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As the students in our graduating class of 2016 begin their next academic journey at university, we would like to take a moment to recognize our top-scoring IB and A-Level students at each school.
Catherine Kongsfjell Jaess from Norway – an IB student at EF Academy New York – earned an impressive 40 points, the highest score in her class. She will attend law school at the University of Bergen in her home country this fall.
At EF Academy Torbay, Denise Lichthardt from Germany earned EF Academy’s top IB score with 42 points – with scores of 7 in all of her HL and SL classes. Denise plans on studying physics in her home country of Germany and has received an offer from the Technical Institute of Munich. EF Academy Torbay’s top A-Level student is Jingshao Zhang from China. Jingshao achieved A*A*AAA grades and will be attending her first-choice university, the London School of Economics. LSE is ranked ninth in the UK and Jingshao will pursue a degree in Mathematics and Economics.
EF Academy Oxford had phenomenal students of its own. Wei Sun from Taiwan earned 41 points on her IB Diploma exams and will study Pharmacy at UCL, which is seventh in the world according to the QS University Rankings 2016. Arman Karshenas Najafabadi from Iran is EF Academy Oxford’s top A-Level student with a very impressive A*A*A*A* and Distinction in the Advanced Extension Award for Mathematics. Arman will be attending the University of Manchester to study Chemical Engineering. University of Manchester is ranked 33rd in the world according to the QS World University Rankings and 22nd in the world for the subject.

Our graduating class of 2016 had top-scoring IB and A-Level students at each school.

Congratulations to our top-scoring IB and A-Level students - EF Academy Blog

Congratulations to our top-scoring IB and A-Level students ‹ EF Academy Blog

Congratulations to our top-scoring IB and A-Level students

Congratulations top scoring ib level students

Ana Luiza Loio, from Brazil, is a current student at EF Academy Oxford and wrote a recap on this years’ Leaver’s Ceremony.
21st April 2017, Friday: EF Academy Oxford students left school early, after period three, and ran to their rooms to do their make-up and put on dresses or suits. And the reason was a very special one: it was the Leaver’s Ceremony day, when all the students, staff and some family members gathered to celebrate IB Year 2 successes during the two last years. After all, their journey hasn’t been easy, but there were plenty of good moments and they made it until here – their final exams will happen in two weeks!
The ceremony took place in Oxford Town Hall, one of the city’s beautiful ancient buildings, which helped set up the fancy and academic atmosphere. The awards were presented by <a href="https://lindayueh.com/">Linda Yueh</a>, an economist, broadcaster and author who holds titles such as Fellow in Economics at St Edmund Hall and Oxford University, Adjunct Professor of Economics at London Business School and others. She also handed the diplomas, while posing for a picture with each one of the leavers. Federico Angioni, an IB Year 2 student from Italy, summarized everyone’s mood by saying, “the ceremony was really nice and pleasant and since these are things that happen once in a lifetime I was really excited.”
Federico continued by saying, “The class of 2017 will leave me with a lot of good memories and I actually don’t know if I will ever manage to find such nice people in such a diverse environment  ever again.” Faly Richou, from France, complemented Federico’s thoughts by describing it as, “a unique class due to the very dynamic personalities from all over the world.”
“My teachers were amazing throughout these two years, generally speaking. I would love to have them as my teachers again in the future, but since I just graduated I think I will have to go to university…”  joked Hong Kong’s Blake Duncan, when asked to dedicate some words to his teachers.
After the ceremony was over, champagne and some appetizers were served – it was time to celebrate! Smiling, our leavers enjoyed being the center of attention for some hours. Between the chatter and the flashes, one thing was clear: even though they were sad to leave their “Oxford family” and were a bit nostalgic due to the speeches given by some of their peers earlier that day, the second-years were mostly proud of themselves and what they had accomplished – and so were their guests, the other students and the staff.
Quoting Dr Paul Ellis, Head of the School, “we look up to these young people with a confidence that they will go out into the world to create, with purpose, integrity, and ambition, a more cooperative and sustainable world, one with friendship, trust, opportunity, and responsibility at the core. To judge by your short time here, I think you’re pretty well-prepared for the job.”
Good luck, Class of 2017! You certainly left your mark in the history of EF Academy Oxford.

EF Academy Oxford students left school early, after period three, and ran to their rooms to do their make-up and put on dresses or suits.

