University of Sunderland student Louise Rowley is putting her studies to good use for Biddick School Sports College, Washington, where she is helping to promote a closer relationship between staff and pupils.

Louise, who is studying an MA in Illustration and Design, is working on a series of contemporary posters to support a staff discussion group and a representative pupil council at Biddick School.

The groups are meeting to discuss their relationships, talking about issues such as good manners and how both should be treated. As well as improving the relationship between staff and pupils, the aim is to move the school forward and improve achievement levels.

After each meeting Louise works on a poster which promotes positive outcomes from the discussions and highlights those outcomes to all staff and pupils.

Louise is working with the school through the university’s Business Bridge scheme which supplies organisations with talented students and graduates to work on a short or long-term basis.

Louise said: “Business Bridge has been the lead in to an exciting project which is giving me valuable experience within the field of freelance design. The poster project has provided the opportunity to apply my creative skills within a live brief.

“The meetings have enabled me to establish the clients’ needs and provided me with the opportunity to meet staff and pupils from the school.”

John Shell, senior learning mentor at Biddick School, said:

“Pupils are getting together to discuss relationships. For example, what constitutes good manners and how teachers and pupils should treat each other. All year groups are affected and it’s about improving achievement levels.”

Organisations that would like to find out more about Business Bridge should contact Ashleigh Clements on 0191 5153555.