News – Page 2 – Mulberry Schools Trust

Celebrating a year of success at Mulberry Schools Trust

March 26, 2025/0 Comments/in News, Trust Featured Posts /by Charlotte Sheridan

We are proud to share the Mulberry Schools Trust’s first-ever Celebration Report, an annual review covering the academic year 2023-2024.

CMS x Mulberry UTC: Creating Pathways into Film & TV for the Next Generation

March 12, 2025/in MUTC /by admin-trust

We are excited to share the latest update on our partnership with Creative Media Skills Institute (CMS), which is helping to inspire and support the next generation of filmmakers! In February, we announced this exciting collaboration, which is a key part of our mission to support our students with practical, industry standard training in the world of film and television. Through this partnership, Mulberry UTC students are gaining hands-on experience and mentorship opportunities from professionals at CMS, which will equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to pursue careers in the creative industries.

Recently, CMS delivered a practical cinematography workshop at Mulberry UTC, where CMS tutor and cinematographer Jackie Teboul led a session on the impact of lighting on storytelling. Students were introduced to the technical aspects of lighting, including how light placement and contrast shape a scene’s mood and composition.

This is just one example of how our partnership with CMS is creating direct pathways from Sixth Form into the creative industries. We are proud to share that CMS has already welcomed its first Mulberry UTC student onto one of their programmes this year! Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

Read the full blog post from Creative Media Skills Institute here.

Her Majesty The Queen visits Mulberry Academy London Dock

February 4, 2025/0 Comments/in MALD, Trust Featured Posts /by Charlotte Sheridan

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Her Majesty The Queen visited Mulberry Academy London Dock on Tuesday 4th February, marking a historic moment for the Mulberry Schools Trust. The visit celebrated the remarkable achievements of students, the innovative design of the school’s new building, and the Trust’s commitment to empowering young people.

Her Majesty was warmly greeted by Deputy Lieutenant Morgan, Dr Vanessa Ogden, CEO of the Mulberry Schools Trust, Lutfur Rahman, the Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets who secured the land for the school and provided financial investment, student representatives from each of the eight schools in the Trust, trustees, governors, key partners and community members. Local primary schools also joined Mulberry students and lined the entrance with flags, creating a vibrant and celebratory atmosphere.

After meeting some of the school’s key delivery partners, including Kier, Architype, Walsh, Tower Hamlets Council, the Department for Education and St George PLC, who were instrumental in designing the building with sustainability and green spaces in mind, Her Majesty toured the school’s state-of-the-art facilities and observed student-led activities, including:

Science and engineering projects: Students showcased work from the Mulberry STEM Academy, in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd, featuring Green Power cars, Goblin cars, and robotics.
Artistic creations: Students shared cityscape-inspired artwork reflecting the rich architectural history of the local area.
Leadership initiatives: Her Majesty learned about the Global Girl Leading programme, a leadership development initiative ‘by girls, for girls,’ and viewed students’ recent contributions to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

Her Majesty also joined a discussion with Mulberry Academy London Dock governors and mothers from the local community, including individuals who had participated in her visit to Tower Hamlets in 2013. Highlights included a performance of To Thee I Sing by Afsana Begum, a Global Girl Leading poetry project centred on mothers and daughters, and an exhibition of the Letters to Our Daughters poetry project alongside sewing class displays.

The visit continued with a tour of the Mulberry Production Arts Academy. This unique programme, delivered in partnership with the National Theatre and The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, aims to discover, train, and empower students in technical and production arts. Her Majesty viewed the River Poem exhibition, a project commissioned for Mulberry Academy London Dock, the Genesis Theatre Design Programme based at Mulberry UTC, and student performances, including a song from Hamilton.

The day concluded with Her Majesty cutting a ribbon to unveil a community sculpture marking the formal opening of the new school, accompanied by a performance by the Mulberry Schools Trust Choir.

