Life at Bellerbys College

The Dreaming Spires!

Posted by Autumn @ Bellerbys Oxford

Hello beloved readers!

Guess what? I'm finally BACK!

It has been so long since I last logged on to this blog, to be honest, and I sincerely apologise for my tardiness.

After posting the last post, I comfortably went back to my country and enjoyed my summer whole-heartedly. It was boiling hot in my tropical home country but the scorching sun was not a strong enough deterrent. I did spend days in the sun hanging out with my old classmates.

However, I also spared some time to read the pile of books that I brought back home, in order to prepare for my most important year of A levels. And I am so glad I did that. Not until I returned to the cool and serene Oxford did I realise that there was such a giant leap from AS to A2.

Yes I said it! A2 is much more difficult than AS and I'm no longer able to procrastinate. The course is more demanding and tough, and I have to put more effort into studying.

However, I do believe that there is a positive correlation between the difficulty of the course and its fascinating nature. My subjects are getting more and more interesting every day, especially Economics and Politics. We are currently studying Socialism and Marxism, which is of particular interest to me, as I was born and raised in a socialist country.

The past month was extremely hectic for me and my fellow aspiring Oxford applicants. We had to cope with the seemingly sudden huge amount of work and prepare our UCAS application simultaneously. All we did after school was researching universities, and all we discussed at lunch was about the application process.Personal statements were drafted and torn into strips and redrafted.

We were always in a hurry, which resulted in anxieties surfacing on an hourly basis. Time seemed to fly at a neck-breaking speed, and before we were even aware of it, the deadline was looming on the horizon. Everyone simply freaked out.

The constant pressure we withstood was intense. We held our breath when pasting our personal statement into UCAS Apply, hoping that we hadn't gone over our word limit. We frantically ran down the corridors, looking for our tutors and teachers and asking them to take a look at our most-recently-updated-drafts-of-personal-statement.

I personally had more than 13 drafts saved on my laptop and kept changing the tiniest details every night (I was so sure that my tutors must have been really tired of reading my personal statements, yet they were still so patient with me!).

When I clicked 'send', I heaved a sigh of relief.

In retrospect, the whole application process was unbelievable. We have pushed (and been pushed) ourselves to the extreme to climb one more step up the ladder of success, to take one more step towards our dream of the dreaming spires of Oxford.

We have learned and mastered the skills necessary to effectively deal with academic pressure and tight schedules. The tremendous support we received from our teachers and tutors is invaluable. Applying to Oxford is truly one of many unforgettable experiences I have had and will have at Bellerbys Oxford (although I doubt that anyone would want to relive it!)

Now it's time to cross our fingers!

 Posted by Autumn, studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford

Helping to Welcome to New Students to Bellerbys Brighton!

Posted by Asel @ Bellerbys Brighton

Hello!

Congratulations to the new A2 students! You’re the best! And welcome newcomers, I am sure you are going to love your time here in Bellerbys! So, the welcome tea parties are over, and it’s time to study now.

As for the tea parties, I have found them pretty good. After the first meeting of the Student Council, where Mr Corcut and Mr Addison explained us our role at these events, I have realised that it is a very responsible task, as of course new students are very shy at the beginning and tend not to ask any questions. So we had to be as friendly and social as possible, so that they would soon realise that there is a very warm atmosphere and that they would soon become part of our big Bellerbys family. Moreover I really wanted to help the freshers as I remember myself last year, when I had so many questions and did not know who to ask.

The parties took place in the college library under the control of Mrs Chris. So firstly our task was to ask the new students whether they wanted some tea or coffee. Although shy in the beginning almost all of them felt much more confident and content by the end. This could be easily felt - it became so hot in the library!

One boy from Nigeria managed to make friends with everyone! This fact amazed Mrs Chris and therefore he became our example for imitation. After the event Fabrizio and I conducted a tour around Brighton for some new students, where we showed them some basic places: Sainsbury’s, London Road, St Bartholomew’s church, the Lanes, North Road with all the main banks, Churchill Square, Waterstone’s etc.