EF Academy Oxford celebrates the successes of its Class of 2017 with a traditional leaver’s ceremony - EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Oxford celebrates the successes of its Class of 2017 with a traditional leaver’s ceremony ‹ EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Oxford celebrates the successes of its Class of 2017 with a traditional leaver’s ceremony

Ef academy oxford celebrates successes class 2017 traditional leavers ceremony

So much happens here we just need to take it back and break it down day-by-day for you!
Monday
so Monday was all about enriching us in the world of Language and Literature. So we decided to take our GCSE students to Stover Park. At Stover Country Park a trail for the poet Ted Hughes has recently been created to celebrate his poetry and long-standing links with Devon! The Park features sixteen poetry posts that display a poem by Ted Hughes on a theme relating to the natural world, it’s actually pretty cool.
Then we also had some of our students rehearsing for our upcoming performance of Hamlet!
Tuesday
The day of love! We actually spent the day on Tuesday doing many different things from our very own ‘ Apprentice Business Challenge’ to ‘ Model United Nations’ and even a trip to Edinburgh!
A little about Model United Nations:
It was surrounding difficulties that different nations have taking in refugees with the aim of reaching quotas. Each group was given a different country, some wealthy some less so. So it was a very interesting discussion indeed!
A little about Edinburgh!
So we set off by plane to Edinburgh on Tuesday afternoon and spent the time when we arrived exploring the City. It was truly stunning.
We went to Edinburgh Castle, Camera Obscura and did a lot of walking – it was an amazing experience and trip!
 
Wednesday
The whole school went to visit a City that’s very nearby called EXETER! Exeter is home to one of the UKs top Universities,  a beautiful Cathedral and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum ( It’s also really good for shopping!)
Thursday
What a busy day for us at school! We had 40 of our students departing for the beautiful Paris and for those who were in school it was Higher Education day where Universities from all over came into school and gave talks and tips to our students for securing their places  and information on what ‘Uni life’ is actually like. We also had some of our lovely alumni come to school and offer some words of wisdom for their peers.
Friday
Another whole school Academic trip to visit Plymouth another one of our nearby University Cities! Plymouth is such a thriving City full of different things from museums to music and from Art to History!
The University itself has a pretty impressive campus!
So all in all an extremely busy yet enriching week at EF Academy Torbay thanks to our Enrichment Cooridinator Chris Nicholls!
Big Thank you to Chris from students and staff for a great week!

So much happens here we just need to take it back and break it down day-by-day for you!

What goes on during Enrichment Week - EF Academy Blog

What goes on during Enrichment Week ‹ EF Academy Blog

What goes on during Enrichment Week

Goes enrichment week

Many of our students don’t have a lot of experience with the outdoors and virtually none of them have experience of the outdoors on an English wet day but this was their chance to show they could handle all that Dartmoor could throw at them. And it did.
The <a href="https://www.dofe.org/">DofE</a> is the world’s leading youth achievement award, giving millions of 14 to 24-year-olds the opportunity to be the very best they can be.
There are three levels of programme you can do which, when successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The main differences between them are the minimum length of time they take to complete, how challenging they are and the minimum age you can start. The Gold level also includes an additional <a href="https://www.ef.co.uk/pg/dofe-gold-residential/">residential section.</a>
One of the hardest stages of the award is the expedition stage. This involves students carrying out an expedition of up to four days which in most cases is a hiking expedition. They take part in groups of four but entirely on their own with only remote supervision.
This weekend was the first training session of the year and was for students who want to complete their silver expeditions before Christmas. Some have carried out expeditions and completed their awards at Bronze level but for many this was their first experience of a hike and camping.
We stayed at a bunkhouse near Ivy Bridge on <a href="https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/">Dartmoor National Park</a>. Dartmoor National Park is a vast moorland in the county of Devon, in southwest England. Dartmoor ponies roam its craggy landscape, defined by forests, rivers, wetlands and tors (rock formations). Trails wind through valleys with Neolithic tombs, Bronze Age stone circles and abandoned medieval farmhouses. The area is dotted with villages, including Princetown, home to Dartmoor Prison used during the Napoleonic Wars.
We left for the moors straight after school on Friday and arrived just in time to get tents up and dinner cooked before the sun went down. After dinner we went into the bunk house to plan our routes for the following day and to go through some basic map reading skills and compass work before heading to our tents to get some sleep ready for a long days hiking.
Once we got our tents packed away and had our breakfast we left to make the climb up onto the moors. It was a slow climb and we passed through some fantastic old villages with early Victorian stone churches that make you feel like you have stepped back in time. Just to amplify this feeling we found ourselves confronted by a herd of sheep in the road being controlled by sheep dogs.
We continued to climb but just as the rain started to pour down so heavily that we almost immediately found ourselves soaking wet. Once the rain eased off we split into groups and made our way onto the moors on different routes meeting on the top to pitch our tents and to cook our lunch. We were then struck by an amazing sight. A group of about 10 Dartmoor ponies walked towards us before stopping to watch us eat.
Once we had refueled and warmed up we continued across the moors heading back to the bunkhouse. This was a hard trek and the weather threw everything at us. Mud, rain and wind all stood in our way, not to mention the sheep.
We had to find our own way in the mist and continue to keep our spirits up. But we faced the challenge and never complained because this is what it is all about. Taking it on and succeeding. Bring on the real expedition!

