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    Rebrand Portfolio

    • Is it time to refresh your MAT or school identity for 2026?

      As schools and multi-academy trusts begin planning for the year ahead, many find themselves reflecting on how well their identity still represents who they are today; not just visually, but in how they best communicate with parents, students, staff and their wider community.

      School identity shown through social media posts

      An organisation’s identity is never static. As schools and trusts grow, evolve, merge or change direction, the demands placed on their branding naturally increase. What may once have been a logo and colour palette now needs to work across websites, prospectuses, signage, photography, video and day-to-day communications, often for multiple audiences, and sometimes across several schools.

      The added complexity of trust-wide identity

      For MATs in particular, this challenge is amplified. Balancing a strong overarching trust identity with the individuality of each school is complex, especially when systems and assets have been developed at different points in time, by different suppliers, and in response to changing priorities.

      We regularly see schools and trusts working with several partners across branding, digital, photography, video and signage. Each decision makes sense in isolation, but over time this can lead to inconsistencies, duplicated effort and a sense that the whole no longer quite adds up, even if the individual components are well executed.

      School identity shown through website design, prospectus and signage.

      Refreshing identity without starting from scratch

      A successful identity refresh is rarely about changing everything. More often, it’s about making sure the fundamentals are sound and that what’s being communicated externally matches the reality on the ground.

      In practice, identity work in schools and trusts rarely happens all at once. It evolves over time, shaped by a series of early decisions that often influence everything that follows. Getting those decisions right at the outset can make a significant difference to how manageable, consistent and cost-effective that journey becomes.

      Why a joined-up approach matters

      When identity is considered holistically, schools and trusts are able to make more informed decisions about how they present themselves. Branding, digital and content choices begin to reinforce one another rather than compete, creating a clearer and more confident story across every touchpoint from a first visit to the website through to a walk around a school site.

      This joined-up approach also makes future activity easier to manage. New initiatives, campaigns or school launches can sit comfortably within a coherent framework, rather than requiring repeated reinvention. Over time, this tends to deliver better value, greater consistency and a stronger sense of purpose.

      School website design and prospectus supporting clear and consistent communication and identity

      Looking ahead to 2026

      Over the past two decades, we’ve worked alongside a wide range of schools and multi-academy trusts, including some of the most established and recognisable MAT brands in the UK, supporting everything from identity development through to trust-wide brand evolution. That experience has given us a clear view of what tends to work well, where challenges commonly emerge, and how identities need to flex as organisations grow.

      With planning cycles for 2026 already underway, now is a sensible moment for schools and trusts to take stock. Not to change for the sake of it, but to consider whether their identity is still supporting their ambitions, reflecting their values and working as hard as it needs to in an increasingly competitive and visual landscape.

      Approached thoughtfully, an identity refresh can bring clarity, confidence and a stronger foundation for what comes next, allowing schools and trusts to move forward with greater consistency and intent.

      For schools and MATs who are questioning whether their identity is still fit for purpose, an initial conversation with one of our consultants can provide a clear, experience-led perspective, helping to identify where alignment is working well and where it may be starting to unravel. 

      Please click the link below to arrange a time to speak with one of our MAT brand experts.

      Interested in finding out more?

      See how Cleverbox can help you with your next project

    • Breathing new life into The John Wallis Academy brand

      At Cleverbox, we have enjoyed working with The John Wallis Academy for many years. So, when the team approached us about updating their brand, it felt like a natural continuation of our partnership. Their current identity, now five years old, had served them well, but the school had changed. They wanted their brand to reflect that growth.

      Additionally, the Academy had recently updated its school values. These new statements were not just words on a page. They represented the ethos that the school wanted every student, parent, and visitor to recognise. The team was clear that these values needed to be visible, memorable, and part of everyday experiences both on-site and online.

      Instead of using traditional static posters or wall displays, we explored how animation could create a stronger, more engaging impact.

      Animated content allows messages to unfold gradually, guiding viewers through each value and giving each statement space to resonate. It also offers flexibility. The same content can appear on reception screens, on the website, or across social channels, ensuring consistency without repetition. Most importantly, animation brings an immediate sense of energy and modernity, representing the Academy’s ambition in a way that flat designs cannot.

