Partnerships

At Mulberry Academy Shoreditch we believe that the richness of our offer is enhanced through partnerships, networks and collaborative projects with other organisations. Our aim is to enrich our students’ learning, confidence and motivation and in turn impact on the quality of school life and staff development.

Our partners range from small community initiatives and schemes, to government agencies, global businesses and also include prestigious universities. The benefits of these partnerships are enjoyed not just by students but by staff, parents and members of our community.

We are proud of the depth and breadth of our national and international awards and accreditations. In demonstrating the quality of our offer we continue to enhance our students’ experience and they duly develop a portfolio of skills that sets them apart from their contemporaries. The cultural, sports, musical, entrepreneurial and social action activities, programmes and initiatives at their disposal are exemplary.

In addition, working in collaboration with a range of partner organisations enables us to: maintain high academic standards and expectations, gain expertise and insights, offer additional benefits and bring learning to life.

Below is a small selection of some of our partnerships.

Our partnership with Challenge Partners provides us with exceptional opportunities to collaborate with other schools to drive outstanding teaching and learning. Leaders come together to share ideas and help each other improve.

Our partnership with Columbia Road Youth Centre allows students to engage in a variety of community and leadership-focused activities, fostering personal growth and social responsibility. Through this collaboration, students gain access to local opportunities and build valuable leadership skills.

Crédit Agricole is one of the largest banking groups in Europe, offering services across retail banking, corporate finance, investment banking and asset management. Through school partnerships, Crédit Agricole provides students with exposure to careers in finance, risk, compliance and international business, supporting early career development and aspiration.

Our students work with the LGBT+ inclusion charity Diversity Role Models to develop and deliver workshops on equality, diversity and challenging gender stereotypes. Our students take this learning and work alongside their peers to deliver their own workshops to primary schools. Our work ensures our students are provided with skills and understanding to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools.

Duke of Edinburgh Awards have inspired and transformed the lives of millions of young people from all walks of life. From volunteering to physical activities, life skills to expeditions, achieving a DofE Award is a passport to a brighter future, valued by employers and universities.

MAS are proud to be able to offer this enriching, extra-curricular activity for our students. It offers an individual challenge and encourages students to undertake exciting, constructive and enjoyable activities in their free time with a well-recognised award at the end to show a possible employer their determination to commit and undertake challenges.

Fantasy Wings is an aviation programme hosted by British Airways which aims to support underrepresented groups into the aviation industry. Our partnership with Fantasy Wings will cover five students to participate in a 10-month programme every academic year.

Incyte international foster world-class educational outcomes & community development through advisory & support services.

Inspiring the Future is a national initiative that connects schools with volunteers from a wide range of careers and sectors. By bringing professionals into education settings, the programme helps students learn about career pathways, raise aspirations and understand how their learning links to the world of work.

IntoUniversity offers an innovative programme that supports MAS students to attain either a university place or another chosen aspiration.  The partnership offers our students valuable advice and support including mentoring, help with writing personal statements and an insight into the world of work.

We are delighted to partner with InvestIN, a London-based organisation led by a group of experienced professionals from some of the world’s most competitive careers. InvestIN deliver immersive career experiences to students aged 15-18 who aspire to break into some of the most desirable industries. Their programmes aim to create the ‘ultimate work experience’ through interactive simulations, site visits, seminars, networking sessions and career coaching guidance. Students are able to experience their dream career before they start university, so they can get a head-start over their competition. More than 25,000 students from 72 different countries have attended InvestIN programmes which take place in cities around the world.

Investment 20/20 is an organisation which brings together a host of key players within the asset management industry. They are partnered with us in order to expose our students to their respective industry. They have supported us with assemblies, workshops and also partnered us with Aviva going in to this academic year.
Ipsos is a global leader in market research. The company supports us with workshops, insight days and work experience.

The academy’s Interfaith Week is part of our year-round work celebrating the way in which students and staff respect similarities and difference across the academy and within our communities.  The Joseph Interfaith Foundation is one of our key partners who supports our work in this area.  It is the only national joint Muslim-Jewish interfaith organisation and is committed to fostering engagement through constructive and realistic dialogue and interaction between the Muslim and Jewish communities in Britain.