Many of our students don’t have a lot of experience with the outdoors and virtually none of them have experience of the outdoors on an English wet day.

Show us what you’re made of – Duke of Edinburgh Silver Training - EF Academy Blog

Show us what you’re made of – Duke of Edinburgh Silver Training ‹ EF Academy Blog

Show us what you’re made of – Duke of Edinburgh Silver Training

Show us youre made duke edinburgh silver training

Science students often get to do experiments and but it is not often that they get the chance to take their samples directly from the field and not with the amazing backdrop of Dartmoor National Park behind them.
Students from the IGCSE had an amazing chance to carry out biology studies at the Heatree outdoor research center on Dartmoor. Heatree is an outdoor center situated near Hay Tor one of the highest points on the moors and the center caters for a range of outdoor activities and science research that allows students to study the flora and fauna of Dartmoor in its natural environment.
We had a busy day ahead of us and had a slow climb in the bus from Torquay to the top of the moors through old villages seemingly untouched by time and often having to dodge sheep and horses or walk totally freely on the moors.
Once we arrived at the center we had a briefing about the days activities before collecting our packed lunch and getting kited up with water proofs and ‘wellies’ or boots.
We headed out of the center and took part in an activity designed to get us thinking about how all of the animals and plants on the moors are connected with the sun and the rain.
Then we got really stuck in when we got into groups and were given our equipment. We got into the small river that runs through the center and collected samples of the water. Many of didn’t really expected to find much in our water sample but to our surprise we found a huge array of small life forms from river shrimp to and tiny worm that lives in the river. We also found amazing small animals that make their home in tiny pieces of wood as a disguise.
We had to record our samples and then set about studying them to identify their size and their predominance and we were able to check if the numbers we found for anyone species was a common number or whether we had identified a larger population that could threaten the delicate ecosystem off the river.
Once we had recorded our findings we headed further onto the moors and after a lunch stop we began to study some of the fascinating flora samples that you can find on the moors.
Dartmoor is largely made up of marsh and moorland and is almost always wet. This means that when coupled with its height it has a unique collection of flowers and plants, some found nowhere else.
This was a unique experience that really allowed us to think about science and natural biology in a whole new way and has added greatly to our understanding of the topics we study in school.

Science students often get to do experiments and but it is not often that they get the chance to with the amazing backdrop of Dartmoor National Park.

Science field work on Dartmoor - EF Academy Blog

Science field work on Dartmoor ‹ EF Academy Blog

Science field work on Dartmoor

Science field work dartmoor

Second year media students had an amazing opportunity to visit film studios in the capital last week including where much of Harry Potter was filmed.
The group made their way up to London to their hotel in North London. First stop was a tour of the Warner Brothers Harry Potter studio taking in some of the iconic sets from the film including the Great Hall. Serving as the backdrop to some of the film series’ most iconic scenes such as the Yule Ball and the Battle of Hogwarts, the Great Hall was first built for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2000 and was used as a key set for six more films. The spectacular Great Hall includes the costumes of students from each Hogwarts house plus two large tables which are set for dinner; at the top of the room is the teachers’ table where the Hogwarts Professors sat. The Great Hall is home to some of the beautiful hand crafted props created for the Harry Potter film series including Professor Dumbledore’s lectern and the House Points Counter. Though rarely seen on screen, it is rumored that when the House Points Counter was first built it caused a national shortage of Indian glass beads.
Other highlights included the chance to stand on Platform 9¾. The Hogwarts Express locomotive transported hundreds of students from Platform 9¾ to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Most of the scenes that take place on Platform 9¾ were actually shot on location at King’s Cross Station in London, however, during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, part of the station platform was recreated on a soundstage here at Leavesden, complete with the track and the train.
We also visited the special effects unit and where they make the props. Over 950 potion jars line the walls of the classroom, each with unique props kept inside them including baked animal bones from a local butcher shop, dried leaves, herbs and shrunken heads made by the props department. Each jar features a label hand designed by Graphic Design duo MinaLima.
In the evening we went to the Lyceum Theatre to watch Lion King the musical which was amazing. The Lyceum Theatre is a 2,100-seat West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street, just off the Strand. The origins of the theatre date to 1765. The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer. Even those of us who thought they hated musicals actually had an amazing time.
The following day we went to the museum of Brands and Advertising. Just around the corner from the world-famous Portobello Road Market stands a treasure trove of retro design and memories. Imagine walking through galleries full to the brim with oddities and wonders alike, where every corner you turn leads you into a different decade. We saw Rimmel cosmetics from the 1890s, First World War Oxo Cubes, Mars Bars, Rolos and KitKats from the 1930s, a 1970s Chopper Bike and around 12,000 other items that will open your eyes to the way we lived and shopped.
Before we left we went down to the river to take in the views and to have dinner overlooking the London skyline.

