Will there be entry requirements for the UCL Academy?
The admissions requirements for the UCL Academy can be found here.
There will be no academic entrance requirements for the Academy; the school will not set aptitude tests in any subject.
How do I apply to the UCL Academy for entry?
Parents should use the Camden Common Application Form to apply to the Academy through the Local Authority. For more information about the process, please visit Camden’s admissions website. Please note that the Academy will admit its first Year 7 students in September 2012, and will therefore begin accepting applications from parents in September 2011.
Where has the inspiration for some of the ideas relating to the UCL Academy come from? Have these ideas been tested?
UCL has drawn on examples of good practice from across the world, particularly as these relate to the way in which school design and the use of space can support a curriculum based around problem-solving and group learning. We have been particularly inspired by examples from Australia, Denmark and Holland – all of which have had proven success.
Will students at the UCL Academy have preferential access to UCL as degree students?
No. Although UCL will welcome students who wish to join us from the Academy, there will be no advantage to a student if he/she applies to us from the school. Our aim, as sponsors, is to raise aspirations across the entire school community, and to encourage all students to make the right choices for their futures, rather than incentivising entry to UCL.
How much money is UCL putting in to support the Academy?
An Academy is a secondary school that is independent of the Local Authority, funded by the government and supported by a private sponsor. Following an announcement from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in 2008, the requirement for businesses to provide £2m to become a sponsor does not apply to universities. UCL’s role is therefore a leadership, rather than a financial one. As a university sponsor, we will work closely with the School Leadership Team on the development of the school’s ethos, curriculum and the students’ learning experience. UCL will allocate some of its income to supporting the work of its staff and students with the Academy (in line with the government’s targets for widening participation work). However, financial responsibility for the Academy itself is the responsibility of the Academy’s Governing Body.
Will UCL still work with other schools now that it is sponsoring an Academy?
UCL has a long track record of collaboration with schools in Camden, and we are keen that this should continue at the same level once the Academy is open. We also hope to use the Academy facilities to offer access to lectures and masterclasses to students from schools across Camden, as well as to students in the Academy itself.
When will the UCL Academy Sixth Form open?
We will aim to offer Level 3 programmes at the Academy from September 2012, and to admit 125 students into the school (at the equivalent of Year 12) from that date. There will be approximately 250 students in the Academy equivalent of the Sixth Form (i.e. post-16) once the school is at capacity.