On the second tea party I felt myself much more confident as I already had some experience and knew what to do. And if on the first tea party there were mainly students from China, on the second one there were mainly Russians. And basically everything was the same. Some of the students had no idea what they want to do in the future, others already aimed to study in the top UK universities.

Unfortunately I was very busy to make some photographs, so that’s all!

Good luck with your studies!

Asel is studying A Levels at Bellerbys College Brighton

Graduating Class of Year 2011

 

Pleasure is the flower that passes;

remembrance, the lasting perfume.

-Jean de Boufflers

 

Don’t you feel that sometimes time passes so fast and before you realise it, you’ve reached the end of yet another stage of your life?

Indeed, in the blink of an eye, all the exams ended as swiftly as they came by. And right when we have just gotten used to the daily routine: getting morning calls from everyone to wake up early, be one of the first to reach Jubilee Library for a day’s worth of mugging and then finally the long awaited break time over the dinner table - right when we thought that this could continue on forever, we realised that people have started to dump all their files, notes and textbooks into the recycling bins and luggage are packed awaiting for the storage company to come and collect them. The obvious explanation: Exams have ended.

It’s a wonder for a moment how you tried thinking back on when the exams have actually started, but to no avail, it seems too long ago that all lessons have stopped, we went on study break and our papers started just too soon.

Sometimes, you wished you had more time, maybe not entirely to be used for studying but also you wished that you had the time to spend with your friends, say your proper goodbyes and not just leave in a hurry right after your last paper.

Where are you catching the train to? What’s the hurry? The long summer awaits you. The thing you probably have the most right now is: time. You got all the time in the world.

Well, the last fond memory I had before the main exams came by is probably the May Ball. This year’s theme was A NIGHT IN PARIS. It was probably the last formal gathering we had as the graduation class of year 2011. As such, the night was filled with everyone searching for their friends and grabbing each other for photos. Of course, I was no exception too. :)

 

MAY BALL 2011: A NIGHT IN PARIS

From left: Kana Maniwa, Eunice Aw, Me, Wong Yan Chi and Sylvia Liao

 

From left: Sylvia Liao, Wong Yan Chi, Ayda Borjian, Me

 

Livia Chou and Stephanie Alexandra Morphew

 

Abdul and Jonathan Hui

 

Toh Shi Jie, Queena Wong and Wong Wen Kai

 

Marcy Zhao, John Lau, Wong Yan Chi and Murad Khalimov

 

Joanna Zhang, Tina Huan and Artin Jalooli

Jacky Yip and Alan Chan

 

Reshveen Rajendran and Mai Osuga

Taekeun Cho, Wong Yan Chi, Hisham Talib and Weeny Nguyen

 

Yvonne Cheung, Cloud Vu and Jamie Tan

 

Nelson Ten, Eunice Aw, Sarah Gopal and Shriveena Naidu

Wong Yoon Cherng Billy and Chonsen Mok

Eunice Aw and Wong Yan Chi

 

From left: Chonsen Mok, Eunice Aw, Wong Yan Chi, Me and Wong Yoon Cherng Billy

 

This year's May Ball experience was quite different from last year mainly because Eunice and I have moved out to the college residence, into private accommodation aka one of the flats near our college. As such, we decided that all of us (Me, Eunice, Yan Chi and Mok) shall go to Billy's room in the college residence to prepare for the May Ball. Haha it's amusing to see how both the girls and guys rush for time and helping each other to get dressed and prepared for the ball. They say that the time has come when even guys care as much as girls about their appearance too. HAHA

 

So after both the May Ball and exams have ended and everyone all gone, I stayed back for a couple of weeks to tour around the UK with my mom and my friend who have came over. We went to places like Manchester, Oxford, Sevens Sisters, London and etc. We even managed to go for the Harry Potter and the Death Hallows Part 2 London Premiere at Trafalgar Square!

 

Also, I got to meet and catch up with a couple of friends after everyone has gone back home...

