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.”

Connect #20: Celebrating a dynamic term across the Mulberry Schools Trust

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This term has been one of extraordinary achievements and opportunities for the Mulberry Schools Trust community. Here are some of the key highlights:

  • Global Girl Leading Conference: A transformative event where young leaders from around the world gathered to share ideas, inspire change, and empower one another.
  • Mulberry Festival of Arts: A celebration of creativity and talent across all our schools, bringing our community together to showcase student energy and achievements.
  • New beginnings at Mulberry Academy London Dock: Our newest school opened its doors to its inaugural Year 7 cohort, offering exciting opportunities in its state-of-the-art facilities.
  • Outstanding leadership and support: Our school leaders continue to create nurturing environments, ensuring every student thrives academically and personally.

 


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Global Girls Leading Summit 2024

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On Friday, 11th October 2024, students from Mulberry Academy Woodside proudly participated in the annual Global Girl Leading Summit, held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster. This empowering event brought together over 400 young women from 20 schools across the UK, Mexico, and Kenya, along with online participants from countries worldwide. It was a day dedicated to celebrating how girls and women lead change at local, national, and international levels.

 

 

Our students had the opportunity to engage with inspiring speakers, including Dame Rachel De Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, and Tina Tchen from The Obama Foundation, who shared their experiences and insights on advocating for gender equality. The discussions, activities, and workshops encouraged the girls to think critically about the barriers facing women globally and explore how they can make a difference in their communities.

 

 

The event also showcased the Global Girl Leading projects, with our students contributing to the powerful conversations and demonstrating their leadership skills. The summit was a valuable experience for all who attended, reinforcing Mulberry Academy Woodside’s commitment to empowering young women to be agents of change.

New alternative provision school set to open in Tower Hamlets

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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.”

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

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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.

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Release of video featuring Sir Lewis Hamilton’s Mulberry STEM Academy visit

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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.

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Sir Lewis Hamilton’s inspiring Mulberry STEM Academy visit

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On Tuesday 5th December, we had the pleasure  of welcoming seven-time Formula One champion, Sir Lewis Hamilton to Mulberry School for Girls —  a memorable occasion for 1,800 Mulberry Schools Trust students.

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Baroness Barran Visit

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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.

 

Geeky Kids

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In January 2023, 60 Year 10 students from across the Mulberry Schools Trust took part in a five week programming course run by Geeky Kids on Saturday mornings as part of our innovative Mulberry STEM Academy programme. During the course, the students were split into groups to learn Python programming. GCSE students already taking Computer Science challenged themselves through learning new skills, including an intermediate popular library called Pygame. Other students learned the basics of Python, including selection and iteration.

At the end of the course, students all created a trivia quiz in Python. We were very impressed with their use of functions, lists, dictionaries and other advanced techniques! A particular well done to Tonima Hawlader, Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, Jannah Ahmed, Mulberry School for Girls and Riyad Choudhury, Mulberry Stepney Green, whose thoughtful programs were awarded the best on the course. Each week, two students were also chosen as ‘Students of the Week’ by their tutors. Well done to Zakariya, Ifaz, Zakiyyah, Jannah, Basit, Ismail, Tanim and Ehsanur for their hard work.

We look forward to our continued work with Geeky Kids which offers our students creative ways to enjoy Computer Science.

 

Brick Lane 1978: The Turning Point

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In January we hosted the ‘Brick Lane 1978: The Turning Point’, an exhibition of photography from East End local, Paul Trevor, celebrating the area’s 1978 activists.

Parents/carers, students, staff and our Mulberry community were invited to come and explore photos which document such an important moment in Tower Hamlets’ history.  It run in the Mulberry Bigland Green Centre on the following days/times. Parul Husain and Sabina Khan introduced the project.

The exhibition was a culmination of a major heritage project exhibited at Four Corners, June – September 2022, with Swadhinata Trust, in collaboration with Paul Trevor, original activists and local volunteers.

Students from Year 8 upwards were given the chance to visit the exhibition and Year 9 used this as inspiration for their Arts curriculum project on protest & activism.

If you would like to learn more, here are a series of short films which share the stories of activists who were part of the fight for social justice in 1970.

 

https://www.fourcornersfilm.co.uk/blog/memories-of-brick-lane-oral-history-films

 

With thanks to Swadhinata Trust, @heritagefunduk, the @bishopsgateinstitute, Sabina Khan, Elena Loizides, Sian Morten and all the staff who have made this exhibition possible.