UCS Prospectus Senior

“A distinctive education focused on the individual”

HEADMASTER’S WELCOME

University College School is a top academic London day-school. It was founded by University College London in 1830 to promote the principles of intellectual curiosity, breadth of study and independence of mind. Such attributes combine to achieve academic excellence. UCS is a united community of individuals, and our pupils develop diversity, lateral-thinking and confidence. Our young adults possess a flair and creativity that makes them highly desirable to university tutors and future employers, and our pupils leave UCS with exceptional grades at GCSE and A level. We foster in our charges a sense of society alongside a respect for the individual. Pupils are taught humanity, understanding and empathy which

enables them to contribute to, and lead in, so many areas of 21st-century life. Pupils joining UCS settle into their new surroundings very quickly, and they rapidly make important contributions to the Drama, Arts, Music, Cultural, Sport and Academic life of the school. By o ering the fullest range of opportunities for personal and group endeavour, we teach the value of commitment and the joy of achievement. UCS is a place of study, but also of self-discovery and self-expression; a school that places equal value on learning with others as on learning from others. Please visit us to see this in action.

Mark Beard

“ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE PACK IN THE NORTH LONDON BUBBLE. AN ENRICHED EDUCATION WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS”

THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

UCS FOUNDATION

WE WELCOME BOYS AT 4+, 7+ AND 11+, AND GIRLS AND BOYS AT 16+ TO UCS. AT WHATEVER STAGE PUPILS JOIN US, THEY WILL QUICKLY FEEL A FULL AND VALUED MEMBER OF THE UCS COMMUNITY.

UCS PRE-PREP

Joining the UCS Foundation in 2002, the Pre-Prep on the Finchley Road site provides a happy, supportive and stimulating environment for boys aged 4–7.

UCS JUNIOR BRANCH

In the heart of Hampstead village on the Holly Hill site, the Junior Branch for boys aged 7–11 furnishes pupils with the opportunity to develop academic and personal disciplines, self-confidence, thoughtfulness and public spirit.

UCS SENIOR SCHOOL

The largest single element of the UCS Foundation is the Senior School on the Frognal site, which provides education for boys aged 11–18 and girls aged 16–18. Approximately half of the pupils who sit GCSE and A level exams here will have come up from the Junior Branch. The Senior School delivers education with an emphasis on supporting individuals to develop knowledge, experience and understanding, a strong sense of values, personal integrity and compassion.

UCS SIXTH FORM

As part of our Senior School on the Frognal site, the co-educational Sixth Form o ers an education which is intellectually stimulating as well as personally satisfying, where pupils progress to university with the confidence and motivation of independent learners. The enormous majority of our GCSE pupils choose to stay on into the Sixth Form, where they are joined by pupils from other schools to study over two years for A level. This includes around 60 girls per year group in the Sixth Form.

“WE LOVE THE SOUL OF THIS SCHOOL” TATLER SCHOOLS

“MY SON HAS BEEN INSPIRED RIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD” FROM PARENT IN THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE “…A SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION, CURIOSITY AND FREE-THINKING” THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

BREADTH OF STUDY

A pupil’s academic journey at UCS is a broad, enriching experience. Lessons are lively, creative and imaginative and, in all subjects, are designed to further nurture the four UCS Learning Values in our charges: resourcefulness, responsibility, relationships and resilience.

In Years 7 and 8, all pupils follow a core curriculum which establishes a bedrock of knowledge in a wide range of subjects. Everyone studies English, Mathematics, Modern and Classical Languages, Sciences, and a range of Humanities and Creative Arts subjects. Philosophy, Economics and Politics are also taught to these younger pupils and in recent years, Dance has been taught alongside Drama.

Through this enriched curriculum, our pupils cultivate a love of learning and strong study skills. These traits enable our pupils to develop their own academic specialisms as they move up through the school, whilst also ensuring that they receive a rounded academic education. Over 22 subjects are o ered at both GCSE and A level. At GCSE, everyone studies English, Mathematics, at least one Modern Language and one Science subject. Beyond these prescribed subjects, pupils have a free choice. Some boys decide to specialise in a particular route whereas others opt to study a wide range of subjects. This freedom of choice gives pupils ownership of their academic journey.

As part of our impressive Academic Enrichment Programme, regular lectures, symposia and seminars are hosted by teachers and visiting speakers. Subject-specific Enrichment Weeks held throughout the year give our pupils the chance to experience the wider context of individual subjects and guarantee that every UCS pupil enjoys the broadest academic education imaginable.

“ACADEMIC WORK IS SERIOUS BUT OFFERS INFINITE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOUGHT, EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY” THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY

At UCS, our pupils’ innate sense of curiosity about the world around them is nurtured and developed through dynamic and engaging teaching.

