Successful Launch of the Alleyn’s Science Academy

Lent Term, 2024 has marked the successful launch of the Alleyn’s Science Academy, which enables pupils to pursue scientific endeavors; developing confidence, knowledge and passion in everything science. Tuesday's inaugural session attracted an impressive turnout of 60 enthusiastic Year 12 students (30 from Alleyn's and 30 from surrounding state schools) ready to get the science fires burning.  

The Alleyn’s Academy serves as a community learning launchpad that fosters collaboration among students and provides a platform for cross-school initiatives. The new Science Academy is a complementary addition to the existing Alleyn’s Academy programme that also offers opportunities in sport, music, mathematics and digital literacy. This week's launch of the new Science Academy coincided with the Gold CREST Award.  

The Gold CREST Science program offers sixth form students a chance to engage in authentic scientific research. Students investigate and engage in a project that contributes something new to the scientific community and can collaborate with students from other schools in the planning and delivery of independent, undergraduate-level science projects. 

By virtue of the nature of Alleyn’s Academy, Year 12 students from all SSLP schools also have the chance to enter for the Gold CREST Science Award. 

The Gold CREST projects are driven by students and supported by external mentors, providing invaluable experience for personal statements and a profound understanding of real-life research challenges. Over the year, students will invest around 70 hours of work into their projects, resulting in a UCAS-endorsed award upon completion.   

Previous Alleyn’s projects covered diverse topics such as assessing video and working memory, exploring the antibacterial properties of essential oils, and delving into the effects of blue backlight on deep sleep. 

As students embark on independent projects from now through to August, weekly after-school sessions will be facilitated to guide students through the research process. The culmination of this work will be a symposium in September, where students will showcase their work to friends and family. 

The launch of the Science Academy and the Gold CREST Science program signifies a significant milestone for Science at Alleyn’s, and we look forward to seeing these opportunities develop over the coming months.