On Friday 20 September the newly refurbished lecture theatre of Haringey Sixth Form College was packed with over 160 bright-eyed primary school students ready to ‘enrol’ into Tottenham University’s (TU) 2019/20 cohort. Joining them were their teachers and a few parents/carers.
Year 4 and 5 pupils from the following schools were there:
- St Paul’s & All Hallows’
- Devonshire Hill
- St Francis’ de Sales
- Lancastrian
- Brook House
- Lea Valley
- Risley Avenue
The event opened with an energetic welcome from Principal & CEO of Haringey Sixth Form College, Russ Lawrance and was followed with speech by Dalwardin Babu OBE, Community Development Officer/Tottenham University Coordinator and James Lane, Headteacher at St Francis’ de Sale Primary School.
James ended his speech with the following inspirational message:
“There’s no reason you can’t be a Prime Minister in the future. So, my challenge to you, as primary school students in Tottenham, is to remember one thing – Learn more! Do more! Be more! Write that in your new journals and always reflect on it!”
Graduates from previous Tottenham University cohorts were given the chance to share their experiences on the project, where one student mentioned:
“My time at Tottenham University last year was great because I went to Oxford University and I also went to the Houses of Parliament. Because of these trips, I know that one day I can also go to university and I can also work at The Houses of Parliament.”
Guest of Honour, Mayor of Haringey, Cllr Sheila Peacock gave an encouraging speech which reflected on her time as a young student who grew up in Tottenham and also studied there too, at the site which was once known as Middlesex University (Tottenham Campus), now Haringey Sixth Form College. She then individually handed the new TU journals (which were sponsored by Haringey Sixth Form College) to every student and shook their hands to welcome them on board.
In the words of James Lane, Headteacher of St Francis’ de Sales Primary School “Learn more! Do more! Be more!” And this is exactly the message that the TU project and its participants have portrayed over the last three years, and will continue to do so.
Click here to see some amazing photos from the event