Hello to all our wonderful WCU children, families, schools and friends!

What a fabulous start to the new academic year!

September and October have been wonderfully busy months here at Westminster Children's University, with new opportunities, creative adventures, exciting partnerships and lots of plans taking shape for the months ahead.

As the leaves turn golden and the evenings draw in, it's the perfect time to celebrate everything our children have been exploring, learning and enjoying.

And, of course, with October half-term, Halloween and Bonfire Night approaching, we've included some lovely FREE family activities and seasonal safety tips too!

🎨 Celebrating creativity and community

We've been delighted to continue developing our arts and enrichment opportunities across our schools and community venues.

Our creative programme has included art clubs, imaginative activities, animal-inspired learning and opportunities for children to explore new ideas, develop confidence and express themselves.

We've also been developing Community Harmonies – Carnival 2027, our exciting Arts Council England-supported project.

This celebration of creativity, culture and community will bring together children, artists, families and schools through collaborative artwork, workshops, music and a wonderful programme of shared experiences.

Already, 122 participants have been recorded taking part in carnival-inspired art activities, and there is so much more to come!

🌱 Growing, moving and feeling good

Our gardening, outdoor learning and wellbeing programmes remain an important part of the WCU offer.

Children have been exploring growing and planting, learning about the natural world, developing teamwork and discovering the benefits of spending time outdoors.

Our work with local partners also continues to create opportunities for sport, movement, confidence-building and positive emotional wellbeing.

We're especially pleased to have secured funding from Sport England's Movement Fund to support Active Together: Community Movement & Wellbeing.

This will help us develop more inclusive physical activity opportunities for children, including those who benefit from additional support.

We also have exciting Forest School and seasonal nature experiences in development!

🎭 Learning beyond the classroom

One of the loveliest things about Children's University is that learning can happen anywhere.

Whether children are visiting a cultural venue, participating in a workshop, enjoying a film, exploring their neighbourhood or trying something completely new, every experience can open another door.

This autumn, we've been working with a fantastic range of partners, including artists, museums, theatre organisations, sporting providers and community groups, to expand the opportunities available to our families.

We've also been supporting our ongoing DreamArts opportunities, helping children discover the joy of performance, imagination and creative expression.

A huge thank you to our schools, partners, artists, volunteers and families for making these opportunities possible.

🎃 October Half-Term: Fantastic FREE Things to Do!

Monday 26 October – Friday 30 October 2026

You don't have to spend lots of money to have a lovely half-term. London is full of wonderful places to explore, and we've picked out a few free activities for our WCU families.

🍂 Halloween Discovery Days – Hyde Park

27–29 October | 11am–3.30pm | FREE

Join The Royal Parks for Halloween-inspired nature activities, creative fun, discovery trails and opportunities to explore the natural world.

A lovely way to enjoy autumn outdoors!

Find out more: https://www.royalparks.org.uk/whats-on

🎨 National Gallery – Family Art Activities

27–29 October | FREE

Get creative with the National Gallery's Playing with Colour family workshops, inspired by great works of art.

There are also family storytelling experiences on selected days.

Find out more: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk

🏛️ Westminster Abbey – Family Tours

26–30 October | FREE – booking required

Explore the fascinating history and stories of Westminster Abbey with a special family tour.

Suitable for children aged five and over. These free tours do not include general admission to the Abbey.

🦇 London Museum Docklands – Spooky Family Fun

27–29 October | FREE

Discover eerie animal stories, imaginative activities and even a spooky silent disco!

A wonderful opportunity to learn more about London's history while enjoying some Halloween fun.

Find out more: https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/october-half-term/

🎃 The Wallace Collection – The Big Draw

Saturday 31 October | FREE

Celebrate Halloween with a day of drawing, creativity and family art activities.

There is also a relaxed family morning designed to welcome neurodivergent children, which requires advance booking.

Find out more: https://www.wallacecollection.org

🌳 Make Your Own Autumn Adventure!

Any day | FREE

You don't need a ticket or a special event to have an adventure!

Why not visit Queen's Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens or Regent's Park and create your own autumn nature challenge?

See if you can spot five different coloured leaves, listen for birds, find interesting tree shapes or take photographs of your favourite autumn discoveries.

Perhaps you could draw your own woodland creature when you get home!

A little reminder: Some activities have limited spaces or require advance booking, so please check with the organisers before travelling. Travel costs may apply.

👻 Halloween – Saturday 31 October

We do love a little Halloween magic!

Whether your family enjoys dressing up, making decorations, pumpkin carving or simply enjoying a cosy autumn evening, there are lots of ways to celebrate.

Our Halloween happiness tips:

• Make costumes visible after dark, using reflective accessories or a torch.

• Stay together when out trick-or-treating and agree a route with a trusted adult.

• Visit houses that are welcoming trick-or-treaters and respect those that aren't taking part.

• Use battery-operated candles inside pumpkins where possible.

• Check sweets and treats before eating, particularly where children have allergies.

• Remember that not every child enjoys loud noises, masks or unexpected surprises. A quieter celebration can be just as magical!

And for families who prefer something a little calmer, how about a Halloween film, a cosy blanket, a homemade lantern and some hot chocolate?

Perfect autumn happiness!

🎆 Getting Ready for Bonfire Night – Thursday 5 November

Bonfire Night can be a wonderful occasion, full of sparkling lights and family memories, but safety must always come first.

The London Fire Brigade recommends attending an organised public fireworks display rather than arranging your own.

Our top firework safety reminders:

• Adults should supervise children around fireworks at all times.

• Never give sparklers to children under five.

• Older children using sparklers should be supervised, wear gloves and keep them at arm's length.

• Place used sparklers straight into a bucket of cold water.

• Never approach a firework that has already been lit, even if it appears not to have worked.

• Keep well away from bonfires and follow safety barriers at organised events.

• Consider ear defenders and quieter viewing areas for children who may find loud noises overwhelming.

• Remember our pets and local wildlife, who may find fireworks particularly frightening.

Find further advice from the London Fire Brigade: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/fireworks

A WCU kindness challenge: Bonfire Night is also an opportunity to think about our neighbours, younger children, animals and people who might find loud noises difficult. A little kindness and consideration goes a long way.

✨ Looking Ahead to November and December

There is plenty more to look forward to!

We're continuing to develop our programme of cinema experiences, creative workshops, sporting opportunities, gardening, outdoor learning, cultural visits and seasonal celebrations.

Our upcoming plans include Into Film Festival cinema visits, Christmas-themed creative learning, special arts collaborations and more opportunities to bring families, schools and communities together.

We're also looking ahead to an exciting 2027, when our Community Harmonies carnival programme will really come to life!

Keep an eye on our website and school communications for further details.

❤️ A Little Thank You

Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who makes Westminster Children's University such a special community.

To our children, whose curiosity and enthusiasm make everything worthwhile; to our families, who encourage every new adventure; and to our wonderful schools, partners and supporters, thank you.

We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to discover what they love, develop their talents, feel included and experience the world beyond the classroom.

Learning doesn't stop when the school day ends, and sometimes the smallest adventure creates the biggest memory.

Wishing all our families a happy, safe and wonderfully autumnal half-term.

Enjoy the golden leaves, the Halloween magic and all the little adventures still to come!

With warmest wishes,

Westminster Children's University Team

Learning beyond the classroom. Opportunities for everyone.

www.westminsterchildrensuniversity.co.uk