Tomlinscote School and Bruce Duckworth

Duration: 1.5 days
Teacher: Iain Brotherton
Students: Year 11 Graphics

Bruce Duckworth is Creative Director at packaging and branding agency Turner Duckworth. Tomlinscote is his old school.

Activity

Bruce began by introducing himself and his work with an afternoon presentation. He talked the students through designs from his portfolio and revealed the process behind them by showing preliminary ideas and sketches, including ones that were rejected.

Day two began with a short presentation 'How do you spot a great design idea?' This included examples of outstanding designs from the world of packaging. Students were given key pointers such as valuing ideas over drawing skills, looking for the solution in the problem and not rejecting ideas just because they seem simple. They were also shown the value of making unexpected connections.

Teacher Iain Brotherton then gave the students their brief for a one-day project - to design a set of four postcards celebrating achievement at school. The brief, which had been devised by the D&T department and the school's senior management team, was designed to tackle the negative attitude some students have towards public acknowledgement of success (known as 'boffin syndrome'). The cards would be sent to students' homes.

Students were asked to pair up for ten minutes and brainstorm imagery associated with achievement and success like gold stars and medals. Iain asked the class to share their ideas as he wrote a selection on the board. The class was then given 50 minutes to turn some of them into potential design ideas for the postcards.

Before the students showed their work, Bruce, who had been drawing while he was helping the students, passed round his sketches and explained the thinking behind them. Then it was back into pairs to brainstorm possible straplines.

In the afternoon, the class worked on their best concepts. The students were given a 15 minute break, during which all the finished designs were judged by Bruce, D&T staff and the Headteacher. A winner was picked and her design was printed. It is now in use by staff.

Feedback

Designer

Bruce thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was impressed with the quality of the designs. He felt that the students had had 'a chance to see the design process actually working' and had taken on board his point that the quality of the idea is far more important than the quality of the drawing.

He was also pleased with the way they had responded to his first presentation and the discussion it had produced. On a personal note, he remarked that the experience 'makes you realise how far in your career you've come - it's a chance to take stock. It also made me realise that the seeds of what you become are definitely sown at school.'

Teacher

Iain was pleased with the experience and delighted at the quality of his students' work. Of the winning student he remarked: 'Today is one she'll remember for the rest of her life!'

He felt the students had gained a valuable insight into the design industry and said his aim for thinking skills to be encouraged had been fully realised. He particularly liked Bruce's idea of kicking off the day by stimulating thinking with his presentation. Commenting on Designers into Schools Week as a whole, he said he liked the flexibility of the timing and the freedom to decide for himself how he would work with Bruce.