(Photo: City of London Corporation)

Elham Asaad Buaras

A principal at one of East London’s best performing sixth forms has been recognised for his outstanding work in the community at an inclusion and diversity awards on October 31.

Mouhssin Ismail, Principal at Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre, was named as the winner of the GG2 2018 Leadership award for Outstanding Work in the Community.

Ismail, 39, grew up in Forest Gate, Newham, the second most deprived Borough in London. He first established the collegiate in 2014 with the aim of providing an outstanding education for local students, encouraging as many to attend prestigious universities in the UK and abroad.

He changed his career as a leading City lawyer to become a teacher because he felt he wanted to give something back to the community in which he grew up.

Speaking about the award, Ismail said, “I have always wanted to give something back to the community that I grew up in, and encourage the younger generation to take advantage of the exceptional educational opportunities available to them.”

In a statement to The Muslim News the sixth form is now witnessing, “double-digit Oxbridge offers, 95 per cent Russell Group offers and the first student from Newham secure a place at MIT, the best university in the world for engineering and mathematics.”

Andrew McMurtrie, Chair of the City of London Academies Trust, which now runs the Sixth Form, said, “My congratulations go to Mouhssin for his tremendous efforts in ensuring that Newham’s young generation is getting the very best from his skills and leadership.”