A new alternative provision school is set to open in Tower Hamlets, following a successful joint application to the Department for Education between Mulberry Schools Trust and Tower Hamlets Council.

The application was one of twenty successful bids for alternative provision free schools, announced by the Government in its spring budget.

The provision, Mulberry Learning Village, will cater to students facing exclusion or those at risk of exclusion, or struggling to adapt in a traditional school setting. It will operate as a therapeutic model with the goal of reintegrating students into mainstream education through high-quality intervention, support, care and close collaboration with families.

The new school will offer places for up to 100 children aged 5 to 19 years. Inclusion at Mulberry Learning Village will be child and family centred, building on best practice in therapeutic education, complex needs and SEND.

Places will be offered on a full and part time basis, including respite placements when crisis points occur for a child. Mulberry Learning Village aims to support children and young people to stay within their mainstream setting and prevent exclusion.

Mulberry Learning Village will develop deep and embedded partnerships with local schools, organisations, charities and services, and will draw upon the expertise of senior leaders with a background in alternative education and special needs, to create a fully inclusive, therapeutic model of alternative provision.

Steve Reddy, Interim Corporate Director of Children’s Services at Tower Hamlets Council, said:  

“We’re working to improve the life chances of Tower Hamlets’ young people and this new alternative provision school is another way in which we can help ensure that all pupils, no matter what their circumstances are, get the best education possible.”

Jane Farrell, Chair of the Trust Board, Mulberry Schools Trust, said:

“We are delighted to be partnering with Tower Hamlets Council, in opening an Alternative Provision school, in the east of the borough, and we look forward to working with families, partners and the community in developing this outstanding provision that we can all be proud of.”

Dr Vanessa Ogden CBE, CEO, Mulberry Schools Trust, said:

“The successful approval of Mulberry Learning Village marks a significant milestone for the Mulberry Schools Trust. The new school will align with our ethos of providing inclusive, high-quality education that empowers young minds and prepares them for a bright and fulfilling future.”

We are thrilled to announce the release of an exciting video featuring seven-time Formula One World Champion, Sir Lewis Hamilton, during his visit to Mulberry School for Girls last term. The video showcases Sir Lewis’s engagement with secondary and primary students from across the Mulberry Schools Trust, with a particular focus on our innovative Mulberry STEM Academy.

On Monday 15th May, the Mulberry Schools Trust and Mulberry Stepney Green Maths, Computing and Science College proudly welcomed the Department for Education’s Baroness Barran, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for the School System and Student Finance.

The school was the fourth to join the Mulberry Schools Trust and Baroness Barran spent the day meeting with the school’s leadership team, visiting classrooms and learning about the school’s journey since joining the Trust. We were delighted to showcase some of our great work.

The day included introductions to the Trust’s incredible Mulberry STEM Academy, where Baroness Barran had the opportunity to meet with our young people and hear about their remarkable, life-changing journeys on this innovative STEM programme. This was followed by a presentation on the ambitious post-16 offer of the school, and a plenary which concluded the visit.

Throughout the day, Baroness Barran was inspired by the impressive student voice and student leadership she saw in practice from the young people from Mulberry Stepney Green. The experience was a success and left the school feeling empowered and motivated as they continue their invaluable work in service of the local community.

The latest issue of Connect, the Mulberry Schools Trust newsletter, is out now!

Issue #10 is an extended 12-page edition, as we welcome Mulberry Stepney Green to the family.  The feature story is also one of growth! The Trust is the sponsor of Mulberry Wood Wharf Primary, a new school in the Wood Wharf development area in Canary Wharf.

The brilliant Mulberry STEM Academy includes an exciting story featuring a ‘Best Newcomers’ award following racing at Goodwood. The Trust also presents a beautiful art exhibition featuring students’ work on hoarding panels along The Highway in Wapping. The panels surround the site of our new school Mulberry Academy London Dock, which is due to open in September 2023. Do visit the work if you are in the area.

Our schools now feature on double-page spreads within the publication, providing an even greater insight into our outstanding curriculum offer that extends far beyond our classrooms.

We hope you find this latest collection of news stories about our schools informative, inspiring and engaging, as we do.

Happy reading!