Founders’ Day Celebrations 2023

On May 24th, students, staff, Governors, UCL and extended members of The UCL Academy community came together to celebrate 10 years of the Academy. An eagerly awaited day that certainly lived up to and beyond all expectations when it finally arrived.

The main hall provided the stage from which the day began and ended. Speeches by President & Provost of UCL, Dr Michael Spence, Chair of Governors, Professor Lucie Green, Tulip Siddiq, MP and Sixth Form students set the tone for an afternoon that showcased everything that is unique to the Academy Curriculum. Not to mention the ambitious 5-Year plan for the Academy, explained by Robin Street and Simon McBride during speeches later in the day.

After the initial welcome, attendees were taken on student-led tours of the building to see some of the more usual and diverse subjects available to our students, by way of an ‘Enrichment Showcase’.

These included Music, Drama, Mandarin, SEND & Inclusion, Self Directed Learning, Engineering, PE, Careers, and Food.

Visitors to the Music department were treated to performances by the school choir, the Sixth Form instrumental band and members of the school rock group. Drama students dazzled us with their wonderful performance of part of Arthur Miller’s iconic play, The Crucible. Mandarin teachers and students took part in live lessons, where their Chinese language skills were put into practice during haggling and negotiation role plays. SEND & Inclusion allowed visitors to see examples of the types of interventions run by their team, including communication and interaction needs; cognition and learning needs; sensory and physical needs; and social, emotional and mental health needs. Self Directed Learning showcased a small range of activities from the current term, including a group of students taking part in an Albanian/Kosovan dance rehearsal, fencing coaching session led by Jamaica’s Number and a mini chess tournament and Origami activity led by members of the UCLA staff. Engineering gave visitors the chance to witness the future of education and technology, with live demonstrations of state-of-the-art CADCAM equipment, high-tech 3D printers and the pouring and finishing of liquid metal. PE showcased our wonderful partnership with Greenhouse Basketball, through which some of our students have developed and excelled to play at national level. Careers gave the opportunity for visitors to learn about this department helps our students to have inspiring and meaningful encounters with a wide range of people, through opportunities such as work experience, workplace visits, informal breakfasts, workshops, careers, university fairs, and more. Food was prepared by Level 1 and Level 1P students, showcasing their practical and creative skills. They prepared and cooked a variety of recipes, including traditional foods from some of the cuisines of our diverse school community.

The day culminated in the main hall with more talks by past and present students, as well as Elizabeth Critchley (Ripplewood Associates), Robin Street and Simon McBride (Co-Principals), not forgetting a beautiful a capella sung by one of our Academy students. While we all nibbled on the dishes prepared by L1 and L1 Plus Food students, there was a chance to reflect on not just the afternoon and the past 10 years, but the exciting times that lie ahead.

The next five years will build on the exceptional work of our sponsor, governors, staff, students and parent community in further establishing our school. While we look to further cement already proven practices and achievements, we also have a vision for the future. Our vision for the Academy is explained in this paper; please take the time to read this important document, which outlines the framework of how we will work with the community, our sponsor and other partners in achieving our vision.

Our sincere thanks to all those who made this wonderfully celebratory afternoon the success it was. And of course, to all those in our extended community who attended, and by all accounts enjoyed it just as much as us.

The Orion Garden – a new STEAM classroom at The UCL Academy

The UCL Academy building and its grounds provide inspiring spaces for all those fortunate enough to work and study here, and alongside the Architects’ original landscape design, students and teachers now have a rejuvenated exterior garden to nurture, learn from and bask in throughout the year.

Our Connected Curriculum encourages students to apply their curriculum learning beyond the classroom to real world scenarios. Students from year 7 to year 10 have been involved in the leadership and co-design of the Orion STEAM Garden. The project has involved learning that is both creative and interdisciplinary – from applying scientific knowledge about ecosystems and biodiversity to designing a space that meets the needs of both wildlife and humans. 

Supported by Camden STEAM, the opportunity arose to make an application for a climate Kickstart prize to the Mayor of London, with the premise of the application and funding being ‘rewilding’ at the Academy. Much to our delight, the application was successful and the academy was awarded just under £9000, an appreciated contribution to say the least.

Camden STEAM facilitated connections to commission a local charity, ‘Camden Think and Do’, which consists of gardeners and general volunteers. Over 40 students at the academy have now been trained in the principles of rewilding and sustainability and co-designed the Orion garden space. 

