news & views from bablake school issue 45 spring 2008
Bablake Diary Monday 21 – Friday 25 April International Week Friday 20 June Open Session 5pm-8pm Tuesday 1 July 20/20 Cricket Tournament Wednesday 2 July Sports Day Friday 4 July Summer Term Ends
Bablake at Oxbridge In this issue Travel Events News Creative Action Charity Achievements Sport Update
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A record number of Bablake students have been offered places to study at Oxford and Cambridge this year Of the seventeen students who embarked on the rigorous Oxbridge application process, ten students were awarded places conditional on their A Level results; five for Oxford and five for Cambridge: • Daniel Ho to read Engineering at Girton College, Cambridge • Alex Owens to read Mathematics at St Catherine’s College, Oxford • Sam Brown to read Engineering at Trinity College, Cambridge • Will Chamberlain to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Lincoln College, Oxford • Jamie Stefaniak to read Medical Sciences at Downing College, Cambridge • Jennifer Maudsley to read Theology and Religious Studies at Downing College, Cambridge
• Elizabeth Collison to read Biological Sciences at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford • Laura Dean to read Geography at Jesus College, Oxford • Francesca Melhuish to read Economics and Management at Trinity College, Oxford • Jenny Bufton to read Economics at Girton College, Cambridge The students’ success came at the end of a twelve month programme of activities which included extension lessons, college and faculty open days and mock interview experience. Many candidates had to submit written work prior to their interviews and some had to undergo the recently introduced Pre-Tests which took place in the Autumn half term holiday. For Alex Owens this meant coming into Bablake for an arduous Maths test
when most people were on holiday. For Will Chamberlain, who already had a holiday booked to New Zealand, it meant finding a test centre in Auckland and sitting a Thinking Skills Assessment Test. There were students from all over Australasia taking tests in the hope of attending Oxford University, showing that competition for places is international. The Oxbridge Application Process is now well underway for the current Lower Sixth, with extension lessons in place and an information evening and Oxbridge conference arranged. The 2009 entry will certainly benefit from the talents and experience of this year’s successful candidates. We also congratulate members of the Upper Sixth who are currently holding offers from other excellent universities of their choice.