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Top 100 books to read before college:
1 - To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
2 - Animal Farm
by George Orwell
3 - 1984
by George Orwell
4 - The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
5 - The Giver (The Giver, #1)
by Lois Lowry (Goodreads Author)
Find the full top 100 on: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/27664.Top_100_Books_to_Read_Before_College_
University Information:
1. The Admissions Testing Service has now published its key dates for next year. These can be found here:
http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/images/126939-interactive-key-dates-calendar-2014.pdf.
Courses in some UK universities require entrance examinations to be completed. It is the responsibility of
the student to check entrance requirements for their specific subject choices as these are different at each
university. Students must then make decisions about sitting and booking entrance examinations. Students
should speak to Miss Macleod for further clarification on this. As stated in my last letter, Mariana
Rodrigues from Centro De Estudo will be in school on Tuesday, 08th April to deliver BMAT/UKCAT
preparation for students applying for Medical degrees in the UK. This will be followed up by OBS
teachers, a weekly club and practise interviews.
Tests: UKCAT and BMAT for Medicine/ Dentistry, LNAT for Law, IELTS (English language testing required by some universities for all non-UK students)
2. EPOC (www.epoc.org.uk ) Careers Conferences organise events for students who want to become doctors
or lawyers. These events can help you maximise your chances of being accepted into the university and
profession of your choice. They help you decide whether medicine / law is the career for you and can help
with preparing UCAS applications. Next available dates are: 29 March 2014, London; 31 January 2015,
London; 28 February 2015, Manchester; 28 March 2015, London
3. Bard College, Berlin (http://www.berlin.bard.edu/) have been in touch to let us know about their
programmes. Bard College has a thriving campus in this vibrant city, and in just four years students may earn either or
both U.S. and German B.A. degrees (http://www.berlin.bard.edu/academics/degree-programs/) —an
option that offers broad career opportunities in Europe and North America. Or they can begin their studies
at Bard College Berlin, enjoying the cutting-edge cultural and social life of Berlin, and finish their degree
at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.
4. Open days at Católica for health and biotechnology will be held on the 1st – 3rd April.
5. Further to my information on Kings College, London in my last letter, I would also like to provide you
with more information on the UCAS tariff system. UCAS (The UK Universities and Colleges Admissions
Service) uses a tariff system which gives the International Baccalaureate a UCAS Tariff point
(equivalence) and also allows a comparison with A-Levels. In this tariff system an IB score of 34 points
(out of a maximum of 45) is comparable with 4 A grades at A-level. More information on the UCAS tariff
can be found here: http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/explore-your-options/entry-requirements/tariff-
tables. However, most universities will make offers based on IB Diploma points.
Form 10 and 11 opportunities:
1. CAS opportunity - At Sea Sailing (www.atseasailtraining.co) have also contacted the school. At Sea Sail
Training specializes in organising international exchange for youths on board tall ships. All these
international exchanges are partially funded by the European Union through the programme Erasmus,
making these cultural voyages more affordable for young people to participate in. Please contact them
directly for more information or see Miss Macleod if your son/daughter is interested in participating
2. Glion Institute of Higher Education offers students a 2 week holiday course that gives a perfect insight into
the world of hospitality and a taste of what undergraduate students learn. Find out more here:
http://www.glion.edu/glion_education/en/en-en/home/academic-programs/hospitality-
management/london-summer-program
Form 12 Update:
Students continue to receive offers from Universities in the UK including Imperial, Nottingham and
Manchester and this week we welcome back Profª Isabel to begin the process here in Portugal.
All students are having 20 minute progress meetings with Miss Macleod to discuss their study plans now
that coursework is at an end. Students should be revising at home every evening and at weekends. Please
also look at the attached for extra revisions session for IB subjects provided by teachers for further support
and intervention. Some of these sessions are mandatory.
Celebrations
Congratulations to the students who took part in the Iberian Model United Nations Conference last week. The
students were active participants in challenging debates and were all a credit to the school.
Finally, the school has successfully completed the 5 year IB Diploma Self Study. This study was carried out
by staff, students, parents and governors in the 2012-2013 academic years and was submitted to the IBO in
October 2013.
