Mandarin starts with your pupil cohort.

Using the postcode of each pupil, Mandarin analyses the patterns of where they live and how far they travel to school. Mandarin compares these travel profiles with national trends and draws conclusions in order to define the true catchment of your school.

Mandarin is not confined to the areas you currently recruit from but also examines areas from which your school should reasonably be expected to be able to recruit.

The next step is to analyse the socio-economic profile of your current pupil cohort, splitting them up according to how your school is structured and the year groups into which you recruit pupils. The range of buyer types currently attracted to your school is compared against both the profile for your catchment area and the average profile for all pupils in independent education. This allows Mandarin to derive a definition of the target family type for your school – in other words, those families that are most likely to consider buying independent education at your school.

A similar analysis, this time based upon the PayCheck household income database, determines the range of family incomes within your pupil cohort, and that of your catchment area. This allows Mandarin to to target families who can afford to pay your level of fees.

Using the Acorn profiles, Mandarin calculates the number of potential pupils in wards and postcodes across your catchment area. This is presented in detailed tables and maps to show the best areas of your catchment by Acorn profile. Similarly, Mandarin uses PayCheck to calculate the number of potential pupils as defined by minimum household income. These are also shown in comprehensive tables and maps.

Mandarin further analyses your catchment area to show the effect of demographic change over the next five years for both boys and girls in the age bands 0 to 4, 5 to 9, 10 to 14 and 15 to 19.

These calculations are then combined, using a unique mathematical system, to express the relative market potential in each part of your catchment area. This is shown as a relative score for every part of your catchment. It is also mapped to give a clear visual representation of the areas of true market potential for your school and so show the places where you need to market your school.

Mandarin also provides an analysis of local print and radio broadcast media to show the penetration of different titles and stations and overlap with your catchment. This shows how effective different outlets are for your advertising and media relations.