Me and Ka Hong Yan Fang Fang

Taekeun Cho and Long Pham

 

I think my two years in Bellerbys is definitely a memorable one. I've made great friends, met lots of great people and learnt many life lessons.

I started out in September 2009 for a 6-term A levels course and throughout the 6 terms I see many people leaving and coming. Especially after the summer term in June 2010 when many of my good friends left for university because they were either in a 3-term A level course or in the Foundation programme.

But then, in the A2 year, I made new good friends and became closer with many people who were once just acquaintances. That's the funny thing about life, things come and go, good things do go, but better things still come in the end. Imagine that all of us were from different intakes, September 2009, January 2010 and April 2010, but in the end, our lives still crossed paths, we strived through the exam period together and eventually ended all at the same time: June 2011.

From left: Chonsen Mok, Wong Yoon Cherng Billy, Me, Eunice Aw and Wong Yan Chi

 

 

Teaching Staff

And of course, not to forget the teaching staff which made everything possible...

To Mr. Corcut, our A level Programme Manager and also the Vice Principal, thank you for your dedication to us students. Whenever I needed help and advice in my studies and academic related things, you are always there for me. I like how you are very approachable towards the students and we can discuss any matters with you easily. You not only dealed with the A level students academic work, you were also involved in the Student Council, Medics Meeting and other matters like our Voluntary Work. For that, I salute you for supporting us in everything we do.

As I move on now to the next stage in my life, I would bring along with me what you have taught me so far. And the most memorable lesson of all (which is also coincidentally what you taught us in the very first Medics Meeting) would be: Sine Qua Non, which translates to "without which there is nothing".

 

To my Chemistry teacher, Dr. Andrews, thank you for your effort in always being so accommodative to our pleas and moans for our tests, mocks and homework. Haha my most memorable moments with you would be the times when you always have to encourage us to use the StudySmart application to get our past papers and additional notes. Thank you also for always being there for us whenever we need help in Chemistry during the exam period when all lessons have stopped.

To my Physics teacher, Dr. Cameron thank you for making Physics so easily digestible for me by keeping me interested with lots of outside knowledge because towards the end, I find myself being fascinated and amused with lots of Physics concepts. And that ultimately fuelled my interest in taking up this subject till the very end.

To my Biology teacher, Ms. Kingham, thank you for always keeping Biology lessons so interactive with all the games, quizzes and activities in class. I really appreciated it because subjects like Biology can be very dry at times but you never fail to keep us interested in it with all the stuff you have prepared for us.

 

And for my two History teachers, Mr. Baker and Mr. Knight... Thank you for making History my second most favourite subject. Haha really. I really enjoyed History lessons because they are so different from the other classes which I take. Thank you Mr. Baker for your notes with the funniest (and maybe weirdest haha) photos in them which always got us laughing real hard. Thank you Mr. Knight for always being so friendly and approachable whenever I needed help in History, even when you are not teaching me anymore.

Also to my Maths teacher, Dr. Fisher whom I have unfortunately not had the chance to take a photo with, thank you for being so patient with us for these 2 years especially with all our jokes in maths class. Thank you for willing to actually take the time to sit down and explain to us the maths questions slowly when we can't solve them. I am really grateful towards you in all the effort you have put in for us because you will always be willing to help us whenever we needed help.

 

Thank you Bellerbys for this 2 years worth of fun, peace, joy and laughter and most importantly, 2 years worth of memories which would last me for a life time.

 

And right when you think that everything has come to the end, in fact, it isn't!

The best is yet to be.

Because...

2 weeks after college have ended, we had our very own gathering in Singapore.

Yes, We got everyone to fly from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan and Vietnam and all meet up in Singapore!

And as for the Singaporeans, we became the tour guides of course!

 

Graduation Trip in Singapore

Guys sitting the MRT train in Singapore (equivalent to London's tube).

From left: Wong Wen Kai, Jacky Yip, Long Pham, Chonsen Mok, Gordon Loo, Alan Chan and John Lau.

 

We also went to the newly opened Universal Studios in Singapore.

