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News from Bellerbys Oxford
Bellerbys Oxford Students Win Awards at National Maths Contest
11 budding mathematicians from Bellerbys Oxford campus have won awards at the 2009 UKMT Senior Maths Challenge contest.
The Senior Maths Challenge is an annual national competition with complex, demanding and intriguing questions, which are designed to stimulate interest in maths. The three levels cover secondary school age and together they attract over 600,000 entries from over 4,000 schools and colleges in the UK every year.
Camie Truong Anh Thao Nguyen, 18, from Vietnam, was the top student who achieved a record score of 90 and a gold certificate. Camie said, 'this is totally unexpected and I’m so happy to make my parents proud.’ She added, ‘personally I am a little bit proud as well, as Maths is not only a subject; it is also a way of thinking and a measure of intelligence.’
After she completes the Business Foundation course in Oxford next year, Camie is aiming to study the prestigious MORSE (Maths, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics) degree at Warwick University.
Congratulations to all the winners and well done to all our students for making this year
such a success.
Read more about studying Maths A Level at Bellerbys College
Teacher Ian Runs Again for School Charity
Bellerbys Oxford teacher Ian Walker (pictured, in the red vest) ran the 13.1 mile, London 'Royal Parks Half Marathon' for a second consecutive time this year in aid of the school charity Building Futures. The route took the runners past many of London's famous landmarks, such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Marble Arch.
Supportive crowds lined the streets of London on a mild Sunday morning. Bellerbys graduate Charmmy (now studying at UCL in London) and Ian's wife Jo, were amongst the crowds to lend their support, chanting and cheering for Ian along his route.
He finished the half-marathon and achieved an impressive time of just one hour and thirty-six minutes. Afterwards he said that he felt "Wonderful!" and had had a great day.
The total sponsorship money raised by Ian will be doubled by the school. Needless to say, he is as fit as a greyhound and is looking forward to doing it all again next year.
Learn about the work of the Bellerbys College school charity Building Futures
Congratulations to Bellerbys Oxford Badminton Champion
'Congratulations' to Panich Kasamepaiboon, a second year A Level student at Bellerbys Oxford. Along with a friend, he recently won a local mens' doubles badminton championship whilst he was in his hometown of Danchange, Thailand during the holidays.
Panich, formerly a GCSE student at Bellerbys Oxford, acheived amazing grades in his exams (A*AAAAB) before going on to study A Levels in Maths, Economics and Accounting at the college. He is also the president of the newly founded Badminton Club at Bellerbys Oxford and has played in many tournaments throughout the city.
Read more about Panich and meet some of the other Bellerbys Oxford students
Extracurricular Fun at Bellerbys Oxford
Teacher Peter Madams, wrote to tell us about the importance of extra-curricular activities in the life of the school:
"It's not all work, work, work here at Bellerbys Oxford. We often enjoy relaxing and taking part in some after school-activities as well. There are a variety of clubs and societies to attend every week outside of class. They exist because we believe that a full and rounded education should contain both academic and extra-curricular activities.
Pictured here (holding the book) is Thuan from Vietnam looking very poetic. That's because he's at the 'PPP Club'. PPP stands for 'Pronunciation for Poetry and Prose'. This club meets every week to read and discuss poetry and prose, 
with the aim of improving pronunciation as well as an appreciation of the chosen passages. Last week the group read poetry from the time of the First World War, because it was Remembrance Day.
Also pictured here are the Music Club, trying to get their harmonies right on the song 'Way Back Into Love' which features in the film 'Music and Lyrics'. Singing in the group is a great way to relieve stress between classes. When they learn the tune properly without any duff notes, we'll try to record them and put a performance on YouTube for everyone to watch."
By Peter Madams, ICT teacher at Bellerbys Oxford.
See the What's on at Bellerbys Oxford page for information about some of the scheduled clubs at the school.
We Have a New Student Blogger for Bellerbys Oxford!
Say hello to Bushra Malik, our new student blogger for Bellerbys Oxford. Bushra, from Pakistan, is studying Law Foundation at the college and has just uploaded her first post to the Life at Bellerbys College blog.
Entitled 'At Last....... Me And My Dream Place!!!!!', Bushra tells us about her school, college and family life in Karachi, so far, and her aspirations for the future. We're sure her posts are going to be a fascinating read and look forward to following her progress through her Law course.
Read Bushra's first post on the Life at Bellerbys College blog
From Bellerbys Oxford to University of Sussex in Brighton
"It was a big change coming from college to university. Firstly, university study relies largely on personal awareness and self-regulation; unlike in college, teachers often chase after students about homework. Secondly, writing academically and using 'critical thinking' is new to most new university students.
Luckily, whilst doing the Foundation course at Bellerbys Oxford, we had English courses on essay planning, academic writing and referencing and these had proven a great deal useful for university academic work.
Thirdly, as an international student, university is a platform to make friends with native English speakers and students from other countries and be influenced by other cultures.
Brighton is a completely different city from Oxford. Brighton is energetic, yet with an appreciation to the old and a bit of edginess. There is a certain height regulation for houses so that they do not ruin the city skyline. Construction could be called to stop because of a family of protected birds living on top of a building.
There are many pubs and clubs which have live performance for people who like to go out at night. I adore going for a countryside walk while the sun is out. Brighton has quite a number of parks and there is one right outside of University of Sussex. It is a beautiful scene to watch while deer pass by in the fields and in the woods."
by former Bellerbys Oxford Media Foundation student, Olive Lai
Find out more about things to do in Brighton
Bellerbys Oxford Graduate Begins Internship with Bellerbys in Brighton
Former Bellerbys Oxford student Olive Lai, who recently graduated with a Distinction in Humanities Foundation has just begun an internship at the Bellerbys College head office in Brighton. Over the next ten weeks Olive will be assisting the team of Web Editors, undertaking various activities such as writing news stories, interviewing new students and answering questions on our Facebook pages.
This experience coincides with Olive's move to the city, where she recently started studying for an undergraduate degree in Media Theory and Practice, at the University of Sussex. Olive is fittnig the internship in around her studies. This is a great achievement and testament to the Bellerbys Foundation course - considering Olive only began studying at Bellerbys College in January of 
this year!
Reminiscing about her time in Oxford, Olive said: "Oxford is a great city to study in. It is small and yet lively. There are many - festivals so you will never be bored. My favourite places in Oxford are the farmers market next to the bus station... and the countryside around [the city] where you can pick your own fruit".
What did she think of the Bellerbys Foundation course? "I studied the Media and Humanities Foundation course. The Film module in particular was difficult yet great fun. The psychology module was also interesting and gave me more opportunity to practice reading and writing."
How does university compare to her time at college? "University study relies largely on personal awareness and self-regulation; ... also writing academically and using 
'critical thinking' is new to most new university students. Luckily, whilst doing the Foundation course at Bellerbys Oxford, we had English courses on essay planning, academic writing and referencing and these have proven a great deal useful for university academic work."
Finally Olive writes that: "The teachers and staff at Bellerbys College were extraordinarily helpful for students who have just left home. I would like to thank all of the teachers, as their continued enthusiastic input was integral to my improvement during the course."
From now until Chritsmas 2009 you can ask Olive a question about anything to do with studying at Bellerbys College at the Bellerbys College Facebook page.
Read more from Olive and our other recent graduates
Bellerbys Oxford Art Students Go On To Great Things
Bellerbys Oxford has a vibrant and exciting art department which enables students to go on to great things at university. Over the last two years, many Oxford students have secured conditional and unconditional degree offers of places on courses such as Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Graphics, Fine Art, Film Studies and even Car Design at prestigious British universities.
Throughout their course, students at the college enjoy sampling a wide range of specialisms including life drawing, printmaking, painting and drawing, model making, 3D-design, architecture studies, stage design, photography, stop frame animation and history of art. All projects undertaken are supported by visits to a broad range of appropriate museums, galleries and performances around the city of 
Oxford and further afield.
