Growing Forward: Our Rooftop Garden Takes Root

Development has officially wrapped on our dream rooftop garden, transformed into a beacon of community, sustainability, and learning for the Halcyon community. 

At Halcyon, our central London location has always been one of our greatest assets. Being in the heart of Marylebone, with Hyde Park on our doorstep, means our students can pop out to places like the V&A Museum, The National Gallery, The Royal Ballet and Opera, and many other world-class museums and galleries, as part of their learning.

But like many city schools, we've always had to be inventive when optimising our own footprint to provide meaningful green spaces where students can breathe and learn.

Our versatile rooftop garden is the answer we've been working towards. As Halcyon Director Jeffrey Lippman explains, “the rooftop garden gives our students something precious and rare in central London: outdoor space to learn, create, and connect with nature in the middle of the city. It's a living reminder of our commitment to sustainability and the Halcyon approach that looks beyond our four walls."

The research is clear – green spaces in schools boost memory and attention for kids while helping tackle air pollution. But beyond that, we’re excited about what our students are already doing – and will continue to do – up there: learning outdoors, performing in the amphitheatre, and growing our own produce.

Chemistry Teacher and Head of Halcyon’s Eco Committee, Dr Saba Lodhi shared, “as part of our Eco Schools Target, we would love for what we grow to be used in the school cafeteria – garden to plate. Ultimately, we hope to keep learning and building on what works best for our community.”

This past autumn Mr Martyn Steiner’s G10 Science class turned the rooftop garden into their classroom for a couple weeks. Grade 10 students Margot and Henry described how the space played a major role in their individual studies, serving as a site for investigating biodiversity, air pollution, and other environmental issues. Henry, whose project focused on insect life, designed his own bug traps using water and dish soap. His findings showed that insects were more abundant near the rooftop garden than around the roof’s solar panels. Reflecting on the experience, Mr Steiner noted, “the garden allowed the students to take their investigations to the real world and independently formulate appropriate research methods based on their individual projects.”

Even during London’s colder winter months, students and staff alike are enjoying the new outdoor space. In fact, just in time for the 2026 school year, a dusting of snow drew several students to the rooftop for an impromptu snowball fight! 

This rooftop garden is part of something bigger happening at Halcyon. While the independent education sector faces real challenges – with schools closing due to financial pressures – we're moving in the opposite direction.

We're expanding, investing, and planning for the long term. The rooftop garden sits alongside our entrance rebranding and significant building improvements, representing nearly £1 million in total investment – funded entirely through careful financial planning and existing reserves.

These developments reflect our not-for-profit identity: investing in the school's future without asking our community for additional support. It's our way of demonstrating confidence in Halcyon's growth and our commitment to continually improving the experience for the families who choose us.

Just four months old, the rooftop garden has already created fun, meaningful, and unique learning opportunities – and we can’t wait to see what continues to blossom in 2026!