Look at the timestamps on your enquiries. A large share arrive between 8pm and 11pm, because that is when a parent finally sits down and thinks about next term.
Your reply goes out at 9am the next day, or later. By then they have messaged two other schools, and one of them answered at 9:15pm.
Speed beats quality of answer, uncomfortably often
A parent comparing three schools has almost nothing to judge on. Nobody's website says "our teaching is mediocre." So they judge on the only evidence they have: who responded, how fast, and whether the reply addressed their child.
The first substantive reply frames the comparison. Everyone after that is measured against it.
This is not an argument for working at midnight. It is an argument for deciding, in advance, what happens to an enquiry that arrives outside working hours.
A standard a small school can keep
Immediately, automatically: an acknowledgement that says a person will reply, and by when. Not a marketing sequence — one honest line. This alone stops most of the bleed, because the parent stops shopping while they wait.
Within one working morning: a real reply from a person, naming the child, suggesting a specific class and a specific trial date.
One follow-up, three days later, if they went quiet. Then stop, and mark it closed with a reason.
That is achievable for a school with one admin. What is not achievable is "we reply quickly", which is what most schools have instead of a rule.
Answer the question they actually asked
Most enquiries ask one thing: is there something suitable for my child, and when? They do not ask for your teaching philosophy.
Name a class, a level, a day and a time. A reply that offers a specific Tuesday 5pm slot converts far better than one inviting them to "come in for a chat", because it lets them picture the next six months.
An enquiry is a decision half-made. The reply either finishes it or reopens it.
Then measure the gap, not the intention
Median hours from enquiry to first human reply, reviewed weekly, and the count of enquiries with no contact in the last week. The second one is where the money is hiding — see five numbers to look at every Monday.
The admissions guide covers logging leads and follow-ups so nothing sits unowned.