The Art Department believe it is vital to stay in touch with what is going on in the art world at large and so students have the opportunity to participate in workshops, exhibitions and competitions to aid their artistic development and confidence. These activities are regularly held at the internationally recognised contemporary art gallery, Modern Art Oxford, where two of our students have also been selected to take part in an exhibition here for practising artists in Oxfordshire.
Over the last two years students have achieved the following offers:
Architecture
De Montford University - BA (Hons) Architecture
Edinburgh University - BA (Hons) Architecture
Kingston University - BA (Hons) Architecture
Kingston University - BA (Hons) Landscape Architectural Design
Sheffield University - BA (Hons) Landscape Architectural Design
Car Design
Coventry University - BA (Hons) Automotive Design
Film Studies
Oxford Brookes University - BA (Hons) Film Studies
Reading University - BA (Hons) Film Studies
Fine Art
Oxford Brookes University - BA (Hons) Fine Art
Reading University - BA (Hons) Fine Art
Southampton University - BA (Hons) Fine Art
Graphics
De Montford University - BA (Hons) Graphic Design
London Metropolitan University - BA (Hons) Graphic Design
Southampton University - BA (Hons) Graphic Design
University of the Arts London, Camberwell - Art Foundation
University of the Arts London, Central St Martins - Art Foundation
Below are a couple of videos made by Bellerbys Oxford Art students as part of their courses.
See examples of Bellerbys Oxford student artwork on Flickr
Find out more about studying Art Foundation or Art A Level at Bellerbys
Hallowe'en Fun At Bellerbys Oxford
Students at Bellerbys Oxford showed off their scary, dark side at Hallowe'en night last week. There was much spookiness and messy games like ‘bobbing the apple’ and that other funny game where you pass a balloon from between your knees (though I don’t know the name of that). It’s always a good ice-breaker.
Wikipedia offers further information on the tradition: "Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints, but is today largely a secular celebration. Halloween activities include wearing scary costumes (see photo) and attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, pranks, telling scary stories, watching horror films and ‘trick-or-treating’. The UK has now adopted the American tradition of "trick-or-treating" which probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives."
by Peter Madams, Social Activities Officer
100% Pass Rate For A Level Students at Bellerbys Oxford
Bellerbys Oxford A Level students (pictured top right) have just received their final grades
and we are delighted that they have achieved a 100% pass rate and all now have confirmed university places, almost all at their first choice universities.
Over half of the students' final grades were A grades and we are extremely proud of them.
Three students (pictured bottom right) achieved a stunning string of straight A grades in all
of their subjects.
Linh Do from Vietnam achieved grades of AAAaa in Accounting, Economics, French, Maths
and Psychology and will be studying Management at London School of Economics next month.
British student Sanee Patel achieved grades of AAAa in Biology, Chemistry Maths and Physics. Sanee, who hopes to be a doctor, has confirmed his place to read Biology at Imperial College London.
Chi Long Chan (Norman) from Macao also achieved grade A in each of his subjects - Biology, Chemistry and Maths. These grades have confirmed Norman's place at Imperial College London to study Chemistry.
Read reaction to their results: Linh, Norman & Sanee.
Congratulations to all students!
Class of 2009 Graduate from Bellerbys Oxford
This year, Bellerbys Oxford held their graduation ceremony in the beautiful Old Library of
St Mary's, the church of Oxford University. Constructed in 1320 the church is the oldest university building in Oxford.
Students who were presented with prizes for achievement and effort include:
Chi Long (Norman) Chan - A Level Achievement
Linh Do - A Level Achievement
Sanee Patel - A Level Achievement
Natalia Migranova - A Level Effort
Chi Wai (Vanna) Se - A Level Effort
Xiao Lu (Alice) Qian - A Level Effort
Alireza (Ali) Esfandiari - Foundation Achievement
Man Chung (Tim) Chiu - Foundation Achievement
Kaman Carman Pun - Foundation Achievement
Theresa Ogechi Belonwu - Foundation Achievement
Hee Jin (Kelly) Lim - Foundation Effort
Kateryna (Kate) Ilyushyna - Foundation Effort
Alina Rai - Foundation Effort
Ayako Miyahara - Foundation Effort
Zhanna Aubekova - GCSE Achievement
Murad Khalimov - GCSE Effort
Uglijesa Ostojic - Contribution to the College
Quynh Anh Pham Le - Richard Ryde Scholarship
Congratulations and the best of luck for the future for all students!
Fancy Dress Charity Fundraising Day at Bellerbys Oxford
Staff and students of Bellerbys Oxford school recently held a fundraising event in aid of the school charity - Building Futures. Everyone was invited to dress in 'traffic light' colours - red, yellow and green.
Those who dressed in one of the three colours took part in a photo shoot in the common room of Boswell House, Oxford. Some members of staff collected money for the whole day, others just came for the photo taking. Whilst several students donated money in order to be able to take a picture!
It was a fun event, with staff and students enjoying the opportunity of doing something together to raise awareness and money for a charitable cause. The event raised £57, which was doubled by Study Group to make a grnd total of £115. The day was definitely a success, but the organisers have just one plea, "If we do it again we need more yellows!"
Pensons Gardens Student Residence Update
The Bellerbys Oxford student residence, Pensons Gardens has recently undergone a series of renovations. This has transformed the accommodation block from a self-catered to a catered residence.
The changes have also reduced the number of bedrooms from 12 to ten.
In addition the residence is now fully monitored, around-the-clock, by a live-in warden and as such is exclusively for students under 18 years of age.
The residence is located in the St. Clements area with parks, river, cafes and cinema all nearby.
Go to the Oxford Accommodation page for more information about Pensons Gardens and other accommodation options at Bellerbys Oxford.
Films Made By Oxford Media Foundation Students Now on YouTube
As you would imagine, an important part of Media Studies coursework is to make films! We've uploaded a couple of videos made by Bellerbys Oxford students to YouTube.
Media Teacher, Kieran Suchet, says of 'Land of Surveillance' (top right), "I'm really pleased with the students' efforts at 'Formalism' in this film, ie. letting filmmaking techniques communicate the narrative, without the need for much acting or any dialogue. Well done!"
And of 'Human Senses' (bottom right): "This film provokes a range of feelings and opinions from its viewers, which is why I like it. Also, it is a completely solo effort!"
All of the students involved in these films have gone on to study degrees in various elements of Media at UK universities including University of Sussex and University of York. Well done to Olive Lai and Katherine Wu, from China, and Umar Dunaev from Chechnya.
Read more about the Media Foundation course
Find out where you can study A Level Media Studies
Oxford Student, Quynh Anh, is the 2009 Richard Ryde Scholarship Award Winner
Each year, the best AS student from each Bellerbys school is invited to apply for the Richard Ryde Scholarship. The four students are then interviewed by the Principals of each of the schools along with James Pitman, the UK Managing Director. They are asked questions about their academic background, academic plans for the future, their extracurricular interests and their views about studying in the UK. The successful student is awarded free tuition for their second year of study at Bellerbys worth over £17,000.
We are delighted to announce the 2009 winner is Quynh Anh Pham Le from Vietnam,
currently studying A Levels in Maths, Economics, Politics and French at Bellerbys Oxford.
Bellerbys Oxford A Level & GCSE Programme Manager, Yasmin Hurrell, had the following to say about Quynh Anh.
"From the very start of the A level course Quynh Anh impressed all of her teachers with her passion for her studies, her lively mind and exceptional level of motivation in all of her chosen subjects. She brightens up the lessons and sets the standard in an AS group which includes several other excellent students. She demonstrates real intellectual curiosity, relishes debate, listens attentively to others and is always ready to try out new ideas. She comes from a school background in Vietnam where she was not encouraged to speak her mind and has found it liberating – if also daunting at times – that here she is positively encouraged to express her own opinions.
Her Maths teacher says that she is one of the best students she has ever taught, extremely hardworking, highly motivated and an active member of the class. She is a very good mathematician ( achieving 100% in C1 and 99% in C2 in January) but, more importantly,
her attitude to her work is exceptional. She is determined to have a complete command of the subject and patiently works away without ever getting frustrated until she has achieved her aims.
