Congratulations to all our A Level students, after another unique year.

Students’ resilience and determination over the last year is once again reflected in the excellent results across all subjects. The Academy is intensely proud of this year’s magnificent graduates and celebrates what has unarguably been a testing 2 years for students, teachers and parents alike.

Year on year, many of our students gain places at Russell Group universities, but this year, we are particularly proud to have a record number of our students continuing their studies at our sponsor university, UCL.

Huge congratulations to all those who have achieved their goals, our students will always be part of the UCL Academy family and we very much look forward to seeing where your hard work and commitment takes you in the future.

Robin Street and Simon McBride Co-Principals of the Academy said “Days like today must always be about celebrating and recognising the commitment, positivity and successes of individual students. We are, as always, absolutely delighted that so many of our students have confirmed places on their chosen university courses. Ensuring that every student receives the recognition they each deserve remains our absolute priority. Seeing our students celebrate each other’s successes as much as their own was particularly special. Hearing from students that they would be back soon to visit and would keep in touch with staff here, is testament to the wonderful relationships they have built and the community values of the Academy. We bid them a fond farewell as they move on, we know that these students will go on to achieve huge success, academically, socially and professionally”.

Some of the stand-out individual performances:

Vladut Iacob, the Academy’s very own Head Boy achieved a superb set of results; A*s in Mathematics and Physics and an A in Art. He is now looking forward to taking up his place at UCL to study Architecture. Vladut said being Head Boy taught him the skills he needed to balance his academic and personal life, as well as allowing him to represent and help other students along the way. Most importantly, he said “the last 2 years were the most meaningful of my life so far”.

Riana Rahman (Head Girl) – After achieving an A* in Art, Riana has secured a place at Central St Martins to study for a Foundation degree in Art & Design, after which she will specialise in her chosen field. Riana joined the Academy in Year 7 and spoke about the real and tangible sense of community at the Academy. In her words, “it propelled me to be a better person and student”.

Patrick Wol-Carty has been a student at the Academy since Year 7. He achieved a wonderful set of results; 1 A* in Geography and 2 As in History and Politics. Patrick said “stand out elements of studying at the Academy have been the amazing pastoral support and the familial like environment”.  Patrick has secured a place at Oxford University to study Law.

Tasnima Rahim – With 2 A*s in History and Biology and an A in Chemistry, Tasnima has secured her place to study Archaeology at UCL. She spoke emphatically about the quality of education at the Academy, specifically the mentoring system and the teaching staff in the  Biology department.

Ryan McEvoy – With 3 A*s in Maths, Further Mathematics and Music Technology, Ryan is one of our many students continuing their studies at UCL, in his case, Mathematics.  Ryan thanked all departments he studied under, saying “the dynamic between teachers and students was amazing” and allowed him to achieve the best possible results.

Isman Nageye – Also a student at the academy since Year 7, Isman is thrilled to have secured a place to study Medicine at Southampton. Isman was awarded 2 A*s in Chemistry and Mathematics and an A in Biology. He found the working environment at the Academy to be pivotal to his success, specifically the helpfulness of staff and the superstudios in which he spent many hours.

Carine Rassam has also been a student at the Academy since Year 7. Having achieved 2 A*s in Biology and Chemistry and a D1 in Mandarin, she is one of the Academys’ highest achievers. Carine spoke about the importance of the teaching at the Academy, saying it “ensured she expanded her knowledge beyond the curriculum”, allowing her to fall in love with her subjects and study on a higher level.

Heidi Malaj – One of our Critchley Scholars excelled in her 3 chosen subjects, achieving A*s in English and Geography and an A in History. Heidi is another one of our high achieving students whose journey began at the Academy in Year 7. She is also one of the many students going on to study at UCL (Law). Heidi attributes her success to hard work on her part, but strongly believes the diversity of the curriculum at the Academy is what allowed her to extend her learning and attain her ultimate goals.

Our long awaited Sports Day!

After the washout that was Wimbledon, we were all keeping our fingers crossed for better weather come Sports Day, and we weren’t disappointed! The sun was shining on Parliament Hill and all involved were eager to reignite the house competition they missed out on last year due to Covid.

