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11 September 2019

Personal story: The cosmopolitan north London school that shaped me

At Park View, I was one of only a handful of white British students from a middle-class home – and my education went far beyond the syllabus. I’m still not sure I’ll ever again experience anywhere as vibrant, warm and chaotic.

By Heather Cant

In my first year at Park View School I was repeatedly asked where I was from, and “England” was never a credible answer. “No, I mean, like, where are your parents from?” “They’re English.” “Yeah but your grandparents then, your family?” “English.” “Swear down? I thought you were Albanian.”

Nestled in N15, one of Europe’s most ethnically diverse postcodes, the school had a blend of histories from the shifting landscapes of Somalia, Syria, Turkey, Jamaica. Park View moved with these waves.

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