Hampden Gurney Primary School is taking part in an exciting Arts Council’s Creativity Collaborative 3-year project.
We will be part of a network of schools across London to develop teaching for creativity, focusing on school culture, values and shared language. The London Creativity Collaborative network includes schools across all phases, including special education and 6th Form, and will tackle social and economic disadvantage, where creativity is needed most. The following partner organisations will enhance the project:
National Theatre
V&A
John Knowles Ritchie (JKR) – global design and branding agency
A New Direction
The Creativity Collaborative 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 young people.
Partner schools working on the project:
Bushey Primary Education Federation, Herts
Eleanor Palmer Primary School, Camden
Netley Primary School, Camden
Hampden Gurney Primary School, Westminster
The St Marylebone CE Bridge School, Westminster
St Mary’s and St John’s CE School, Barnet
Central Foundation Girls’ School, Tower Hamlets
Deptford Green School, Lewisham
The Green School Trust, Hounslow
St Dominic’s Catholic Sixth Form College, Harrow
Torriano Primary School, Camden
Brecknock Primary School, Camden
Lady Margaret School, Hammersmith & Fulham
The St Marylebone CE School, Westminster
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 to evaluate the three- year project. The 14 schools taking part have been divided into four sub-groups that will work closely together to trial teaching for creativity strategies.
What has happened so far?
We have attended the launch event and met all the schools and partner organisations taking part. We’ve also taken part in our first workshop with our sub-group of schools to develop a collective language around creativity and share our initial thoughts and plans for teaching for creativity. Strategies will be developed and trailed in the spring and summer term and over the next three years. Here are the latest updates.
Arts Council England. Read some more about the project here.
Hampden Gurney are proud to work with the following charities to raise awareness and hold fundraising events within the school.
Our Local Charity- Marylebone Project
This year we joined forces with the Annunciation, collecting food, cosmetics and toiletries for Harvest Festival. All these goodies were sent to the Marylebone Project to help them continue their amazing work.
Marylebone project was set up by the Church Army and The Portman House Trust, they provide long and short term beds to homeless women and offer essential facilities. The Marylebone Centre also delivers education, employment and training opportunities and meaningful activities in order to support service users into independent living.
Their value of spirituality is symbiotic with our own values as a school, to live full lives because God loves us all unconditionally.
If you would like to find out more about this charity, please take a look at their website
Anti-bullying Alliance – Odd Socks Day
This November we wore odd socks for Odd Socks Day!
On Monday 10 November we wore our Odd Socks because like the Anti-Bullying Alliance we believe that everyone needs an opportunity to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes us all unique!
Thank you to all the children and staff for supporting this important and fun initiative. We raised £187 to donate the the Anti-Bullying Alliance to support their good work.
Christmas Jumper Day 2025
We all enjoy Christmas, we’re all partial to a Christmas Jumper but what we really love is Christmas Jumper day!
This year was no exception, the Christmas Jumpers went on in big style to celebrate our whole school Christmas. Thank you to all the families for giving so generously to this wonderful charity. We continue to applaud the amazing work of Save the Children and are so pleased to be able to contribute.
The Penfold Community Hub
Penfold Community Hub is a group within Westminster that offer stimulating and accessible activities to members of the community over 50. Their aim is to help people remain healthy, independent and active within their local community.
The school choir visited just before Christmas to sing carols with the residents and staff. We also enjoyed an afternoon tea with some fun colouring activities and chat.
This is an on-going initiative where children visit for a few hours to do different activities with the elderly. We hope our next visit will include the school orchestra.
Here is what some of our pupils had to say about the experience:
|| Our previous visit of the School Orchestra to the Hub
We have had the pleasure of taking our school orchestra to play for the members of the Penfold Community Hub.
Below you can read what two of our pupils had to say about the experience.
If you would like to find out more about this community group, please take a look at their website