiatives tied to wider government or local authority funding which schools can apply for throughout the year.
   - Key initiatives:
     - The Well-Being for Education Recovery program provides funding and support aimed at helping schools deal with the mental health impacts of the pandemic. This is ongoing and often aligns with local authority budgets and timelines. I personally haven’t had experience of being paid from this funding, but I share it here as it may apply to some reading this.
     - Schools can also access Pupil Premium funding to support mental health initiatives, as this funding is designed to support disadvantaged pupils, which can include emotional and psychological support.
 
3. Pupil Premium
   - Schools receive quarterly installments (April, July, October, and January).
   -Designed to support disadvantaged students, schools can use this for a variety of interventions, including mental health and well-being programs like yoga, to support these students.
 
4. Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Funding
   - Funding is generally reviewed annually, but schools receive allocations based on their identified needs, often at the start of the academic year in September.
   - Yoga can be particularly effective as part of a mental health and well-being program for students with special educational needs. Schools may use SEND budgets to support such initiatives.
 
Schools typically make budget decisions regarding these funds early in the academic year or as the funds are received.

Contacting them before or around these key funding dates can increase your chances of successfully promoting kids’ yoga programs.

Special Dates
There are lots of dates scattered throughout the year that lend themselves well to communicating with schools about kids yoga and mindfulness.

A few key examples of this are:

• October- World Mental Health Day.
• February- Children’s Mental Health Week.
• May- Mental Health Awareness Week.
• June- National Sports week.

If you would like a more detailed list of dates that fit really well with kids yoga then get my free marketing planner here.  I share lots of dates across the academic year and how these fit these into the main term times. You can make a copy and edit it to make it suit your own business.

The time that works best for you!
This sounds like a cop out answer but it is true! The very best time to reach out to schools is the time when you are in a good space.

What do I mean by this?

Think about:
Do you have the energy, the space and time to do a good job?
If you are feeling rushed, stressed, unprepared then this is not a great time to be reaching out to schools as you will likely not communicate in the clearest way. It sounds really obvious doesn’t it?

BUT

I have made that mistake before. I have been so caught up in ‘the best’ time to communicate that I sent some emails that really were a bit s*#t!

On reflection, I was too busy with life stuff but I was fixed on the fact that ‘this was THE time’ that I ignored what was going on for me and sent the emails anyway.

Although this is pretty annoying, I am compassionate with myself and where I was at, at the time. I was living in fear that I wasn’t earning as much money as I felt I should be, my actions came from that place...

Rushed, fearful, stressed.

That’s not to say that you can’t contact schools if you are feeling this way yourself. Just don’t write the emails/ make the phone calls/ visit school when you are deep in that feeling.

Maybe spend some time meditating, yoga-ing, walking in nature, taking a shower- whatever you need before you write, call or visit. So you are the best you that you can be in that moment.

Another aspect of this point is when you actually have TIME in your calendar. Do you have the physical time? If you don't have time at the 'optimum time', that's ok! Just spend some time looking in your calendar at when is the right time for you.
 
If you are feeling overwhelmed in your business and like you would like some clarity or support in any aspect, why not book in a chat with me?

I hope that you found this blog useful. I strive to provide practical information combined with the invitation to reflect on yourself and your own business - I believe that we need both elements to thrive!

Here's some links that may be useful to you:

🎁Free schools marketing plan
📽️ Well-Being Days Video
📖 Well-Being Days Blog:
📽️ Pupil Premium Info Video
📖 Pupil Premium Info Blog:
📽️Cerys Keneally Chat Video
🤸🏻‍♀️ Approaching Schools Academy
👩🏻‍💻Chat with me

Let me know what you think and if you have any questions, email me at [email protected]