Girls take centre stage at Global Girl Leading Summit 2025

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On Friday 10th October, Mulberry Schools Trust will open the doors of its founding school, Mulberry School for Girls, to welcome hundreds of young women and a line-up of extraordinary international leaders for the annual Global Girl Leading Summit.

The summit is designed around a powerful idea: that girls can and do lead change. Throughout the day, students aged 13-18 will step into an environment where their voices are not only heard but amplified – through debate, performance, workshops and direct dialogue with some of the world’s most inspiring women.

This year, we are delighted to welcome students from Australia, India, Italy, Kenya, Mexico and the USA joining their peers from across the UK. To mark the occasion, the Trust has created an exciting programme beyond the conference itself – from cultural sightseeing across London to opportunities for international students to meet and collaborate with Mulberry students. The highlight will be a shared evening at the West End production of The Lion King, celebrating creativity, friendship and the joy of coming together across borders.

This year’s keynote will be delivered by Tina Tchen, Executive Vice President (Programs) at the Obama Foundation. She is joined by a distinguished panel that includes Baroness Nicky Morgan, Dr Edna Adan Ismail, H.E. Josefa González Blanco Ortíz Mena, Dr Joanna Abeyie, Natalie Campbell MBE, Fatima El-meeyuf, Dr Fatima Rajina and Ms Ritika Anand. Together, they will explore what leadership looks like at national and international levels, and how girls can shape solutions to the most urgent challenges facing women and girls globally.

The summit is more than a single event. It is streamed worldwide with free access to resources, ensuring that its reach extends far beyond the hall in East London. Girls from different cultures and contexts are connected in a shared movement of solidarity, advocacy and hope.

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

“Global Girl Leading is about placing girls at the heart of conversations that matter. We want them to see themselves reflected in leaders on the stage, but also to recognise that their own ideas and actions can be a force for transformation in the world.”

 

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Mulberry Schools Trust celebrates student destinations in Going Places 2025

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The Mulberry Schools Trust is proud to publish Going Places 2025, celebrating the exceptional achievements of our Sixth Form students as they progress to the next stage of their journeys.

This year, students from Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, Mulberry School for Girls, Mulberry Stepney Green Maths, Computing and Science College and Mulberry UTC have secured places at top universities across the UK – including Oxford, Imperial and UCL – as well as specialist institutions in the arts, sciences and engineering. For the first time in the Trust’s history, one of our students will also be studying at Harvard University in the USA, a remarkable milestone for our community.

Others are beginning prestigious apprenticeships with global companies, gaining opportunities to combine study with professional training. Some have entered employment in sectors where their talents, skills and commitment will make an immediate difference.

The Trust warmly congratulates the Class of 2025 and thanks all staff for their support in helping students achieve these impressive outcomes. Going Places 2025 showcases the extraordinary breadth of destinations and courses across our schools – a testament to the high aspirations that define the Mulberry community.

Download a copy of the publication below.

Download here

STEM Students make their mark on the track

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STEM Students make their mark on the track

We’re so proud of our STEM Racing team, who showed incredible determination and teamwork in their latest race! Despite some tough challenges along the way, our dedicated students worked tirelessly after school to get our car race-ready and it all paid off.

In practice, the team impressed with a fantastic 5th place finish! In the official races, they secured 18th in Race 1 and 23rd in Race 2, out of 33 teams overall. For this cohort’s very first outing on the track, this is a huge achievement. More importantly, the team demonstrated resilience, creativity, and real engineering skill.

Congratulations to STEM Cohort 5 (2025): Nihal Lohia Singh, Marcel Peto, Selena Fang, Tasnova Lubaba, Daniel Dore, Zaheer Syed, Joshua Reeves, Dan Stoasa, Muhammed Sari, Kuzey Kilic, and Petar Popovic.

Well done, STEM Racing Team.This is only the beginning!

A message from our CEO: Our commitment to unity, respect and belonging

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In response to recent events in central London, our CEO, Dr Vanessa Ogden CBE, has written to staff to reaffirm the values at the heart of the Mulberry Schools Trust. Her message reflects our unwavering commitment to unity, respect and belonging – and our determination to stand against fear and division in all its forms.

Read the letter here

Connect #22: Out now!

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We’re delighted to share the summer 2025 edition of Connect, the Mulberry Schools Trust newsletter.

This issue celebrates the achievements of students and staff across the Trust over the past term – from fantastic Ofsted outcomes at Mulberry UTC and Mulberry Wood Wharf Primary to inspiring STEM placements, international opportunities, and creative arts performances.

It also features our first-ever Trust-wide INSET day, where over 700 colleagues came together to reflect on our vision of transforming lives together and to share effective, inclusive practice across schools.

You’ll also find powerful stories of student leadership, community projects and curriculum innovation – all demonstrating the collaboration, care and commitment at the heart of our work.

We hope you enjoy reading this term’s issue and feel proud of what we achieve together across our Mulberry community.

Use the button below to download the latest edition.

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Mulberry Wood Wharf Primary celebrates Ofsted success

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We are proud to share that following Mulberry Wood Wharf Primary’s Ofsted inspection on Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th May 2025, the outcomes of the inspection were Outstanding and Good in all areas. These outcomes reflect the dedication and expertise of the school’s staff, the partnership with supportive families, and the enthusiasm, kindness and ambition of the pupils themselves.

  • Outstanding in Behaviour and Attitudes
  • Outstanding in Personal Development
  • Outstanding in Early Years Provision
  • Good in Quality of Education
  • Good in Leadership and Management

The report highlights the exceptional work taking place across the school. Inspectors found that:

“Pupils thrive at Mulberry Wood Wharf Primary School.”
“Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary.”
“The school fosters inclusivity exceptionally well.”
“Pupils learn an ambitious and well-thought through curriculum.”
“The school’s personal development provision is exceptional.”
Ofsted, May 2025

Congratulations to the whole school community on this well-deserved recognition.

Read the full Ofsted Report

Mulberry Academy London Dock wins national award for interior design excellence

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The Mulberry Schools Trust is delighted to share that Mulberry Academy London Dock has been recognised at the FIS Awards 2025, winning in the Interior Fit-Out category for its exceptional, sustainable design and craftsmanship.

Delivered by Titan Interior Solutions in partnership with Kier Construction, this award celebrates the high standards of interior design and finish throughout our brand-new, purpose-built Passivhaus school. The FIS judges praised the project, noting:

“Titan completed the intricate installation of this interior fit out. Each component was completed to an extremely high standard. It was enjoyable to observe the exceptional craftsmanship.”

This recognition is a testament to the thoughtful planning and collaborative effort that shaped our school — designed not only to be environmentally sustainable, but also to inspire the students and staff who use it every day.

See page 9 in the Contractors Awards 2025 Winners and Finalists brochure here: https://bit.ly/4dQaWe6

Read more on LinkedIn here: https://bit.ly/4mUkb12

Celebrating a year of success at Mulberry Schools Trust

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

The report highlights key achievements, partnerships, and initiatives that have shaped our work throughout the year.

The Celebration Report reflects our commitment to educational excellence, community engagement and empowering young people to thrive. We invite you to explore the report to learn more about the incredible work taking place across our Trust.

Download here

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

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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

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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.”