Her Economics teacher describes her as a superb student with a genuine feel for the
discipline and details of the subject. Such is her enthusiasm and talent that she chooses to grapple with concerns far beyond confines of the course.
In Politics Quynh Anh produces outstanding work and clearly loves the subject. She researches widely around each topic as well as reading newspapers and political magazines regularly. She is a very gifted student who contributes very actively in class.
Quynh Anh is a most enthusiastic student with a real talent for French. She has an impressive command of the language and is always striving to improve. She enjoys discussion on any topic, ranging from environmental issues to literature and films.
In Hanoi Quynh Anh was a founding member of a student charity which raised funds and helped families in deprived parts of the city. The students did fundraising to collect clothes, books and money as well as offering English lessons. They also assisted with housework and filtering water. They liaised with workers in orphanages and disabled children’s “villages” which they visited at regular intervals. Quynh Anh has done similar work during summer holidays spent in the rural area where her grandmother lives, where some people live in very poor conditions – she feels that this experience awakened her interest in economics and the creation of a fairer society.
Quynh Anh is an active member of the school Debating Society; she helps to organise each debate and has also been a speaker. She is the president of the newly founded Economics Club, a group set up to discuss economics questions and make students more aware of issues outside the classroom. She loves reading, especially novels, but since coming to England has read mainly books focusing on politics and current affairs. She enjoys music (sings in the school band) as well as art, cinema and photography. She used to play badminton and now keeps fit in the local gym.
Quynh Anh plans to play an active role in local party politics next year. For a Vietnamese girl she is quite unusually independent and ambitious to make a change. She hopes to study International Relations or PPE and on completing her studies she would like to work for an NGO or pressure group. Long term she plans to return to Vietnam to contribute what she can to her own society.
Quynh Anh is the brightest student in the her year. She has a very sharp mind and has responded to the challenges of the course with unusual enthusiasm and determination. She is, moreover, a very engaging young woman with a warm sense of humour. She is highly ambitious but unselfish: she cares about others and can frequently be seen in the common room explaining a homework problem to a fellow student. She is quite modest about her own ability and does not take herself too seriously. We believe that she has all the qualities which will lead her to excel at university. She is a real credit to the college and we recommend her without reservation for the Richard Ryde scholarship."
Many congratulations to Quynh Anh from everyone at Bellerbys College.
Read more about Quynh Anh's time at Bellerbys
Find out more about studying A Levels at Bellerbys
Bellerbys Oxford Summer Ball
Thursday 18th May 2009 was a night to remember when over one hundred staff and students attended this year's Summer Ball. The excitement had been growing in the school during the previous weeks, due to the promotional efforts of the Ball Committee. The tickets sold out far in advance and suddenly all that was left to do was to get into a great outfit and comfortable shoes to dance the night away in!
It was a beautiful summer evening as we gathered at Hawkwell House Hotel, a lovely venue, with helpful staff and a big garden. The evening kicked off with a wonderful musical performance from students Andres and Leo. They each sang a few solo numbers and then came together for a duet. The crowd sang and clapped along enthusiastically. What a great way to get the party started!
No sooner had the last piece of chocolate cake disappeared than the students headed for the dance floor. Leading the charge was Jackie 
Eadie, Foundation Programme Manager, who can proudly boast of dancing for three hours straight! "I enjoyed myself tremendously and it was evident that everybody around me was having a great time too", she said. The theme for this year's ball was ‘All Around the World’ and it was perfectly reflected in an enthusiastic, multi-national performance of La Macarena!
School Principal Julia Southby attended the Spring Ball too. She said, "I thoroughly enjoyed the evening; our students made such an effort and looked wonderful. It is one of those lovely events where you can truly appreciate the integration of nationalities and cultures - especially watching around 15 different nationalities dancing at the same time! The evening shows how friendships have grown over the past academic year. It was a truly diverse evening!"
See more photos of the Bellerbys Oxfords Summer Ball on Flickr
Join the Bellerbys Oxford group on Facebook
Trip to Birmingham by Zhanna
The first day of May 2009 was a surprising day for GCSE Art Students because we had a planned trip to a most exciting city called Birmingham. We took the train from Oxford’s train station in the morning. The weather was fantastic this day so when we arrived in Birmingham, we were just walking a lot to get to the central museum.
The surprise was inside the museum because our guide was also the conservator of the museum called Veronika. She is a really great person who not only had shown us the museum exhibition, but she also took us to her workshop. We were really lucky to see such things and such places. It was a golden opportunity to visit the private working rooms in the museum.
Afterwards, we went to the Sea-Life museum. Personally I don’t like such places, but this museum was excellent! Firstly, we saw all the fish and the underwater world. Then, we had an opportunity to touch some of the sea organisms like crab, starfish and turtles. After that, we went to the 4D cinema. It was my first time visiting such a special cinema. It was the most interesting part of the museum. Everyone was really excited after this short movie.
During the trip, we were taking a lot of photos. So it will be a great memory for us to remember this incredibly interesting city.
By Bellerbys Oxford GCSE student Zhanna Aubekova, 16, from Kazakhstan.
Find out about trips and activities at Bellerbys Oxford
Two Former Bellerbys Oxford Students to Marry!
We would like to pass on our congratulations to two students who met at Bellerbys Oxford three years ago and who are now getting married on 1st May in Hawaii!
Lee Chong and Lin Lin both successfully completed our ELP and Business Foundation programmes and went on to study Hospitality and Management at Oxford Brookes and Royal Holloway respectively but now they have started a new business together in New Jersey, USA. It’s very different from Oxford out there, they say!
They have fond memories of Oxford, where they were very popular with classmates and teachers, because that is where their love story began. We also have fond memories of them because they were both so polite and hard-working. Chong’s sense of humour always had us all smiling.
We wish them a lifetime of health, wealth and happiness together and we are so proud of them both.
From Jackie Eadie, Foundation Programme Manager, and all at Bellerbys Oxford
Host Family Party
Bellerbys College Oxford recently held a party to give thanks to the families who host students in their homes.
Students at Bellerbys have options to live in a student residence, to find their own accommodation, or to choose 'Homestay' where they live with a local family who also provide food. The benefit of living with a host family is that you get to practice your English and see another aspect of life during your stay in the UK.
At the party, delicious food and entertainment were provided, along with musical offerings from Peter and Steve on guitar and piano (our very own lounge crooners). The highlight of the event was definitely 'Magic Martin' (pictured) who did his magic show for the children aided by his white rabbit.
Find out about the accommodation options at Bellerbys Oxford
Summertime begins in Oxford
In Oxford, 1 May is ceremonially acknowledged as the beginning of Summertime. As the ancient british holiday of Beltane, May Day was historically designated as a holiday to promote and celebrate fertility. It was also a chance to celebrate the end of the cold winter months, as the first day of May was also the official beginning of summer.
An old custom in Oxford is to gather on the High Street at first light on 1 May and listen to choirboys singing from the Magdelene College Tower. For a few moments there is complete silence as the singing begins and the choirboys welcome in the summer. Thereafter the crowds retreat to pubs and cafes to eat breakfast and watch colourful Morris Men (pictured right) and people dressed up as the Green Man doing their dances. It really is a special moment in the Oxford calendar, which has become renowned around the world.
Read more about what life is like in Oxford
Oxford Prepares for the Summer Ball
Every year at the end of May, the staff and students at Bellerbys Oxford let down their hair for a special party, the Summer Ball. This year, it is taking place on 28 May and the preparations are under way. The Ball Committee have been meeting once a week to work out the all-important details. They've decided the theme and designed the posters and tickets.
Now the tickets are on sale, they'll be very busy selling tickets and promoting the event. Made up of dedicated students, the Ball Committee have willingly given up their free time to help make this year's Summer Ball an event to remember!
See what other activites take place at Bellerbys Oxford
Agnieszka's Waffles Raise Money for Charity
Staff and students ate their way through more than fifty waffles in an hour today - that's a local record, for Bellerbys Oxford at least.
