Students have been busy this week, with a talent show, punting and dissection class.

Talent Show

Singers, dancers and skilled instrument players gathered for the talent show at St Catherine’s this week. Some came in small groups, others in pairs and a few in large cohorts of musical enthusiasm. The bravest students – filled with confidence – arrived on the stage alone, keen to showcase their independent talents.

The event was a loud one, with everyone supporting their friends with roaring applause and cheers for every act. By the time the evening was over and the loud laughter, cheers and music had died down, pupils dragged themselves sleepily off to bed to rest for the day ahead.

Punting

No trip to Oxford is complete without a punting trip down the river. ORA students at St Catherine’s were raring to go punting earlier this week, excited to try this English tradition.

Piling into the traditional boats, it didn’t take long for some to relax calmly in the boats and for others to keenly grab the pole and power the punts. As they glided gently past famous colleges and iconic landmarks, pupils chatted loudly and excitedly pointed out the wildlife and impressive architectural structures.

After thoroughly enjoying their time on the river, students disembarked their punts and returned to the college with lots of happy discussion about the afternoon’s activities.

Dissection

Courageous medical students participated in a dissection class this week. Taking scalpels and tweezers, our brave medics got up close and personal with real animal organs. The class had already presented students with important anatomical information (and safety advice, of course!) to enable the pupils to get as much academic use out of the activity as possible.

Students were surprised by the workshop and intrigued by the organs they were investigating. Everyone appeared to quickly move past their squeamish emotions and were quick to get practical and explore inside the organs.

For more information on what students get up to later in the week, check back soon! And click here to read all about the end of week 1 party for ORA pupils at St Catherine’s.