Reflecting on the visit, Dr Vanessa Ogden, CEO, Mulberry Schools Trust, said: “Her Majesty’s presence was a tremendous honour and a testament to the exceptional work of our students, staff and community. The day celebrated the values at the heart of the Mulberry Schools Trust: outstanding achievement for all, made possible through the power of partnerships, creativity and ambition. I would like to extend my thanks to all the delivery partners involved in the school build whose support was instrumental in bringing this vision to life.”

Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “We are incredibly proud to have negotiated the land with the developer for this new state of the art school and provided financial support for its development. Our investment reflects our dedication to supporting students on their educational journeys, giving them the best possible environment to learn, grow, and thrive. This school is a beacon of opportunity, and we look forward to seeing the impact it will have on the community for many years to come.”

David Rowsell, Managing Director, Kier Construction London & Thames Valley commented: “It has been a privilege to work alongside the Mulberry Schools Trust, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the Department for Education, Architype, BD Landscape, Walsh, and our other key delivery partners to bring the vision for Mulberry Academy London Dock to life. The state-of-the-art co-educational school is one of the first Passivhaus schools in the UK, representing a milestone in sustainable, innovative design and construction delivery. Integrating the area’s history and local character while addressing air quality, noise, and safety challenges, the school will provide a dynamic and inspiring space for students and the wider community for many generations to come.”

Piers Clanford, Chief Operating Officer, The Berkeley Group and Chairman, St George PLC & St Joseph Homes, added: “St George is delighted to have contributed to this incredible project. Mulberry Academy London Dock reflects our shared commitment to community development and ensuring that young people have access to world-class education in an exceptional environment. The neighbourhood at London Dock exemplifies the very best in urban regeneration, combining homes, education and a public square to create a vibrant destination. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the school, building on the career sessions we are already providing that are inspiring the next generation to work in the construction and development sector.”

Clifford Chance mentoring

July 18, 2024/0 Comments/in MSfG /by admin-trust

Since April, lawyers at Clifford Chance – one of the world’s largest law firms – have been working with some of our students to help them plan their futures. This mentoring programme enables Clifford Chance employees to volunteer to work with students to guide them in planning their next steps. Sessions can cover how to approach revision, what to study or pursue in the future, and how to find opportunities for work experience.

Trustees appoint Principal Designate for new flagship London Dock school in Wapping

February 6, 2024/0 Comments/in MALD /by Charlotte Sheridan

The Mulberry Schools Trust is delighted to announce that, following a rigorous and robust selection process, its Trustees have appointed Chris Harvey as the Principal Designate of Mulberry Academy London Dock.

Baroness Barran Visit

May 16, 2023/0 Comments/in MSG /by Breerha Alam

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.

Life-changing work experience at Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix HQ

August 10, 2021/0 Comments/in MAS, MSfG /by admin-trust

On Tuesday 10th August, Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd released a video on social media capturing the life-changing work experience opportunity attended by our amazing #MulberrySTEM Academy students in July.

The Year 12 students from Mulberry School for Girls and Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, completed a week long residential placement at the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd in Brackley.

The students were selected following a rigorous interview process and all had an interest in studying engineering at university. During the week they were immersed in working life, from 9.00am-5.00pm, in full team uniform. They worked across five different departments including aerodynamics, test and develop, as well as design.

They also had the opportunity to professionally network with employees and senior staff.

This was a phenomenal and once in a lifetime opportunity and we are very grateful to MGP for making this happen.

All the students had such an incredible time and we are so grateful for the beautiful memory.

Watch the full video here.

Mrs Obama Zooms in to Mulberry School for Girls!

April 1, 2021/0 Comments/in MSfG /by admin-trust

On Wednesday 31st March 2021, current and former students from Mulberry School for Girls and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School were excited and overjoyed as they joined Mrs Michelle Obama for a 60 minute conversation on Zoom, to celebrate the publication of the paperback and younger reader editions of her bestselling memoir BECOMING.

BBC One’s The One Show aired a package about the event on Thursday 1st April, which was followed by the full release of the event by Penguin on their YouTube channel. Watch the full recording below.

Credit: Michelle Obama/Penguin Random House UK.