Agnieszka Kaleka, a gifted chef, made delicious waffles from her own secret recipe and sold them at lunchtime in the school common room. Favourite toppings were maple syrup, icing sugar, strawberry jam, chocolate spread and whipped cream. Over £30 was raised for the Building Futures charity. Well done Agnieszka!
Meet some Bellerbys Oxford students
Bellerbys Oxford 
Students Attend Science Exhibition
On the March 6 2009, Bellerbys Oxford teachers took GCSE and A level students of to a science exhibition entitled 'Science In The Kitchen', held as part of both the 'National Science & Engineering Week' and the 'Oxfordshire Science Festival'.
The exhibition was organized and carried out by scientists from Oxford University's 'Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics' and was held at the historic Oxford University Museum of Natural History, on Parks Road.
At the 'Science in the Kitchen' exhibition, students had the opportunity to carry out various Biology, Chemistry and Physics experiments, all of which can be done safely at home. These included, for example, DNA extraction, electrophoresis, optical illusions as well as the very popular ‘putting a sharp stick through a balloon without bursting it’ trick!
Students found this a really fun day out that helped bring science to life.
See more pictures at Bellerbys Oxford Facebook page
Bellerbys Oxford Guitar Club
Students with an interest in music have the opportunity to attend our guitar club each week. Multi-talented teachers, Peter Madams and Dr. Jamal Ibrahim, run these classes, and also another session where students can join together to play as a full band . Pictured here brandishing their guitars are (from the left): Sherry, Queenie, Annie, and Leo. The idea is to provide extra-curricular activities so that students can enjoy another aspect of college life. Most are beginners, but our hope is that they will improve enough to perform a song or two at a future college party, perhaps the May Ball.
"OK, once again, from the top....1,2,3 and...."
by Peter Madams, CIT Teacher
Bellerbys Oxford Raise Money for Comic Relief
Bellerbys College Oxford and Embassy Oxford joined together last week to raise money for the UK charity Comic Relief. The charities annual event called 'Red Nose Day' is an opportunity for people to have fun whilst raisning money for the charity. The charity funds projects internationally (most notably in Africa) and also in the UK. The organisers would like to thank all who donated their time and money. Of course the biggest thanks goes to Steve Antoniou (pictured) for generously donating his hair follicles for artistic experimentation.
The red nose is the symbol of the charity - they can be found on Comic Relief day, each year, on people, cars, lorries, and probably some animals and buildings too.
Find out more about Comic Relief and Red Nose Day
New Science Laboratory opened
A second, newly purpose-built laboratory suite, composed of science laboratory, experiment preparation room and store, have now been completed. These are additions to the original laboratory suite that has been operating since Bellerbys College Oxford moved to Boswell House on Broad Street in the summer of 2005.
The adjacent pictures show the two new rooms at various stages of building, completion and usage.
The new laboratory, like the first, is equipped to deliver gas, water and mains electricity to all students seated across three parallel 
workbench surfaces. Like the first college laboratory, a high level of health and safety for students and teachers have been incoporated into the design. It has air intake and extractor vents as well as cut-off switches for gas, water and electricity at the front of the laboratory for the teacher to use if necessary. For writing, drawing and showing images and text, teachers can use a combination of both a standard pen whiteboard and an internet-linked computer plus interactive white board.
In addition, the equally well-equipped new (second) experiment preparation room adds to the ability of the science department to develop and deliver a greater number of experimental demonstrations and practicals of ever-increasing sophistication.
The completion of these two new science rooms means that Bellerbys College Oxford is now capable of teaching a larger number of science and engineering students across the A Level, Foundation and GCSE programmes while maintaining a high standard of science teaching.
Star Student 'Over the Moon'
Congratulations must go to star student Panich Kasamepaiboon, 16, from Thailand, who recently attained outstanding results in his IGCSE exams.
Panich surpassed his expectations, achieving four As and one B in Maths, Double Science, Business Studies, ICT and Engineering. He is continuing at Bellerbys College Oxford, and is intending to study Accounting, Economics and Maths at A Level.
"I must say I was surprised, especially about the Science – I am over the moon!", was Panich’s reaction upon learning the results. We wish him continued success with us here at Bellerbys College.
Read more about our impressive Student Results
Bellerbys Oxford Spread the Love
With a little help from the Love Fairy, students at Bellerbys College Oxford sent messages of love and friendship to each other this Valentine’s Day. Hand-delivered to the classroom, the messages were more often funny than romantic, especially those directed to the teachers, but perhaps a few lucky people found true love as a result.
The event was all in aid of the school charity Building Futures which raises money to build schools facilities in deprived communities and developing countries around the world, so a big thank you to all the love-birds who donated money.
Find out more about our Building Futures charity
Winter Term Welcome for New Students
Although it was a cold evening here at Bellerbys College Oxford, there was a warm welcome in store for all of our new students. The staff, with help from current students, welcomed our new arrivals with information about the school and the social programme.
Students found out about the Debating Society, the Music Society, the Economics Club and even belly-dancing classes amongst other activities. Everyone enjoyed the pizza provided by Student Services and chatted well into the evening.
Find out more about Activites at Bellerbys Oxford
Bellerbys Oxford wins Award
Teaching staff from Bellerbys Oxford recently attended a teachers' conference in Brighton, held for Study Group UK schools and affiliated institutions. Bellerbys Oxford were well represented.
The conference presents a chance for teachers to exchange ideas and learn about new topics relevant to their subject. Short lectures included topics on Powerpoint and interactive whiteboards, using wikis, digital cameras in teaching and Visual Dictogloss. If you don't understand these terms, don't worry, but rest assured you may benefit from them in the classroom.
Oxford won the Learning Awards Scheme 2008 - for the work done by staff in developing initiatives and appropriate provisions, in response to the rise in number of Middle Eastern students present in Oxford.
"We all had a great time in Brighton - it was nice to combine meeting our colleagues from around the country and learn something new to help us become better in our jobs."
by Peter Madams
Halloween Party
The students at Bellerbys Oxford joined in with the Halloween Party with their usual enthusiasm. It was a fun, yet frightening, night with music, food and a competition for the best costume. The students really got into the ‘spirit’ of the night turning up in a variety of costumes, ranging from slightly spooky to just plain scary!
The party was a huge success and we’d like to thank all the students for coming and for giving so generously to Building Futures.
By Helen McGowan, Social Activities Officer
See what else is happening at Bellerbys Oxford
Teachers Run to Build a Better Future
Two Bellerbys Oxford teachers, Ian and Jo Walker, ran a half marathon this past October in the Royal Parks of London to raise funds for the 'Building Futures' project.
Their efforts, along with those from other centres, raised a total of £9,000, which will be doubled by Study Group to amount to £18,000. These monies will be an excellent launch pad for our forthcoming Building Futures project, which is to rebuild a school in the zone of China recently devastated by the earthquake.
Having stood on the sidelines, we can certainly testify to the efforts put in by all runners on what was a very hot day!
Very well done to Ian and Jo and all the others who ran on that day.
Read more about Study Group's Building Futures project
Shocking Football Result for Bellerbys Oxford!
Staff and students from Bellerbys Oxford and sister college, Embassy CES, joined together last month for 90 minutes of the beautiful game.
What better way to shake off Sunday blues than to run around a chilly field chasing a ball, then wake up the next morning feeling as stiff as a board. Despite this, we all had a great time, the competition was friendly yet intense. The referee was noted as being especially generous - some would call it blind eye.
The balance of talent weighed heavily in favour of Embassy on this occasion. The final count was 6-1, a shocking defeat which one day soon will be avenged.
Men of the match were Mario from Italy and William from Zambia (pictured).
Bellerbys Oxford Foundation Prize Winners - August 2008
Teachers at Bellerbys Oxford have selected four students to be congratulated for their work throughout the course. It was difficult to choose as there was stiff competition from other strong students who graduated in this cohort.
Ruth Otiotio, from Nigeria and preparing to study Law at Nottingham University, stood out for her academic achievement in all subjects. An exceptionally bright young woman, she was praised in particular for her study skills. Although her English was of a very high standard indeed, she kept working at improving her academic style and never considered herself above the course. She was passionate about her Law and Politics classes and gave strong presentations on a range of topics, already displaying many qualities one expects from a lawyer.
