isobel Summer School Returns with High Street Task and Industry Leading Judges

Whilst every generation struggled in different ways during the Covid lockdowns, perhaps the biggest hit where those in education. Having to follow classes online can’t have been easy, but during the last two years, school children have also missed out on a whole range of important real-life experiences and activities.

Work experience is one of these areas that school students have missed, and after two years off, it was great to see the isobel Summer School back in action this year.

The independent creative agency’s Summer School scheme partners with a range of London Schools, this year welcoming Y10 and Y11 students from Moorhouse School, Chelsea Academy, The Charter School, Nower Hill School, Esher College, and Richard Hale School.

As well as being set a strategic and creative project brief for the week, the participants get to experience and learn about all areas of the creative industries.  They spend time with strategists, creatives, designers, business managers, finance, and post-production teams. They also spent time this year at Rascal Post, perfecting their creative content.

Their brief this year was to create a campaign to attract young people (16-22) to Britain’s High Streets, and not just to shop online.

The two teams were judged by a high-profile panel of industry experts, including Reed chairman, James Reed; Miriam Jordan Keane, chief brand officer at the National Citizen Trust Service; Retail Gazette journalist Georgia Wright; and isobel founder and strategic partner, Steve Hastings. 

Jamie Williams, Managing Partner at isobel, stated: “Our aim for the Sumer School is to give young people a taste of an industry that they might not otherwise consider or see as an option for them.  Every year they tend to start off a little quiet and nervous and leave full of energy and confidence. It’s brilliant to watch.”

The week was a hugely successful one for all involved, and isobel plan to build on the Summer School programme further for next year.

Summer School student, Calista Drummond, from Chelsea Academy, said: “I’m very glad I was chosen to take my work experience here. It’s not an experience I will forget anytime soon... It also has made me consider a career in advertising.  I liked Meeting new people (from school & the employees), learning about how the ads are made and what goes into making them”.

And Madina Farhad, from Nower Hill High School, said: “I really enjoyed how interactive the experience was... It was really eye opening to the world of advertising. I really loved and appreciated it… I honestly loved the vibes and atmosphere, everyone was so kind and lovely”.