Rethinking Curriculum through Creativity: A Trust Leader’s Perspective

This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust.

Olivia Anthony, Governance Officer, Embark Federation

Introduction  

As Trust Leader of the Embark Federation (MATMulti-academy trust - a group of schools working in collaboration, governed by a single set of members and directors), I have the privilege of guiding a family of 23 schools -19 primaries and 4 secondaries – united by a shared mission to provide extraordinary opportunities for our young people. Our schools are diverse in character, deeply rooted in their communities, and committed to ensuring that every young person, regardless of background, is given the chance to flourish. 

At the heart of our vision lies a simple but profound belief: education should do more than prepare pupils for examinations. It should inspire curiosity, nurture creativity, and instil the confidence, resilience, and skills required to thrive in life. Too often, creativity is seen as an “optional extra,” marginalised by the pressures of accountability and performance measures. At Embark, we reject that view. We have placed creativity at the centre of our philosophy, not only because it enriches learning, but because it transforms lives. 

Our approach to Curriculum and Creativity 

Embark does not operate a single centralised curriculum. Each of our schools has the freedom to develop its own curriculum, shaped by its history, context, and community. This autonomy enables every school to retain its unique identity while benefitting from the collective strength of belonging to a federation. 

What binds our schools together are six global curriculum themes: Identity and DiversityThe recognition of individual differences in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, physical ability, religious beliefs and other differences; Peace and Conflict; Social Justice; Saving Our Environment; Our Heritage; and Our World and Beyond. These themes provide a framework through which pupils can explore big ideas and make meaningful connections between subjects, their own lives, and the wider world. 

Creativity threads through all six themes, supported by initiatives such as the Embark Award – a programme of 100 carefully designed activities that encourage young people to explore, imagine, and collaborate. From building dens and enjoying picnics with family, to taking part in arts activities and performance, the award ensures every young person experiences a rich and varied childhood. 

We have also developed a wide range of trust-wide opportunities that complement individual schools’ curricula, particularly in the arts. These include annual dance festivals, artist residencies, illustrator visits, and partnerships with West End professionals. Through these experiences, children discover new talents, develop confidence, and learn the power of self-expression. 

Rationale for Creative Curriculum  

The rationale for prioritising creativity is grounded in both research and lived experience. During my first headship, I witnessed the transformative effect of performance and the arts. Under the leadership of my then-deputy Kathryn Mason, children led assemblies and performances that visibly boosted their confidence and self-esteem, with clear knock-on effects on attainment. Our results placed us in the top ten per cent nationally for progress – a powerful reminder that creativity and academic achievement are not mutually exclusive. 

Educational research reinforces this perspective. ​Robinson (2011)​ argued that schools too often stifle creativity by prioritising conformity over innovation, despite creativity being a cornerstone of human progress. Studies on arts participation​ (Catterall et al., 2012)​ have shown significant associations between engagement in the arts and improved academic, social, and emotional outcomes. Work on cognitive development highlights how learning an instrument or engaging in drama stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, strengthening problem-solving and memory ​(Forgeard et al., 2008)​ 

These insights align closely with our experience at Embark. For example, rather than providing struggling pupils with additional literacy or numeracy lessons, we introduced opportunities in music and the performing arts. Children who participated in brass orchestra programmes developed greater self-discipline and focus, which in turn translated into improved performance in English and mathematics. 

In short, we believe creativity is not a distraction from core learning but a catalyst for it. 

Implementation Journey  

Our journey towards embedding creativity across Embark Federation has been iterative and collaborative, guided by three core principles: autonomy in the right places, equity of opportunity, and the belief that every initiative should deliver a tangible “MAT dividend” for children and their families. 

From the outset in 2017, we set out a clear vision of creating schools that “stand out” at the heart of their communities, with creativity positioned as a cornerstone of our work. One of our earliest actions was to appoint a part-time fundraising and events manager with a background in the arts, ensuring that we had the expertise to design and deliver ambitious creative opportunities for pupils across the trust. 

In the first phase of implementation, we piloted a number of  several creative interventions designed to enhance engagement and improve attainment. One of the most significant of these was the introduction of a brass orchestra for pupils in receipt of the Pupil PremiumAdditional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities. Rather than simply providing additional lessons in English and mathematics, we offered these young people the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, perform together, and develop confidence as a group. The results were striking: not only did pupils demonstrate greater self-discipline and focus, but their performance in core subjects improved. Encouraged by this success, we scaled the initiative to benefit a wider cohort of children across the trust. 

As our work developed between 2020 and 2022, we extended our creative offer through large-scale events and partnerships. We brought West End performers into schools, organised workshops at Pineapple Dance Studios in London, and forged a relationship with Hot House Jazz, giving hundreds of young people access to high-quality instrumental tuition. These opportunities provided a level of enrichment that individual schools could not have achieved in isolation, reinforcing our commitment to equity of opportunity. 

