STEAM Week Friday – Friday 8th March—Friday 15th March

15th March 2019webadmin webadmin

STEAM Week 2019

STEAM week seeks to provide students at the Academy with a broad and varied set of experiences beyond the classroom to further engage their creative, digital and scientific education. This year, teachers at the Academy organised over 3200 student STEAM encounters across 6 schools days. These included trips, visits, workshops, lectures and competitions. This was the first year that the Academy included the Arts in the programme. This represents the high value placed on the Arts perspectives and developing creative skills.

 

It was great to hear Professor Lucie Green reference her background training to become an Art Therapist before embarking on her physics degree – an amazing example of the blend of skills required for success, and the power of interdisciplinary learning. This year’s Star Gazing Party had students of all ages, parents and teachers fill the forum to hear Prof Lucie Green give a talk about our daytime star which was the source of her research.

 

 

 

Trips went out with students from Foundation to Level 2 to cultural institutions across London including ZSL, The Royal Observatory, The Science Museum and The Hayward Gallery. Workshops also took place looking on cyber security and coding languages. Engineering challenges included a Level 1 Make Do day where students had to create to a brief with only paper, card and self tapping screws!

While the UK economy has only grown 4.1% over the past 5 years, Camden employment in creative, digital and scientific careers has expanded by 34% (Camden STEAM commission report, 2017). We are passionate about ensuring our students have the opportunities to develop their skills and interests to prepare them for the future world of work. There were two separate events where students could meet with employers from STEAM professions – both events were designed to give students a personalised approach to careers education. The STEAM careers breakfast and a careers in Engineering evening. Students once again left with offers of work experience and internships and lots of inspiration for future career prospects.

Sarah York a Game Tester from Deep Mind had this to say to our students: “Well done, for participating in the speed networking event, your enthusiasm and ambition was apparent. Being able to put yourself out there and talk to professionals in the industry is a very useful skill to help you find work opportunities. The tech industry is a fast moving field, to increase your chances of employ-ability; make sure you are keeping up with the latest tech news in the area you are interested in. And try to motivate yourself to research and study alongside your classes. You will need to be able to self-direct your own studies when you get into the world of work. Such as, having to learn new tools on your own or learning a workflow of a company. Doing this now whilst in education is going to give you good practise, before you get into the industry. Find something you’re passionate about and put your all in and you will do great, good luck!”

Camden Secondary schools were challenged to enter 6th form students into a Titration competition. The competition was judged by UCL Chemistry Faculty’s Dr Victoria Hillborne. The competition was won by our very own L3 Gabriella Randall and Jimena Benedetto.

It is always wonderful to close the event with UCL Academy’s own Operating theatre live. Students were treated to the theatrical talents of the Science Faculty’s Rafael Alleyne and Tom Morgan. This interactive display saw a (willing!) student volunteer undergo complete  dissection as students learned about the systems of the body.

Student feedback about the week was incredibly positive with many students  recognising the huge efforts that their teachers put into organising the events. Thank you to all staff involved in the week both leading the events and supporting them to take place and to all the students who were so engaged throughout the week.

 

 

 

Level 1+ Justice Evening – Thursday 28th February

28th February 2019webadmin webadmin

Level 1+ Justice Evening

We are very proud of the wonderful speeches that our Level 1+ students gave last night (Thursday 28th February) at the Justice evening. This event, hosted by the humanities team, is a key part of our termly celebration of learning events that we hold at the Academy.


There were some brilliant speeches covering subjects including LGBTQ issues and some of the challenges and opportunities that this generation faces. Students have been working hard all term on these speeches as part of their unit on Justice and this truly came across in their compassionate, mature and wise presentations. Many thanks to all of the parents who came along to support them.

 

 

Critchley Scholarship Breakfast Meeting

1st February 2019webadmin webadmin

Critchley Scholarship Breakfast Meeting

A select group of 23 high achieving year L2 and L2+ girls had the amazing opportunity to attend a two hour breakfast meeting at Elizabeth Critchley’s home today (Friday 1st February). Elizabeth is a highly successful businesswoman, a Partner of Ripplewood Advisors Limited and the lady behind our wonderful Critchley Scholarship programme.

Ms Critchley gave the students a very warm welcome and a chance to hear first-hand about her upbringing and   professional experiences. She spoke about self-motivation and having the confidence to seize opportunities and challenge stereotypes and expectations. The message of not having a fear of failure and always asking for support was consistent throughout her speech.

