The Mulberry News

The Head Teacher's Letter

It has been an exciting start to the year and I am delighted to welcome staff and students to the ‘new’ Mulberry school.  The building programme is now complete and parents will have a chance to see the superb facilities that the girls are benefiting from during Parents’ Meetings.  It has been challenging to maintain standards of education over the past two years whilst contending with the disruption of the extensive building work.  However, despite all of this we achieved our highest SATs and GCSE results ever!  We are very proud of our girls’ achievements and offer our congratulations to them all.  Staff are also grateful for the support of parents without which these improvements would not have been possible.

Our results are detailed in the Governors’ Report to Parents, which your daughter will bring home to you before half term.  Do ask her for the report if you have not received it by then.  It is no coincidence that the improved examination results are also reflected in higher attendance across the school during 2003/4.  Continuing the trend of improved attendance will remain a priority for the school this year.

Our sixth form has also done very well with 55 students taking up university places.  A considerable number of other students gained sufficient qualifications to go to university but have currently decided not to pursue this option.

September also saw Mulberry gain status as a training school.  Our quality of teaching and attainment across the curriculum has been recognised by the DfES as examples of good practice.  Our expertise will be used to train new teachers and hopefully encourage many of these to remain in Tower Hamlets.

The new school will be officially opened on 4 November and many girls will be involved in the formal celebrations and ceremony to mark this occasion.  2004 also coincides with the 40th Anniversary of the original founding of this school and each student will receive a commemorative mug to mark the event. 

I look forward to another successful year for the school in partnership with parents.

Marlene Robottom

Headteacher.