Message from the Headteacher, Vanessa Ogden
‘An outstanding school where girls develop into exceptionally confident, articulate young women who strive for the highest possible standards in all that they do.’
Introduction
Mulberry School for Girls is a high achieving, over-subscribed and very successful girls’ comprehensive school in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for pupils aged 11 - 18. Our aim is to develop ‘Confidence, Creativity, Leadership and a Love of Learning’ with our young women as we believe this will enable our pupils to lead successful, happy and fulfilled lives as young people and adults, making a contribution to their own community and wider society.
Resources
The school completed a major two-year re-building programme several years ago. The building now provides a superb standard of accommodation and facilities for all areas of the school, supported by integrated ICT teaching and administration resources. Every pupil has a lap-top computer for her use in school and there is a full wireless network. Families without access to the internet and digital technology at home have been provided with this and so the ‘digital divide’ does not exist at Mulberry. There are fully equipped science labs, technology labs and arts facilities. A full size astro-turf pitch, a fitness suite, a large dance studio, a climbing wall and sports hall provide high quality teaching spaces as well as excellent leisure facilities for the local community.
Achievement
Mulberry completed a very successful Ofsted inspection in July 2010 being designated an ‘Outstanding’ school. Mulberry is significantly over-subscribed in all year groups, including the sixth form. We are a consultant Leading Edge school with Training, Microsoft Academy and International School status. Mulberry also has Investors in People recognition at Gold Standard and we are a Specialist Arts School. In 2010 74% of year 11 pupils achieved 5+ GCSE A*-C grades, 59% achieved 5+ A* - C grades with English and Maths and 99% achieved 5+ A*-G. Attendance for 2010 was 94%. Our value-added at post-16 in 2010 was graded outstanding by ALPs. In 2007, Mulberry won second place in the national Rolls Royce Science Prize competition and we are again in the final for 2011. In 2009, Mulberry won a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – it is an award made for best play production and production, measuring all performances against the same criteria whether professional or amateur. Only 16 such awards were made and as far as records tell, we are the only school ever to have won such an award.
Community Involvement
Mulberry School plays an active part in the borough and especially in our local community. We have a strong programme of parent voice events and an alumni programme for former pupils of the school. There are parent trips regularly to places of cultural, religious or educational interest such as to the theatre, the museums, heritage buildings or other towns and cities. A comprehensive programme of classes in areas of educational interest runs for parents including swimming, keep fit, food hygiene certificates and cooking, ICT and ESOL. The school is undertaking a new arts and community building project with a partner primary, Bigland Green Primary School to provide more facilities for parents’ learning and arts education
Learning Programmes
Mulberry has many learning programmes as part of the formal curriculum and the wider curriculum. Pupil voice is strong within the school and girls have the opportunity to be leaders in different ways, as prefects, mentors and peer mediators. There is a strong conference programme for pupils. Mulberry is the lead school in London for the UNA (United Nations Association) and girls have the opportunity to travel internationally as part of this programme. The Model UN programme involves over 26 schools in London. There is a youth conference programme and a young women’s conference annually. Mulberry participates in science and engineering projects with STEM and LEP. Our girls are widely represented in business and enterprise activities. Fund-raising and debate are particularly strong at Mulberry.
Mulberry makes the most of its opportunities to develop artistic and creative learning in many different ways. We have an annual drama and arts festival at a theatre space of acclaim such as the Southwark Playhouse with Mulberry Theatre Company performing original work with our resident playwright and theatre directors. The school has its own radio station and film company – Mulberry Radio and Mulberry Films. There is a rich and vibrant programme of performance work at the school.
Mulberry welcomes many visitors to the school. Our website for further information is: www.mulberry.towerhamlets.sch.uk
We hope you will come and visit.
