This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Urban Studies Centre in London, which opened in 1972 and took in its first cohort of students in 1973. Our legacy institution St. Martin’s College joined the centre in 1976, laying the foundations for our campus in London and continuing to provide teacher training to the present. Read more about the history of the London campus here.
50 years later, the University of Cumbria has a flourishing campus on the East India Dock Road in Tower Hamlets, offering provision in business, health and social care, and of course in education. 70% of primary schools in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have a Cumbria-trained teacher on staff, illustrating our impact in transforming lives and livelihoods in the local community.
The London campus kicked off celebrations last November with the first in a series public lectures, scroll down to watch recordings.
The event
On Wednesday 14 June, the London campus became a hub of celebration as the final event, "Transforming Lives and Livelihoods: Celebrating a Fifty-Year Legacy in East London", unfolded with nostalgia. Embracing the rich history of The Urban Studies Centre, the event paid tribute to the countless lives it has touched and the transformative impact it has made on the local community.
The event commenced with our Vice Chancellor Professor Julie Mennell taking the stage to set the tone for an evening filled with reflection, inspiration, and pride. Her words resonated with attendees, reminding them of the remarkable journey that had brought them all together.
Preceding the keynote address, a panel discussion ensued, featuring other esteemed alumni from the London campus. With a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, the panelists shared their personal journeys, highlighting the pivotal role the campus had played in shaping their lives and careers. Their collective wisdom and resilience served as a testament to the campus's commitment to nurturing talent and empowering individuals to make a difference.
The stage was set for a keynote address by alumnus, Amanda Wilson. Her story exemplified the essence of the London campus, showcasing the transformational power of education and the immense possibilities that lie within each individual.
As the evening drew to a close, the atmosphere shifted to one of celebration. A barbecue took place, providing an opportunity for attendees to network, reconnect with old friends, and forge new connections.
Against the backdrop of this final event, the fifty-year legacy of the institution was celebrated, commemorating the profound influence it has had on East London and beyond. The event served as a testament to the power of education.
The event not only celebrated the achievements of the past but also served as a catalyst for a future brimming with possibilities, where knowledge and compassion would be passed on to new generations, ensuring that lives and livelihoods continue to be transformed for years to come.
Keynote address from Amanda Wilson
Amanda Wilson (PGCE 2001) - Leadership Development Coach and Headteacher at St Alfege with St Peter’s CoE Primary School
During her keynote address alumnus and headteacher Amanda Wilson, called for peers to help the next generation of school leaders at the outset of their leadership journeys.
Amanda outlined how she never really had a plan to get to the top, her choices were either convenient or made out of necessity.
Fostered by a family in Shoreham-by-Sea shortly after birth, she and her four foster siblings were the only Black children in the Sussex town, but her foster parents never made her feel different. She returned to her biological family at 10 and at 16 she moved into a hostel for two years before getting her own flat in Catford, London at 18.
She went to college because she ‘had bills to pay’ studying a BTec in Business and Finance for the simple reason that she thought ‘she would make a good boss.’ After college, a BSc in Technology Management followed at the London South Bank University.
A short spell as a learning support assistant inspired Amanda to train as a teacher, specialising in computing, thanks to her undergraduate degree, and she was offered a place to study a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) at the Urban Studies Centre in 2000. The course was offered part time and distance learning, which was rare at the time. This flexibility allowed Amanda to balance her studies while looking after her daughter and planning her wedding.
Upon graduating she spent the next five years working at a primary school in Canning Town. Later she spent five years working for RM Education as an Educational Consultant, then became deputy headteacher in Greenwich and in September 2019, secured her first headship, just before the pandemic.
Amanda said that flexibility afforded by the Urban Studies Centre was the first step on the ladder of her leadership journey.
She said: “For me, it all started at the Urban Studies Centre. At various points throughout my career people have taken a chance on me, seen my potential, and given me many opportunities, and that has inspired me to do the same. ‘Sending the elevator back down’ is about the way you support those who are coming up behind you. In my nine years I have been in school leadership, I have made sure I have sent the elevator back down as many times as I can.”