Shinho Kang comes from Korea and is set to read Economics and Management at Manchester University. Like Ruth, he achieved a final average of 79% though he followed the Business pathway. Shinho wanted to be different, but did not believe in his ability when he started the course. After many positive comments from teachers on his energy and effort, he started to hope he could aspire to more and his motivation increased. He really worked hard to achieve his dream university and stands out as a unique individual who is full of joy.
Chong Ka Chun, from China, received praise for endeavour; he worked very hard on his Business foundation and though shy, practised and developed his English considerably. He demonstrated excellent personal organisation skills and sustained his motivation throughout. He worked well with others and set a strong example to his classmates. Graduating with 72%, Ka Chun looks all set to take up his place to study Accounting and Finance at Lancaster.
Another student who received an award for her consistent endeavour was Chan Ha Peng from Macao. All who taught her had been impressed with her dedication to studying long hours to compensate for difficulties in understanding. Although she started the course with the minimum entry level in English, Ha Peng did not let that stop her from doing well in all modules and she finally achieved 62% overall. She sets a great example and deserves the offers she is holding from Brookes and Surrey to study Tourism Management.
Read about what Shinho Kang had to say about his time at Bellerbys Oxford
Double Twins in Oxford!
Some of you may know that Oxford is twinned with five foreign cities: Leiden, in the Netherlands; Bonn in Germany; Leon in Nicaragua; Grenoble in France and Perm in Russia.
This term Oxford Bellerbys welcomes other twins, the human kind.
Zhou Xiaoying (left in the photo) and Zhou Xiaohui, from Guangdong, China, both 18 (of course, 19 in October), have come to study on our Business Foundation course.
They look pretty similar, except for their hair length, but both have a cheery personality. They both hope to continue to Queen Mary University in London next year.
Also with us are Anthony and Theresa Belonwu from Lagos, Nigeria. They are both 18 and are studying Business and Law, respectively, on our Foundation course. They both want to continue to Bristol University.
Anthony tells us he’s keen on football – so we’ll see if we can get him into the Bellerbys football team; Theresa says she likes planning social activities – we can certainly get her busy on that front. She also likes listening to old Jazz music. Oxford has a few venues that cater for that kind of music so she shouldn’t be disappointed.
Read more about Living in Oxford
Building Futures Cake Sale
On Friday the 8th of August our Oxford staff were baking up a storm to prepare for the
second Cake Sale of the summer.
The money raised by these delicious cakes went towards the fundraising efforts of Wendy Brown, Ian Walker and Jo Walker who will run a half marathon for the school charity, Building Futures.
The money is going towards building schools in developing countries, and we are pleased to thank students and staff for their generosity in baking, and eating, the cakes.
Olympics Party
The world was watching when the 2008 Olympic Games opened on 08.08.08, and so were the students of Bellerbys College in Oxford.
A special party was organised by the Social Team to celebrate the biggest sporting event in the world. Students and staff of all nationalities crowded into the Common Room to watch the spectacular Opening Ceremony.
The parade of teams drew loud cheers and applause as the students cheered their own countries and those of their friends. When the Olympic Torch was finally lit, we were already looking forward to the next few weeks of sporting excellence.
Oxford International Food Night Video on YouTube
A regular activity at Bellerbys Oxford is an International Food Night where students and
staff bring in traditional dishes from their home countries. Everyone then votes for their favourite.
Bellerbys Oxford Media Foundation student, Nina Tong, made a video of an International Food Night which took place at the end of last year and has posted it on YouTube. At this event, food from Iran came out top as 'best tasting', 'best tasting sweets' were from Nigerian and Ukraine and Libyan food was voted 'best presented'.
Read more about activities at Bellerbys Oxford
Oxford IGCSE Students Visit Cotswold Wildlife Park
English tutor Steven Antoniou recently took Bellerbys Oxford IGCSE students on a trip to Cotswold Wildlife Park, located 20 miles west of Oxford. Cotswold Wildlife Park is a splendid zoo with exceptional educational value. There is a particular emphasis on endangered species.
It was a great opportunity for students to practice their English which is also useful for their IGCSE Biology. They also had a jolly good time in spite of the sweltering Oxfordshire heat.
Novia Chan, 16, from Guangdong in China (pictured under her umbrella) commented, “What a hot day! No wonder the giant tortoises were resting in the shade...!”
Read more about the IGCSE course
Bellerbys Staff and Students Attend the First Meeting of the Oxford and Azerbaijan Society
Principal of Oxford Bellerbys, Julia Southby, describes the inaugural ceremony of the Oxford and Azerbaijan Society:
"At the end of May Jo Hoddinott, our Academic Director, and I attended the opening ceremony of the Oxford and Azerbaijan Society (www.oxaz.co.uk). This was a wonderful occasion celebrating a group of local Azerbaijan students who have come together to enhance the relationship between their culture and ours, particularly in Oxford.
It was an auspicious occasion, held in the Oxford Town Hall, and was attended by the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr Fakhraddin Gurbanov and the Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Susanna Pressel. Several other local councillors were also
in attendance.
The event was opened by a beautiful local harpist playing national music, followed by the inaugural speech delivered by the chairman and founder, and former Bellerbys College Brighton student, Eldar Rustamov. Following this we heard a brief history of the country and the key aims and objectives of the new society. There was also an interesting display of literature and books all about various aspects of Azerbaijan - the OXAZ Society kindly donated some materials to our college library.
After the speeches I had the opportunity to chat to the Ambassador who told me how proud he was of these young students (11 of the small group are Bellerbys College Oxford students!) and the work they are trying to accomplish. I agreed with him, I was very proud to have been there and look forward to building a successful relationship with the Society."
Films by Oxford Media and Science Students Now on YouTube
Bellerbys students get involved in a range practical projects on their courses. We've posted some of the results on YouTube for all to see!
Films by Media Foundation Students
This year, Oxford Media Foundation students were asked to write, design, film and edit a video. Their teacher Kieran Suchet was delighted with the results:
My Nasty Angel (right, top) - 'This piece was made by a larger group of students, namely: Emily, Valeria, Nicole and a few others. Although it conforms to the usual conventions of a teen comedy, there were some parts that I though were daring and really successful; my favourite being the part where the character of the girl meets her dream boy in Christchurch meadow and the camera does a 360 degree pan-shot. The look on his face makes me laugh every time!'
Gift of Nature (right, second from top) - 'This piece was made by three students: Nina, Lemon & Tracy. I really liked the use of symbolism and editing techniques (fades & wipes) to create a quite philosophical and well-paced narrative. It definitely beats the usual 'slasher' movie that most students produce. I was pleasantly surprised!'
Films by A Level Chemistry Students
Second year A Level Chemistry students also filmed two experiments as part of their course, under the guidance of Teacher, Felix Kullchen, and Head of Science, Dr Jamal Ibrahim.
The first science video (right, third from top), entitled Ammonia Fountain of Many Colours, involves gas preparation, ideas of pressure, pH and neutralisation. This experiment and video project was carried out by A Level students, Joyce Tong Ho Yan and Muktar Bashir.
The second science video (right, bottom), demonstrates a homemade pH indicator made from a surprise ingredient and was conducted and filmed by A level Chemistry students, Charmmy Lio Kar Ian and Nur Sheila Nur Ibrahim.
What a clever bunch!
Read more about the Media Foundation course
Read more about the A Level course
Bellerbys Oxford Graduation Ceremony 2008
Oxford staff and students gathered recently at the 2008 Bellerbys Graduation ceremony to receive acknowledgement of completion of their courses - and also to award outstanding performance.
Each year we like to take the chance to say well done to students who have persevered to
the end, and also to praise examples of achievement - there are always students who
deserve a special mention.
This year Dar'ya Pluzhynk (pictured holding cup) won the Student of the Year award for outstanding service to the school. Dar'ya started the student newspaper and took a very active part in the college social programme. Dien Linh Do (pictured with Principal, Julia Southby) was chosen as the Oxford candidate for this years Richard Ryde Scholarship. She was selected from all our AS students as the most outstanding academically, as well as having many extra-curricular interests.