From left: Wong Yan Chi, Queena Wong, Kana Maniwa, Eunice Aw and Me

 

 

From left: Alan Chan, Gordon Loo, Jacky Yip and Jason Soong

 

Jacky Yip and John Lau

Wong Yan Chi and Eunice Aw

 

Gordon Loo and John Lau singing K

 

Me and Kana Maniwa

 

Kana Maniwa, Jonathan Hui and Queena Wong

Wong Wen Kai and Alan Chan

 

Alan Chan and Me

 

Wong Yoon Cherng Billy, Chonsen Mok and Jonathan Hui

 

Me and Wong Yan Chi

Wong Yoon Cherng Billy and Chonsen Mok

 

Chonsen Mok, Wong Yan Chi, Eunice Aw and Wong Yoon Cherng Billy

 

Group photo of us!

 

Haha the guys hugging before they depart!

 

Me, Eunice Aw, Wong Yan Chi, Wong Yoon Cherng Billy and Chonsen Mok

From left: Jonathan Hui, Hisham Talib, Eunice Aw, Long Pham, Kana Maniwa, Wong Wen Kai, Reshveen Rajendran, Chonsen Mok, Wong Yan Chi, Me and Wong Yoon Cherng Billy

 

ALL OF US!

1st row from the front: Toh Shi Jie, Wong Wen Kai

Second row: Wong Yoon Cherng Billy, Jonathan Hui, Queena Wong, Kana Maniwa, Me and Wong Yan Chi

Third row: John Lau, Long Pham, Eunice Aw, Gordon Loo, Jacky Yip, Chonsen Mok and Alan Chan

 

AND WITH THAT THE GRADUATING CLASS OF YEAR 2011 HAS OFFICIALLY BECAME HISTORY

 

Signing off for the last time,
Belinda Ong

 

Belinda studied A Levels at Bellerbys Brighton

Sunny Day (For Once!) For the Charity Bike Ride & School Photo

Posted by Autumn @ Bellerbys Oxford

Thursday 2^nd June was one of the most exciting days of my life and time in Bellerbys College Oxford. The day was packed with events, none of which were lacking in excitement and festivity.

The day started out as normal as a Thursday could, with students sleepily attending class and teachers busying themselves with essays and assignments. Few if any noticed the disappearance of two of our favourite teachers.

As the first couple of lessons finished, the fun began. Most the students had been recommended to be at the car park at 11 am sharp (oh the prime time of Bellerbys College, most events starts at 11!). The music was blaring; cameras were flashing (slightly exaggerated here, but all for the sake of rhyme!); and all the students and staff was chatting animatedly. We were all here to cheer and clap and see off in style our dedicated staff, who were getting ready to cycle from Oxford to Didcot as part of the Cycle Challenge.

The National Cycle Challenge is a fund-raising event, where ‘staff and students from all over the UK are cycling from Stirling in Scotland to Brighton on the south coast of England linking all of our colleges together. We hope to raise £20,000 at least to help build the new Building Futures school in Niger, Africa’. And Bellerbys College Oxford was as enthusiastic as ever to take part in such an event.

The two aforementioned missing teachers, Ian and Jo, were also part of the cycle team. (Surprise much!) They started even earlier, as their destination, Guildlford, is much further.

      

The Cycle Challenge day also coincided with Bellerbys College Oxford annual school photo. At 1.45pm, everyone, as in hundreds of students and many many staff, gathered at the car park once more for the school photo to be taken. I was amazed at seeing for the first time how big Bellerbys College Oxford has expanded.

Due to technical problems, the photo session lasted almost an hour. It sure was no fun standing in the sun for an hour or so, but the innovative and fun-loving students here in Bellerbys College spent that time effectively on posing and taking great photos of their own.

Following the photo session was a fantastic barbecue, where staff and students queued for mouth-watering food.

At 15.30, Bellerbys UK Managing Director, Mr. James Pitman - who had cycled miles from WALES - reached Oxford. A wonderful end to a great summer day. (It was sunny, for once!)

