Educating Yorkshire was back with a bang with year on Channel 4 over ten years after the iconic first series warmed the nations hearts with a look into life at Thornhill Community Academy. This time, there was a fresh twist. The spotlight wasn’t just on the students in front of the camera… It was on young people from schools across West Yorkshire who helped bring the show back with a bang!
Channel 4 set the ultimate challenge to students from our partner schools: make sure everyone knew Educating Yorkshire was back and bigger than ever! The result? An innovative, multi-channel campaign including a bold social media takeover, eye-catching billboards across Leeds and even a groundbreaking one-shot TV advert.
In a series of workshops delivered by 4Schools and partners, students got a real taste of working in the creative sector and put their valuable skills into practice.
As the stars of the show, Thornhill Community Academy’s talent honed their performing skills for their debut in Dougal Wilson’s groundbreaking School’s Back advert.
Budding marketers from Lawnswood School put their copywriting and strategy skills to the test with support from media agency OMD. They made some brilliant decisions with their cleverly crafted billboard messages, choosing prime locations across Leeds that shaped the campaigns visibility.
No campaign is complete without a surprise social media take-over! That job fell to students at Dixons Unity Academy. From quirky quips for Threads, to wacky show concepts brought to life via Instagram reels, the students gained real world experience of the work that goes into digital marketing.
Along with the brilliant teams from Channel 4 and other partners, the 4Schools team were thrilled to support with these extra special experiences. This bold project was all about empowering young people with real work skills and confidence. Working alongside industry experts, students learn about the world of advertising, marketing and media production, they lived it! All before they’d even sat a single GCSE exam!
4Schools are so proud to be a team that helps create opportunities that bridge the gap between education and industry, giving the next generation the unique chance to explore creative careers, build practical skills and build the confidence to believe in their abilities.
