Session 5 is underway at St Peter’s College, with students arriving on Sunday and quickly getting into the swing of things.
Quiz Night
The renowned welcome quiz night is an exciting event for ORA campuses, giving pupils the chance to get to know each other better whilst also testing their general knowledge.
In small groups, students knuckled down and worked together to win intellectual glory. Some were brilliant at current affairs and others impressed with their historical knowledge, bringing together the best members of the teams for different rounds.
It was wonderful to see everyone instantly overcoming shyness barriers and nerves as they got stuck in with the quiz and had a laugh as they did so.
Sketching and Photography – The Oxford Union Old Library
ORA students at SPC were lucky enough to enjoy a sketching and photography trip at the Oxford Union Old Library on their first day.
As the largest society at the University of Oxford, The Oxford Union has famously hosted debates since 1823 and continues to do so today. The stunning painted Old Library was completed in 1859 by Rossetti, Morris and Burne-Jones, explaining the artistic masterpiece. The Union has even hosted celebrities, including Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and Michael Jackson, so our students were walking in the footsteps of fame royalty.
The inspirational setting was the perfect place for pupils to sketch and borrow artistic style from the world-famous painters. The sketches were promising, with many focusing on the beautiful windows and vaulted ceiling to create their own masterpieces. It was an amazing opportunity, as entry to the building is usually restricted to members only. The privilege of sketching inside such a renowned Union was something our students appreciated and won’t forget soon.
Outside, cameras were at the ready as students zoomed and captured photographs of the gorgeous Oxford outdoors. Though the heatwave in England has temporarily subsided, it was great to spend some time in the fresh air taking pictures of natural and architectural subjects.
Only one day in and ORA students at SPC have already experienced teamwork, friendship and traditional Oxford culture – wow! Check back soon to see what else they get up to.