Schools May Start Selling Ad Space

Adverts may soon be appearing in school corridors and playgrounds after the Government gave its tacit approval for the selling of advertising space on school property.

Essex-based Imagination for School Media Marketing sought guidance last year from the Department for Education regarding the plan. Cheryl Gillan, a junior education minister, wrote back to the firm stating that “we thoroughly support working links between schools and local businesses” but has since stated that “no-one wants to see walls of schools plastered with advertisements whose sole purpose is to sell products to school children.”

Around 5,000 secondary schools, colleges and universities are believed to have been approached by Imagination and between 600 and 700 are said to be interested in the proposals. Products which might benefit from such advertising include sports, leisure, computing and soft drink brands.