Since September, with the available funding, ‘Camden Think and Do’ have delivered 3 workshops to approximately 40 students from years 7,8, 9 and 10. Via these workshops, students have learned why rewilding initiatives in schools and the environment at large are so important. The discussions in the initial workshop were varied, but focussed predominantly on soil, air pollution, biodiversity, food production and the element of wellbeing. Workshop 2 centred on the co-design of the garden, alongside organisations including Camden Think and Do, Camden Clean Air Initiative and Camden Arts Centre. 

Building on the knowledge and principles already acquired,, the final workshop involved students working alongside Camden Think and Do and volunteers from Doughty Street Chambers to build pathways, plant trees, bulbs and seeds galore. Year 7 students in particular enjoyed this project, many of them embracing the collaborative design process and the opportunity to express their personal thoughts and wishes for the garden. 

Eliana (Year 7 student) said: 

“I have enjoyed the workshops we have been able to do; they have been a great learning experience for me and my peers. I have always loved nature and being able to help hit environmental problems on the head has made me even more aware of trying to save the environment”.

Once again, all materials and plants were procured through the ‘Camden Think and Do’ funding. Camden Think and Do have been an invaluable partner in bringing students ideas to life. 

The cyclical nature of the garden will offer endless opportunities to study and understand the environment, combining curricular, social and emotional benefits. First and foremost, instilling students with patience and respect for nature, offering them an holistic understanding of the various processes that occur from one season to another; while learning that urban spaces, however small, can become important areas for plant growth as well as refuges for wildlife. All of which plays a part in protecting the ecosystem on a global level.

Time Lapse cameras already placed in the garden are recording the short and long term effects of weather and time, giving tangible curriculum links in Geography and the Sciences. In addition to these, students also drew upon key elements of the Mathematics and Art curriculums when they applied their knowledge of measurement, geometry and design in order to produce an aesthetically pleasing and efficient garden. The Academy’s vision of a connected curriculum inspired by UCL’s Grand Challenges, which include sustainable cities, could not be more relevant in the case of this new space and the learning opportunities it will provide for all years and all abilities. 

Needless to say, this garden has particular resonance with some of our students who don’t have direct access to a garden or exterior space at home. We feel extremely fortunate and proud to offer every one of our students access to this garden, to participate in the maintenance of, or simply to use as a tranquil area in which to relax.

Such is the success of the newly planted Orion Garden, it has already garnered a loyal following of willing students, who will now maintain and nurture for their own enjoyment and education, and for those of future academy students.

Congratulations Year 11 – Fantastic GCSE Results 2022

GCSE results day is finally upon us and like so many before, we have ample reason to celebrate. The UCL Academy GCSE students continue to raise the bar with a high attaining set of results, with 30% of grades at 7 or above. Students achieved above national average results in a range of subjects, including some more unique to the Academy’s curriculum such as Engineering and Mandarin.

It goes without saying that all students have endured a testing 3 years, but their determination and diligence has paved the way for these well deserved results. We would like to thank all staff and parents/carers for their hard work in supporting our students’ achievements, none of this would have been possible without your ongoing help and dedication.

Many of our Year 11 students will start the next chapter of their studies in our Sixth Form and we look forward to them returning in September and progressing towards university and future careers. For those leaving us, we wish you luck in your future endeavours and very much look forward to seeing your progression.

Co-Principals, Robin Street and Simon McBride said: “Today is about celebrating the successes of every single one of our students. In amongst the excellent grades achieved are so many students who have made exceptional progress from a range of starting points. That includes students who have joined us in recent years from abroad and others who faced a range of personal challenges outside of school. Results Days rightly celebrate individual success stories, but many of those are far more than just grades”.

Outstanding Individual Results:

 

 

James Galloway

As one of the Academy’s top achieving students, James was rewarded for all his hard work with a stellar set of results, 5 x 9s and 5 x 8s. James’ best grades were awarded in English, Mandarin and the Sciences.

 

 

Viola Muhaxheri

With an impressive 5 x 9s, 4 x 8s and 1 x 7, Viola was thrilled to have achieved top grades in a range of subjects, including Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering and Geography. Viola will continue her studies in A Level Art, Engineering, Physics and Maths. Viola spoke about the “excellent connections and opportunities afforded to her during her 5 years, specifically those of UCL (our sponsor).

 

 

Viena  Muhaxheri

Viena achieved excellent results, with 4 x 9s, 5 x 8s and 1 x 6  in a range of subjects, including all three Sciences. Viena is now looking forward to continuing her study of the Sciences at A Level. She attributes many things to her success, but specifically mentioned the “close community and the extremely positive effect it had on her studies”.

 

 

Ronita Bejtullahi 

With an impressive 10 GCSEs including 2 x 9s, 4 x 8s and 2 x 7s,  Ronita was delighted with her achievements, achieving top grades in a range of subjects including Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, English Language, English Literature and Geography. A Level Biology, Chemistry and English Literature are Ronita’s chosen A Level subjects. Ronita said “the communication between teachers and students played an important role in my ability to succeed, it really helped with the stress around exam time”.