This is the second cohort of students to be part of the programme and Elizabeth continues to inspire a generation of women  to think broadly and ambitiously about their long-term aims, goals ideas and opportunities. We are very grateful for her ongoing support and inspiration.

 

The UCL Academy Careers Fair – Thursday 24th January

24th January 2019webadmin webadmin

The UCL Academy Careers Fair – Thursday 24th January

We were delighted to hold our first ever Careers Fair last night (Thursday 24th January). Over 45 high profile organisations joined over 400 students and parents for what was a wonderful, inspiring evening.

 

The Academy’s Chair of Governors, Professor Lucie Green, opened the Fair, urging students to be open to new ideas and to think creatively about their future. With a range of organisations exhibiting, including The Francis Crick Institute, KPMG and the Academy’s sponsor, UCL, among many others, students were blown away by of the wonderful career opportunities that were open to them. Exhibitors were also very complimentary about the Academy students and the quality of dialogue and conversations that they had.

Mr Robin Street, Co-Principal, was thrilled with the number of students and parents that attended, saying that ‘it gave a real insight into the appetite and interest our student population has in broadening their horizons and thinking deeply about their futures’.

 

Guest Lecture by Tim Marshall, British Journalist, Author and Broadcaster

17th January 2019webadmin webadmin

Guest Lecture by Tim Marshall, British Journalist, Author and Broadcaster

We were delighted to welcome Tim Marshall, British journalist, author and broadcaster to the Academy for a guest lecture. We were treated to an engaging, thought provoking, and humorous talk about the current global climate of wall building and division which sparked a lively Q&A session at the end. Many thanks to Tim Marshall for taking the time to visit us!

The UCL Academy Winter Concert

17th December 2018webadmin webadmin

The UCL Academy Winter Concert

 

We were absolutely delighted to welcome so many parents to our wonderful Winter Concert last night (Wednesday 17th December). The standard of performance was the highest we have ever seen and the students didn’t shy away from choosing some very demanding pieces.

 

 

 

Huge congratulations and thanks to the staff, students and parents who supported the concert. It was a fabulous showcase of the talents of our students and a testament to their hard work throughout the term.

The UCL Academy Autumn Celebration of Learning

6th December 2018webadmin webadmin

The UCL Academy Autumn Celebration of Learning

Last night’s (Thursday 6th December) Celebration of Learning was a huge success and it was wonderful to welcome so many parents to the evening. Students were thrilled to get the opportunity to showcase this terms work and perform ballet, cheer-leading and puppetry amongst other wonderful things for parents. The opportunity of a real audience for student work adds a crucial dimension to driving standards as well as giving student ownership and pride in their work.

For many of our students this will have been an unforgettable opportunity to showcase their learning and explain the thinking behind it to parents, students and Academy staff. Many thanks for your support for the event and we look forward to the next Celebration of Learning in the Spring Term.

 

Visit of Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder and CEO of DeepMind

27th November 2018webadmin webadmin

Visit of Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder and CEO of DeepMind

 

A very lucky group of Academy students were inspired today (Tuesday 27th November) by a visit from Demis Hassabis, one of the world’s most prominent business leaders and one of the world’s top 100 most influential people according to Time Magazine. Demis, Co-Founder and CEO of DeepMind, took the students on a journey through his impressive career from chess prodigy to computer scientist to neuroscientist to video game designer to artificial intelligence scientist and entrepreneur.

 

The event was possible thanks to a partnership between DeepMind and Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC), an educational charity that champions the playing of chess to promote key academic and social skills that children will use throughout their lives. Hassabis, a child chess prodigy and England junior chess captain, believes that games like chess provide a vital foundation for learning disciplines that can prepare children for work in the digital economy.

In a Q&A between Mr Street and Demis, students were able to ask questions on subjects ranging from his educational background to his insights on the progression of AI, what it means for the future of society, and challenges in the sector. He described how he was inspired, by an A-level maths teacher, to examine how to think and approach problems methodically, later putting this mantra to work in setting up DeepMind. Demis also explained how advances in research often came in the ‘gaps’ between subjects and applauded our Connected Curriculum and collaborate approach to learning for encouraging students to approach problems more creatively.

Demis said that “as a young chess player I learnt how to solve problems, how to make plans and devise strategies, and how to imagine and visualise possible futures. Playing the game at such a young age was an extremely formative experience and the transferable skills I honed through chess have continued to influence and inform all aspects of my life. That’s why I’m always very encouraging of children being taught chess as part of the school curriculum, and particularly proud to support the work of Chess in Schools and Communities. Demis added that “UCL Academy is only a stone’s throw from the comprehensive school I went to in Finchley and it was really rewarding to talk to local students, especially when they have such a brilliant understanding of the potential and pitfalls of AI.”

