NEWSLETTER

March 2024

Director Update
Dear TLA community,

March has been a vibrant and busy month at TLA and I’m excited to share
Important Dates some of the recent happenings and update you on what’s coming up in the
calendar.

25th- 29th March Art and Design Excursions

Spring Break school closed We recently organised two enriching excursions—one for fine art and the other
for photography. Our students thoroughly enjoyed exploring various
techniques, stepping out of their comfort zones, and immersing themselves in
the world of art for the day. There are some wonderful photos of the excursions
1st April
posted on our Instagram account (@thelearnacademy).
Easter monday school closed
Duke of Edinburgh Journey
A massive congratulations to all the students who participated in our Duke of
2nd- 11th April
Edinburgh journey! Special thanks to Jordi and Sue, along with our mountain
Mock exams - timetable guide, Dan, for their invaluable guidance. It was no small feat—covering 35
attached kilometers over two days—but your resilience and determination shone
through. Well done to all students (and teachers!) on this remarkable
18th April achievement!

Parent teacher meetings in Charity and Sustainability Initiatives

person or online, to be booked
with calendly -students finish
school at 1pm
In form groups, our students have been actively working to support local
charities. Over the weekend, two groups hosted a fabulous beach clean-up at
Barceloneta beach, with many students and teachers joining in to support the
cause. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated! Additionally, we've
had two successful bake sales, and this week, another group is hosting a
clothing swap. It fills me with immense pride to witness our community rallying
together, with students taking initiative and following through to support
worthy causes. Well done, everyone!

Mock Exams Approaching

As we approach the mock exams, it's essential for students to take them
seriously. These serve as the final checkpoint before official exams commence
in May. I urge students to focus on revising, with an emphasis on past paper
Don't forget to follow us on practice. All past papers, mark schemes, and examiner's reports are available
instagram: on Pearson Edexcel's website. From experience, dedicated practice with past
papers, closely referencing the mark scheme, and conducting timed practice
@thelearnacademy are key to achieving one's potential.
 Director Update
Parent-Teacher Interviews
Upcoming Events Mark your calendars for parent-teacher interviews scheduled for April 18th
from 12:00 PM to 4:30 PM. While some teachers may offer alternative slots
12th April throughout the week, the primary day for interviews remains the 18th.
Wellness day for all students
Easter Break Approaching
AL Art and Photography workshop
With the Easter break on the horizon, we extend our wishes for a safe and
rejuvenating week away from school. It's a crucial period for students as they
26th April prepare for their mock exams. We encourage them to strike a balance
TLA Book Club meeting- 4.20 between focused study and enjoying the outdoors, soaking up the sun,
open to parents, students and engaging in exercise, and spending quality time with friends and family.
staff
Support and Guidance
As we navigate this busy and pivotal time of year, remember that support is
always available. Whether it's regarding mocks, official exams, or any other
concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or any of our teachers.
Wishing you all a productive and fulfilling month ahead.
Don't forget to follow us on
instagram: Warm regards,
Hannah Grech
@thelearnacademy Director, The Learn Academy

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING

AT TLA..

Bronze Award Duke of Edinburgh

Expedition
 IGCSE Classroom News

SPANISH IGCSE SCIENCE

We are finishing to cover all our topics with a
presentation about “fiestas” of the studentś
countries. In addition, we are working on the
hardest tasks of the exams.
Chemistry: We are finalizing the last topic and
reviewing at the same time.
Biology: We have been powering through our
AS SPANISH
content! We have been focussing on the

ENGLISH nervous
You are system
how
about to and
finish endocrine system
this year, guys and
and I am
so the
proudtwoofsystems workThank
all of you. together. We your
you for have
In English Language, we have completed all setcontributions,
up an extra lesson
your on Thursdays
attention, at your
your joy and 16:30
content and are now working towards -17:30
trust to
in focus on past
our class. I lookpapers.
forward to seeing you
practising the skills of each question of the next year!
paper. Over the Easter holiday, there are 3 past Physics: In Physics we have been working on
papers that students need to work through. radioactivity. We have learned about the
AS BIOLOGY
different types of nuclear decay and also
In English Literature, we have officially finished fission and fusion reactions.
all the texts! Over the Easter holidays, students
need to focus on revising Poetry with the
overview sheets on each poem,, which can be ART
found in their folders. They also need to
With only a few lessons left for our GCSE group
complete their Romeo and Juliet coursework
before exams start we continue to explore
which has a deadline of Tuesday 2nd.
visual skills and drawing techniques. We also
invite students that might be interested in

MATHEMATICS taking A level Art or Photography courses next

year to ask us for more information about the
We are working on the final sections of the subject over the next weeks!
maths curriculum. We will be finishing up the
unit on Data - calculating 3 different
averages and showing the results in graphs. BUSINESS
Then move on to volume and surface area of
In our last class and in this week’s class,
3D shapes. Finally we will finish a unit on
students will be exploring organisational
advanced graphs before the exams start
design. We are looking at different
organisational structures, the chain of
COMPUTER SCIENCE command and span of control.

We have been working on advanced topics

in HTML and CSS and the students are in the
process of building a webpage with images,
links, and styling. This will give those who will
be taking IT as an A level class a head start
on the curriculum!
SPORT
In sport we have been playing ronda matches
in ping pong where everybody is playing in
one game at the same time. It’s so much fun!
 WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING
AT TLA..

