Tone of voice

We are:

• Academic. We're an education company and care about the future of our schools and the students using Firefly. We speak with authority about education and cite credible sources to back up our claims. We speak the same language as our teachers.
• Ambitious. We believe in the positive change Firefly can make in the lives of students, teachers and parents. We're leaders and we help our customers achieve their goals.
• Approachable. We're friendly! We realise that our audience is made up of many people, including younger students. We use accessible language and don't talk down to our customers.
• Straightforward. We know our users are busy. We don't use jargon or overly-complicated language. We get to the point and we say what we mean.
• Empathetic. Above all, we care about our teachers and students. We understand the struggles that face our schools, and we strive to address all of their needs. We listen and respond with patience and understanding.

Use these principles to help shape your communications.

1. Be concise: ensure all information is useful.
2. Consider your audience: teachers, students and parents have different needs.
3. Use plain English: communications should be easy to understand and jargon-free.
4. Be honest: don’t over-promise or embellish our acheivements.
5. Be engaging: use the present tense and speak to our readers, not at them.