When Richard Bonington Primary School in Arnold welcomed a Nottingham College T Level student for an industry placement, they were looking for an opportunity to support a young person's development whilst bringing additional creativity into the school. What followed was a partnership that significantly enhanced the school's social media presence and community engagement.
The student, Immy Latter, joined the school to support its social media and content creation activities, taking responsibility for filming, editing and producing content across a range of platforms. Working alongside senior leaders, she combined her own ideas with the school's objectives to create engaging content that reflected the values and personality of the school.
Her contribution quickly began to make an impact. The school's social media channels, which previously attracted relatively low levels of engagement, became a talking point among parents, staff and the local community. One post even achieved viral success, helping to raise the profile of the school far beyond its immediate audience.
Alongside the measurable increase in engagement, the student impressed staff with her professionalism, creativity and ability to work effectively with both adults and children. Her understanding of current digital trends helped the school modernise its approach while ensuring content remained appropriate for its audience.
A spokesperson from Richard Bonnington had great praise for Immy and her contribution to the school:
"She completely raised our profile within the local community and further afield. Education and experience are important. We feel placements are hard to find."
The success of the placement was recognised beyond the school itself. As part of Equals Trust, Richard Bonington's growing social media presence attracted attention from senior leaders across the trust, with other schools encouraged to look at its approach as an example of effective digital engagement.
The placement also provided valuable additional capacity at a time when raising awareness of the school is increasingly important. With pupil recruitment becoming more competitive, a stronger online presence has helped the school showcase its achievements and connect with prospective families.
Following such a positive experience, the school confirmed it would happily consider hosting future T Level students and is encouraging other employers to do the same.
Immy, who is studying a T Level in Media, added:
For my work placement, I create social media content for a primary school, which I really enjoy because I get to capture the little moments that make school life special and turn them into something parents and the wider community can enjoy, while also promoting what makes the school such a lovely place.
Immy Latter - Media T Level Student at Nottingham College
This placement demonstrates how T Level students can make an immediate and meaningful impact within an organisation, while gaining the practical experience needed to prepare for their future careers.
Discover how an industry placement can bring fresh ideas, additional capacity and future talent into your organisation.
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