Last weekend, 20 students from the Global Girl Leading programme took part in the Women of the World (WOW) 15th Anniversary celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall.
Dr Vanessa Ogden CBE, CEO of the Mulberry Schools Trust, has shared her reflections on school leadership in a special blog for UNESCO which was published on 6 March 2025.
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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:
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.”
This term has been one of extraordinary achievements and opportunities for the Mulberry Schools Trust community. Here are some of the key highlights:
The latest issue of Connect, the Mulberry Schools Trust newsletter, has arrived! Inside, you’ll find exciting updates, including:
We are committed to providing our students with an exceptional education, and we hope you find that this newsletter is filled with inspiring stories of their achievements.
Wishing you a relaxing and rejuvenating summer break!
There is nothing quite like the buzz and excitement of a graduation day. Earlier this year, our partners at Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd, were delighted to help celebrate the graduation of the third cohort of Mulberry STEM Academy students.
Read Sara’s and Fahmida’s story on the MGP website below.
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 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.
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.
The Mulberry Schools Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales (Company No. 10035860).
Company’s registered office: Mulberry Schools Trust, Richard St, Commercial Road, London E1 2JP.