Teachers in Residence Experience at Seymourpowell

Published 29th August 2025

Natalie Cameron, Head of Design & Technology at Newstead Wood School, describes her recent ‘Teachers in Residence’ placement at Seymourpowell, a multidisciplinary consultancy in London best known for work across product, transport, digital experiences and sustainability, combining research and design to help clients bring innovative ideas to market. Natalie commented, “It was really cool. I learned lots, saw lots of amazing work, and it was validating to know that what we’re doing in school is actually aligned with industry practices.” 

Natalie admits she had dreamt of working at Seymourpowell since she was 16 so spending time there and getting inspiration to build inspire her students, was a career highlight. The three-day immersion presented a professional development opportunity that offered the unique chance to connect education and industry and to bring back new approaches to the department. 

Colour, Material, Finish  

Natalie’s main takeaway was reassurance that the projects and iterative design processes her department have been embedding in lessons do mirror those in professional studios. She noted, industry naturally operates in a far more nuanced way, offering opportunities to raise the bar at a school level to be more future focused and for students to explore modern materials and emerging technologies. 

One particular area she highlighted was Seymourpowell’s CMF department (Colour, Material, Finish). 

“In school, CMF is often an afterthought. At Seymourpowell, it’s a crucial part of the design process that is considered throughout the development of projects and products and an integral part of what Seymourpowell do. CMF is something we’re going to embed more deliberately into our teaching by creating our own materials library for students to access and use.” 

This is exactly the kind of practical insight placements can generate, transferable ideas that don’t necessarily require expensive equipment but can change how students think about design. 

Inspiration for Students 

Hearing about pathways into the profession was particularly powerful. Some Seymourpowell designers had academic backgrounds from places like MIT, blending science and maths with creativity. Others came from traditional D&T routes. For Natalie, these stories offer ammunition when talking to parents and students about the value of D&T alongside STEM subjects especially at A level. 

“We lose a lot of students at A-level because universities don’t always list D&T as a required subject even for engineering and architecture courses. Placements like this give me lots of examples of how design sits at the intersection of maths, science and creativity, and how it leads to really, exciting and diverse careers.” 

Insights into the Future 

Natalie also spent time with Seymourpowell’s foresight team as well as their AI specialist. The foresight team are dedicated to predicting design trends and exploring how emerging technologies will shape industry. 

“It was fascinating to see how they’re thinking five or ten years ahead, building teams and using AI to enhance their design process. Helping clients imagine the future of their brand and products. It’s not a million miles away from what we do in schools, we’re also preparing students for futures we can’t fully predict.” 

These experiences provided narratives she can share in the classroom to engage students with the bigger picture of design. 

Why Placements Matter 

Natalie is clear that experiences like this are valuable for all teachers: 

“If you’re a one-person department, or working with non-specialists, or if you have been working in schools for a long time, placements give ideas, inspiration and help to build networks. Most importantly it allows schools to gain great insights into industry. The experience is always really inspiring and allow you time to think how you can enhance your curriculum in your school.”  

She’s already planning to bring students to Seymourpowell to see the work first-hand, bridging the gap between the classroom and industry. 

Final Reflections 

“It was really inspiring. I came away with new ideas that we can build into our department permanently. I’d absolutely recommend ‘Teachers in Residence’ to other teachers. You get validation, inspiration, and a network of people to learn from. That’s invaluable.” 

For more information about how to take part, email: amelia.wright@designtechnology.org.uk