Posted by Autumn, studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford

Last Term at Bellerbys College

Posted by Jamie @ Bellerbys Brighton

There's not much left to go. Exactly one month until the end of Bellerbys. I've been thinking a lot about home lately and what the future has in store for me. I'm about to take a massive leap forward in my life and I'm not so sure I'm ready. I'm moving to the West Coast (represent!) to study in CalArts - a dream of mine I've kept since I was 11. You'd think that I'd feel a little prepared for living on my own after staying in Brighton, but truth be told, I'm really nervous. Culture-wise, we're talking about an entirely different entity. Somehow, I feel like maybe I'd be more exposed to nitty gritty aspects of life in the US of A; England was somewhat of a small stepping stone for me.

Nevertheless, it feels extremely satisfying (yet strangely poignant) to finally strike a bold, black line through the first part of my step towards Pixar, and essentially, towards being somebody to the world.

After UCAS applications were done, people keep asking each other where they're going to end up after this. Everyone always replies with a resounding, 'Warwick', or 'UCL', or 'Manchester', or 'Hertfordshire' (okay, maybe not so much the latter). I'm really happy that everyone got what they wanted, but I can't help but feel like a nomad when I say I'm heading to 'California'. Everyone will get to hold onto each other for a little bit longer while I'm the only one crossing the pond. Albeit, I am really grateful for the opportunity, I just... maybe wish I had a little more time?

I'm really going to miss the Art Department the most. The studios have somewhat become my sanctuary and the teachers my family. Honestly, this school puts you in such an enclosed environment, where you're living with your friends, that you can't help but create intimate relationships with your teachers and peers.

Personally, I fair better with people who are older than me, so maybe that explains why I feel like my teachers are my closest friends. It could also explain why I'm always chatting away to Mr.Nix as if I think he wants to listen (yes, I know you can barely stand me sometimes, if not most times). He's been such a father figure to me in so many ways, and sometimes, more so than my real dad has been. You don't get to meet that kind of person very often.

The relationship between Mrs. Dreiling and I is a completely different creature. She's like my non-existent older sister - old enough to give me reaaaaally good advice, but young enough to share the same interests. I can't imagine a day when she's ever without a smile! Also, she and Mr. Nix are like my secret antidote when I'm feeling exam jitters.

I'll probably never forget Dr. Lively and her amazing Psychology classes, nor will I EVER forget the best Math teacher I've ever had, Dr. Cheng. Very different characters, but equally as awe-inspiring. Dr. Lively has really encouraged me to change my eating habits and I love the fact that we can trade our food secrets and tips every class (sort of like your personal nutritionist). Dr. Cheng pushes me like no other teacher has before because she knows I can do it. And to have that kind of support really touches me.

Alas, I can't go without giving credits to my friends. I'll probably find some other time to really expand on this part, but for now, let's just say they've been great.

Who knows? Maybe I'll start an even better chapter this September in California.

Jamie is studying A Levels at Bellerbys College Brighton 

Easter Break to Dublin, Ireland - Previous Term Recap (Part 2)

Posted by Belinda @ Bellerbys Brighton

So after the mid-term break last term, the long awaited end of term break, aka Easter break, soon arrived too.

To celebrate the end of term and the start of our 2-week holiday, my housemate and I decided to throw another end-of-term house party and invited everyone over. Similar to last time, all of us decided to cook the food ourselves.

I actually prefer doing this although it might seem very troublesome. However, I think that cooking with your friends is a very good opportunity to learn and appreciate each other’s cultures. Besides, other than being able to try food of different races and cultures, I came to this conclusion that cooking is a great time for bonding as we showcased our co-operation and tolerance for each other while preparing the food.

 

 

Okay, enough said about the food. So other than having the house party, this Easter I also decided to go on a trip with Lee, my Taiwanese friend who was an ex-Bellerbys student and who is now studying in the University of Edinburgh. It has been months since we last met up at the end of last year when I went to Scotland to find her during my other mid term break. 