The IB has thanked the school for their participation in the review and has said “The school is to be
commended on the way in which all stakeholders were involved in the evaluation process. It is clear from the
school's documentation that the evaluation was carried out through a carefully structured system of
consultation and discussion.” Further to this we have received feedback that the IBO are satisfied with the
development of the Programme at the OBS and have provided us with 15 commendations across several
standards. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with this review and the delivery
of the IB Diploma at the school for all of their hard work.
by Harper Lee
2 - Animal Farm
by George Orwell
3 - 1984
by George Orwell
4 - The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
5 - The Giver (The Giver, #1)
by Lois Lowry (Goodreads Author)
Find the full top 100 on: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/27664.Top_100_Books_to_Read_Before_College_
University Information:
1. The Admissions Testing Service has now published its key dates for next year. These can be found here:
http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/images/126939-interactive-key-dates-calendar-2014.pdf.
Courses in some UK universities require entrance examinations to be completed. It is the responsibility of
the student to check entrance requirements for their specific subject choices as these are different at each
university. Students must then make decisions about sitting and booking entrance examinations. Students
should speak to Miss Macleod for further clarification on this. As stated in my last letter, Mariana
Rodrigues from Centro De Estudo will be in school on Tuesday, 08th April to deliver BMAT/UKCAT
preparation for students applying for Medical degrees in the UK. This will be followed up by OBS
teachers, a weekly club and practise interviews.
Tests: UKCAT and BMAT for Medicine/ Dentistry, LNAT for Law, IELTS (English language testing required by some universities for all non-UK students)
2. EPOC (www.epoc.org.uk ) Careers Conferences organise events for students who want to become doctors
or lawyers. These events can help you maximise your chances of being accepted into the university and
profession of your choice. They help you decide whether medicine / law is the career for you and can help
with preparing UCAS applications. Next available dates are: 29 March 2014, London; 31 January 2015,
London; 28 February 2015, Manchester; 28 March 2015, London
3. Bard College, Berlin (http://www.berlin.bard.edu/) have been in touch to let us know about their
programmes. Bard College has a thriving campus in this vibrant city, and in just four years students may earn either or
both U.S. and German B.A. degrees (http://www.berlin.bard.edu/academics/degree-programs/) —an
option that offers broad career opportunities in Europe and North America. Or they can begin their studies
at Bard College Berlin, enjoying the cutting-edge cultural and social life of Berlin, and finish their degree
at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.
4. Open days at Católica for health and biotechnology will be held on the 1st – 3rd April.
5. Further to my information on Kings College, London in my last letter, I would also like to provide you
with more information on the UCAS tariff system. UCAS (The UK Universities and Colleges Admissions
Service) uses a tariff system which gives the International Baccalaureate a UCAS Tariff point
(equivalence) and also allows a comparison with A-Levels. In this tariff system an IB score of 34 points
(out of a maximum of 45) is comparable with 4 A grades at A-level. More information on the UCAS tariff
can be found here: http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/explore-your-options/entry-requirements/tariff-
tables. However, most universities will make offers based on IB Diploma points.
Form 10 and 11 opportunities:
1. CAS opportunity - At Sea Sailing (www.atseasailtraining.co) have also contacted the school. At Sea Sail
Training specializes in organising international exchange for youths on board tall ships. All these
international exchanges are partially funded by the European Union through the programme Erasmus,
making these cultural voyages more affordable for young people to participate in. Please contact them
directly for more information or see Miss Macleod if your son/daughter is interested in participating
2. Glion Institute of Higher Education offers students a 2 week holiday course that gives a perfect insight into
the world of hospitality and a taste of what undergraduate students learn. Find out more here:
http://www.glion.edu/glion_education/en/en-en/home/academic-programs/hospitality-
management/london-summer-program
Form 12 Update:
Students continue to receive offers from Universities in the UK including Imperial, Nottingham and
Manchester and this week we welcome back Profª Isabel to begin the process here in Portugal.
All students are having 20 minute progress meetings with Miss Macleod to discuss their study plans now
that coursework is at an end. Students should be revising at home every evening and at weekends. Please
also look at the attached for extra revisions session for IB subjects provided by teachers for further support
and intervention. Some of these sessions are mandatory.