 

Maaria Matin

Celebrating considerable success today is Maaria Matin with 10 GCSEs, including 2 x 9s, 4 x 8s and 2 x 7s. Maaria will continue her studies in A Level Economics, Geography and Maths. She spoke warmly about “the extracurricular sessions and the extra mile that teachers go to make sure all students can succeed”.

 

 

Abid Kamal

Abid excelled in his studies and has been rewarded with an enviable set of results; 1 x 9, 4 x 8s and 5 x 7s. He is yet another one of our students who has performed exceptionally well in the Sciences. Abid said “camaraderie between the students and teachers was key to the success I have achieved”. 

 

 

Rayyane Gasmi 

Rayyaane achieved superb results, being awarded 10 GCSEs and including an impressive 7 x 8s. Rayyaane is now very much looking forward to continuing his studies at A Level. Many positives about his time at the Academy were mentioned, specifically the “close community and the extremely positive effect it had on his studies”.

 

 

Lisa Hoxha

As the awardee of 10 GCSEs, comprising 2 x 9s, 5 x 8s and 1 x 7, Lisa is quite rightly proud of her achievements; she excelled in Combined Science and Sociology. A Level Maths, Further Maths, Economics and Politics await Lisa on her return to study this September.

 

 

Lina Abdulrazzaq 

Lina was excited to collect her results this morning and elated by the outcome, 1 x 9, 5 x 8s and 4 x 7s. As one of the Academy’s high performing students, Lina is now looking forward to studying for her A Levels and has many fond memories from the past few years. At the forefront of her mind is the “the atmosphere and shared desire to learn at the Academy, but also the warmth and generosity of all the teachers and students”. 

 

 

Bardh Sadrija 

Bardh has been studying at the Academy since Year 7. Today, he is celebrating an outstanding set of results including 10 GCSEs, comprising 7 x 9s and 3 x 7s. Needless to say, he is incredibly proud of his results. Bardh said “The best thing about UCL Academy is the teaching environment and the teachers, they are always ready and willing to help”. Bardh is looking forward to starting his A Levels in Economics, Maths, Further Maths and Physics.

 

 

Arteen Babaei 

A student with us since Year 7, Arteen is yet another individual celebrating phenomenal academic success today with 10 GCSEs, including 2 x 9s, 4 x 8s and 3 x 7s. Arteen expressed his deep gratitude to the teaching staff, detailing how “Teachers know exactly how to cater to specific students, which in turn helped me get high grades”.

 

 

 

Ethan Li

Ethan was understandably overwhelmed by his results, achieving 10 GCSEs, 8 of which are grades 7-9. Ethan said “the opportunity to study Mandarin and the sense of community at the academy were pivotal to his success”.

 

 

 

Snapshots of the day:

 

 

Congratulations to our A Level Class of 2022

 

Staff and Governors at The UCL Academy could not be prouder of the achievements of this year’s A Level cohort. In spite of all the challenges of the past three years, so many of our students have achieved excellent grades across their subjects.

They have, as a result of their hard work and dedication, been rewarded with places at some of the country’s leading universities such as Imperial College London, King’s College London, London School of Economics, Queen Mary University of London and the Universities of Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Warwick and York.

They are moving onto an impressive range of courses in STEM, Humanities and the Arts. For example, Comparative Literature, English, Fine Art & Art History, Economics, Environmental science, History, Law, Philosophy, Aerospace Engineering, Engineering & Architectural Design, Medical Sciences, Neuroscience, Pharmacy, Computer Science and Mathematics.

We are particularly proud that currently 6 of our students have confirmed places to study at our Sponsor UCL, fulfilling the dreams they had when they first started at The UCL Academy.

Co-Principals Robin Street and Simon McBride said “Students have done so well to achieve these results and move onto these exciting courses. They worked through their A Level courses during a period of much higher uncertainty than usual and showed determination and resilience that will stand them in really good stead for their future lives. We wish them every success.” 

As always, we are delighted with the performance of all our students and they will be proud of what they have accomplished. A few highlights below:

 

 

Nayeeb Choudhury

Having achieved a fantastic set of results; 4 A*s in Economics, Maths, Further Maths and Politics, Nayeeb is one of the Academy’s highest achievers this year. Nayeeb wished to thank the Maths department for their support in achieving his desired results, stating “my teachers helped at every step along the way”. Nayeeb is looking forward to taking his place at LSE to study Economics.