Second year media students had an amazing opportunity to visit film studios in the capital last week including where much of Harry Potter was filmed.

London media trip - EF Academy Blog

London media trip ‹ EF Academy Blog

London media trip

As he took his suit from the wardrobe, Neil absent-mindedly mused upon the previous years. In doing so, he inadvertently discovered that this musing upon bygone Graduations had become something of a ritual for him. Just as footballers each had their own pre-match list of gestures and actions that they had to go through in order to feel  at one with  themselves before entering the stadium with  it’s cacophony of sound, so Neil, went through his own checklist. As he had done last year, he flicked an imaginary fleck from his dark  blue suit, checking it as he did so,  for any  tell-tale signs of poor wardrobe storage! “No”, he said to himself, “ it was fine”. It would grace any such gala event, including tonight’s pre Graduation meal.  After, a final  inspection of his appearance, after repeated verification of his tie being in the right place, after checking his pockets for keys and money and phone, he stepped out, as a gladiator into an arena, into an arena of education where the true contests had already  taken place, for tonight was all  about the celebration of the winners who  would be receiving the crown of laurels, the culmination of their efforts…….
As he made his way into the room reserved for the reception of the guests, Neil felt strangely moved…. here it was, 34 years before that he had celebrated his own wedding reception. As he mingled with the guests, his mind flitted between those that were there in the present, and those that had been there all those years before. Friends, and significant others who were no longer present, remained shadowy, but nevertheless real images in his mind, all caught up  with  the evenings celebration. But tonight, was no time for melancholia. He focused his attention again and allowed his eyes to survey the living pageant of rich cultural diversity that paraded before his eyes. Before him he examined the stunning elegance of colleagues, in their beautiful finery, making him feel somehow sordid in his dark blue suit, somehow tawdry, as if an interloper into  a meeting of class. Alongside colleagues, he noticed the guests, with each corner of the room housing an expression of the global  village that is today’s world. There, in one corner, stood a Nigerian family, resplendent and glorious in all their kaleidoscopic colors. In another, an Indonesian family with  their gracious gestures, bowing their heads and touching their chests as a sign of greeting; welcoming and greeting members of staff with  a deference that guaranteed a feeling of awkwardness in the recipients of it. Elsewhere,  a hoot of derisive laughter greeted an  anonymous humorous comment made by an unseen guest. Here were the sights and sounds of the extended EF Academy family, communicated to all  who  would care to  look and listen ;  the joy, the pleasure, and the richness of inter cultural humanity, in all  its glory. Far from  the narrow mindedness of protectionist values, this gathering chose, subconsciously to  testify to, and to  validate another set of values, that of the possibility of the richness of differing cultures being a way of defining oneself, rather than the opposite. Far from the bland homogenization of peoples, what was in evidence this evening spoke of depth and life and vibrancy.
And so  the evening continued, a sumptuous meal, enjoyed by all  as they  sat in families around the simply decorated tables. At each  table, reunited families exchanged the tell-tale glances of deep  affection  between  parents and their beloved children. Gestures of tenderness and love permeated the proceedings. A daughter kissing her father, a son holding his fathers hand. In and of themselves, only simple, almost hidden gestures, but joined together, they  formed a fanfare of happiness. And this was but a prelude to the real event, a rolling out of the red carpet before the following days Graduation ceremony.
As the early morning light, pierced the gloom of the various curtained bedrooms around the bay, so the many guests began to stir. The lethargy that accompanied their awaking, shaken from  spirits as the prospect of what lay before them  broke upon their minds. The day had dawned, the day  when  their own children  would see the culmination of their study  and sacrifice rewarded and acknowledged before one and all. Parents proud of their children, children  proud of themselves, with teachers and staff willing on-lookers as they  released their charges back into  the waiting arms of loved ones. The staff had fulfilled their commission, and now, with  a sense of achievement and fulfilment could lay down  the mantle of responsibility for them  and simply savour the moment. This was as much  a moment of joy for them  as it was for the parents and students. As they  looked out over the sea of graduating students, they were able to see before them ,no longer individuals with deadlines to meet, and with homework assignments to  complete, but now human  beings  in their own  right, full of potential and life’s victories. Among the crowded ranks amassed in the auditorium could be seen those that had made their mark  through  sheer determination and hard work. Next to them, jostling for attention,  were those who were noticed, noticed for their wit, their laughter,  their excuses, their vitality, their sleepiness, their tears and so it could continue. Every expression of the various facets of human  character was on view. All drawn together in this one moment to share a common experience. They were all  part of the EF Academy  Torbay family. It had often been said that EF Academy Torbay was a family that did education rather than an educational institution that tried to be a family, and here in this arena, the proof of it was plain to see. And yet what was it? This feeling of family was something real, but wholly intangible, solid, and yet ethereal; present but at the same time invisible. Of course, as we all know, this was the sort of thing that anything worthwhile was made of. It was the sort of thing that made some cruelly understand that they were on the outside and made them realize that their currency  of professionalism and  distance, was not legal  tender in this setting. What was on display in this context was the beating heart of EF Academy  Torbay, a beating heart clothed in the pursuit of academic excellence but the beating heart of a family nevertheless.
This was a true celebration of the family, a family united in this special  moment, the expression of the goal of student life. It was the consummation of the contract to  study and the willingness to  learn. As the students paraded onto  the stage, each one different, yet each one the same, they  communicated their pride in being part of this school. For some this pride was tinged with  sadness as they  realised that it was all  coming to  an  end, for some it was touched by joy, as they  looked forward to  even more successes. Outstanding students, Sportsman and woman of the year, team prizes, subject prizes. All joined together in a glorious coming together of the schools focus. Today it was a community of togetherness. Today  the awards were inward looking, what the students had contributed to the school, tomorrow, with  the results of their exams, they  would be more individualised as each  student discovered their own particular reward.
As the ceremony drew to  a close, so  rightfully, the class of 2017 took  centre stage, both  figuratively and physically. Their moment had come. Proud parents beamed appreciatively as their own  child walked onto  the stage. For one moment alone, for them ,there was no one else in the room. It was an intimate moment where the only players involved were the student and the parents. Those members of staff who happened to be present were nothing more than masters of ceremony, facilitators of this most tender of moments. The culmination  came via the Valedictorian address offered by one who, by the acknowledgement of all,  was a student without comparison, one who in every realm, appeared to be judged to be the best. The most loving, kind, thoughtful, hardworking, helpful and studious, and one, who  on top of this, had the voice of an  angel. Her address was inspiring, her delivery astounding, her presence impressive. She dominated the arena, and communicated all  that EF Academy  Torbay means. EF Academy Torbay: A family, an education, a place to  grow, a place where the individual is welded into  a community and from that place goes on to  influence the world. This was the graduation of the class of 2017. We all of us await excitedly for all  that the class of 2018  will bring.
 
