Thursday 17 October saw six students from Halcyon International School take part in their first visit to the almshouses on Crawford Place.  Through the Marble Arch London BID Community Programme, the green team have committed to maintaining the communal courtyard spaces on behalf of the senior residents this academic year. The school first got involved with Crawford Place back in April 2019 during the Marble Arch Great British Spring Clean.

The Halcyon team braved the rain and wind, trimming back overgrown bushes, pulling out large weeds and pruning flowers before rushing back for their afternoon lessons. The students will continue to visit Crawford Place on a monthly basis during their lunch hour at Halcyon, which is not far from the almshouses. Their volunteering is part of the students ‘civic responsibility’ which encourages students to develop key skills outside of the classroom. This is an essential step in receiving their International Baccalaureate (IB), which is committed to developing students who will make a meaningful contribution to the world, both during and after their education.

As part of the IB programme at Halcyon International School, the Diploma Programme (DP), includes creativity, activity, service (CAS) as one of the required components of the DP core. The DP core is studied throughout the curriculum, alongside a student’s chosen subjects. The service element of CAS requires students to undertake an unpaid and voluntary exchange, which then has learning benefits. These Halcyon students are therefore applying knowledge and skills to community service within the Marble Arch and Edgware Road area, complementing their academic study. Moreover, engaging in their community will build a sense of civic responsibility that, hopefully, lasts a lifetime regardless of where students live.

Keep an eye on our Twitter page @MarbleArchLDN  over the coming months for updates and pictures on how the students are getting on.