Market Study

Abstract

We deliver decision-grade market studies for new K-12 schools. Our work sizes the catchment, benchmarks competitors, tests board preference (CBSE/ICSE/IB/Cambridge), evaluates day vs day-boarding, sets a fact-based fee strategy, and projects a 10-year enrolment ramp-up—so promoters, investors, and lenders can green-light with confidence.

Why commission a market study?

Greenfield school success hinges on three unknowns: real demand, ability/willingness to pay, and competitive positioning. A structured study answers these before land development and large CapEx—reducing risk and speeding approvals.

Objectives & key questions we answer

  • What is the market potential within a 10–15 km catchment?
  • Which board will parents prefer (CBSE/ICSE/IB/Cambridge or a mix)?
  • Day vs day-boarding—what’s optimal for this location?
  • What fee structure preserves a premium image yet matches willingness to pay?
  • What facilities & activities matter most to parents?
  • What 10-year enrolment ramp-up is realistic?
  • Where will we source teachers/leadership, and what will it take to retain them?

Scope of work (what we cover)

1. K-12 sector overview

Market size and drivers, board segmentation, fee bands, growth trends, and implications of NEP 2020.

2. City & catchment overview

City structure, demographics, income/SEC profile, mobility and commute, and education profile of the city.

3. Infrastructure & growth corridors

Existing and planned roads, residential corridors, and direction of city growth impacting school demand.

4. Market intelligence

Pipeline of residential townships/complexes, expected move-ins, travel time to site, and major employment hubs.

5. Demand analysis (parents)

Paying capacity, board preference, selection criteria, and a quantified addressable student base for the 10–15 km radius—now and 5 years out.

6. Supply analysis (competition)

On-ground benchmarking of comparable schools: facilities, capacity, PTR, fees (admission/annual/transport/books), historical fee and enrolment trends, photos where possible, and parents’ perception of each alternative.

7. Recommendations

School format (day/day-boarding; co-ed/boys/girls), board(s), fee range & USPs, 10-year ramp-up, indicative salary bands for principal/teachers, and success factors by micro-market.

Our approach & methodology

Primary research
  • Structured interviews/surveys with target parents (premium SEC cohorts), and leadership interactions at comparator schools.
  • Competition shop-visits and fee sheet collection where feasible.
Secondary research
  • Census/UDISE and regulator sources, city planning data, board norms, and trusted industry reports.
Analytical framework
  • Catchment sizing by income bands (e.g., <₹30L, ₹30–60L, >₹60L household income), demand projections (5-year view), and fee affordability models.
  • Need-gap analysis vs competition on academics, co-curriculars, facilities, and transport.

What you receive (deliverables)

  • Parent & school questionnaires for future reuse
  • Sector & city overview deck (K-12 focus)
  • Comprehensive market study report (PDF) with:
    • Catchment & demand model
    • Competition benchmarking tables (facilities, fees, PTR)
    • 10-year enrolment ramp-up and fee strategy
    • Board & format recommendation, facility program, and teacher/principal salary bands (indicative)

Timeline & working style

  • Indicative timeline: ~4 weeks from kick-off (research design → fieldwork → analysis → report).
  • Weekly check-ins; mid-project playback to validate early insights; final presentation with Q&A.

Sample outputs (what the report shows)

  • Heat-map of priority neighbourhoods by paying capacity and travel time
  • Board choice and fee sensitivity curves by segment
  • Side-by-side competitor fee & facility matrix
  • Go/No-Go and “Premium vs Super-premium” value-proposition options with capex implications

(We anonymise competitor and respondent identities as required.)

How this de-risks your project

  • Aligns the school concept with real demand (format, board, fee, facility set)
  • Sets realistic ramp-up and staffing plans for investors/lenders
  • Provides evidence for land, capex phasing, and launch timing decisions

FAQs (for this service)

We size the sample to the city and fee band; premium projects typically include a focused SEC cohort and multiple comparator schools for depth, not just breadth.

We conduct on-ground benchmarking and collect publicly available fee sheets and program data; we do not disclose client identity to respondents.

Yes—DPR, admissions funnel setup, and GEO content so your new school is discoverable when parents ask AI/Google for options.

Planning a premium K-12 school?

Let’s validate the market and de-risk your launch.

Write to aurobindo@raysolute.com or call +91-9891321279 to scope your study.