The British Insurance brokers association is a new partnership which aims to expose our students to the insurance industry. So far, they have supported us with assemblies, insight day visits and work experience.

Mulberry Academy Shoreditch is part of a long-standing partnership with Lloyd’s of London, one of the world’s largest insurance markets.  For the past few years, reading mentors from Lloyd’s have attended weekly sessions at the academy, to work with targeted students who have reading levels below their chronological age.

Our literacy initiatives are also supported by CSV volunteers from Deutsche Bank.

Partnering with the Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s “We Can Be” program enables our students to explore the wide-ranging career possibilities available to them in the City of London and beyond. Through workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities with professionals, students gain valuable insights into different career paths, fostering ambition and providing guidance on how to achieve their future goals.

Through our collaboration with the Mark Evison Foundation, students are empowered to develop their independence, resilience, and self-confidence by undertaking challenging personal projects. This partnership provides support and funding for students to create and complete their own initiatives, encouraging them to think creatively, work independently, and push beyond their comfort zones.

We are proud to be part of the Mulberry STEM Academy, a Saturday/holiday provision that provides a place of learning, inspiration and innovation for young people. It was set up in Autumn 2020 by the Mulberry Schools Trust (MST) in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd – two high performing organisations in their respective fields of education and motorsports.

The powerful supplementary provision provides a specialised track for children and young people aged 7 to 18 who have talent, passion and aptitude in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education.

Find out more here

The Mulberry Production Arts Academy is groundbreaking specialised technical and production arts programme that equips young people from the Mulberry Schools Trust with the necessary skills and connections to take up their rightful place within the global cultural and creative landscape; enabling more young people from underrepresented groups to access rewarding careers in this sector.

In partnership with the National Theatre and The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, the academy offers training in the field of production and technical arts and providing a specialist pipeline for students to develop career aspirations in this industry.

The academy was established to take explicit positive action to address the current skills shortage in the UK’s production and technical arts workforce and the wider chronic crisis in representation within the UK’s cultural and creative industries. We believe the UK’s cultural and creative industries should be truly reflective of the diversity of this country, inclusive of all people regardless of gender, race, disability, socio-economic background, faith and age.

Find out more here.

Rabobank is an international cooperative bank specialising in food, agriculture and sustainability-focused finance. The organisation works closely with education providers to support financial literacy, employability skills and career pathways in banking, economics and sustainable business.

The academy have enjoyed an established relationship with Rich Mix, East London’s independent arts venue, for many years. Our partnership with Rich Mix ensures that students at the academy gain access to a range of educational, creative and cultural enrichment projects throughout the year.  The activities often cuts across artistic genres (music, theatre, dance, spoken word, visual arts and film) with the aim of giving young people a chance to work with professional artists and arts organisations; to find out more about working in the arts; to develop their own events; to network with other young people and learn and develop valuable creative skills.

RTSWS aims to support more females into the world of investment banking and finance. This is the second year we are partnered with RTSWS and we aim to continue this partnership long-term.

Softcat PLC is a leading UK technology solutions provider, supporting organisations with IT infrastructure, cloud services, cybersecurity and digital transformation. Through its work with schools, Softcat helps students gain insight into careers in technology, apprenticeships, and the skills needed to succeed in a fast-growing digital sector.

As a successful academy, we enjoy a highly effective partnership with SSAT (formerly known as the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust), a membership organisation which assists with the professional development of staff. Our link has included MAS hiring out facilities to SSAT for various meetings and conferences, as well as hosting a group of teachers visiting from China. The partnership has allowed our staff to gain a deeper insight into the world of education, improving the level of teaching and support they provide to students as a result. The link has also allowed us to share best practices with a range of other schools, in a bid to promote our successes to a wider area.

St Hilda’s Community Centre is one of our fondest partners.  Our longstanding partnership means so much to the school and it provides our students with the opportunity to give back to their community and engage with the elderly.  The school has presented choirs, showcased performances, sold produce at Food Co-ops, engaged in numerous intergenerational projects and countless other activities.

Success at School is a leading education platform that helps young people explore career options, develop employability skills and connect with employers. The platform provides students with access to virtual work experience, careers advice and real-world insights to support informed post-16 and post-18 choices.