Other students who received special awards include:
A Level students: Sergey Badikov from Russia, Tope Balogun from Nigeria, Angel Belichenov from Bulgaria, Charmmy Lio from Macau, Alan Lio from Macau, Sheila Nur Ibrahim Masilamani from Malaysia, Kitty Shi from China and Irina Savvinova from Russia
Foundation students: Eric Ma from China, Thomas Loi from Macau, Valeria Kozlovskaja from Estonia, Emily Tong from Hong Kong, Pa Ousman Jabang from Gambia and Sarvin Shamsbod from Iran.
Afterwards, everyone had strawberries and cream and a glass of make believe Bucks Fizz
and had our photos taken in the warm sunshine. It was a fitting end to a hard year of study. Now the students will leave us and progress to universities - big fish into an even bigger pool - we wish them well.
Study Weekend in Berlin For A Level German Students
In May, Yasmin Hurrell (A Level and GCSE Programme Manager at Bellerbys Oxford) and her two A Level German students visited Berlin for a study weekend.
They visited many of the famous sights including Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, the Olympia Stadion and the Reichstag, as well as the Jewish Museum and Holocaust Memorial. The boys complained that they they were made to walk too far but survived!
Apart from the serious side of the trip they enjoyed sitting in cafes in glorious sunshine and saw an entertaining film about the Red Baron which won't hit screens in the UK till later in the year.
Angel Belichenov, 19 from Bulgaria, commented "The food was superb, especially the schnitzel and bratwurst."
Anton Romantyeyev, also 19 and from Ukraine, said "The people were really friendly and the beer was great."
Read more about Yasmin Hurrell
Read more about the A Level course
Oxford Students Enjoy Their End of Term Ball
On May 29th, two coaches of students wearing their finest ball gowns, suits and masks travelled to Heythrop Park near Chipping Norton for the end of term ball. Heythrop Park
is a massive country hotel, golf club and conference centre set amidst beautiful parkland and provided an elegant setting for the evening.
Staff and students enjoyed a lavish buffet and a drink or two before settling down to some entertainment. The evenings attractions included CIT teacher Peter Madams playing guitar and singing a song which implored students to ‘be young, be foolish and be happy’. Peter explained how he came to choose that song:
“Well, it’s an old Northern Soul song which I’ve stripped down and given my own treatment.
I wanted to sing a lightweight song of hope for the students at this very busy exam period, and remind them that this was a time to enjoy yourself”.
Most outlandish costume of the evening must go to dark horse Nijat Rahimli, who transformed himself into the caped avenger, Zorro. Only the brave (or the drunk) could stare into that masked face.
Later Peter accompanied another teacher on ‘The Man Who Stole the World’ – an old David Bowie classic. This was warmly receieved, but the musical high point of the evening was Ruth Otitio (pictured) singing the soul classic ‘You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman’. Ruth sang with a maturity beyond her years – her talent was evident for all to see and hear.
Dasha showcased some belly good dancing – showing off her skills, and grabbing men from the audience to whisk them onto the dancefloor – one of them being Pa Ousman. He and Dasha were voted sexiest boy and girl of the evening accordingly.
The theme for our ball was masks. Perhaps the most elegant and fetching of these was worn by Vanessa Harrison, Academic Director of Embassy. She duly won the award for best dressed teacher.
Debating Society Tackles Issues of the Day
Only a 100m or so away from the world famous Oxford Union Debating chamber, students
at Bellerbys Oxford have set up their own society. This debating society was formed last
year by A2 students of Bellerbys Oxford who with two other students volunteered to continue this exciting activity. Students meet every few weeks to debate about a particular motion proposed by Foundation and A-level students. The style of it has changed the view of
students towards becoming a more serious session for them to participate in. There have been topics such as globalisation, civil liberties, taxation and so forth.
Each session lasts for about an hour. There are usually two groups contesting by presenting their arguments for 10 to 15 minutes. One group is affirmative and other one is in opposition. After a quick break, the two prepare themselves for challenge-time. What happens is that each group would try to pick up on their counterparts arguments in order to gain credit from the floor. The debating society has drawn the attention of both students and teachers. In that kind of atmosphere, everybody seems to feel confident to question the contenders if their thoughts differ from what has been put forward.
After 20 minutes question time from the floor, the audience votes for the groups which they thought presented more clearly and defended more coherently. Therefore, the audience make the final judgment. In the last session which the motion was “Should the price of alcohol be increased?” The affirmative was Gerd and Sergey and the opposition was Tope and Sheila (pictured). The affirmative groups unfortunately did not get many votes and lost the session. However, what matters most is how genuinely students contribute to the society so that everyone can benefit from it, and expand their general knowledge and be able to voice their opinions.
Students Put on Shakespeare Play
The Oxford drama group performed 'Much Ado About Nothing' on the 12th and 13th March, after almost six weeks of rehearsals.
The student common room was turned into a theatre for two evenings, and around 70 students and teachers came to watch and enjoy a glass of wine before the show.
'Much Ado About Nothing' is a romantic comedy by Shakespeare, so there were lots of
laughs from the audience (especially the teachers, who understood all the jokes!)
The students on the drama group had a fantastic time. They had worked so hard on their fluency and pronunciation, with amazing results. Now they are really confident
about speaking English, too!
Dancing Dasha
A Level student Dasha Pluzhnyk, 18 (pictured) from the Ukraine is our very own dance superstar in the making. With her dance partner Simon Douglas, 23, from Southampton, she is a devoted and active member of the Oxford University Dance Team and this photo shows her in their latest competition. She also competes all over the UK and this gives her a good chance to see a good deal of the country as well.
Dasha started dancing at the tender age of five, in Ballroom and Latin styles. By the age of nine she was already competing in Ukraine at a national level. She arrived in the UK in 2006 and was without a dance partner for some time. However, her connections with an Oxford Salsa group soon paired her up with Simon and they haven’t looked back.
Her favourite dance style is Latin, and she practices every day in the university colleges. Her ambition is to win the IVarsityDA competition in Blackpool in March 2008, and according to her she has a good chance – we wish her well.
Where does she get those all so important dance clothes from? Ukraine of course. ‘Dancing is my passion. It helps my studies. It helps to give me energy. The social life surrounding it is good, and I get to meet lots of people, many of whom are older”.
Dance on Dasha!
A Trip to See Manchester United
Jafar Naghiyev (pictured) from Azerbaijan, studing Business Foundation, was amongst students from Oxford who recently made a gruelling mid-week 8-hour round-trip to see their footballing heros Manchester United play Portsmouth at Old Trafford. The team who are famous the world over call themselves ‘The World’s Most Popular Football Team’ and didn’t disappoint their Oxford visitors. They beat their rivals 2-0 in a display of superiority that made their victory seem a foregone conclusion.
Manchester United are currently commemorating the disaster which struck their team in the air crash in Munich in 1958 when they lost 11 of their top players. 50 years on and the footballing world has changed significantly, but the team have fought their way back to the top. Their website is even posted in Japanese, Chinese and Korean to inform their millions of fans in Asia.
So, what was it like to finally see this much admired team? “Well, I’m glad I went because it’s a rare opportunity to see such a famous team, and it’s an impressive stadium and they’re good players, but I was so tired the next day. It’s too far away from Oxford!”.
Oxford Students Exhibit Work at Museum of Modern Art
The Oxford Open at the Museum of Modern Art (until 17th February 2008) features the art of two of Bellerbys Oxford luminaries, Sarvin Shams and Bijan Hazrat. Sarvin from Iran is studying Art & Design Foundation following an ELP course. Bijan, also from Iran, is studying A Levels at the college.
The exhibition is not determined by a single curator or by a selection panel. The idea was to see what happens when you open the doors and seek to invite everyone. The result is more than 500 paintings, drawings, sculptures and lens-based works being installed. The entry criteria was being able to show something that would fit into the allotted size and space. Bellerbys Oxford is very proud that two of our own students have been bold and talented enough to exhibit their work in a much respected gallery. We recently caught up with them to ask them a few questions about art and how they got involved.
