Education Feature: University College School - A foundation to be proud of
Published: 6 October, 2011
STEEPED in history, University College School (UCS) was founded in Gower Street in 1830 as part of University College London and moved to generous buildings in Hampstead in 1907.
Founded to be different from other schools with a commitment to academic excellence and it remains so today.
Excellence at UCS at every level results from not only effective teaching and learning.
It depends upon respect for the individuality of each pupil, recognition of each pupil’s talents, interests and potential, and a very high quality of personal care.
Education at UCS is a friendly and purposeful co-operation between school, pupil and home. Founded as a tolerant community without religious or ethnic barriers.
The UCS family comprises three separate schools offering education to children at each stage of their development, from the age of three, until they move on to higher education.
This year, with 502 A-level examinations entered (the largest in UCS history), 93 per cent recorded passes at A*/B (the fourth consecutive year this figure is over 90 per cent).
76 per cent passes at A*/A, 31 per cent passes at A* with 18 students scoring three or more A*s.
But it’s not all about academic achievement.
Sport plays an integral part in development and 2010 was the most successful UCS rugby season for a long while, with two wins in regional cup competitions – UCS are champions of Middlesex at both U14 and U16 age-groups.
For the second consecutive year, UCS won the National Sailing Championship in the IAPS National Sailing Regatta. Both Year 7 pupils showed strength and fortitude to overcome serious medical conditions and retain their national title.
With an eye on social and community outreach, both local and international, UCS students have raised more than £40,000 during the 2010-11 academic year for various charities including Anthony Nolan Trust, the Buguruni School for the Deaf in Tanzania, KidsCo, the UNICEF Pakistan Flood Appeal, Ghanaian Girls School project, Kidsco, Inc., Casa Luminii (Romania), Lighthouse International (Children’s Homes in Goa, India), Disability Foundation, Equatorial College School, (Uganda) and many others.
Pupils also work in local primary schools and a formal relationship with Westminster Academy continues to grow and benefit both schools.
And each year UCS runs a joint Summer School with Highgate School for pupils from primary schools in Camden and Haringey.
UCS is firmly committed to growing the level of fee assistance that is provided each year.
In 2006 targets of doubling the funds available to support fee assisted pupils at the Senior School by 2012 were set.
This target has already been achieved and nearly 7 per cent of pupils in the Senior School receive some level of assistance.