      Why school values deserve more visibility

      Every school talks about values, but not every school brings them to life in a meaningful way. During our conversations with The John Wallis Academy, it was clear that the leadership team viewed their values as the foundation of the student experience. They wanted the values to guide behaviour, inform expectations, and create a shared sense of purpose throughout the community.

      When values are visible and communicated clearly, they influence how students interact, how staff approach their work, and how families understand the school’s culture. They become daily reminders of what the community stands for and the direction it is heading. Static displays can send the message, but they do not always capture its ambition.

      Animation changes that completely. Movement invites curiosity. It encourages viewers to stop, look, and absorb. It gives each value a sense of progression, making the message feel active rather than fixed. For a school like The John Wallis Academy, where the updated values are part of their new strategic plan, animation provides a way to reaffirm what they believe in with clarity and confidence.

      By presenting each value through a well-designed animated sequence, the Academy can ensure that students and visitors not only see the message but also feel its intention. This reinforces the idea that values should be lived rather than just displayed, creating a consistent thread throughout the building, the website, and every conversation about the school’s direction in the coming years.

      Creating bold, colourful designs

      As we began developing concepts, it became clear that colour needed to play a central role. The Academy’s previous visuals heavily relied on red and white, which often made displays feel muted and lacking character. With the Headteacher’s vision for a more vibrant and impactful identity aligned with their new 2025 to 2030 strategic plan, we had the chance to reimagine how the school’s values could be expressed.

      We introduced a bold, colourful palette designed to brighten the Academy’s spaces. It reflects the diversity, ambition, and optimism at the core of their ethos. This shift brought an immediate sense of energy, giving the values a modern presence that would stand out both on screen and throughout the building.

      Animation in action

      To show how these ideas came to life, we have included some of the final animations in this blog. Each one communicates a single value clearly, with movement and personality. This fresh and engaging approach helps visitors and the wider school community connect with what The John Wallis Academy represents.

      A simple, collaborative creative process

      Creating the animations for The John Wallis Academy was a team effort. Our designers, illustrators, and motion specialists worked closely together to understand what the school wanted. Once we realised they were looking for something more lively and engaging, we explored ideas that would bring the values to life without overshadowing the message.

      We expanded the Academy’s colour palette to include richer and more expressive tones. These were chosen to convey optimism, energy, and growth. Each animation was designed to follow a smooth rhythm, giving viewers time to absorb the message while enjoying the visual flow. We carefully selected shapes, icons, and patterns so that every detail supported the wider brand without being distracting.

      Throughout the process, we collaborated closely with senior staff to ensure the style felt authentic and aligned with the school’s identity. This approach produced animations that feel modern and dynamic while remaining practical for everyday use across reception screens, digital platforms, and smaller displays around the building.

      “Our goal was to bring The John Wallis Academy’s ‘LIGHT’ values to life in a way that felt vibrant and engaging. By combining bold colours, modern shapes and clear typography, we created animations that are memorable, visually striking and reinforce the school’s vision across every screen.”

      Darren Pinner, Creative Director at Cleverbox

      Encouraging other schools to explore animation

      Animations are becoming an increasingly valuable tool for schools that want to communicate clearly and effectively. They engage audiences with key messages in a way that feels modern, memorable, and accessible. If your school is considering how to bring your values, vision, or strategic priorities to life, animation can offer real advantages, such as:

      • Stronger engagement, as movement naturally captures attention and holds interest
      • Better clarity through guided storytelling that helps viewers understand and absorb information
      • Consistent messaging across reception screens, websites, and social channels
      • A modern look that reflects an ambitious and forward-thinking school

      At Cleverbox, we specialize in creating custom marketing content that is not only visually striking but also deeply connected to your school’s identity. If you want to refresh your brand, develop a new campaign, or explore the potential of animation, we would be glad to help you create work that truly makes an impact.

      Start bringing your school values to life

      Refreshing your school brand or exploring animation is not just about visuals. It is about creating experiences that communicate who you are and what you stand for. At Cleverbox, we work closely with schools to develop tailored marketing solutions that reflect their identity, engage their community, and leave a lasting impression.