How did you come to have your art exhibited at MOMA?
Sarvin: I was informed by Emma (a Bellerbys teacher, and her husband, who works at the museum) to provide a photo which was related to Global Warming. I realised that it could a perfect opportunity for me to have my work exhibited.
Bijan: Well, my art teacher found out about it from Emma (the Accounting Teacher). Then we put it as a goal to reach.
What does it mean to you to have you art exhibited there?
S: First of all, it was a worthwhile experience to feel the real atmosphere of an art exhibition. Apart from that, I can have my work presented amongst other artists work, which provides me with a deeper insight into an exhibition.
B: It was always my dream and actually seeing my work up on the wall of a gallery is like living that dream.
What ambition do you have for your art?
S: My ambition is to become a fine artist and achieve my own style, by which I can express my feelings in order to contribute to the world of art. This would not only raise my self-confidence about my abilities, but also inspire others of my age to become ‘illuminated’.
B: I would say taking my art and my ideas one step further and be an inventor in my own style.
What’s your impression of the exhibition in general?
S: I am amazed by the enthusiasm of those who did some work for the exhibition. It is worth saying that not all the contenders were academically qualified for the work they had done. Therefore, I can compare my work with others and get fresh ideas.
B: Well, its any artists dream to be exhibited and for viewers and mostly art students to attend these exhibitions. That’s how it has been working since the beginning of art. That is how artists get inspired and influenced.
Have you ever before shown your art publicly?
S: There have been some occasions where I have participated in exhibitions. I participated in my art school exhibition and also in the Kharazmi National Festival and I attained the second place in Tehran.
B: No, this is my first time.
Can you tell us something about studying art at Bellerbys Oxford?
S: It is quite interesting because Oxford is a nice city and it has a lot of artistic places which you can get inspiration. Also, when I came to Bellerbys they helped me to improve my abilities and put them in the right direction. Now I enjoy being creative and I view art as a natural way for me to express myself.
B: Well I started studying art at Bellerbys College in my AS. For me it is useful and educational but if we had a bigger department that would be even better!
Who is your artistic hero?
S: My artistic hero is Van Gogh who could express his feelings by using colours and marks.
B: I would say Francis Bacon.
Top IGCSE Results for Oxford Student
Chan Chi Long (Norman) of Bellerbys Oxford is currently celebrating following the news of his excellent IGCSE exam results. Norman, 16, from Macau, studying at Bellerbys since September 2006, is our star pupil and an inspiration to others on the same course. He recently learnt that he obtained 2As and 2A*s amongst his Science, Maths and ICT results, and as such, goes to the top of our class.
Academic Director at Oxford, Jo Hoddinott had this to say on his success - “We are very proud of Norman's achievement. He always has a ready smile, but his face really lit up when he saw those As and A*s!”
Norman, whose favourite subjects were Chemistry and Biology, is well liked by his teachers also. His teacher, Felix Kulchen, observed that Norman has been a pleasure to teach. “I am very glad that his natural curiosity and interest together with his aptitude and hard work have seen him achieve this thoroughly deserved success. Peter Madams, his ICT teacher added “I have rarely seen such a dedicated and good natured student with a natural ability to pick up a new topic. He was a pleasure to teach.”
Praise all round then, it seems, but what was his reaction to his success? “I’m really happy about it, thank you to my teachers, and sorry to my English teacher (only got a C – I will get better). I was shocked – I didn’t expect it. All credit to the encouragement and teaching I received at Bellerbys. It’s given me a strong start to my A levels,” Norman said.
We hope Norman continues his success and gains his desired place at Bath or Bristol University.
Warm Winter Welcome at Oxford
On January 10th, a cold and wet winter's evening, Oxford attempted to provide a warm welcome at a party for approximately 55 new students arriving from various parts of the world. The new students had a chance to meet staff and find out about extra-curricular activities that they could join in with, and enjoy a slice of lovely pizza too.
The Debating Society was present to give advance warning of hot topics to discuss this term, and the Music Society also had a small presentation to lure in any budding musos. Being involved in activities like this adds a lot to a student’s overall experience and we try to encourage it.
Oxford supports the Rozalina Zaidan School in Codo Nova, Brazil through a charity called Plan International, and students were able to find out a little bit about this at a stall which presented information on what we’re doing and how they could get involved.
It can be daunting being away from home surrounded by strangers in a new college, but events like this help to break the ice and before long, new lasting friendships are made.
Dr Jamal is a Big Hit in the Philippines
Bellerbys Oxford Head of Science, Dr Jamal Ibrahim, recently visited the Philippines to promote Bellerbys College courses. He delivered a presentation called 'Teaching Science with a Purpose' to 150 teachers in Manila which was extremely well received.
He then travelled south for a two-day educational fair in Tagaytay set in the mountains (pictured right, with volcano in the distance); here he made contact with many students from the northern area. He describes the visit as "All in all a very good trip for me and the college". The rest of staff at Bellerbys Oxford enjoyed the delicious langsone fruits which he brought back from his travels.
Students Sample New Dishes at International Food Night
Staff and students had a chance recently to sample the delights of a variety of cuisines from around the globe at our 'International Food Night'.
Peking Duck, The British 'Banger', Russian Salad, Polish Beetroot Soup and Dumplings, Limey Pumpkin Soup amongst many others - all made a very welcome appearance, amongst many other delicious dishes, and all were home made. There were three hungry judges who awarded first prize to an Iranian vegetable, rice and nuts dish, and the Libyan Humous ran off with the prize for presentation. For those who were not already sweet enough, sugar fixes came in the form of Apple Crumble and a Chocolate Pudding, with lashings of sauce and cream that had grown ladies keeling over with delight.
Entertainment for the evening came in the form of house band 'Radio East' who worked through their ever growing 'Rock Classics' set list. A raffle closed the evening and proceeds £380.12 went to the Bellerbys 'Building Futures' charity, which builds and equips schools in the world's poorest countries. Everyone went home with a full tummy, and probably very content.
Students Celebrate Halloween with a Party
On October 31st this year, students from both Bellerbys and sister school Embassy CES, held a Halloween party at the college.
There were some very imaginative costumes (see photograph, right, for evidence!), food, drink, good music and impressive decorations.
Everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable evening and no spooky nightmares were reported after the event!
Russian A Level Student Success
Once again the Bellerbys Oxford Russian teacher, Ludmilla Checkley, has guided her Russian-speaking students to great success. All of them gained high A grades in their recent A Level examinations.
Ukrainian student, Anton Romantyeyev was singled out for distinction by the Edexcel examination board as he gained 100% in each of the six A Level modules, a rare achievement even for a native speaker.
Jerry Jarvis, Edexcel's managing director said "This is a remarkable achievement and testament to the hard work students put into preparing for their examinations. We send our congratulations to Anton."
Students Visit Warwick University Open Day
In September, second year A Level students attended an Open Day at Warwick University
with their programme manager, Yasmin Hurrell.
It was an interesting day because it is a modern campus university, very different from Oxford. Warwick University is always a popular choice and we already have several Oxford Bellerbys graduates happily studying there
The students attended presentations on Mathematics, Economics, Law, Science and Engineering courses. They were also given lunch and a tour of the campus which included the prestigious Arts Centre and student accommodation.
Another Oxford Student Secures a Scholarship!
Hang Qiao Bai from China, known to everyone at Bellerbys Oxford as Doris, finished her A level course this summer with impressive grades - ABBB. She has just started a degree in Mathematics and Finance at the University of Southampton and we're delighted to anounce that she has been awarded a scholarship by the university to cover most of her fees. Congratulations Doris!
Read more about the A Level course
Oxford Students Win University Scholarships
Two Foundation students at Bellerbys Oxford are celebrating after securing scholarships to study at British universities.
Ekaterina Demidova from Russia, pictured right, achieved an outstanding final grade of 90% on her Business Foundation course. She has now been offered a scholarship to study Business Administration at the University of Bath.
