UCL Academy

The UCL Academy's connected curriculum initiative is built on the UCL Grand Challenges principle of interdisciplinary study, providing transformative experiences for students and staff.

Objective and approach:

The UCL Academy is a school for 11-18 year olds sponsored by UCL that opened in Swiss Cottage (London) in 2012. It serves a diverse local community in Camden, and shares UCL's values of academic excellence, inclusivity, and educating the whole person.

The academy's ‘Connected Curriculum’ builds on the UCL Grand Challenges principle of interdisciplinary collaboration. Through this curriculum, UCL Academy provides a transformative experience that broadens student and staff horizons.

Partnership impact

UCL Grand Challenges are a vehicle for the Connected Curriculum in year 10 and 11, especially. The Grand Challenges programme enables students to think critically and problem solve. Grand Challenges themes provide a lens for students to learn about and address issues facing people and the planet.
The Connected Curriculum prioritises opportunities to ‘engage with excellence'. Secondary-school students hear from and work with academics and students at UCL. These experiences encourage curiosity by requiring students to develop their own research questions.
The Connected Curriculum is driven by important questions and big ideas. The UCL Grand Challenges programme helps link these with the GCSE and A-level curriculum. The academy's ‘Big Questions’ scheme helps teachers and students make connections across subjects.
UCL Academy students learn how to apply knowledge and skills real-world situations. Workplace learning opportunities benefit students without a family history of university education, especially.
UCL Academy's links with UCL Grand Challenges enrich and improve the education of students. These links also enable staff to develop and improve their own practice.

Partners

UCL Academy
UCL Grand Challenges

People

Richard Donnelly (UCL Academy)
Prof. Dilly Fung