It was one of the reasons why Amanda has trained to be a coach and why she set up ‘First 100 days Head Teachers Conference’, to support new and aspiring leaders on their journey to headships.
She continued: “Being a head teacher can be very lonely at times. The decisions you must make are just as likely to make you a saint as a pariah, which is why it’s so important to make sure those coming up behind me know they’re not alone. By sending the elevator back down, we are saying to the next generation of school leaders, there’s room for you at the top.”
Amanda is in the minority of only 1% of Black head teachers in England. She says that there are many reasons for the number being so low, and it is impossible to inspire young Black people if they do not have appropriate role models. This gap has prompted her to write and self-publish a new book, ‘Letters to a Young Generation Aspiring School Leaders’, out this Autumn, where Black head teachers from across the UK have written letters sharing their advice to the next generation of Black school leaders.
In the closing remarks, she muses that the measure of success is the legacy that one leaves behind and the impact they have on others.
Success is a self-defined measure of accomplishment, and it can look very different depending on who you speak to. But there is one common theme which should link together everyone’s definition of success and that theme is legacy. No matter how high up you go, how many letters you have after your name or how large your bank account may become, what matters most is the legacy you’ve left behind and the impact you’ve made on those you’ve met along the way. What that legacy looks like is for you to decide.
Watch Amanda's Keynote address here...
Alumni panel discussion
Aysha Islam (BA 2014), Assistant Headteacher, Islamia Primary School
Aysha joined the University of Cumbria as a mature student and completed a Bachelor of Education degree with Qualified Teacher Status. Following this, she began working at a primary school in Tower Hamlets and taught in upper key stage two for four years. Her next post saw her leading English as well as being the upper key stage two phase leader. Aysha subsequently became an assistant headteacher, continued to lead English and became a driving force for staff well-being, while also teaching in class. She is passionate about curriculum design, pedagogy, teaching and learning. After six years, in January 2023, Aysha moved to a school in Brent as assistant headteacher where she wears various hats, including leading on curriculum and managing the early years foundation stage & key stage one.
Patrick Jackson-Hinds (BA 2017), Assistant Headteacher, Delta Primary School
Patrick is an assistant headteacher at a school in Edmonton where he has responsibility for Teaching and Learning, with the aim of improving the quality of teaching in the school. Prior to this, Patrick worked in an outstanding school in Tower Hamlets where he became computing subject lead during his first year of teaching. As the son of a teacher, Patrick had always been aware of the importance of education, but it was his experience of volunteering in an inner London primary school that led him to appreciate the difference he could make. Following work as a teaching assistant, Patrick took a qualification in Teaching and Learning support with the University of Cumbria, before graduating with a BA in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status in 2017.
Anamaria Rambojun (BA 2021, MBA 2022) – Associate Lecturer, University of Cumbria London Campus.
Anamaria Rambojun is an associate lecturer in Global Business Management with the University of Cumbria. She arrived in London from Romania twelve years ago. Having started her career as a quality controller in the fashion industry, Anamaria worked a number of jobs in London including as an administrative assistant, a housekeeper, a hotel front desk agent, and a quality controller for an electronics company. Anamaria then returned to her studies. She completed the University of Cumbria BA Global Business Management with first class honours in 2021 on the London campus. Anamaria subsequently undertook and completed the MBA at the London campus with distinction. She currently works as an associate lecturer on the BA Global Business Management.
Dr David Peacock
Dr David Peacock is a former lecturer and Head of School Experience from St Martin's College, having worked in Lancaster from 1967 to 1985 before becoming principal at Whitelands College in London. Together with St Martin's Principal Robert Clayton, David was involved from the very beginnings when the idea was first put to them to send students on teaching practice to the East End of London. View a short video below as David talks about his involvement.
Watch the full panel discussion here:
Public lecture series
'A right to see the stars: Bringing outdoor education to all the people' a lecture by Professor Chris Loynes
'Growing the nursing and health workforce across the UK: An uphill battle or a self-made struggle?' a lecture by Professor Brian Webster-Henderson, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Health, Environment and Innovation)