Pupils at Whitley Bay High School have been working with staff at Northumbria University’s Newcastle Business School to create marketing solutions for a local festival.
The group of Year 9 pupils received a Marketing Master Class from experts within the Business School to provoke thoughts on a community-based project called ‘Whitley Bay Under the Dome’.
Seminars ranged from social media marketing to public relations and concluded with designing leaflets and posters for the 17-day festival which takes place at the seaside town from July 18.
Newcastle Business School supported Whitley Bay High School pupils not only with questions and thoughts for the marketing communications, but also provided an experience of university life, with guided tours and exposure of seminars and lectures.
David Hart, Principle Lecturer in Marketing at Newcastle Business School, said: “We are always delighted to work with local schools, especially when the projects have an experiential learning feel like this – the pupils involved will develop some crucial work-based skills that will serve them very well in the future.
“It was fantastic to see the pupils ask some fantastic questions, which showed they were truly immersed in the project.
“We are sure they will go on to contribute towards a hugely successful event.”
Festival organisers were so impressed with Whitley Bay High School’s final marketing communications plans, that they have adopted the ideas of pupils within the festival.
Ben Cox, Head of Business Studies at Whitley Bay High School, said: “The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience of attending Newcastle Business School and found the Marketing Master Class provoked further thoughts and questions for their enquiry based learning task.
“The visit also gave them a taste of university life and many left with thoughts and considerations of future careers”.
