Owais Shah - Cricket Net Opening and I&S Inspires

Owais Shah

Cricket Net Opening

In September, we were delighted to welcome ex-England cricketer and former Isleworth & Syon student Owais Shah into school. Owais attended I&S from 1994 until 1998, so he was the perfect candidate to open our brand-new, state-of-the-art cricket nets. This four-lane cricket facility is a major investment which will transform our cricket provision, providing a high-quality training environment for both curricular and extra-curricular learning.

It is more than an investment in sport, though - it is an investment in our young people, their aspirations and their futures. As a school, we believe that young people from all backgrounds deserve the chance to thrive, regardless of circumstance. These facilities will give that opportunity to thousands of students in the years ahead. During hours of training and development, these students will look to be the 'next Owais Shah', graduating from the I&S cricket pitch to playing for England.

After the nets had been opened, a group of current students had a go bowling and batting in the nets (pictured third and fifth above). Owais was on hand to give advice and coaching to help make these keen cricketers even better (pictured first above). We were also delighted to host an audience of invited dignitaries and guests at the event, including the Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor Ranjit Gill, as well as Ian Moore from the England & Wales Cricket Board.

We invited several generations of I&S alumni to the event as well. Bob Edmonds attended Isleworth Grammar School from 1956 to 1961 before coming back years later to teach economics and become a Deputy Headteacher. Raza Bukhari excelled on the cricket pitch during his time at school (1985-1992), eventually playing at schoolboy level for Middlesex. Zayd Kapadi is a more recent alumnus, leaving school in 2024 after seven years; he was school cricket captain and is currently in his third year at university. As part of the opening ceremony, Zayd gave a confident, eloquent speech where he reflected on what the school had given him and the lessons he has taken into his adult life.

Pictured fourth above you can see Zayd (first right) and Bob (second right) with current Sixth Form cricketer Mohammad (first left), as well as Owais (second left) - representing four generations of Isleworthians in one historic photograph. Thank you to everyone for their attendance to this special event - you can see a group shot pictured second above.

I&S Inspires

After the nets had been opened, Owais stayed on for our first I&S Inspires session of this academic year. As a reminder, I&S Inspires is our regular series of inspirational talks featuring different motivational speakers from all walks of life. The series has peeled back the curtain behind some of the top career pathways, including BBC journalist Gabriel Gatehouse and Status Quo bass player John “Rhino” Edwards.

Owais hosted a question-and-answer session with a group of students (pictured sixth above), with Year 12 film students on hand to record the event for their portfolios (pictured seventh above). Owais began by explaining how honoured he was to be invited back into school. He discussed some of his fond memories and how he wants to inspire the next generation. During the Q&A, students were superb, asking brilliant questions about his school days and what it is like to be an elite sportsman. The boys were a real credit to the school, and Owais seemed truly touched by the reception he had received in school. 

This was a special day at Isleworth & Syon which showcased something that makes the school so special - the connection between the past and the present. Through our growing Alumni Network, we are working hard to strengthen this link and help inspire our current students. This is a key part of the I&S culture, with these superb new facilities a testament to how we are helping students develop and grow, every day.