Michaela’s Winning Formula with Up Learn

About the School

Michaela Community School is a highly academic, inner-city secondary school and sixth form located in Wembley, London. Since its founding in 2014, Michaela has built a reputation for its traditional values, high standards of discipline, and outstanding student outcomes. Known for being “strict because we care,” Michaela fosters a culture of achievement, personal responsibility, and academic excellence, with many students progressing to top universities.

The school operates a small but focused sixth form, where students benefit from strong relationships with teachers and a highly structured learning environment. Silent study periods, rigorous routines, and a strong emphasis on explicit knowledge teaching define the Michaela approach.

About the Headteacher

Katharine Birbalsingh CBE, Headmistress at Michaela School, is a passionate advocate for academic excellence and traditional education. With a clear vision of creating a school that transforms lives through discipline, knowledge, and love, Katharine has led Michaela to become one of the most talked-about and successful schools in the country.

Versatile Resources for Every Scenario

Michaela School has used Up Learn for several years, integrating it primarily as a homework and revision tool. With a team of exceptional teachers already in place, Up Learn is used to ensure every corner of the curriculum is covered and to add depth to student learning.

Even highly knowledgeable staff sometimes find areas they hadn’t covered when exploring Up Learn. Katharine notes, “It gives you reassurance – you’re doing the right sort of thing.”

In situations where schools may not have subject specialists available for every A Level course, Katharine believes Up Learn is invaluable. “It’s a godsend. You could have a deputy in with students and just play Up Learn – they’d learn everything they need.”

Supporting Independent Study in Sixth Form

In Michaela’s sixth form, independent study is carefully structured. Unlike some sixth forms where students have large amounts of free time, Michaela ensures that time is used productively through scheduled lessons and silent study periods. Up Learn complements this perfectly, offering students comprehensive and engaging resources to study independently at home or during school hours.

“Even students love it. They get everything they need, and it works – what more can you ask for?”

Why It Works For Students

Up Learn resonates particularly well with today’s digitally native sixth formers. While Katharine is a strong advocate for limiting screen time in younger children, she believes older students benefit from the engaging, interactive format of Up Learn.

“It’s not just a textbook. It’s dynamic, accessible, and enjoyable. The platform is alive – it updates and adapts, which a textbook can’t do.”

Up Learn also supports students’ revision strategies, offering a practical, test-based approach to help commit knowledge to long-term memory. “You need to test yourself, be aware of what you don’t know. Up Learn helps students do exactly that.”

Benefits for Schools

• Curriculum coverage assurance: Even expert teachers find it useful to check for gaps.
• Flexible usage: Can be used for homework, revision, or in-class learning support.
• Ideal for staffing challenges: Acts as a substitute or supplementary teacher when needed.
• Accessible at home: Empowers families to support A Level students outside of school hours.

Benefits for Students

• Engaging content: Speaks to students in a way textbooks often can’t.
• Comprehensive learning: Covers everything needed for A Level success.
• Supports revision: Helps identify weak areas and consolidate learning.
• Builds confidence: Students feel more in control and better prepared.

Advice for Parents and Students

Katharine encourages students to “start early” when it comes to A Levels. “At some point, every young person decides to take things seriously. The earlier they do, the better their outcomes will be.”

For parents, her advice is clear: create an organised, quiet study space and act as a personal trainer – gently keeping students on task. “Sometimes a tap on the shoulder is all they need to stay focused.”

Final Thoughts

“Up Learn is brilliant. I don’t usually say that about many educational tools, but I say it about this. It helps the students. It helps the teachers. It helps the headteachers. It just works.“

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