The main reason why I have been wanting to go to Ireland is actually due to the film P.S I LOVE YOU. I remember watching it a while back and being mesmerised by the sceneries and landscapes in their various scenes. 

In Ireland, we went to Dublin which is the capital city and also the largest city. 

 

This is the main shopping centre, St. Stephens Green Shopping Centre.

Before the trip, we found out that the Guinness beer originated from Ireland.  So we decided to make a trip down to the Guinness Storehouse since it is also the top attraction in Dublin.

 

 

 

At the Guinness Storehouse, we had the opportunity to pour own own pint of Guinness beer and we even received a certificate for that too. Apparently, pouring a pint is not as simple as it may seemed to be, because for the fact that you have tilt the glass 45 degrees and slowly straighten it as it fills. Next, you even have to wait for the beer to settle before finally topping the glass up one last time. Before this, I thought it was just merely a one-step process. 

We also went to Temple Bar which is a popular area filled with lots of bars and restaurants.
It is also known as "Dublin's cultural quarter".

 
St. Stephens Green 

Also, I personally feel that the Wicklow Mountains is a must visit place as many of the scenes of P.S I LOVE YOU were shot at there. 

 

The photo on the far left is a shot of the Guinness Lake. It is called the Guinness Lake as the colour water looks blue-black and hence people think that it is just like the Guinness beer.  

At the Wicklow Mountains, we also visited Glendalough and the Avoca Village. 

 

  

And finally, we concluded our journey with our last destination - the Avoca Handweavers Mill.

 

Belinda is studying A Levels at Bellerbys Brighton

Кембридж! :X

Posted by Tien, from Vietnam, studying @ Bellerbys Cambridge who has blogged for us in Russian!

С утра, за исключением выходных привычно прихожу я в школу! Друзей встречаю, милых и родных… здесь светил мир, как в первый день творенья… пролеты коридоров, залы, классы… здесь все подвластно только вдохновению, разумно, мудро, чисто и прекрасно!  - эти мысли приходят ко мне в голову, когда я думаю о своей школе здесь, в Англии.

Я много раз писала про свою жизнь в Кембридже, про школу, про друзей, про учителей…, но еще ни разу не писала по-русски!

Я приехала в Беллербис колледж в сентябре и вот уже живу здесь почти год. Я сама из Вьетнама, просто выросла в России, точнее в Санкт-Петербурге.

Я всегда говорю, что время не просто бежит, оно просто летит очень быстро! Мне казалось, что впереди целый учебный год, новая страна, новая культуру и конечно же новый люди. Но удивительно, я не почувствовала какого-то шока… Англия конечно же не Россия, но все равно, есть что-то схожее. Я сразу же познакомилась со многими ребятами и вскоре мы уже все сдружились! Хорошо, когда встречаются добрые и отзывчивые люди!!!

Если говорить о Кембридже, то наверное всем сразу придет в голову Кембриджский университет, красивый замки. Нет сомнений, что Кембридж – это очень красивый, не большой интернациональный город. Мне очень нравится Кембридж, так как здесь очень спокойно. В центре города всегда кипит жизнь, как и во многих больших городах. Много магазинов, большая библиотека, рестораны, кафе, кинотеатры, клубы, бары… но с другой стороны, в Кембридже очень спокойно, нет суеты, это все-таки город студентов, кругом маленькие и очень уютные дома.

A eсли говорить о школе, я бы сказала, что меня все устраивает. У нас хорошие учителя. В классе примерное 7-10 человек, поэтому учителя могут уделять внимание каждому ученику. Это очень помогает, особенно когда мы в чужой стране и когда все предметы на английском! Я сразу же почувствовала поддержку со стороны учителей и мне это очень помогает!

Еще я бы сказала, что моя школа именно в Кембридже – это самая лучшая, так как у нас очень много кружков, это спорт, иностранные языки, йога … кружки на любой вкус! Каждый ученик может создать свой кружок, если он этого хочет. Мы не только получаем знания, но и развиваемся!