 

Nora Salam

Nora joined the Academy’s Sixth Form in September 2020. With an A* in History and 2 A’s in Psychology and English Literature, Nora has secured her place at University of Edinburgh to study History. Nora spoke about her passion for history and her gratitude for the support she received from the Academy throughout her time in Sixth Form, stating that ‘they cared a lot and always helped prepare for exams’.

 

 

 

Ali Sam Nateghian 

Ali-Sam, our Head Boy, was thrilled to achieve his results; 2 A*’s in Economics and Maths plus 2 A’s in Biology and Chemistry. Ali-Sam praised the teachers who worked hard to help him reach his potential and secure his place in September at University of Warwick studying Economics.

 

 

 

Mohammad Eghbal Sobhani 

With 3 A’s in Biology, Chemistry and Maths, Mohammad has secured his place at King’s College to study Neuroscience. Mohammed spoke empathetically about the pastoral support he received, both emotionally and mentally, and the willingness of the teachers to help with his exams preparation when needed, quoting that it has been “the best 2 years of my life!”.

 

 

Hana Molokhia

Hana achieved superb results of 3 A*’s in Engineering, Maths and Further Maths plus an A in Physics. Hana will be attending our Sponsor UCL in September to study Engineering and Architectural Design. Coming in as a new student to Sixth Form in 2020, Hana warmly talked about how welcomed and supported she felt, and the motivation her teachers provided. Hana said “my teachers pushed me in my studies and to stay in Further Maths, I wouldn’t have got the grades without them”.

 

 

Olti Llapashtica 

Olti has been a student at the Academy since Year 7 (Foundation). He achieved a wonderful set of results; 2 A*’s in Economics and Maths plus an A in Politics which granted him a place at University of Warwick to study Economics. Olti found the helpfulness of all departments and the learning environment pivotal to his success and is grateful that staff pushed him to achieve his best. Olti’s main learning point from undertaking his A levels was that “hard work pays off”.

 

 

Ylli Nici 

A student at The UCL Academy since Year 8 (Level 1), Ylli excelled in his 4 chosen subjects, achieving 3 A*’s in Economics, Maths and Further Maths plus an A in Physics. Ylli is excited to continue his studies in Maths at Imperial College London. Ylli spoke about the quality and consistency of his education at the Academy, which supported him in achieving his results, concluding that “consistency is king!”.

 

Artist-in-Residence Workshops Summer 2022

 

Key stage 3 students were thrilled to take part in an opportunity to work with contemporary artist Alexander de Cadenet this half term as part of a three-day Artist in Residency programme arranged in conjunction with AiR. 

Artistic practices were explained, with students learning how inspiration can come from a variety of sources. Alexander de Cadenet spoke about how meditation and reflection are key to his art practice and encouraged students to reflect on the minutiae of what they see and hear around them. Students listened to a film of blackbird song and contemplated the idea of portals before commencing with a range of experimental works. Students had access to a range of diverse materials, including coffee filters, food dye, and spray bottles; highlighting the way that art can be made without access to traditional and often expensive art materials.

Further inspiration was gleaned from a presentation of the kinetic sculptures of Alexander Calder. Students then worked collaboratively, using the components made in earlier workshops, to create a moving sculpture of their own; generating an installation where space and the flow of air became part of the work.

 

 

 

Working directly with an artist gave students first-hand experience of how an artist thinks about their work. Students embraced the cycle of inspiration, experimentation and reflection, embracing both control and risk-taking. More than simply an exercise in creativity, the workshops also enabled students to show the learning attributes of resilience and collaboration.

 

The final artworks are beautiful, displaying an array of mark-making, colour and compositional choices. They lend themselves to both careful scrutiny and at-a-glance appreciation. The dream-like quality of the outcomes are reminiscent of the work of Joan Miro and El-Anutsui. The 96 students involved should be very proud of themselves and the excellent work they have created which is currently on display in the Art Room.

International Evening and Parent Summer Party!

 

On Wednesday 6th July, our amazing Academy community came together to celebrate culture, cuisine and conversation at our International Evening. What a fantastic event and evidence of the amazing strength that a community can have when they work together. Under the guidance and organisation of Miss Cannoli, we were inundated and overwhelmed by the support we received from families and students. You cooked amazing dishes from Kosova, Somalia, France, Ukraine, Slovakia, Mauritius, South Africa, Congo, Korea, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Hungary, The Philippines, America, Japan, Morocco, Bangladesh, Austria, Syria, Nigeria and many more! It was an absolute treat to the senses. Students (and Mr Hillage!) provided some wonderful entertainment too, so a huge THANK YOU to all of our parents who cooked, to those who came and to all the staff who supported us!

See you next year!