Teachers are highly qualified, both in terms of their specific subject areas and as educators, and pupils thrive in the school’s dynamic environment.

Top exam grades at GCSE and A level are achieved as a matter of course, but these spectacular results are not secured at the expense of pupils gaining an enthusiasm for learning for its own sake.

UCS pupils recognise that they are all treated and respected as individuals – both in and out of the classroom. Through careful and strategic guidance, pupils are given the confidence and motivation to pursue their own passions and ambitions.

Teaching is tailored to pupils’ specific strengths and interests. Lessons are well-structured yet challenging and stimulating. Teachers work hard to

ensure they know all their charges and the skills acquired in the classroom help to turn pupils’ dreams into reality. Pupils’ independent study is enhanced by our vast collection of online resources, expertly curated by the school’s librarians in the AKO Centre. They can access journals, books, podcasts and more from around the globe by using their UCS login credentials. The AKO Centre sta run sessions to help pupils sift through and use these awesome resources, putting them in an excellent position to continue this way of studying at Sixth Form and beyond.

All Senior School pupils are able to book themselves into 1:1 StudySmart sessions where they can get specialist support, which is always evidence-backed, on a range of areas including revision techniques, procrastination, essay writing, proofreading and more.

FROM PARENT IN THE SPECTATOR SCHOOLS SUPPLEMENT

UCS

“WHAT AREN’T THE STRENGTHS? THE SCHOOL IS EXEMPLARY AT PREPARING [PUPILS] FOR THE REAL WORLD WITH DEDICATED TEACHERS WHO TAKE THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW THEIR PUPILS”

INDEPENDENCE OF MIND

UCS students develop self-confidence and strong self-esteem. Parents and pupils often comment about how well we know our charges and through a series of induction events, every e ort is made to get to know new pupils and their families before they even join the Foundation.

Our pastoral care system is founded on close, honest and demanding relationships between teachers and pupils. Continuity of care is crucial. In the Lower School (Years 7 and 8), pupils work with the same Form Teacher and Year Warden for two years. In the Middle School, pupils join Houses which at UCS are known as Demes. Deme Wardens oversee the development of pupils in their charge for the remaining five years of their time at UCS, and it is through these Deme relationships that we

are able to nurture the closeness, the thoroughness and the mutual respect that characterise pastoral care at UCS. Deme Wardens work closely with Form Teachers to ensure that every pupil is fulfilling their academic potential and feels well supported.

Pupils leave UCS to study a wide range of subjects at the leading academic universities in the UK and abroad. They leave us as well-balanced, self-assured, ambitious young men and women. They have the confidence and motivation to stand alone as individual learners. They have a firm basis of knowledge, experience and understanding, and a strong sense of value, personal integrity and compassion. The connection leavers feel to UCS is second-to-none and serves as testament to their experiences here at the Senior School.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

UCS o ers a staggering provision for pupils to learn new skills in our co-curricular programme. This is a fundamental part of a UCS education and is instrumental in developing our young people and preparing them for university and beyond.

Our sports teams are highly successful and our senior sides, in recent years, have won London Cups in football, rugby, cricket and basketball. The Music and Drama departments provide a wealth of opportunities for pupils to hone their talents, and the departments collaborate regularly to enable pupils to perform to sell-out audiences in the Lund Theatre. The quality of plays and

concerts is exceptional and has led to both departments being nominated for Independent Schools Awards in successive years.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is hugely popular within our pupil body as they recognise the skills which completing this award allows them to develop. UCS pupils are renowned for their entrepreneurial spirit too, and this is enhanced by giving them the responsibility of running a number of clubs and societies in school under the guidance of a teacher. These clubs range from Model United Nations to coding and pyrotechnics. Such an approach extends to charity fundraising where, thanks to pupil-led ventures,

around £50,000 is usually raised every year for good causes. Through UCS, pupils can take part in a vast range of volunteering opportunities both in London and abroad, and the success of all these schemes highlights the forward-thinking and outward-looking nature of the UCS Community.

“SPINE-TINGLING STANDARD OF MUSIC” THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

COMMUNITY AND PARTNERSHIPS

UCS is firmly committed to ensuring the school, and its pupils, play an integral role in the local community. We currently work with more than a dozen primary schools and four secondary schools, and a variety of events run throughout the year enable pupils in these schools to work together with UCS pupils on a number of collaborative projects.

Pupils in almost all year groups also take part in voluntary work arranged by UCS in local organisations. These projects range from teaching Maths to local primary children in weekly breakfast clubs, to playing lunchtime recitals in care homes, to organising an annual collection for a food bank each September. Every student in the Sixth Form participates in the Partnerships Programme and their work at over 30 charitable bodies is highly regarded. They develop a number of skills and this is greatly valued by the students and the charities alike. Older pupils also have the opportunity to volunteer overseas on trips; UCS runs annual trips to Romania and India, with students agreeing that these are lifechanging experiences.