“This whole experience is overwhelming. I will take all that I have learnt and use my resilience to continue to push myself out of my comfort zone, so that I am the best I can be, right now!” Synicia, Year 7

Commenting on the event, Dr Vanessa Ogden, CEO and Headteacher of Mulberry School for Girls, said: “At Mulberry School for Girls, students past and present are so excited about the launch of Michelle Obama’s book ‘Becoming’, especially adapted for young readers. Childhood and adolescence are such a formative period. Learning from Mrs Obama – one of the greatest, most inspiring women of our time – could not be more important. Her use of her platform to drive change for girls is critical, breaking down barriers to education and building a sisterhood of young women advocating for each other. Mulberry is deeply grateful to Mrs Obama for her generosity and support for our girls, providing many opportunities for them to have a voice and inspiring them to found Global Girl Leading as a legacy of her relationship with us.”

We will commemorate this significant occasion after the Easter holidays. A special celebration event is planned that will involve all of our students, parents/carers and our local community.

We do hope you will join us in marking yet another momentous moment in Mulberry School for Girls’ ongoing relationship with Mrs Obama.

Download the full press release

Mulberry School for Girls announces new collaborative Teaching School Hub in Tower Hamlets and Hackney

February 10, 2021/0 Comments/in MSfG /by admin-trust

Mulberry School for Girls, founding school of the Mulberry Schools Trust, is excited to announce that it has been selected by the Department for Education to become one of 87 Teaching School Hubs in the country.

Launching in September 2021, the Teaching School Hub will be collaboratively responsible for ensuring that teachers from all 173 schools in Hackney and Tower Hamlets have access to world-class teacher development programmes.

The Teaching School Hub will offer training programmes for trainee teachers, newly qualified teachers, early career teachers and leaders. At all levels, teachers will be able to access high quality, cutting edge professional development that is so vital to delivering exceptional outcomes for pupils across Tower Hamlets and Hackney.

Collegiality, transparency and inclusion will be at the heart of the collaboration and innovative programmes on offer. Content will be suitable for every stage, phase and age within the education system. Our colleagues in Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post-16, Alternative Provision and SEND will all benefit from pioneering, evidence based professional development that will positively impact outcomes in the classroom.

Over the coming months, Mulberry School for Girls will work with school leaders and key strategic partners to build a comprehensive network of teacher development excellence. We will bring together new and existing local expertise, so that we can collectively determine key priorities and implement evidence based outcomes that lead to system-wide improvement.

Dr Vanessa Ogden, CEO of the Mulberry Schools Trust and Headteacher of Mulberry School for Girls said: “The announcement today is fantastic news. Central to the Teaching School Hub’s ethos is professional collaboration to deliver high quality programmes and training. We know pupils achieve better when the staff around them are motivated and highly qualified. We will work together with our strategic partners and colleagues in local schools to ensure that this new provision delivers outstanding programmes that increase teacher motivation, confidence and commitment. We want to attract the best educators to our region and support them to stay. We want them to enjoy their careers and these aims will underpin our offer.”

Ruth Smith, Director of Education at Mulberry Schools Trust, said: “Today’s announcement is a tribute to all of the local schools and strategic partners who supported our application to become a Teaching School Hub. Together, we have the passion, expertise and capacity to deliver outstanding teacher development to teachers and leaders at every stage of their career. Hackney and Tower Hamlets is a fantastic place to teach and we are committed to recruiting, retaining and developing the very best teachers. Our collective ambition is to deliver outstanding educational outcomes for our young people as they deserve the best.”

Ends

For further information, please contact:

Ruth Smith, Director of Education

Mulberry Schools Trust | Email: rusmith@mulberryschoolstrust.org

Please download a copy of this statement here

MST Newsletter – Issue #6 out now…

December 18, 2020/0 Comments/in News /by admin-trust

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

The feature story is, of course, the amazing November launch of the Mulberry STEM Academy in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd. It also includes a summary of the summer 2020 examination results for each of our schools and is packed full of stories and useful links.

We feel privileged to be able to share with you all that our students are doing.

Happy reading!

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