Standout performances were seen in many events. But, as well as the great achievements, it is worth noting that the main success of this year’s Sports Day was everyone experiencing a sense of normality and being able to share memories once again.

Head of PE, Ms Potter said: “It was fantastic to see so many students laughing, smiling and cheering each other’s success. The atmosphere was brilliant and supportive and the quality of performances across all events was very high. The highlight of the day and the image that summed up the collectiveness of the students was when one of our SEND students in Foundation fell over during the 100m. Immediately the Head Boy and Head Girl rushed over to pick her up and run with her as she finished the race, with the rest of the school cheering her on. An amazing example of the fantastic students at The Academy”.

After the points were carefully counted, the victors of the day were announced…Orion! Huge congratulations to all those involved.

After last winning in 2012/2013 – who knows, perhaps this signals the passing of the baton?

Sixth Form Transition Week – w/b Monday 28th June 

The transition from Senior School to Sixth Form is a significant one; marking the shift into student life as a young adult and crucially, to the beginning of a more considered path of education.

Preparing for Sixth Form is an exciting time in your life as a student; we believe Induction to Sixth Form begins as soon as you apply, but begins in earnest when you confirm on results day in August. From an early stage, we endeavour to make sure you have all the resources and information you need to make well informed choices and to achieve your goals, much of which we impart during Transition Week. 

Transition Week is part of a much larger programme, nonetheless, is significantly important in ensuring each of you build a firm foundation for your studies. Composed of a series of events and activities held over 5 days, it plays a vital role in introducing you to academic life in the Sixth Form. While a significant number of you will continue from the UCL Academy main school into Sixth Form, a number of you will join from other schools. Walk through tours and introductions will kickstart the Transition Week and for those joining us in particular, will introduce you to the exceptional facilities you will inhabit for the next 2 years. 

As the week progresses, the 4 key areas of the programme will be delivered; Tutoring and student mindset, Careers/Futures and next steps, Subject knowledge and engagement in preparing for A level and lastly, Academic study skills and research and mentoring. By way of discussions surrounding shared visions, responsibilities and ambitions, we aim to create a sense of belonging in all our future students. Over the course of the week, your intellectual curiosity will develop and widen as discussions become more unique to each of your paths.

It would be remiss not to mention the unusual situation all of you have faced over the last year, specifically how exam preparations have been vastly different to previous years. We are mindful these are new pastures and many of you won’t have any experience of studying for examinations across multiple subjects. Rest assured, the Sixth Form Team and the entire UCL Academy Community is here to ensure you have the skill and mindset to succeed in your studies, irrespective of the current and future situation.

All that remains is to wish you a happy and restful summer break and to say we look forward to welcoming you all to the Academy very soon.

Opportunities Aplenty for Students During Remote Learning 

In March 2020, we wrote an article about the positive role of technology in education at the Academy (https://uclacademy.co.uk/level-2-students-embrace-technology-as-a-learning-tool/). Nearly one year on, we have even more reason to celebrate the unique opportunities that technology and our remote learning programmes have given our students.

SDL (Self Directed Learning)

As many of you will already know, one of the key points of difference at the Academy is the SDL programme (Student Directed Learning), integral to our sponsor’s vision of ‘Educating the Whole Person’. At the heart of this enrichment programme is the aim to encourage students to develop a balance of heart, body, mind and spirit through participation in a host of varied activities. Over the years, this programme has gained momentum and has unarguably never been as important as it is now. Currently leading the SDL programme at the Academy is Ms Ayan Abdi, who over recent months has experienced first hand the ever increasing relevance and popularity of this particular part of the curriculum. 

In a typical week, students are expected to attend 1-3 SDLs, a mixture of streamed and unstreamed sessions. Each unstreamed session is 50 minutes long, the first 10 minutes of which involves a private chat between teacher and student. As well as providing much needed verbal communication, these 10 minutes give students precious one to one time to discuss anything they wish. Ms Abdi said she ‘strongly believes these one to one chats are vital for remote education’ – the so-called ‘new normal’ for students currently studying from home.

