How to Get Honest Feedback from UK Headteachers Before Launching an Edtech Product
By Alicia Coad, founder of EdInsight and formerly of BlueCow Education. Last updated September 2026.
Alicia has worked with 100s of edtech companies helping them shape their marketing strategy.
The short answer: Ask a small group of UK headteachers for feedback before you sell to them. Make clear it's research, not a pitch. Pay or reward them for their time, ask specific questions about a real problem they have, and tell them what you changed afterwards. Heads give candid answers when they feel no pressure to buy and can see their time was worth it. Asking them to give online feedback can be more impactful as they are more open and honest.
Also do not fall into the trap of speaking only to those you know, especially if they are former colleagues – people will often not give true honest feedback if they know you.
Step 1: Start with the problem, not the product
Senior leaders are more likely to engage if it is a problem they experience currently in their school. Also by framing from the start the problem you will solve you will attract the right Heads, those who are interested in your topic and thus potentially your product.
Step 2: Make it clear it isn't a sales call
Say so at the start: "We're not selling today. We want your honest view, including what wouldn't work." Confirm that taking part won't lead to follow-up sales calls unless they ask for one.
Step 3: Reward their time
School leaders' time is limited. A voucher, donation to school or other thank-you shows respect and attracts people who take the task seriously. This can be potentially a grey area for companies if the school goes on to buy the product – it cannot look like the individual got an incentive for buying your product – hence the need for companies such as ours.
Step 4: Choose the right format
1-1 conversations (20–30 minutes): best for candid, detailed answers. It also enables you to fully demonstrate the platform and form a relationship with the Headteacher or senior leader
Small group sessions of 20 leaders (30 minutes) best if time is limited, this enables you to get opinions from a larger group without speaking to everyone individually
Primary Power Hour Showcase events – these are both the lowest cost in terms of time and money. By speaking briefly to a group of engaged Heads along with other educational products you can benefit from a lower cost.
Step 5: Choose your timing carefully
Whilst budget cycles mainly start from April, the selling window seems to have grown. Pipelines are longer – for example we are seeing companies that initially spoke to companies in September making sales in January. Catching people at the end of the school terms isn’t ideal as often they are fatigued and not open to ideas. Our data shows that at the start of the budget cycle Heads are kinder with regards o how they consider things value for money which is interesting. Perhaps because at that point their budget has not yet been allocated.
However, the traditional buying cycle is no longer as strong in the education sector. Companies must engage in evergreen marketing of newsletters, social media, visibility at events to keep themselves front and centre in a crowded market.
What we've learned from working with school leaders
School leaders are time poor – they do not have the bandwith to carry out lots of research into problems. This can work in your favour as an educational company as if they see what they like, they do not necessarily have the time to look at all the other competitors.
Over 2000 school leaders have taken part in EdInsight and BlueCow sessions since 2021
C50% have gone on to purchase a product they saw at one of our sessions.
Our sessions give educational companies a fast, cost effective way to reach school leaders without hours of outreach.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay headteachers for feedback?
It is preferable to use a third party company so that if the school goes on to purchase there is no ambiguity about any research fee paid.
How many headteachers do I need to speak to?
For early discovery, a handful of in-depth conversations often shows the main themes. We suggest ten as a starting point.
When is the best time to ask schools for feedback?
We haven’t seen a preferable time. There are pros and cons to each of the months – we’d be happy to discuss with you.
Is feedback from a group session as honest as from a 1-1?
Yes – the best feedback definitely comes from the post event online survey rather than all the calls. People are more honest on paper than face to face as they don’t want to appear rude or critical.
Can I use feedback in my marketing?
You can if they give permission. However we would suggest you use real testimonials from real paying customers.