Robin Street, Co-Principal, said, “It is testament to the enthusiasm of Demis for chess that he is willing to take time out of his busy schedule to visit us at UCL Academy in support of Chess in Schools and Communities. The students will have learned a great deal from his insights into the complex world of AI and machine learning, including the applications of these innovations to different fields.” Malcolm Pein, Chief Executive of Chess in Schools and Communities, added, “Demis’ overview of his impressive career proved inspirational for UCL Academy’s cohort of A-level students and it was fascinating to listen to their ideas and concerns expressed through the questions they posed to Demis.

The UCL Academy Celebrates Its First Critchley Scholars

26th September 2018admin

The UCL Academy Celebrates Its First Critchley Scholars

The Academy is honoured and delighted to announce today (26th September) the school’s first ever Critchley Scholars, Ema Hoxha and Iman Noah.

These two Level 3 (Year 12) students were chosen from a group of high achieving female students to receive support and mentoring from Elizabeth Critchley, a successful businesswoman and a Partner of Ripplewood Advisors Limited. The Academy has worked with Elizabeth, a UCL alumnus, over the past year to design a program of talks and visits for our highest achieving female students in Level 2+ (Year 11).

Ema Hoxha said: “I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be a Critchley Scholar. It has rewarded my hard work and has further encouraged me to maintain that work ethic while studying for my A levels. I am looking forward towards the guidance and mentoring I will receive which will help me develop skills required in the future.”

 

Iman Noah said: “I am honoured to be granted this opportunity as it’s helped to put me in a position where I can develop a prosperous future as well as, hopefully, inspiring more young girls to endeavour in STEM.”

Robin Street, Co-Principal at the Academy said: “The scholarship aims to inspire these students to be ambitious, confident and successful in their studies and chosen line of work. We are honoured that the Critchley Scholarship has now been confirmed as a formal award to two students each year.”

Elizabeth Critchley said: “I am delighted to be able to help The UCL Academy, as an Alumni of UCL, with the scholarship programme. Under the inspirational leadership of Co-Principals Simon McBride and Robin Street, The UCL Academy has great long-term ambition. I believe the programme will help to demonstrate, not only to those who are selected for it, but also more broadly, that the only ceiling to achievement is your own ambition.”

Second Year of Excellent GCSE Results at The Academy

23rd August 2018admin

Second Year of Excellent GCSE Results at The Academy

The UCL Academy is today celebrating its second set of GCSE results, marked by a number of outstanding performances by its students. Students achieved above national average results in a range of subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, and Engineering and are now looking forward to continuing their studies into the 6th form.

Four of the standout individual performances from Academy students are:

 

Jacques Foex, who is celebrating an outstanding set of results with seven 9s, one 8 and an A* in a range of subjects, including Engineering. His family are all really proud and Jacques is looking forward to starting his A Levels at the Academy in September. “Many thanks to my enthusiastic and engaging teachers for their incredible support,” he says.

 

 

Ema Hoxha, who thanked teachers for “their support and all of the extra revision sessions that they held for students,” after achieving five 9s, three 8s and one A* in subjects including Music.

 

 

 

Safi Abdirahman was delighted to have achieved top grades in a range of subjects including Science, English and Mandarin. She thanked her teachers for teaching her to revise efficiently and effectively. “I felt less stressed during the exam period and more prepared.”

 

 

Alyssa Chan achieved excellent results, with four 9s, two 8s and three 7s in a range of subjects, including all three sciences, and is now looking forward to continuing her study of STEM subjects at A Level. “All of the teachers go out of their way to facilitate the best learning,” said Alyssa.

 

Robin Street, Co-Principal of The UCL Academy said: “We are delighted with the results our students have achieved in this year’s GCSEs, which reflect the hard work of both students and staff. Ever since the Academy opened in 2012, we shared an ambition with our sponsor to deliver an education that challenged and developed our students, and inspired them to achieve excellence. I believe these results help to demonstrate that our students are thriving in this uniquely challenging and supportive environment to deliver their best.”

Professor Anthony Smith, UCL Vice Provost (Education and Student Affairs), said: “We congratulate all of the Academy GCSE students for their hard work and the results they have achieved today. I believe that the sponsorship of the Academy by UCL, one of the world’s leading universities, provides students with a unique experience that they have benefited from in their school career. This is a fantastic day for them, and we look forward to their further future success.”