Developing Creativity In Our Curriculum and In Our Children  

Both of our Federation Schools took part in an innovative ‘Arts Council’s Creativity Collaborative’ three year project in the school years 21/22 22/23 and 23/24.  As a school, we feel it is important not to lose sight of what we KNOW to be important in how children think, learn and grow.  Our school’s mission statement is ‘To Educate Today’s Child for Tomorrow’.  In this constantly changing world, where there are increasingly very few absolutes, we believe that our children will be best served by us if we teach them to be independent, adaptable and creative learners & thinkers. 

With this as our driver and focus, we have been part of a bid with a network of schools across London (we use that local train line to our advantage) to develop teaching for creativity; focusing on school cultures, values and shared language. The London Creativity Collaborative network includes schools across all phases, including special education and Sixth Form. The following partner organisations, enhancing the project and who we have been lucky enough to work with as a staff are: 

• National Theatre 
• V&A 
• A New Direction

The Creativity Collaboratives programme emerged from the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education, a joint research collaboration between Durham University and Arts Council England, convened to look at the role creativity should play in the education of children and young people.

The project is led by The St Marylebone CE School, Westminster. They are coordinating the schools and partners, as well as working with Durham University and UCL to evaluate the initial three year project. In the school year 24/25, and in order to build momentum and continue with the important research links established for our schools, we continue in ongoing work as part of the Creative Collaborative and Goldsmiths University, in using the development of creativity to gain ARTSMARK status. This work will take us into the school year 2025/26 too. 

Developing creative thinking in our children remains a high priority in our schools and sits as a development point on our Federation Development Plan. 

Sir Nicholas Serota CH, Chair of Arts Council England wrote a letter at the end of our second year, to all participants taking part and we were lucky enough to hear him speak as part of our Collaborative too.  Please see the link below. As a school, have grown so much from our collaborative work with other settings and practitioners and we are extremely excited about the ARTSMARK project for our Federation Schools, moving into the next two years. Expect to hear lots from the children about their learning and how they are thinking creatively across all curriculum areas.