We introduced the Embark Award, a trust-wide programme of 100 activities designed to encourage children to explore, create, and collaborate beyond the classroom. At the same time, our six global curriculum themes provided a unifying framework that encouraged schools to weave creativity into their curricular design in meaningful ways, from environmental projects to heritage exhibitions. 

By 2023, the cumulative impact of this work was becoming clear. Twenty-one of our twenty-three schools were judged by OfstedThe Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills – a non-ministerial department responsible for inspecting and regulating services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills to be good or better, including several that had never previously secured such a judgement. Academic outcomes improved year on year from 2019 to 2024. Most importantly, we have created a culture where creativity is celebrated, where pupils are given extraordinary opportunities to thrive, and where schools are united by a shared ambition to transform lives. 

Findings and Impact  

The impact of embedding creativity has been significant and multifaceted. Engagement in creative learning has supported improvements in core subjects by enhancing motivation, memory, and problem-solving skills. Young people who participated in music programmes, including the brass orchestra, reported feeling more confident and capable, and this was reflected in their classroom behaviour and attainment data. 

Beyond academic outcomes, young people report greater belief in their own abilities, with many saying that participating in performances or creative workshops was “the best day of their lives.” Creativity has proven to be a great leveller, offering young people from disadvantaged backgrounds access to opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable. Our programmes have also fostered stronger community engagement, with dance festivals, art exhibitions, and performances bringing families together and strengthening the relationship between schools and their local communities. 

To evaluate improvements in pupil confidence, resilience, and wellbeing, we utilise an annual pupil voice survey across all schools in the trust. Young people respond to a series of questions regarding their confidence, enjoyment of learning, and sense of belonging using a simple smiley-face scale, ensuring accessibility for all age groups. The results enable clear year-on-year comparisons and help identify areas of strength and development. These quantitative findings are complemented by teacher observations, which monitor changes in engagement, perseverance, and willingness to take on challenges. Further qualitative insights are gathered through informal discussions with pupils, providing an opportunity for them to articulate their experiences of creative projects in their own words. Collectively, this approach offers robust evidence of the positive impact of creative initiatives on self-esteem, resilience, and overall wellbeing across the trust.

These findings are consistent with national research. ​The Arts Council England (2014)​ reported that young people involved in the arts are more likely to continue in education or employment, while the ​Education Endowment Foundation (2019)​ has highlighted the potential of arts participation to improve both attainment and wider outcomes. 

Challenges and Limitations 

Our journey has not been without challenges. Balancing creativity with accountability pressures has required careful leadership. In times of financial constraint, ensuring sustained investment in the arts can be difficult, especially when funding formulas prioritise core subjects. Additionally, evaluating the long-term impact of creative initiatives is complex; improvements in confidence and resilience are not always easily measured. 

Nevertheless, we have found that creativity strengthens rather than detracts from core academic learning. The key has been to maintain a clear sense of purpose: creativity is not a “bolt-on” but a driver of improved educational and life outcomes. 

Recommendations for Practitioners  

For those wishing to adopt a similar approach, we suggest: 

• Articulate a clear vision – creativity must be understood as integral to educational success, not a peripheral activity. 

• Balance autonomy with collaboration – allow schools to retain individuality while using trust structures to scale opportunities. 

• Leverage partnerships – collaborations with arts organisations, performers, and community groups add expertise and inspiration. 

• Focus on equity – ensure that opportunities are accessible to all pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

• Evaluate broadly – measure not only academic outcomes but also confidence, wellbeing, and community impact. 

Conclusion  

At Embark Federation, we are committed to building schools that stand out as hubs of creativity, aspiration, and community. Our experience has shown that creativity is not a luxury but a necessity – one that equips young people with the confidence, skills, and imagination to thrive in an ever-changing world. 

As Trust Leader, I remain convinced that the creative curriculum we are developing is not only enriching the lives of our young people today but laying the foundations for their success tomorrow. By embedding creativity at the heart of our educational philosophy, we are not simply preparing pupils for exams – we are preparing them for life. 

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References 

​​Arts Council England (2014) The value of arts and culture to people and society: An evidence review..  

Catterall J, Dumais S & Hampden-Thompson G (2012). The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth: Findings from Four Longitudinal Studies. National Endowment for the Arts.

​Education Endowment Foundation (2019) [Online]  Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Arts Participation.
Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/arts-participation. (Accessed: September 2025) 

Forgeard M, Winner E, Norton A and Schlaug G (2008) Practicing a musical instrument in childhood is associated with enhanced verbal ability and nonverbal reasoning. PLoS ONE, 3(10), p.e3566.

Robinson K (2011) Out of our minds: Learning to be creative. 2nd ed. Chichester: Capstone.

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