The range of SDLs evolve with every new Academy term and aims to reflect constantly changing influences and the wider environment. There are currently 36 SDLs for this term, including Dungeons and Dragons, All about Korea, Pet Club, 5D Diamond Painting, Eco Engineering, Illustration and Chess Club, to name but a few. All about Korea and Dungeons and Dragons are both student-led SDLs, in which student leaders assign tasks and roles, in addition to carrying out team work with the larger group. As would be expected, these sessions are carefully monitored by teachers, but they are ultimately directed by students and as a result, inspire free-thinking, individuality and collaboration. Moreover, they encourage students to take responsibility regarding their own learning path.

Screenshot taken from Pet Club, 5D Diamond Painting and an example of Student work from Illustrate.

Many of these SDLs were created with the intention of being taught on site at the beginning of the current term. However, due to the ever changing landscape of education, both then and now, the entire programme has moved online. The fact that all sessions were able to resume on the first day of term is due in no small measure to the dedication and dexterity of Ms Abdi and the other programme teaching staff.

Careers Programme

Another way in which Academy students are being offered unique opportunities in spite of the lockdown is via our dedicated Careers Programme, curated by Mrs Laura Manning and implemented alongside Mrs Eranda Aliu. This is an expansive programme, comprising University/College Open Days, Subject/Interest Specific Events, Careers and Work Experience Opportunities and General Information/Guidance. Over the course of these timetabled sessions, Academy students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make successful career choices and manage transitions in their learning.

In addition to the aforementioned role, Mrs Aliu is also the UCL Links Coordinator, a position which involves working in close partnership with our sponsor, the UCL University. Every year, among other activities, she coordinates and manages the running of the UCL Guest Lecture Series; these lectures are given by UCL academics and are addressed specifically to our Sixth Form students. Due to the recent lock-down and these being held virtually, the lectures are also now open to the KS4 group of students (GCSE students) and especially those interested at studying at UCL in the future.

A recent event from this series was a live lecture with the Biochemical Engineering team at UCL (see image). Dr Rana Khalife, Senior Research Fellow at UCL gave a lecture entitled ‘Introduction to Biochemical Engineering’, illustrating perfectly the ongoing support we are so privileged to have from our sponsor.

Live Lecture – ‘Introduction to Biochemical Engineering’ – October 2020

Since the beginning of 2021 and in the exact circumstances thrust upon the SDL programme, the entire Career programme is now online. However, this has certainly not impeded students and parents from having access to an equally varied and full calendar of events. From webinars such as Sustainable Cities (Joey Aoun, Environmental Designer) and Help with applying to Medical School’, to Diversity & Inclusion in Careers: Parent Event with IBM, HSBC & Co-op, the information is broad and diverse, giving every student and parent the tools they need to make well informed decisions.

Alongside lectures/webinars, work experience is a fundamental and compulsory feature of the programme and student life at the Academy. You wouldn’t be wrong for assuming that work experience might be difficult to arrange under the current lockdown. Be that as it may, Mrs Manning has endeavoured to provide access to all remote opportunities, including work experience. One such example being a placement at The Francis Crick Institute – a world leading biomedical research organisation investigating human disease. If successful with their application, budding scientists from the Academy have the chance to meet professionals in the field and to explore the cutting-edge work of the institute, a thrilling opportunity to say the least.

Since 2018, The Critchley Scholarship has been part of the Academy Career programme. Via a series of talks and visits, female students are encouraged to be ambitious, confident and successful in their studies and future. Those fortunate enough to be awarded this scholarship receive support and mentoring from Elizabeth Critchley, a successful businesswoman and a Partner of Ripplewood Advisors Limited. In October 2020, via a live link, the latest awardees of this scholarship were announced (see image). Aside from visits, the scholarship programme is still very much active and available as a resource to students during lockdown. Furthermore, Josh Critchley has now added his support to the school with the pilot programme “Investing in Futures”. The programme will support up to fifteen Level 2 students to learn about the Financial Services Industry and give them tangible support to develop their Maths knowledge outside of the classroom. 

Elizabeth Critchley Scholarship Award Event – December 2020

These are just a few examples of the plethora of remote/online opportunities available during this period, giving only a small overview of the diversity and comprehensiveness of the SDL and Academy Career programmes.

