Timeline

The Futureland team began detailed planning to ensure a meaningful and collaborative experience for students and educators. This included researching and reaching out to writers, playwrights, and theatre-makers of colour whose practice could inspire and engage young people in imaginative and creative ways.

Sessions were carefully scheduled across schools and cultural venues, with briefings held for teachers and school leaders to align on goals and expectations. Planning also included designing twilight CPD (Continuing Professional Development) sessions for teachers, focusing on how to support oracy, reading for pleasure, and creative writing in the classroom and link this work meaningfully to the wider curriculum.

This groundwork ensured that the programme would be co-created, accessible, and fun!

The first phase of Futureland launched in schools, marking the start of 10 Play Sessions with 60 Year 8 students across two schools in Southwark.

A diverse group of writers and artists of colour led the workshops, each bringing their unique creative practice to a student-chosen theme:
• Belinda Zhawi – explored the theme of Food
• DD Armstrong – led sessions on Hobbies
• Ramsey Hassan – worked with students on Aspirations
• Hawa Khan – focused on Family & Home
• Coral Wylie – facilitated sessions on Green Spaces

The workshops focused on creative writing, poetry, storytelling, and script work, empowering students to explore big ideas about the future through imagination and experimentation.

As part of Future land’s commitment to whole-school impact, teachers took part in two twilight CPD sessions delivered by Words of Colour.

• Twilight 1 – Play as a Tool: Led by play expert Amber Ogunsanya-William, this session helped educators explore the vital role of play in supporting student wellbeing, creativity, and learning. Teachers gained practical strategies to incorporate play dynamically into their teaching practice, enriching classroom experiences for children.

• Twilight 2 – Anti-Racism and Inclusive Storytelling: Led by librarian and inclusive literature advocate Janet Noble, this session focused on the power of diverse children’s literature to foster equity, empathy, and belonging. Educators were introduced to a wide range of texts that reflect the lived experiences of their students, along with practical strategies to embed them in the curriculum and support a culture of reading for pleasure.

Following their Play sessions earlier in the year, young people worked closely with theatre makers Montel Douglas and Deviniat Adedibu from Theatre Peckham. Together, they developed original creative work inspired by the themes explored during Futureland. This collaboration culminated in a special sharing event held at Canada Water, where students showcased their performances, celebrating their imaginations of a future 50 years from now.