UCS pupils are notably enthusiastic fundraisers for charities too. The majority of this activity takes place during the second half of the Autumn Term, a period referred to as Community Action. Pupils are given the chance to design, organise and lead a variety of fundraising initiatives which have previously included: designing and selling tee-shirts, Battle of the Bands, football tournaments, teachers’ rap battle, and a sponsored 24-hour cycle. The passion our pupils have for charity work is astonishing, and allowing them to lead the fundraising themselves a ords them the opportunity to develop skills in event management, public speaking, marketing, publicity, accountancy and catering. The amount of money raised during the six-week period is usually around £50,000.

“IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO HOST THE UCS VOLUNTEERS. WE, AND THE CHILDREN, LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR WEEKLY VISITS. THEY ARE A CREDIT TO UCS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING VOLUNTEERS NEXT YEAR”

HEADTEACHER, KILBURN GRANGE PRIMARY SCHOOL

“I HAVE LOVED TEACHING AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL. I KNOW HOW LUCKY I AM TO BE ABLE TO GO TO UCS AND IT’S GOOD TO GIVE SOMETHING TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY. THE CHILDREN WE TRY TO HELP SEEM TO ENJOY BEING TAUGHT BY SOMEONE WHO IS JUST A LITTLE OLDER THAN THEM. IT HAS BEEN A TRULY WORTHWHILE AND REWARDING EXPERIENCE”

UCS FACILITIES

UCS pupils benefit from first-class facilities not only for the teaching and learning expected of one of the UK’s leading academic schools, but also for the extensive co-curricular programme that is both key to a child’s development and instrinsic to a UCS education. The impressive Great Hall at the Senior School is the physical and spiritual heart and soul of the school. The whole school congregates here every week for assembly and concerts held in the Hall are unforgettable experiences for audiences as well as participants. Plays, for all year groups, are performed in the iconic Lund Theatre which seats up to 200 people.

The AKO Centre was opened in 2019 and o ers a state-of-the-art space for creative learning which has proved hugely popular with pupils of all ages who use it for independent and

collaborative work. Science, Art and DT, and Modern Languages are taught in purpose-built blocks, and pupils enjoy seeing their art work displayed alongside the work of visiting artists at exhibitions held in our on-site gallery.

Sixth Form pupils have the advantages of a purpose-built Sixth Form Centre which contains a café, study areas and relaxation space, while pupils of all years have lunch together in the charming, Edwardian refectory.

The Sir Roger Bannister Sports Centre provides pupils with exceptional sports facilities at the Senior School. A mile from this site lies the Foundation’s playing fields. The fields underwent significant development in 2019 and the excellent surfaces and drainage have been endorsed by UEFA. There, the New Pavilion boasts excellent changing and hosting facilities for fixtures.

THE NEW PAVILION AND AKO CENTRE

While the Great Hall is very much the physical and spiritual heart of the Senior School, the New Pavilion and the AKO Centre, which both opened in 2019, are probably the jewels in the crown in terms of facilities at UCS.

The AKO Centre, which was designed using innovative educational research from the University of Cambridge, is found adjacent to the Social Sciences Centre on the Senior School site at Frognal. Sta and pupils throughout the UCS Foundation have been unanimous in their praise for the Centre which provides a space for pupils to learn independently and collaboratively. Students make excellent use of the 18,000 volumes stored in its library and they benefit hugely from all the facilities which promote creative learning.

The New Pavilion is situated around a mile from the Senior School.

The Pavilion possesses outstanding sports facilities which are used by pupils throughout the Foundation. The 27-acre site contains ample space for rugby, football and cricket matches and training sessions depending on the season. The grounds’ drainage system was renovated in 2019 and the quality of the playing surface is now exceptional. UEFA even requested the use of the pitches for teams to train on in the build-up to recent matches being played at Wembley. Cricketers benefit from the impressive set of all-weather nets and the all-weather surface is used for hockey during the winter and tennis during the summer. Additionally, the New Pavilion’s changing facilities are vast and spectators, visitors and parents can enjoy a view of the matches from the comfort of the Pavilion’s first-floor viewing gallery.

THE PRE-PREP

36 College Crescent Hampstead London NW3 5LF

T: 020 7722 4433

E: pre-prep@ucs.org.uk

ucs.org.uk

THE JUNIOR BRANCH

11 Holly Hill

Hampstead London NW3 6QN

T: 020 7435 3068

E: juniorbranch@ucs.org.uk

@UCSHampstead

THE SENIOR SCHOOL

Frognal Hampstead London NW3 6XH

T: 020 7435 2215

E: seniorschool@ucs.org.uk

Charity Number: 312748