School branding ideas to consider when creating a brand identity

Are you scratching your head for school branding ideas that demonstrate the values and vision of your school? You’re proud of your school. You’re proud of its achievements, of its pupils and their families, of its ethos, and its vision for the future. But what do outsiders see?

As people walk past your school, what impression do they have? When they view your website or prospectus as a potential school for their children, what do they think? What impressions do Ofsted form as they walk around, through classes and corridors?

Take a moment to step back and look. Why does branding matter to ‘outsiders’? Because brand speaks a thousand words. It’s what draws and welcomes outsiders in. What’s more, your school deserves an identity to be proud of.

Design for Education want to help you understand the importance of presenting your school in a way that reflects who you are as a school, a brand, and an environment in which our younger generation thrive.

The importance of a strong brand identity

School branding should be built around two elements: consistency and distinction. These factors will help identify you as a standout school of excellence in your own right.

Here are some other crucial reasons you should invest in a strong brand identity:

• Your students feel a sense of belonging and identity within their school community, boosting self-esteem
• It improves the school’s identity within its local community
• It promotes engagement with other businesses and educational providers
• It promotes you as a consistently standout school to prospective families and pupils
• It attracts the best staff

Your brand must be professional, yet meaningful to your school and its surroundings to create an environment of aspiration within your pupils and staff. If it doesn’t, it’s time to make a change.

Things to consider when creating a brand identity

Your branding must resonate with your school’s identity. Not only to resonate with the pupils and staff within your establishment, but to also market yourself to outsiders for the best and right reasons.

Though staff, stakeholders, parents and pupils study schools’ achievements and statistics, they often choose with their hearts. They see your school, and they feel confidence and warmth from your inspirational, professional look of excellence.

Here are the things you should be considering when developing your visual identity:

• What makes you stand out? Whether that’s through achievements, goals, or belief.
• What is important to your pupils?
• Who is your audience? Does your vision align with theirs?
• How should your brand be perceived in your local community?
• Is there a history of your school that shapes the future of it?
• How can your brand feel welcoming, and diverse?
• Which tones and colours best reflect how you’d like to present?
• Different fonts can give different impressions – what impression do you want to give?

Answering all these questions is one thing, but it can be difficult to tie it all together in a way that reflects the values and vision of your school.

Understanding who you are as an individual establishment is where Design for Education can help you find a look that reflects your school visually.

School branding ideas and materials

There is so much you can do for your brand to create a strong identity. Consistency and distinction in fonts, colour palettes, logos and symbols will ensure your school stands out – proud, recognisable, and clear on its message and vision.

Creating a brand isn’t just about renewing your logo and sign board. It’s a theme that should flow throughout your school, including:

• Prospectus design
• Photography
• Internal wall displays
• Website
• School video
• Student planners
• Open Day and presentation material

Scan through our branding case studies and see for yourself how differently each school uses branding, yet how effective the changes can be.

An example is how Westborough High School reinvented themselves to showcase their strengths and abilities that had previously been hidden under poor branding. Headteacher Jennifer Napier explains how she wanted her school’s brand to showcase:

• Excellent support structure throughout the school where everyone looks out for each other including pastoral support and peer-to-peer support
• A diverse and multicultural school where everyone is made to feel welcome
• High achievement for all

From a new uniform and logo praised by Dragon’s Den Peter Jones, to internal wall displays including ‘The Dirty Thirty most commonly misspelled words’, Westborough High School partnered with Design for Education for a complete overhaul.

“We worked very closely with Design for Education. They helped us and steered us, and I think working with Johnathan, he could understand the passion and commitment I had for the school, and could understand and listen to me, and within that we worked together,’ says Headteacher Jennifer Napier.

If your school is falling victim to the negative effects of failed branding, or you feel changes to your school’s vision or purpose are not reflected in your branding, contact us at Design for Education. We’ll create bespoke branding ideas and designs based on the unique needs of your school, and ensure that you have a brand consistency that flows through the fabric of your school. It’s time for you to shine.