Painting: The Activity the Children Helped Us Choose

One of the most meaningful additions to the 2026 programme came from listening to the children themselves.

During OCF’s consultation and survey activities, pupils expressed an interest in painting. It was not necessarily an activity the adults would have placed at the top of the programme without that feedback.

But the children wanted to try it ; So we included it. That decision reflects something important about how we believe educational programmes should be developed.
Adults may have experience, resources, and ideas, but children also have interests that deserve to be heard.

What Painting Offered:

Painting created an opportunity for pupils to explore colour, observation, creativity, imagination, and visual expression. It gave children the freedom to experiment, make choices, and produce something personal. Some may discover they enjoy landscapes or objects. Others may be drawn to abstract patterns or imaginative scenes.

The important outcome is not whether every child produces a technically impressive painting. It is whether they are encouraged to observe, imagine, and express themselves.

The Larger Lesson

The introduction of painting taught us that children can help shape the opportunities they receive. When we ask what they are interested in, we may discover talents that would never emerge from a conventional academic assessment. We should not assume that children from low income communities only need the bare minimum.

They deserve access to art, creativity, play, culture, and experiences that broaden their imagination. Their circumstances should not determine the limits of their curiosity.