We were delighted to hear from one of our alumni, Samira Elbahja who continues her success across various arenas since leaving SPW. A little bit of background for this talented young person:

2017 – Samira played Fagin in the end of year musical ‘Oliver’, her delivery rivalled the professionals. 

2019 – won the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge regional finals with her powerful presentation ‘The Silver Smile’.

2021 – with fellow student Dellilah Jamal, won The People’s Pavilion Design Competition with ‘The Reverie’. The design was so well received that the structure was made permanent instead of the 10-day festival duration.

2022 – whilst in Y13 was awarded a prestigious art award from the Worshipful Company of Painters & Stainers. Samira’s work was exhibited during the prize giving ceremony.

An update from Samira herself

"Since leaving St Paul’s Way, life has been a whirlwind—in the best way. I was admitted to study Architecture at the University of Cambridge, and it’s been an incredible journey of growth, creativity, and learning.

The most exciting news I’m proud to share is that I’ve just self-published my very first poetry anthology, Naked Pen! It’s now available across local platforms—from Amazon to your nearest Waterstones. Naked Pen is a book about peace, vulnerability, and the quiet strength that reminds us we’re never truly alone in our struggles.

You might be wondering—"But aren’t you studying architecture? Where does poetry come in?" The truth is, the two go hand in hand for me. While architecture has continued to grow in my life—I’ve been honoured with the Cambridge Robert Rees Prize in Architecture and worked on people-focused projects like the redevelopment of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre with Beyond the Box, even presenting ideas at City Hall—writing has remained a core part of how I process and express the world around me.

My work is rooted in people-centric design—whether that’s creating youth spaces in North London or exploring architectural storytelling through writing. Recently, I was commissioned to write for Heatherwick Studio’s Humanise campaign, and I’ve also curated work for exhibitions. Most exciting of all: my creative work will soon be exhibited at the V&A, highlighting the importance of social housing estates, specifically the Robin Hood Gardens Estate."

We are immensely proud of Samira and wish her continuing success in her life.