Мне  очень нравится здесь, потому что здесь я учусь, получаю знания, здесь встретила замечательных друзей! :)

Tien is studying A Levels at Bellerbys Cambridge

Sixth Form Cambridge Law Conference Trip

Posted by Asel @ Bellerbys Brighton

At the end of last term I attended the Sixth Form Cambridge Law Conference and now I’d like to share my impressions with you.

The whole thing was amazing!  It was an unforgettable experience.  During the Conference which lasted four days I was living in Pembroke College which is located in the very heart of Cambridge. So it presented no difficulty to get to any place where the actual conference took place.  Accommodation was very comfortable: the room was quite big, the window was on the sunny side.  The only minor inconvenience was the fact that the toilet and the shower were downstairs.

The meals were absolutely the same as they are in Bellerbys.  However the canteen was different.  If you’ve watched Harry Potter movie you would be able to imagine what it was like: four long tables for students and one standing perpendicularly to others - for Fellows and Lecturers of Pembroke College.  This hall is performed in Gothic style with typical high ceiling. Along the walls there are different portraits of College’s patrons. So it was a fascinating place to eat!))

The Conference was made by the committee which consisted of current Cambridge Law students whom I would like to thank for such splendid work and for being so fun and easy to work with!  The programme of the Conference was very intense, as we had to be introduced in every piece of Law.  So I had to wake up at 8 am and could go to bed only at 11 pm!

We went to the Law Faculty where all lectures took place we were introduced to Law as the whole academic subject, and afterwards had lectures about European Union Law, Intellectual Property Law, Sentencing and Penal System, Legal Problems, Land Law, Roman Law and International Law.

After a short break we were divided into small groups and taken to different workshops. I was in Linklaters workshop. Linklaters is a British solicitor’s Law firm on an international scale which specialises on Commercial Law. In this workshop I was given various valuable advice on how to perform successfully during the interview in a law firm by Linklaters’ representative.

After dinner there was a Debate at Cambridge Union - a special building for debating. The motion was: “This house believes that we are too harsh on criminals”. I have never seen such a perfect debate in my life: for the proposition were Professor John Spencer, who is also a co-director of the Cambridge Centre for European Legal studies and a President of the European Criminal Law Association, and a current Law student at Cambridge; for opposition were an MP and Paul Stanley, a barrister and a former student of Cambridge University. The debate was very heated and sharp, and in the end the opposition was proclaimed a winner.

The next day we had lectures in Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Tort Law, Criminal Law and Family. Afterwards two former Cambridge students gave talks about the job of a solicitor and a barrister. Then another person, who had attended the Conference many years ago but later went to Oxford University gave a talk about an alternative perspective for Law students - to become a teacher. I personally became very interested in working at Bar.

That day’s workshop was negotiation skills, where we were divided into teams and tried to negotiate and make a beneficial for us deal. The night’s activity was different from the previous one: instead of a serious event we had an extremely funny Mock Trial!

And finally, on the last of the Conference before departure we had two lectures.  First, with the Lecturers about applying to Cambridge, and second, with the members of the committee, about life in Cambridge.

All in all, the Conference was one of the most enjoyable event in my life in England!  And now all I have to do is to work hard to go there next time as a University’s student!

Asel is studying A Levels at Bellerbys College Brighton

Spring Song - Recap of My First Six Months at Bellerbys Oxford

Posted by Autumn @ Bellerbys Oxford

Hi there, my beloved Bellerbys blog-readers,

As I am typing this article, the Spring term at Bellerbys College Oxford is coming to its (wonderful) end. Over the past few months, I have achieved a lot, have tried many new things and have acquired great knowledge of a range of many subjects, including the most random ones. I have gained experience that I would never have a chance to otherwise, I have seen and admire many intriguing, fascinating things, and I have met people that have broadened my horizons considerably. I just want to jot down here a few things I have done that undoubtedly play an important part of my life here in Oxford.

1. I succeeded in passing all my January exams with acceptable grades.

The results I got demonstrate all the effort and hard work I have put into my studying. It showed me that as long as one is adamant to chase after one's goals, one has the ability to realise them. It also greatly encourages and motivates me to get an equally good result in June.