      If you are considering a brand refresh, looking for new ways to showcase your values, or wanting to bring your school’s personality to life through animation, we would be happy to help. Every project is tailored to your school, ensuring that the work is practical, visually striking, and fully aligned with your ethos.

      For more information, or to start a conversation about how Cleverbox can support your school, get in touch today. Email us at team@cleverbox.co.uk or call 0208 466 7222.

      Interested in finding out more?

      See how Cleverbox can help you with your next project

    • John Wallis Academy: Staff recruitment campaign 2025

      Often, a school will assume that a ‘rebranding’ project has to be a step towards a long term goal – something that they need to invest in now to see future results in 12-18 months’ time. However, that is not always the case and the recent design and school marketing projects we have delivered to long-standing client The John Wallis Academy is a great example of how we can achieve instant impact within a few weeks of a brand relaunch.

      The Context

      The previous JWA brand was created by Cleverbox around five years ago and had served the school well as a strong foundation on which to build local recognition as a successful environment in which to teach and to learn. Within those five years the school had continued to attain a fantastic reputation for achievement, value added, as well as strong leadership and direction. The time to build the brand forwards and showcase its ambitions was perfect.

      Initial conversations began in March 2025 and although we had agreed a long-term brand strategy to unveil in the September (more on that in a later post!) there was also a more pressing requirement. As with the whole education sector at present the need to appeal to and recruit the best staff is a key element of any schools success. Our consultancy sessions with the school underlined all that they had to offer staff, and the challenge now was for us communicate this with confidence to the right audience.

      John Wallis Academy adverts on buses

      The Solution

      Working closely with the academy leadership team we knew that September 2025 called for some confident marketing. Without being brash, we needed to re-emphasise the key messages and strategic intent of the school as well as injecting energy and momentum into the aesthetic. With that end goal agreed our team at Cleverbox were able to work backwards, creating a mini ten-week school recruitment campaign which not only advertised the school to potential staff, but teased the new brand and showed a school not prepared to sit back and rest on its current successes.

      Sometimes the most impactful school marketing just requires a little outside-of-the-box thinking. By focusing this campaign on a short term goal whilst also having an awareness of the long term plans of the academy we were able to tailor our ideas to not only attract attention within a key recruitment window – but also begin to launch a re-energised brand that will take the school forward into the next five years.

      – Daniel Clackett, Cleverbox MD

      John Wallis Academy branded recruitment brochure

      We challenged the school to distill its many ‘selling points’ into headline statements; we wanted the messaging to be powerful and memorable and, most importantly, we wanted them to fit on the side of a bus!

      Gaining exposure throughout the local community was key to this school marketing campaign. We decided to elevate the messaging by advertising on key bus routes, both ‘SuperSides’ and rears of buses and around appropriate local bus stops. This was tied in with a short term social media campaign and a recruitment brochure targeted specifically for the audience we were looking to attract. The goal was to ensure the John Wallis brand was recognisable and tied directly to the specific campaign messaging.

      The outcome was a real success, the campaign drove significant traffic to the ‘Careers’ section of the academy website with over 380 new users accessing the web address tied to this campaign in its initial week of launch. Website traffic to the overall site increased substantially too, with the recruitment content accounting for 10% of all user traffic throughout March and April and catapulting the Careers section of the site into the top three most visited pages.

      Most importantly, all vacant positions were filled.

      John Wallis Academy branded recruitment brochure examples

      We are pleased to share that our recent recruitment campaign in partnership with Cleverbox was a resounding success.

      This initiative marked a fresh and innovative approach for both our Academy and the wider local area, introducing a new style of advertising that strategically targeted locations with high footfall and potential candidates – whilst promoting the Academy as a whole to local areas in a high vision style. People do not expect you to be on the side of buses! 

      Sarah Williams, Academy Marketing Manager

      John Wallis Academy bus sign
      John Wallis Academy Staff recruitment mobile graphic
      John Wallis Academy digital signage
      John Wallis Academy graphic

      If you would like to start a conversation around how expert school marketing and creative ideas can support your school or MAT ambitions, then please feel free to get in touch and arrange an initial video call.

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