Written by Neil Abbott, Guidance Counselor at EF Academy Torbay

In doing so, he inadvertently discovered that this musing upon bygone Graduations had become something of a ritual for him.

Graduation weekend in Torbay - EF Academy Blog

Graduation weekend in Torbay ‹ EF Academy Blog

Graduation weekend in Torbay

Graduation weekend torbay

On the morning of the 27th of February I, with some other art students met with a popular artist James Tatum who specialized in landscape paintings and was popular for the way he expressed himself in his art and the methods which he used while painting.
The session took a total of 4 hours with a 15 minute break halfway through. At the start, we were shown and presented with the methods and ways in which he recorded his surroundings and how he expressed it in his art. We were also shown a specific array of techniques and medium that he used when painting. After a short talk from James, he carried out a demonstration in which he painted an art piece in a very short period of time and also managed to show all the points although it wasn’t one of his best it was certainly enlightening to watch.
After the demonstration, we went to our various canvases which were already laid out, and then we picked out specific photos from either the variety presented on the tables or from our personal galleries. I personally picked one which I took during my Duke of Edinburgh expedition with the school. Before I made a layout of the key aspects and major details of the picture with a piece of charcoal. As I was done I was then instructed by James to paint in the dark areas of the painting before proceeding into the much lighter areas.
In the picture, there was also a very visible separation in the clouds and he said I should try and incorporate it into the painting by contrasting the colours. He also told everyone and urged everyone to be more expressive and try not to always colour within the line, that we should try to be as free as possible when painting the landscapes. Halfway into the art piece he went around and gave his ‘’2 cents’’ on what we could do better and also what we had done well. When he got to me he explained how I could use some more natural colours or colours that could naturally be found in nature, and because I didn’t have any of those colours on my palette he brought some from his palette and I used it to brighten the lighter areas of the image.
This method was very different to what I was used to because I had to use a lot more paint than I was used to, and I felt more free than usual and I felt that I could express more than usual when I was painting the landscape. When I first painted the sky above the vegetation I made it very light blue and it looked very bright and didn’t connect with the other parts and pieces of the landscape, and because of this I had to mix the brown colours into the sky, and by doing this it made all the parts of the painting connect and made harmony in the painting. Reaching the end of the painting I stepped back and observed the painting from afar following the steps demonstrated to us by James and it made me see the things I missed and, the things I did well and also the things I could add to make the artwork look better. I also left out a lot of the detail from the original image because it would have taken the freedom and would have limited the level of expression when I painted it, which was the exact thing we were not to do because it would make you stressed and we would enjoy and take in the original beauty of the final art piece.
 