Remote learning in general has not only given our students opportunities to grasp, share and present their work in different ways, it has encouraged them to take more ownership of their individual learning paths. In the future, many people may well continue to associate remote learning with lockdowns. Irrespective of this, our aim is to ensure the varied and abundant learning opportunities available before this period exist now and when onsite learning resumes.

Learning During Lockdown has Helped our Students Literally Aim for the Stars!

The Summer break has afforded our students time to relax and rejuvenate before the new academic year, but in the case of one of our Level 3 students, it gave her time to explore further her passion for Physics. Azizah Abdul aspires to become an Astronaut or Astrobiologist and has spent her summer break studying Astronomy, specifically using Faulkes Telescopes to take and produce imagery. 

Alongside three other female students and under the guidance of her Physics tutor, Mr Simpson, Azizah is learning exactly what it takes to pursue and succeed in her chosen career path. As well as learning with the academy, she was fortunate enough to be signed up for the Cardiff University Physics Summer School. By way of this, she has met (online) Dr Chris North (Astrophysicist), who is a colleague of Professor Jane Greaves (Astronomer), the scientist who led an international team of astronomers that recently made the discovery of Phosgene on Venus and possible signs of extremophile life. 

As well as learning the essential processes and skills she needs in order to achieve her goals, Azizah now also has the opportunity to learn from esteemed individuals and most significantly, a female pioneer in the word of Astronomy.

We are immensely proud to have so many students showing such high-level interest in our STEM subjects, and equally proud of the dedicated staff who ensure students are given every opportunity to learn further from experts in their fields.

Like most budding scientists, Azizah is motivated by a love of discovery and a deep pursuit of knowledge; we look forward to seeing how her endeavours culminate in the coming years.

Congratulations to all our A Level Students, after (hopefully) a Unique Year

As always, we are delighted to announce the results of our A-Level students. Despite several challenging months, the commitment and hard work of the students have culminated in another successful year, with many of our 2019/2020 cohort securing places at so many of the UK’s leading universities, including of course our Sponsor UCL. The academy is intensely proud of this year’s graduates and celebrates the resilience and determination of students, teachers, and parents over the last few months specifically.

Overall, the results for our students continue to be very strong. Our 2019 outcomes put us in the top 20% of similar schools nationally, and students this year leave us with just as strong grades as ever.     

Robin Street and Simon McBride Co-Principals of the Academy said “Today must be about celebrating and supporting every single one of our students at the end of this unprecedented academic year. We are absolutely delighted that so many of our students have confirmed places on their chosen university courses. Ensuring that all students receive the recognition they all deserve is our absolute priority. The atmosphere at school today has reminded us of how compassionate and supportive this year group is and we could not be prouder of how staff have worked with our students today. We bid them a fond farewell as they move on, we know that these students will go on to achieve huge success, academically, socially and professionally”.

Some of the stand-out individual performances:

Ponmile Femi-Sunmaila is planning to study Computer Science at University College London. He achieved a great set of results; one A*, one A, one B and one C. Ponmile thanked all his teachers for their “dedication to making lessons so productive and for helping him achieve his goals”.

Jimena Benedetto – With one A* and three As, Jimena is excited to be taking up her place at the University of York to study Natural Sciences. Jimena thanked UCL for “all the opportunities” they have given her. She said the “workshop trips in particular helped immensely with my applications”.

Jacques Foex has been a student at the academy since Year 7. He achieved an amazing set of results; three A*s and one A in his chosen subjects. Jacques said “The best thing about UCL is the teaching staff, they offer a wide range of support to anyone that needs it and they’re really good at making sure everybody stays on track to get the results they deserve”. Jacques has secured a place at Warwick University to study Mathematics.

Eva Barci performed exceptionally well in her studies, gaining one A* and two As in Geography, Government History and Politics; she will be taking up her place later this year to study law at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Eva aspires to become a Lawyer and eventually a Judge and credits the teachers with “giving her all the resources and support” she needed to succeed.

Ayub Mohamed, the Academy’s very own Head Boy is extremely proud to have achieved one A and two Bs in his chosen subjects and will be taking up his place to study Quantity Surveying at Reading University. Ayub thanked his mathematics mentor for “all the support he gave”, in addition to all the other students and teachers. He finished by saying “I very much recommend this school”.