Sachiko Wada, from Japan, also achieved a Distinction on her Humanities Foundation and has won a scholarship to study International Tourism Management at Oxford Brookes University.
Read more about Ekaterina and Sachiko.
Oxford ELP Student Runs 10K Race For Charity
Many congratulations to Bellerbys Oxford student, Artem Kolyev, who who completed The British 10K London Run on July 1st!
Artem, from Ukraine, is studying currently English Language Preparation and will join the GCSE programme in September. He ran the race in aid of Helen & Douglas House, a local hospice in Oxford providing care for children and young people.
The London Run has some fantastic sights along the way including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and St Paul's Cathedral. Artem had never run that kind of race before but he knew how important it was to train up to the level required to undertake such a big task! The school is very proud of his achievement.
Bellerbys Music Society by Bijan Pasban Hazrat, Radio East drummer
Bijan Pasban Hazrat, from Iran, is studying A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford and is the drummer of the college band, Radio East. Here he tells us a little about the Bellerbys Oxford Music Society.
"The Music Society of Bellerbys College consists of Dr. Jamal Ibrahim (Head of Science) as
the General Advisor and the guest guitarist on some of the songs, Yeung Yan Chung as the President and the lead guitar player, Sergey Badikov as the Music Director and the bass player, myself on the drums, Steven as the second guitar player and Karina as the lead singer.
The musical tastes of the members vary, but we play music which can be appreciated by all students and staff. For example, I like melodic death metal and Sergey likes funk music which is closer to the popular or pop music which is acceptable to all the students who have different likes and dislikes.
One of the main benefits of having members from different countries, is that they bring their cultural and traditional music backgrounds as well as their own experiences. For example, some of the members already have experience of playing in a band and taking responsibilities during sessions but some of them have not, so they learned how to deal with problems in different situations.
“Radio East” is the name that we have chosen for the band. RADIO as the metaphor of music and EAST as the metaphor of East part of the world because most of the members are from that region.
Our first concert was at the International Student Party. Students were looking forward to seeing us and hearing good music. The Party was a great success and students began to support us. After that event the band played at the Host Family party and finally we played the Summer Ball. We knew that playing one or two songs would not be enough for the Summer Ball so we prepared eight songs from Red Hot Chilli Peppers, System Of A Down, U2 and Green Day. It was another great success. At the moment most of the members are on holiday but the band will start its sessions again as soon as possible."
See Radio East videos on YouTube!
Bellerbys Oxford Student Wins Richard Ryde Scholarship
We are pleased to announce that the Richard Ryde Scholarship for 2007 is being awarded to Umi Nursheila Nur Ibrahim Masilamani (Sheila) from Malaysia, who is studying at Bellerbys Oxford.
The Scholarship board, consisting of the Principals of all Bellerbys Colleges along
with the UK Managing Director, James Pitman, were unanimous in awarding her the 2007 scholarship. The prize comprises of tuition for her second year of A level study at Bellerbys Oxford to the value of £14,000.
About Sheila - by Yasmin Hurrell, A Level Programme Manager
Sheila started the A level course at Bellerbys College Oxford in January 2007 after completing her SPM examinations in Malaysia. For these exams she was awarded
11 A1 grades and one A2 grade. From the start it was clear to us all that she is a student of exceptional academic ability as well as a delightful young person. She is taking A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics and will take up AS Psychology from September. Her predicted grades are straight As and so far all her mock exam grades have been in the high A band. Sheila is hoping to study Medicine at university and making plans to do a summer internship back home over the summer.
Sheila’s teachers are unanimous in their praise:
The science teachers say that she is an unusually bright and engaged student, who is a pleasure to have in the class. The level of effort that goes into both her class work and homework consistently exceeds expectations and her work is always thoughtful, insightful and immaculately presented. She has a very flexible mind, quickly grasping new concepts and asking perceptive questions.
She has the makings of an outstanding scientist - her ability to extrapolate facts and ideas to solve unknown problems is impressive and she enjoys this style of learning, often commenting that is more fun than the rote learning she has sometimes experienced in the past. As a consequence, Sheila is often able to progress beyond the AS level syllabus. She particularly enjoys the human aspects of Biology, which bodes well for her ambition to become a doctor. Her practical science skills are excellent and she is interested in exploring the wider impact of the science subjects, particularly looking at recent advances in medicine and their ethical implications.
Her Mathematics teacher describes her as a very talented student who undoubtedly has the ability to take Further Maths but, unfortunately, was not able to join the class because of the January start. She is extremely hardworking, has a very enquiring mind and a real desire for success. She has a logical, very precise mind and all the qualities needed to excel in this subject.
She has reached a highly advanced level of English. She has just received her IELTS result which is 8.5 overall. Her English is very fluent and she can use language most imaginatively. She applies complex grammatical structures, advanced vocabulary and idiomatic phrases creatively and successfully at native competence. In discursive compositions, she always tackles and interprets the question well while constructing a well-balanced argument, conveying an intelligently argued assessment.
Sheila is a very engaging young person, highly intelligent but modest. She is kind to other students and her teachers. She has done voluntary work for Oxfam every Saturday since she arrived here and hopes to join a local drama group. She has joined the school Music Society, attends the students’ debates and hopes to take up badminton again.
At high school in Malaysia Sheila took a very active part in the theatre club and performed in many plays and musicals as well as appearing in two children’s games shows on TV. She led the parades for her house team before major school events and spent two months doing voluntary work in a shelter for abused women.
She is mature, articulate, and always polite and cheerful. Her attendance and punctuality are without fault. She has a great sense of humour and very wide-ranging interests. For a scientist her interest in the arts is unusual. We believe that she has a very bright future ahead of her and that she would be a credit to the highest ranking UK universities. For these reasons, we strongly recommended Sheila for a scholarship.
Find out more about the A Level course
Bellerbys Oxford Graduation Ceremony
On 7th June this year, Bellerbys Oxford held their annual graduation ceremony for the Foundation and A level students in the Old Library of St Mary’s Church in Oxford. It was a really lovely setting: an impressive and gracious room in the heart of the old city with big windows overlooking the Radcliffe Camera. In the past this room was used for University of Oxford graduation ceremonies.
The Principal, Julia Southby, spoke to the assembled students, congratulating them on their achievements and wishing them well for the future. The Foundation and A Level programme managers, Jackie Eadie and Yasmin Hurrell, then handed out awards for academic achievement and exceptional progress or effort to our prize winners who were all very excited as they did not know about the awards beforehand.
Erik Karabayez, pictured right, was awarded the Student of the Year Award. Erik from Kazakhstan studied English Language Preparation, followed by five-term A Levels at Bellerbys Oxford.
Special mention should be made of Nursheila Masilamani, a first year student from Malaysia, whose remarkable achievement of receiving this year’s Richard Ryde Scholarship was announced; this is an award which is given to the most promising first year A level student across all four of the Bellerbys colleges. Naturally we are all really proud of her!
After many photographs students and staff enjoyed strawberries and cream served with soft drinks or a glass of Pimms. It was a very happy and festive occasion which rounded off the students’ time at Bellerbys in suitable style. Good luck to the “class of 2007”, you will be missed!
Read more about the A Level and Foundation course
Oxford Spring Ball
This year’s Spring Ball was a sell-out event, held in the hall of a local hotel in Oxford. Over 150 people attended, mainly from Bellerbys College but with a small but welcome contingent from sister college Embassy CES too. Everyone made a real effort to look their best, with some students even winning an award!
After the formal dinner, three Bellerbys students performed a dance to showcase their skill (pictured right) ; it was a mixture of Latin dance moves and ballet and had the crowd shouting for more.
As well as a disco, the crowd was also entertained by the school band ‘Radio East’ playing a set including songs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2 and Green Day. The band were amazing and impressed all the students and staff with their professionalism and their enthusiasm for their art.
To round off the whole evening, awards were given for the best dressed couple, the cheekiest boy, the best dancer, and more. The party finally ended at midnight and everyone agreed that it was a great night out.
See Radio East videos on YouTube! (including a special guest appearance on lead vocals by Dr Jamal Ibrahim, Head of Science!)