Written by Chizi

James Tatum who specialized in landscape paintings and was popular for the way he expressed himself in his art and the methods which he used while painting.

Art workshop with James Tatum - EF Academy Blog

Art workshop with James Tatum ‹ EF Academy Blog

Art workshop with James Tatum

Art workshop james tatum

Butterfly Productions have performed at Kents Cavern for a number of years and this is the second time that we have organized for our students to watch a great theatre company perform Shakespeare in this amazing setting. Nick Danan and Aileen Gonsalves have already wowed critics with Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest and they’re back again with another Shakespeare classic performed around the caves. The shows are very interactive and you are led around the caves by the cast.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1597. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and Hippolyta. These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors (the mechanicals), who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. The play is one of Shakespeare’s most popular works for the stage and is widely performed across the world. The play is very popular and people all over the world watch it in theatres. The play consists of four interconnecting plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazon queen, Hippolyta, which is set simultaneously in the woodland and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon.
This was such an amazing experience in so many ways not only did we get to see an amazing play by a great company it was set in Kents Cavern which is a really cool venue for a mystical dream like play like A Midsummer Night’s Dream because the caves added to the dream like atmosphere of the play and the actors were able to use it to dramatic effect. The play was set in different parts of the caves so each tie you turned a corner you entered a different scene. Great interlude into our normal day and it has certainly helped our appreciation and enjoyment of Shakespeare.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest and they’re back again with another Shakespeare classic performed around Kents Caverns, caves.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a cave - EF Academy Blog