AS Photography:
professional studio workshop

AS Art:
Drawing workshop
 AS Classroom News

CHEMISTRY
We have started revision and doing past
papers. BUSINESS
This week we will be starting and completing
our final unit of the course! It is imperative
BIOLOGY that students take revision seriously. This
We've delved into the content of our last means flash cards (level 1 study), studying
topic, focussing on biodiversity and content (level 2 study) and then past paper
conservation, and our students have been practice, in timed conditions, checking the
demonstrating commendable diligence! It's mark scheme (level 3 practice). I have put on
very important for them to manage their an extra study class Thursday after school at
time effectively at this stage, ensuring ample 4:30pm each week.
time for revision before the approaching
mock exams. Creating study summaries as
well as completing past papers in timed ART
conditions is a very effective study method
Since our fantastic art workshop at the artist’s
studio our students have explored and
expanded their skills and confidence in
PHYSICS drawing. Their next steps are to integrate their
new work into their projects and work towards
In Physics we have concluded unit 2 from
some sustained outcomes.
MORNING ARRIVAL
the AS course which included topics on
waves and electricity. Our students now turn
their attention to the upcoming mock exams PHOTOGRAPHY
in April.
Following our wonderful experience at the
professional studio our students are
developing personal outcomes for the first
MATHEMATICS part of their Photography projects. I highly
recommend that all parents ask to see their
In Maths we have now finished the pure 2
child’s work and discuss their projects and
trigonometry unit and have learned how to
aims and intentions with them and see what
use trigonometric identities to help solve
they have been up to! Over spring/Easter
equations.
break photography students have been
tasked with visually presenting any
outstanding work.
 AL Classroom News

MATHEMATICS
We have now finished the integration section
of Pure 4 and are now working on the final
section: vectors. We have also just finished
the friction chapter of mechanics. Our
students are now working to prepare for the
mock exams in April.
HISTORY
In History, we have been completing Topic 2
PSYCHOLOGY of the Cold War. Students have been
We've dedicated our attention to the final preparing for the mocks through working on
question in their paper 4, a challenging 20- past paper questions - both source analysis
marker centred on issues and debates in and easy-style responses - as well as
psychology. The students have displayed updating their timelines.
admirable dedication, crafting detailed mind
maps and refining exemplary responses. This
section has served as a valuable opportunity BUSINESS
for them to consolidate their understanding of Unit 4 is complete and students are in full
the extensive content covered over the past study mode! All (almost all!) students have
two years. now printed out past papers and mark
schemes and we are using these in class.
Students are working very hard and we are
revising all content through past paper
BIOLOGY questions and study of the mark schemes and
We are delving into our last topic focussing on examiner’s reports.
gene technology and how we can create
recombinant DNA. The students have been
working super hard! Now, it's crucial for them to
PHOTOGRAPHY
transition their focus towards thorough revision AND ART
and diligently working through past paper
We are so pleased with how each of our AL
questions. This balanced approach will ensure
students have been working on their exam
they're well-prepared for the upcoming mock
project and how much great work has been
exams.
produced in a relatively short time. Each
student should be now working on their
second artist analysis and making creative
responses to them with this completed by the
end of spring break.
 AS Classroom News

PSYCHOLOGY
We are finishing up our last topic, learning
theories, the students have been working
really hard! It is important for the students to
be shifting their attention to studying for the
upcoming mock exams. It is imperative for
the students to focus on both the content as

IT well as their refining their writing skills.

Students completed a mini mock last

week before the break. A definite SPANISH
improvement over the November mock
We are finishing our GTA 4 Education and
scores! We continue to work on learning
Employment and learning the last grammar
Javascript over the next month. We will be
content of the year: Imperfecto del subjuntivo.
learning about database structures at the
In addition, we are hard working on past
same time, making good progress through
papers.
the curriculum.

ENGLISH
HISTORY
LITERATURE
In History, we have been completing Topic
In English Literature, we have started A
3 of economics. Students have been
Streetcar Names Desire and its a pleasure to
preparing for the mocks through working
see how knowledgeable the students have
on past paper questions - both source
become at analysing the play with their
analysis and easy-style responses - as
evaluation of how Williams uses techniques to
well as updating their timelines.
shape meaning! Over the Easter holiday, they
need to revise for each text and poetry.

SPANISH
We are revising all the grammar contents
and improving the essays. Also, we will go
to the break with a general rehearse of
speaking exam.
 WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING
AT TLA..

English Literature AS :
Note taking and analysis

AL Art and Photography

Sketchbook work
 EXAM EQUIPMENT
REMINDER
For the Mock exams we remind students that they must bring their own
equipment and arrive to their exams with everything that they need.

In a CLEAR case students should have: x3 HB pencils, x3 Black pens,

eraser, Ruler (that does not bend) and a protractor and compass
-a Highlighter pen is also recommended
-For Maths, Business, Economics and sciences a calculator (students
must make sure they are cleared of any calculations)
-students are only permitted to use a black pens and HB/B pencils
-Students are allowed to bring in water bottles but they must be clear
with no writing or packaging on them
-Electronic devices: students are not permitted to have any electronic
devices on their persons during the exam (this includes both
electronic and non-electronic watches)

SUMMER EXAM ENTRIES GRADUATION

Exam entries for the May/June Pearson official exams
have been sent out for families and students to check. 2024
Please contact the school if there are any errors or
missing entries before FRIDAY 29TH MARCH. A save the date reminder for the
families of our graduating AL
Exam fees will be included in the April invoices for AL
students - the graduation will be on
students and May invoices for AS and GCSE students
June 14th from 6pm
and must be paid in advance of the exams taking place

CONTACTING TEACHERS
If you would like to check in with your child's progress
or organise a time to speak with a teacher, please
reach out via email.
Teachers will respond to emails during working hours,
on their work days.