Derby based Uplevel Academy, the online educational institute, is excited to announce the launch of two new programmes aimed at assisting primary and secondary school children for their GCSEs and 11+ exams, set to commence in July 2021. To kick-start these new programmes, there will be a creative writing competition designed to, not only reward the winners, but also encourage all those who submit work for the competition.
Both programmes work on the ‘4E to Succeed Methodology’, meaning each course will be tailored to the individual student. In order to achieve this, both the student and their parents will enter their respective aims for what they wish to achieve by the end of the programme. The programme will then reverse engineer what steps are necessary at what points along the course in order to achieve the student and their parent’s goals. This allows for a great deal of flexibility in the course and ensures every programme will be uniquely tailored to the needs of the specific student.
Kellie said, “The first programme is tailored for both year 4 and 5 students planning to take the eleven plus examination towards the beginning of year 6. For those in year four, Uplevel Academy’s new course will allow these students to be ahead of the curve going into the new academic year. For students already in year five, the programme provides excellent final support before their upcoming exams, allowing them to reach their maximum potential.”
The second programme is tailored for current year 9s in the English school system, heading into year 10, and is designed to help students prepare for their GCSE English language course. This proactive approach to tutoring is a game-changer for many students, helping them understand and grasp to a higher degree the English language course beforehand, rather than going blindly into year 10.
With a focus on nurturing and accessibility, all of the materials used are inclusive, meaning that they have been designed with dyslexic learners in mind. Through working at home, students can avoid the unnecessary stress of travel whilst gaining excellent additional education support to help with school. So long as the child has access to an internet connection and a device, the programme can be utilised anywhere, lending to increased flexibility to fit around a child’s busy life. The programme is also recorded, allowing students to re-watch sessions if they so choose, helping them to learn at their own pace.
In addition to the GCSE English Language programme, a public speaking programme is set to launch in July, helping to guide students through the often anxiety-inducing act of public speaking. An essential part of life, this programme will not only help students pass their GCSE English Speaking Exam, but also provides valuable and long-lasting life skills of presenting and public speaking, without the need to enrol in specific acting classes.
Alongside the launch of these programmes, a creative writing competition will be opened, with first place receiving a Fire 7 Tablet, second place receiving a pen set and mindful colouring book and third place being gifted a free e-Book. In order to encourage all those who enter to develop their writing skills, all entries will receive an e-certificiate of participation, as well as have an opportunity to be published on the “Champion’s Page”, giving every student the beginning, or addition, to an online portfolio of work, which can then be used for future education or work applications.
Further information on Kellie McCord’s teaching and learning community are available at www.uplevel-academy.com.
About Uplevel Academy:
Kellie McCord, initially founded Kellie’s Tutoring in 2016; however, she uplevelled her tutoring in 2021 and renamed the online educational institute: Uplevel Academy. Guided by a passion to help and nurture young creative talent, Kellie surveyed one hundred parents, teachers and tutors, and discovered that a large majority of children seemed to struggle with creative writing, and thus set out to provide a solution. Drawing upon international teaching experiences from Japan, China, India and Finland, Uplevel Academy continues to promote principles of open-mindedness and collaboration and foster a welcoming, supportive and diverse community.
Kellie McCord – Founder Uplevel Academy
Kellie McCord is an award winning educator and speaker.
Kellie McCord has over a decade of educational expertise that spans the globe: from lecturing at Wuhan Yangtze Business University to offering educational support at Harris Girls’ Academy.
As an English Graduate from the University of Nottingham, Kellie McCord has aimed to continue to be an ambassador for its values of outreach and community by creating online tutoring programmes that inspires an inclusive, enriching and global dimension by utilising works from a variety of authors and writers, and by adapting all materials for SEND learners.
Valuing inclusion and a strong sense of community, as well as firmly believing that education goes beyond a classroom, Kellie took up internships with charity organisations: Nottingham Domestic Violence Forum (NDVF) and the Centre for Environmental Education (CEE). Through her experiences at the NDVF, Kellie was able to educate Primary and Secondary School students on the importance of healthy relationships. Furthermore, at the CEE, Kellie was able to work with prolific and renowned experts for the ‘Ethical Framework for Sustainable World’.
Kellie McCord has also worked in the Force Control Room for one of the biggest police forces in the UK – Lincolnshire Police. Therefore, she knows how to work under pressure, liaise with multiple agencies and utilise systems to co-ordinate a response to help people. Taking these learnings, Kellie has integrated the communication and data collection strategies into her online group tutoring, so that parents, guardians and carers know where their children are, and so that if there are any gaps in learning, it can be efficiently and effectively bridged.
Kellie McCord has experience of all forms of communication – in-person, online and over the phone – which she has used to work on BBC Learning English Programmes, design curriculum for University students in China and create online English and 11+ Tutoring programmes that give students a phenomenal, nurturing learning experience.
Wanting to have inclusion at the heart of Uplevel Academy, Kellie completed Diplomas in Dyslexia Therapy, Mindfulness and CBT, so that all of her tutees, not only advance in their academic careers, but are also empowered and supported mentally and emotionally.
With a genuine love of learning, Kellie has also taken up extra studies to develop and hone skills, thus allowing her to be a great role-model, since she lives and breathes what she tells her students. Hence, she took a Level 3 Veterinary Support Assistant online Course, and she has taken many short-courses in Acting, Film & Television at renowned institutions, such as RADA.
Kellie has also written text books and a children’s series to support young people in their learning. This is because she feels that we expect children to use advance vocabulary, yet the books offered are limiting.
To further hone and develop her communication skills Kellie joined Toastmasters where she has been Club Secretary for Riverside Communicators, and where she has participated and won many speaking competitions. 