Celebrations
Congratulations to the students who took part in the Iberian Model United Nations Conference last week. The
students were active participants in challenging debates and were all a credit to the school.
Finally, the school has successfully completed the 5 year IB Diploma Self Study. This study was carried out
by staff, students, parents and governors in the 2012-2013 academic years and was submitted to the IBO in
October 2013.
The IB has thanked the school for their participation in the review and has said “The school is to be
commended on the way in which all stakeholders were involved in the evaluation process. It is clear from the
school's documentation that the evaluation was carried out through a carefully structured system of
consultation and discussion.” Further to this we have received feedback that the IBO are satisfied with the
development of the Programme at the OBS and have provided us with 15 commendations across several
standards. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with this review and the delivery
of the IB Diploma at the school for all of their hard work.
What can you expect next term?
- Mariana Rodrigues from Centro De Estudo will be in school on Tuesday 8th April to deliver BMAT/UKCAT preparation for students applying for Medical degrees in the UK. She will also deliver tips for interviews, personal statements, etc. We will arrange follow up with teachers in school and ensure students know where to find past papers in order to revise independently for these examinations.
- Dr Coelho, a Form 1 parent has very kindly completed mock interviews with Mr Clack for all F12 medical applicants this year and has also offered some work experience places in a local hospital for any F11 students interested in pursuing these over the summer. They are for anyone interested in working in the medical field in a hospital environment and will be extremely useful to reference in UCAS statements.
- Organising a trip for F11 trip to UK Universities for a Thurs, Fri and Sat in September or November. This would probablhy be linked to a university fair
- A representative from New York University (NYU) will be visiting the OBS on Thursday, May 22nd
- The Porto University Law School will hold an open day on March 12th. Details have been passed onto students who have expressed an interest in Law. Students can approach me if they require further information. DIA ABERTO 2014 - Faculdade de Direito da Universidade do Porto.
News from this term
- Roz Trudgon, a TOK specialist visited school and delivered sessions to F11 and F12 students. F11
received a valuable insight into “ways of knowing” and F12 received tips on how to deliver
outstanding TOK presentations. She also delivered staff training in this area. Students and staff found
her sessions to be most valuable. - Mariana Gray de Castro visited from Universidade de Lisboa / University of Oxford. She delivered
sessions to F11 and F12 students on how best to prepare for applications to the UK including the
personal statement and interview preparation. She also met with our F12 students currently going for
interviews in the UK to provide personalised advice and guidance. - A Navarra University representative attended school last week to provide information and advice
about applying to their university. They have a range of courses including very interesting medical
opportunities as well as a School of Management Assistants. - Oxford Study Courses (OSC) spoke with F10, 11 and 12 students last week. F12 were given an
insight into how examiners think and left with some very useful tips. F10 and 11 heard about the
study courses available through OSC as well as how to best manage their time. - Dr Radka Newton from Lancaster University spoke with F11 and 12 students at the end of last term.
Since then one of our students has received an offer from the university and a medical applicant has
had an interview with the university.
Form 11
Provisional coursework calendar for Form 11: Coursework will begin this year with deadlines early next year and so students will be expected to work on several pieces (most notably their extended essay) over the holiday
Extended essay: During tutorial, students were given a copy of the attached guide to the Extended Essay which was discussed with teachers.The final draft deadline for this is Monday 20th October and so students should now begin speaking to relevant tutors and subject teachers about selecting a subject and question for their extended essay.
Students are encouraged to read extended essays related to the subject choice of the essay.
“Students should carefully think about their subject choice. It is recommended that students consider
what they would like to pursue in further education as a basis for making a decision about their
extended essay subject. Extended Essays can be useful to refer to in university applications and
interviews.” from the IB EE guide
Students are encouraged to read extended essays related to the subject choice of the essay.
“Students should carefully think about their subject choice. It is recommended that students consider
what they would like to pursue in further education as a basis for making a decision about their
extended essay subject. Extended Essays can be useful to refer to in university applications and
interviews.” from the IB EE guide