Going above what is mandatory in the classroom is important for many reasons. It makes teaching more engaging for professionals and lessons more interesting for students. In turn, pupils are not only more inspired but they also tend to perform better.

However, creativity is misunderstood, poorly invested and often overlooked when it comes to teaching. The focus of education can often be informed by the need to secure high pass marks. As such, children and young people are taught how to succeed at exams.

Resultingly, the quality of teaching can dip and the experience of learning becomes perfunctory. In such an environment, students can end up feeling bored, as if they are carrying out the motions. Teachers also can lose sight of why they entered the profession in the first place.

The question many ask, consciously and subconsciously, is “where has the fun gone?”. In fact, some may question whether there was any fun in the first place. The absence of enjoyment is hugely detrimental not just because it impacts on what is the most formative period of a person’s life, but distorts their expectations in later life.

For example, beyond school, further and higher education, in the world of work, without knowing it, you can end up in an environment that is not too dissimilar to the one you were used to at school. It’s prosaic, tasks are carried regularly and dispassionately and you seem to get little out of it.

However, as with before, we can be oblivious to this reality because if our experience of education was enough to get us to pass our exams - but not engaging and memorable - then why expect otherwise? Contrary to this is a learning experience that is captivating, enlightening and empowering. It makes people want to do more not just in school, but in life.

The challenge is making this happen within the constraints of any given school system and the wider parameters of education (i.e. the dictums of the political party in government). One can have, for example, a creative disposition, but find it tempered by the realities of what is demanded. And, is evidenced by teachers feeling overburdened by their incessant workload and feelings of stress, it is often a tough job to be in. Where then, is there time for creativity and fun?

The answer lies in making it happening. Now, this is by no means a walk in the park, but ultimately, where possible, you have to be more than proactive in cultivating the kind of atmosphere you want to work in. As we noted in the opening paragraph, you really do - for now - have to go above and beyond. Education is priceless, so make it creative and a whole lot of fun.