Tata Consultancy Services is a global leader in IT services, consulting and business solutions, working with organisations across a wide range of industries. TCS supports schools through employability programmes, digital skills initiatives and career insight opportunities, helping students prepare for future careers in technology and innovation.

Mulberry Academy Shoreditch are proud partners of Teach First. The academy has a successful track record of employing young, passionate teachers through the programme, many of whom have progressed into middle and senior leadership roles in a short space of time. We are committed to the continued development and training of talented staff through the programme, and have seen a hugely positive impact on student achievement through this approach. The quality of MAS’s support and collaboration with Teach First can be viewed in more detail in the case study Against the Odds – Five lessons in how to achieve the impossible: the story of Teach First.

At MAS we provide students with an unrivalled series of innovative projects and challenges to complement their academic development.  Founded in 2008 by Maggie Philbin and Chris Dodson, TeenTech run lively initiatives with a supporting award scheme to help the “X Factor” generation understand their true potential and the real opportunities available in the contemporary STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) workplace.  MAS has been awarded a ‘TeenTech Centre of Innovation – Silver’ commendation following our students’ exceptional STEM related innovation and design projects, which resulted in a visit to Buckingham Palace (October 2017).

The Diana Award is a national charity established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. It recognises and develops young people for their positive social action, leadership, and commitment to creating change in their communities. Through mentoring, awards and development programmes, The Diana Award empowers students to become confident, socially responsible leaders.

Our partnership with The Feast Tower Hamlets provides students with opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations about identity, faith, and values with young people from diverse backgrounds. These facilitated sessions promote understanding, respect, and open-mindedness, helping students build bridges and develop as empathetic, culturally-aware individuals prepared for a diverse world.

We are proud to run the three King’s Trust education programmes at our school.  The Mosaic Mentoring Project, Achieve and Enterprise Challenge are important programmes that enrich our students’ educational experience.  Working alongside the King’s Trust, helps us to ensure students leave us fully prepared to compete on a global stage, contributing to society as independent, successful, skilled and motivated young adults.

Tower Hamlets Citizens is a local chapter of Citizens UK, the alliance of community organisations working together on a range of social justice issues. Our partnership increases opportunities for students to engage in social action in a variety of areas, including campaigning, politics and social justice. Activities completed by the students so far have included working with member institutions to establish CitySafe zones in their local communities, and organising an onsite ‘Listening Campaign’ to explore the issues that may be affecting Mulberry Academy Shoreditch students in the community.

The school really enjoys its work with Tower Hamlets Food Bank run by the First Love Foundation. For many years our young people have used their leadership skills to create positive change across the school and community.  Fundraising for Tower Hamlets Food Bank enables students to lead on impactful social action initiatives and make a difference.

We are proud to work with local charity the Tower Hamlets Education Partnership.  Their aim is to meet the challenge of ensuring that all children and young people in Tower Hamlets achieve the best possible outcomes and flourish through an effective partnership of schools.

Our partnership with the West Ham Foundation has allowed us to provide bespoke workshops and qualifications to students across Key Stage 3, 4 and 5. The Foundation provide targeted mentoring, 12 week workshops developing self-esteem, wellbeing and confidence, Premier League accredited qualifications, leadership courses and literacy support. As well as all of this, our students have the opportunity to visit the London Stadium and West Ham training grounds as part of our co-curricular offer.

The WCCSA is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London and represents a range of highly professional and well-connected institutions. Our partnership has allowed WCCSA members to visit students and hold talks on how to succeed at the highest level in the professional world, helping raise aspirations and give students a clear idea of what is expected of them in the world of work. We are eagerly anticipating the ongoing development of this relationship and the exceptional opportunities it will offer.

Our partnership with Young Citizens supports our students in becoming active, informed members of society. Through workshops, resources, and volunteering opportunities, students are encouraged to engage with social issues, develop a deeper understanding of democracy and citizenship, and take on leadership roles in their communities. This collaboration empowers them to make a positive difference in the world around them. The Legal Experts Programme offered by Young Citizens provides students with valuable insights into a career in law.

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