A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a cave ‹ EF Academy Blog

A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a cave

Midsummer nights dream cave

Ra Salah from Brazil graduated from EF Academy Torbay in 2014 and is currently studying Aerospace Engineering at Brunel University in England. Find out a little bit more about our featured alum:
Why did you choose to go to EF Academy?
It was always my dream to go and study in the UK so when my parents gave me this opportunity to study with EF Academy, I went for it. Honestly, I was a bit scared at the beginning since it was my first time leaving my family and being on my own. In hindsight, this was very beneficial for me since I had to become more mature and independent.
Aside from the annoying fact that I had to buy four to five umbrellas during my time in Torbay, I have never regretted going to EF Academy. I can not say enough about how good of an experience it was. I met so many good friends and teachers that I still keep in contact with.
What university did you go to afterwards? What did you study?
I am studying Aerospace Engineering because I have always been fascinated by airplanes; everything from how they are built to how the technology has developed. I was initially studying at Kingston and was also accepted to Queen Mary but I felt like I wanted to really challenge myself. That is why I chose to go to Brunel, one of the top engineering universities in the UK, and I am really enjoying myself here.
Tips to current students that want to study what you study?
Try your best – work as hard as possible!
Don’t give up – if you want something, don’t give up!
Do you keep in touch with your EF Academy classmates?
YES! I built so many great friendships during my time at Torbay. Friends like Peyman Norouzi, Chidera Egbujor, Nima Mrz and Reham Fouad I keep in regular contact with. I also often meet up with people in London.
What’s your favorite memory from EF Academy?
I found my first relationship there! I was together with the sweetest girl for six months and we were often referred to as the cutest couple. She has moved back to Mexico but I hope we will be in the same city again some day.
Another amazing moment was when I was awarded with the ‘The Physics Student of the Year’ prize. I was not expecting it so I became completely speechless but I was so, so happy! It was truly an amazing day!
What do you miss the most?
Without a doubt, my friends. I can still remember our seating arrangement in class everyday. We would always help and support each other – like a family. Compared to university where you work and live more individually, it was a true ‘team’ feeling.
What is one thing that you learned from EF Academy that you found valuable for university? For your work life? For your personal life?
How to be responsible, organized and mature. An example of being responsible and being organized can be shown by just looking at my room – it is not clean right now because we are Skyping but it is always clean. At the beginning of my Engineering studies, I was overwhelmed by the amount of statistics involved but I learned that I have to keep going until I understand. My mom is very happy to see this development in me and I like to see my mom happy because I did well!
What tips would you give to current students?
Enjoy your experience as much as possible, make as many friends as possible, and, of course study hard. But make sure you do enjoy this unique experience. Today we have and tomorrow we have not.
Short questions:
Name: Ra Salah
Age: 20
Nationality: Brazilian
How many languages do you speak? Five: English, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, and I understand Italian
EF Academy campus: Torbay
Graduation year: 2014
Program: A-level (Physics, IT and Mathematics)
Residence or host family: 1st year in great residence and then host family
Favorite subject: Physics because of Oliver Chapman – it was the way he taught the subject, always trying to go beyond the actual curriculum.
Favorite teacher: Sydney War, my tutor who always made time for me and helped me understand and get comfortable with the subject. I remember how different my first class at university was, the teacher just came in and taught the class and then left without making sure we understood.
Favorite club / society: Football club, I was co-captain.
Which is the next country you want to visit? Germany. I’ve heard a lot about Germany, including that it has the safest highway. France as well!
Who to interview next: Peyman Norouzi – one of the cleverest people in the class; he is currently studying Engineering at Penn State University in the US.
Shouts outs to:
<ul>
<li>All my friends</li>
<li>Anna Ireland and Debbie Chatterton</li>
<li>Bernard Paiva – my Regional admission director and friend</li>
<li>Bryan Heavens, Oliver Chapman and Adrian Harrington – my awesome teachers at EF Academy Torbay</li>
</ul>

Ra Salah from Brazil graduated from EF Academy Torbay in 2014 and is currently studying Aerospace Engineering at Brunel University in England. Find out a little bit more about our featured alum: Why did you choose to go to EF Academy? It was always my dream to go and study in the UK so when my …

Advice from alumni: Ra Salah - EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Ra Salah ‹ EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Ra Salah

Advice alumni ra salah

Full name: Mookroi Uthayophas
Age: 22
Home country: Thailand
Languages: Thai and English
EF Academy campus: Torbay
Program: A-Level
Grad year: 2012
Favorite subject: Economics
University: Cambridge
Program: Economics
Career: Private Equity Analyst at Terra Firma Capital Partners
 
Meg Uthayophas from Thailand graduated from Torbay with A-Level qualifications in 2012. Today, she works as a Private Equity Analyst at Terra Firma Capital Partners. During her time at EF Academy, she earned the best A-Level score possible and in this Q&A she tells us how she did it. Read on to learn her secrets to success: 
Why did you decide to attend EF Academy?
The story is pretty simple: I attended boarding school in Thailand and after a certain number of years at the same school, I wanted to explore the world, meet new people and engage with people from different backgrounds. EF was one the of the choices I had and I already knew I wanted to go to the UK. EF Academy was a good choice for me to start that journey abroad.
What is your favorite EF Academy memory?
The times I spent with my friends, inside and outside of class. I also have fond memories of my economics class because we had a great teacher who engaged his students in the class. I remember that we all had a white board that we used to write notes and he really encouraged us to think for ourselves. It was a lot of fun.
What did you find exciting and challenging about the A-Level program?
The excitement and challenge come from the same thing: taking a limited number of subjects. The excitement came from the fact that with fewer subjects you get to specialize more and you go deeper into the subject matter. I would have also liked to study more subjects though. Sometimes I was curious and wanted to learn more about a different subject; so what I found challenging was the lack of breadth.
You earned five A*s at the end of your A-Level program. What advice do you have for other A-Level students who want to achieve the grades you did?
Pay attention in class; focus but don’t study too hard, it’s important to have a good balance in life. If you’re happy and you balance everything well, you can get good results.
What is one thing you learned at EF Academy that prepared you for university and your career?
The ability to integrate in a diverse place. Currently, my firm is very diverse, they hired six analysts from different countries, but English is the common language. EF Academy helped me learn how to be aware of and deal with culture differences. It was also a great pathway for me to get into a university and I really appreciate that.
What is the accomplishment you are proudest of?
The accomplishment of getting into university. For me, coming to the UK was a big gamble because I could have gone to an American university but there were just a few universities that I wanted to go to and they were all in the UK. My parents were really proud of me too. Attending university in the UK allowed me to broaden my horizons and meet like-minded people, and I enjoyed exploring life there.
Why did you choose to attend Cambridge?
To me, it was about life throughout the three years. Not only is the school highly rigorous in terms of academics, but there were smart, driven people there who I could share and discuss your ideas with.
What are you doing now?
I did some internships in investment banking after I graduated college, but now I am a Private Equity Analyst at a company that invests in other businesses. What an investment bank does is it advises other companies about transactions. After the internships, I decided I wanted to be on the other side of investment banking, so I joined a private equity firm. The company looks to buy other companies but then restructures, transforms and improves it, and then sells it for profit five or six years later. I’m in a rotational program, so I get to see all the functions in the firm like legal and investor relationships. Right now, I look at new companies and come up with investment strategies, while also taking care of existing business and making further transactions.

