Beyond Walls: The Radical Power of Place in Learning

Last Wednesday, Alleyn’s Schools Group welcomed school leaders, designers and education partners to Beyond Walls: The Radical Power of Place in Learning, an evening of discussion hosted at Alleyn’s Hampstead, currently North Bridge House Senior Hampstead, ahead of its transition to Alleyn’s Hampstead Senior School in September 2026. 

The event explored  how can the design of schools actively support learning, wellbeing and belonging. 

Chaired by Emma Lee-Potter of The Good Schools Guide, the discussion brought together Guy Collins-Down, Chief Operating Officer of Alleyn’s Schools Group, and David Judge, Executive Creative Director at Kampus. 

Nestled within a newly redesigned Sixth Form learning space, the evening offered a live example of Alleyn’s All Spaces Design Philosophy in practice, an approach that considers not only how schools operate and how they look, but crucially how they feel to the people who use them. 

This philosophy brings together four interconnected strands: 

• Alleyn’s Experience – ensuring spaces feel authentically Alleyn’s, shaped by marginal gains in classroom and environmental design. 

•  Putting the 'All' in Alleyn's – an inclusivity overlay, co-designed with staff and pupils, so buildings work for the whole community. 

• All Now – embedding sustainability at the heart of decision-making, guided by principles of Reduce, Reuse, Responsibility and Regenerate. 

• All Connected – using smart technology to monitor and optimise environments, supporting learning, wellbeing and operational efficiency. 

Together, these elements reflect a move away from viewing school buildings as neutral containers for education, towards understanding them as active contributors to behaviour, engagement and belonging. 

Drawing on his background in global retail and brand experience design, David Judge challenged traditional assumptions about what “functional” school spaces look like. He argued that environments designed purely for ease of maintenance risk overlooking the emotional and psychological needs of pupils and staff. 

Guy Collins-Down reflected on emerging research and practical experience across the Alleyn’s Schools Group estate, highlighting how attention to acoustics, lighting, ergonomics, circulation and movement can materially improve concentration, behaviour and wellbeing. Crucially, many of these gains come not from expensive interventions, but from careful, evidence-led design choices. 

Inclusive design, particularly how environments designed with SEND pupils in mind often benefit everyone, formed a central part of the conversation. From improved acoustics and wayfinding to furniture that supports movement and focus, the conversation reinforced the idea that inclusive design is not an add-on, but a foundation. 

For Alleyn’s Schools Group, this approach reflects a broader commitment to sharing learning beyond its own schools, contributing to the conversation across the sector.