The British School of Lomé

Newsletter – April 2011

Final Examinations
The year 13 students (IB2) have completed their Extended Essays, ToK Presentation and Essay, and all Internal Assessment. All that is left now are their final examination papers. These start on Tuesday 3rd May and end on Monday 24th May. Obviously students should be using their last few weeks to follow a thorough revision programme. This should also include some time for exercise and relaxation as we want them to manage the stress well. Students need to ensure that they are eating well, sleeping well and come back fresh, ready and prepared for the 3 week marathon! Students please ensure that you know the exact start time of each examination and that you have the correct equipment. Good luck to all Year 13s and remember that we are here to help and support you.

University Applications
All year 13 students have completed their university applications and are receiving their offers. This is a very exciting and yet tense time for year 13. It can be a time of great joy as they realise that all of their hard work has paid off. Students need to remember that they must follow all deadlines from UCAS or other individual universities when accepting offers. It is very competitive out there and universities will offer your place to someone else if you have not replied. Here at BSL we are very proud of our pastoral system and have every confidence that we have systems in place to enable students to succeed.

Education UK Exhibition 2011 – Ghana
Year 12 students spent the weekend in Ghana recently visiting the Education UK Exhibition in Accra. Over 30 UK universities attended, and this provided a fantastic opportunity for the Year 12’s to ask questions and find out more about the universities they may be considering. Attending the exhibition has enabled the students to begin thinking about university applications in preparation for next year. Students are now writing their personal statements in preparation for the application process that will start early in Year 13. Medicine and Oxbridge candidates have to have applications completed by mid October 2011!

Extended Essay
All Year 12 Diploma students have started their Extended Essay. This is a 4000 word (max) research project that takes several months to complete. Students should be formulating their Research Question and obtaining material to analyse this critically. They have been assigned a supervisor who is there to guide them through the process but not to tell them what to do! They should be working on this during holidays, especially if they need to collect local data, as the final deadline of 31st October will soon be upon us.

Graduation 2011
Plans are well under way for Graduation 2011. This is a huge event for year 13 students here at BSL as they celebrate their achievements in the company of their peers, family and teachers. It is often an emotional time but one that fills us with great pride. The musical entertainment for Graduation 2011 will be performed by th BSL students. The event takes place on Saturday 28 May 2011 at 10.15am.

Prom 2011
Graduation is always followed by Prom. The theme this year is ‘The Oscars’ and the Year 12 Prom Team are busy fundraising and organising. Prom 2011 will take place in The Sarakawa Hotel. All Year 11, 12 and 13s and teachers are invited.

Year 12 were spread far and wide for mid-term
Several Year 12 students spend the mid-term break in America or France. Students in America attended an International Student Conference at the UNIS in New York. They had some fun in Florida at the International Space Centre prior to arriving in New York. Other Year 12 students were speeding down the mountains of France on the BSL Ski Trip. Both trips were enjoyed thoroughly by the students and further reports can be read in the BSL newsletter.

Newly Qualified Lifeguards
Congratulations to Year 12 students Feycal, Reda, Guillaume, Marc, Worlasie, KiKi and Ms Quinn for passing their life guarding qualifications. They have been training for ten weeks and now ready to save lives!

CAS with a difference
Every Year 12 and 13 student has to be committed to CAS activities and although we arrange several at BSL we strongly suggest that students find their own. Marc in Year 12 has taken this to a new level (quite literally) by taking flying lessons. He frequently goes to the airport, boards a Cessna aircraft and flies for anything between 30 minutes and an hour.

Prefect Council
The prefect Council consisting of Worlasie Dzameh, Christian Azumah, Shalom Ayidu, Jennifer Atu, Ezinwo Weli, Rania Gbian, Emmanuel Ozoadibe, Ayotola Osibogun and Axel Fearn have been very busy. They have organised several events and are always seen around the school working at the tuck shop, school shop and generally helping out. They organised a very successful Spring Ball and are hoping to have more. They hold regular meetings with the representatives from each year group and are working to make BSL a better place. If you have any suggestions please see any of them. Well done to all, it is appreciated.

Tuck Shop
A large crowd can be found at the Tuck Shop every break time as students, Secondary and Primary, line up to buy their tasty treats and drinks. A big thank you to all helpers as they try new ventures and ideas. I loved the waffles and crepes and hope that this can be continued in the future. All profits raised go towards CAS activities, charity or school events; so keep buying.

Get ready for a Year Book
Year 12 students Ruth, Rania and Maeva are starting to plan a Year Book for BSL. They are doing a feasibility study to see what book would best suit the student body. Unfortunately the book will be for the 2011-2012 school year but they will be looking for editors and class representatives very soon.

Year 12 students at the end of a long trek through the woodlands of KPalime (part of CAS and The International Award (photos Mr Colborne).