Meg Uthayophas from Thailand graduated from Torbay with A-Level qualifications in 2012.

Advice from alumni: Meg Uthayophas - EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Meg Uthayophas ‹ EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Meg Uthayophas

Advice alumni meg uthayophas

When it comes to traveling abroad, there are so many incredible things to look forward to. With a lot of careful planning, you get the chance to plan your studies, sightseeing adventures, and even the most Instagram-worthy locations in your new location. But one of the most important things to consider before you take that flight is everything you’ll take with you. It’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed trying to plan for several months of any number of scenarios.
So, that’s why we’ve put together your ultimate packing list for studying abroad:
<h4>1. Clothes and Shoes</h4>
Make sure you pack according to the climate you’re traveling to. The last thing you want is to brave a cold rainy day without closed-toed shoes or an umbrella.
<h4>2. Personal Amenities</h4>
A great thing about traveling is that you can find toiletries and personal amenities just about anywhere you go but when it comes to your favorite face wash or conditioner, it’s always best to come prepared just in case you can’t find the same products in your destination. Eventually, you’ll find something local that works for you but for the first few months, you’ll be happy you have something from home to work into your daily routine.
<h4>3. Books</h4>
Of course when you’re going to school, you’re going to end up with plenty of books throughout the year. But sometimes you’ll want a break from studying and other required reading and when that time comes, you’ll be glad to have a few easy reads. It will also come in handy during your travels when you can always use the extra reading material.
<h4>4. Some Favorite Foods</h4>
We’re not going to sugar coat it, the homesickness while studying abroad can get real. Often times it will be the little things related to your culture, like your favorite foods, that will make you miss home the most. So be sure to tuck away your favorite snack food for one of those homesick days.
<h4>5. Important Documents</h4>
It’s obvious that while living abroad, you’ll need to have your passport with you but some other key documents to have around include your visa, school ID, and flight tickets. You should also keep copies of important details like flight information, school documents, or identification numbers. If you’re not sure about it, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. When it comes to legal documents, nobody ever regrets being over-prepared. Just remember to store your information in a safe place.
<h4>6. Stationary</h4>
While WhatsApp, Skype, and Instagram are all great ways to stay in touch with people you care about, there’s something to be said about a handwritten letter. You never know if you’ll want to write to your family back home or start sending postcards and on a day you’re feeling homesick, there’s always something comforting about reading a letter in a loved one’s handwriting.
<h4>7. Cash</h4>
We know paperless payments are becoming far more common worldwide. But it’s always a good idea to have some cash tucked away just in case someone doesn’t automatically offer you the chance to pay digitally.
<h4>8. Gifts for New Friends</h4>
You never know who you might meet while you’re studying abroad. You don’t want to make an incredible connection with somebody only to turn around and have nothing to gift them. Plus, a great way to start a connection with your new roommate is to offer them something delicious to eat!
<h4>9. Laptops and Chargers</h4>
Even if you like to take notes by hand, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to do all of your studying without a computer handy. But what good is having a laptop if you forget your charger at home? Take it from your fellow students of the world, running out to buy a new device charger is pricey and annoying in every country so remember to bring yours with you along with an adaptor.
<h4>10. A Reliable Camera</h4>
You’ll want to be able to capture memories of your time abroad. Whether it’s through photos or video, you’ll regret not documenting this special time in your life. You probably already have a great camera on your phone, but it’s always a good idea to have an extra camera around – whether it’s because you want to work on your DLSR skills or just in case.
 
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If this article has inspired you and you’re feeling ready to get packing, we’d love to show you why EF Academy is worth the trip abroad.

One of the most important things to consider is what you'll take with you abroad. That's why we've put together your packing list for studying abroad.

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