Teach First is a UK education charity that recruits and trains teachers for schools serving disadvantaged communities. In 2019, the organization underwent a comprehensive rebrand by London-based design studio Johnson Banks, replacing its previous identity with a new logo and visual system designed to reposition the charity and give it a bolder, more distinctive presence.[1]
Design and History
Johnson Banks was approached by Teach First in the spring of 2018, following the appointment of a new CEO and the development of a revised strategy. The organization wanted to move away from what it saw as a rather “corporate” brand style that had become confused by multiple sub-brands.[2] The previous identity was described as uninspired, with streamlined messages and classroom photography, and Teach First wanted to suggest a more definite personality to differentiate itself in the education field.[3]
The new logo is a monogram that blends the letters “T” and “F” into a single mark, designed to be recognizable at every size, from social media posts to large billboards.[4] The former sans-serif wordmark was replaced with this serif monogram.[4] Johnson Banks chose a stencilled typeface for the mark, aiming for both letters to remain legible while staying “balanced.”[1]
The design approach introduced not just a new logo but also a new typographic language, a punchy colour palette, a bold graphic style and a revised art direction approach.[2] The identity was designed to be adaptable across Teach First’s wide range of audiences, including graduates, teachers, headmasters, government departments and corporate sponsors.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The T/F monogram echoes Teach First’s new brand narrative: “building a fair education for all.”[2] The mark is defined by building blocks and simple geometric shapes, reminiscent of primary education.[3] The identity uses blue as its main colour, complemented by white and sunny yellow details.[3] The colour scheme evolved from the brand’s previous pairing of dark blue and cyan, with the blue “updated” to be more screen-friendly and a yellow chosen after auditioning various secondary colours.[1]
Typography and Design
The wordmark accompanying the monogram uses a bold and sharp serif typeface.[3] The broader identity also introduced a new typographic language and a snappier, cheekier tone of voice, encouraging Teach First to “say less, not more” in a jargon-heavy sector.[2]
The project was led by Michael Johnson as creative director at Johnson Banks, with designers Lara Juriansz and Beth Johnson.[5]
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