Teach Secondary 14.4

LOVE... We hear about the impact Academy21 has had among students unable to attend mainstream schooling WHY I ABOUT US: NAME: Eugene Dwaah JOB ROLE: CEO SCHOOL: Evolution Sports Group and Evolution Education FAVOURITE FEATURE: Academy21’s ability to tailor teaching to the students’ individual levels and improve their engagement. WILL IT WORK FOR YOU? • Live, adaptive lessons – Tailored to each student’s level, encouraging students to engage better • One-to-one support – Students have the option of private chats, during which they can ask questions and receive personalised support • A hybrid mode l – Academy21’s online lessons can be combined with in-person mentorship and other school activities • Wellbeing support – Experienced teachers make students feel welcomed and empowered to learn, improving their wellbeing TALKING ABOUT: KEEPING STUDENTS FOCUSED AND ENGAGED Howdid your partnership withAcademy21 begin? I established Evolution Sports in 2017, having been Head of Behaviour & Engagement at Skinners Academy (Hackney), working with students who found it challenging to attend mainstream secondary schools. I brought on our centre manager Sayo, an ex-athlete, to help me run our sports- focused Alternative Provision. At Evolution Sports, KS3-4 students have the opportunity to pursue their sporting interests, gain vocational qualifications and develop important study and life skills. As our provision developed, we started looking for a platform that could help us engage young people further and pitch learning at different ability levels. In 2024, we introduced Academy21 specifically to enhance our academic learning. Howhave you used the platform? A group of our KS4 students take Academy21’s live adaptive lessons for English, maths and science. The students attend lessons each morning from a designated classroom within our premises. Using Academy21 has helped reduce lesson disruptions, enabling students to focus more effectively while working on laptops and wearing headphones, supervised and supported by our staff. These morning lessons leave ample time for other activities afterwards, as well as in-person mentoring from Evolution Sports teachers. This hybrid arrangement helps students remain both focused and connected to the school environment, through which they can continue to develop collaboration and social skills. We’re very happy with the response from our students and the progress we’ve seen – so much so, that we plan to extend the use of Academy21 next year for our younger students. What difference has it made? Since implementing Academy21, student engagement has improved significantly. One of our Y11 students, Shantay, tells us, “ I was just engaging straight away. It was so much easier. ” Features like private chats with teachers help to improve students’ confidence over time, giving Shantay and others more positive and inclusive interactions. All Academy21 lessons are live and adaptive, which makes our students more eager to participate. The personalised lessons have even Contact: 0800 2088 210 | academy21.co.uk | contact@academy21.co.uk inspired Shantay to set new academic goals: “ When I do my GCSEs, I feel like I can achieve four or five. I didn’t think I could do that before. ” Have you seen any positive impacts on students’ mental health? Previously, students who didn’t want to engage were disrupting learning and frustrating those who did. Now, we don’t have that issue. We can supervise classes and provide one-to- one support to any students who need it, helping them regain confidence. Another positive impact we have seen from Academy21 extends beyond engagement. As Shantay says, “ My mental health was going downhill in a mainstream school. I’m feeling happier with myself and more joyful than I’ve ever been before. ” The welcoming, inclusive environment and personalised support from Academy21 teachers has made every student feel heard and empowered. PA R T N E R C O N T E N T 26 teachwire.net/secondary