2. I attended day trips to visit two universities: University of Oxford and University College London. 

These trips are essential for any students who intend to pursue higher education. They provided us with valuable overviews of the universities to which we want to apply, as well as inform us of what to expect when starting our university life.

3. I participated in Clubs and Societies

 .....namely Magazine Club and Building Futures. Taking part in such clubs offer me opportunities to develop my soft skills such as team work and leadership. The Oxford Building Future groups organised many fantastic events to raise fund for our projects. We had a lovely Valentine week, a rocking Karaoke night, and an appetising Cake sale.

It is really hard to believe that I have spent almost 6 months in a foreign city, studying and socialising with friends from many parts of the world. And such an amazing time it has been, full of excitement and laughter. My Easter holiday, which is full of new surprises I am sure, starts tomorrow. And I just can wait to make the most of it.

PS: Spring Song - composed be Felix Mendelssohn - a sweet "song without word" that bring about the vernal atmosphere!

Posted by Autumn, studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford 

Special Report 2: An(other) Extremely Brief Introduction to University College London...

Posted by Autumn @ Bellerbys Oxford

Welcome again to Autumn's extremely short introduction. Our destination this time is University College London, University of London.

UCL is a world-leading university. Its worldwide reputation cannot be denied, and is a "true academic powerhouse". (UCL website). As many of our students here have expressed their ambition of applying to UCL, Bellerbys College Oxford has organised a school trip for AS level students to visit UCL on 9th March, 2011.

The only drawback of the trip is that it started too early. All of us had to arrive at the rail station, where the coach was waiting before 7am. Complaints, of course, were made. However as we all understand the importance of a university trip, which would eventually aid us in deciding to which universities to apply, all of us were there on time. And we set off uneventfully.

The trip from Oxford to London took a little bit more than an hour and a half. At around 9h30am, we arrived at UCL, on a perfectly sunny day in London.

Situated at the very centre of London, UCL has a very convenient location. Bus stops, Tube station and Rail station are all located around the area, allow the students to commute there easily. As we were early, we were invited to visit the cafeteria to have some refreshments and coffee before the tour officially started.

UCL buildings are different the colleges here in Oxford. They have different architecture, and are centred on one street. The buildings were quite empty when we came in, given that it was still not time for school. We rested for a bit in the cafeteria, enjoying coffee and (in some cases) having breakfast. At 10am, we moved to our main avenue.

Like any standard university trip, ours began with a informative and educational presentation. We were provided with an overview of UCL: how the school was founded in 1826, how it earned its now-too-well-known name, and why UCL is one of the best university and research institution in the world. We were also informed about the requirements of UCL, and about some of the changes in tuition fees and modern languages requirements for 2012 entry.

After the 45-minute presentations, we were introduced with UCL ambassadors, a group of current UCL students (mainly Law and Politics and Medicine students, I noticed) who had volunteered to guide us around UCL and answer our enquiries. Due to my interest in Politics, I and my Politics classmates grabbed Aisha, a pretty Politics and Eastern European Studies third-year student. (It's a pity that my clumsiness prevented me from taking a photo of Aisha).

Aisha guided us around the campus. We visited the Main Library and UCL Union Building, as well as the accommodation for students (well, we weren't allowed inside the building, though). Aisha also introduced us Jeremy Bentham, whose embalmed body is kept on public display at the end of the South Cloisters in the main building of the college. (Fun Fact: for the 100th and 150th anniversaries of the college,he was brought to the meeting of the College Council, where he was listed as "present but not voting" ~wikipedia.com)

While making our way around the university, Aisha explained her undergraduate course and highlighted the key factors of the course and what to expect. She also enthusiastically gave us some advice on student academic and social life in university. What a kind and energetic young woman!

At the end of our tour, after receiving the UCL undergraduate prospectus for 2012 entry, we said goodbye to UCL and hurried back to the coach in order to make it in time for the afternoon lesson.

Posted by Autumn, studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford