Catz has been a fantastic and lively place to stay over the last two weeks, as our students from across the world have descended in Cambridge to enjoy their diverse range of ORA Summer programmes. The last fortnight has been hectic but rewarding, and a special mention goes out to all of the campus staff without whom none of this would have been possible.
Our students aged 16 – 18 at Catz have impressed in all of their classes, and we are happy to have seen them graduate with flying colours from our first session here in Cambridge. The range of subjects studied was vast, with lessons on Common vs Civil Law Systems, HTML coding (ITI Headings) as well as Business and Economics, just to mention a few. As usual our Medical School Preparation programme has proved popular amongst those who are interested in gaining essential practical skills in this invaluable sector. Our Law School Preparation was also especially successful this year, with students coming up with their own creative ways of learning complex terms, including using a rap!
Beyond the classroom, everyone has enjoyed getting to know one another in a range of social activities. At Catz, sports have been favoured including; rounders, football, volleyball, rugby and frisbee. It has been brilliant that everyone has joined in. Apart from sports, students have also enjoyed a range of arts and crafts. They have made their own tie dye shirts, as well as dream catchers and a select few even decided to do some painting!
During their stay, everyone also had the opportunity to take part in a Great Debate at the Riley Auditorium. Catz discussed the issue of standardised testing with one of our other Cambridge Colleges, St Edmund’s. This event was very successful in bringing students out of their shells, by encouraging them to stand up and offer their opinions. Given that for many of our students, English is not their first language it was a tough ask. However, the whole group presented their ideas with verve and intelligence, and it was excellent to see all of the students providing support to one another throughout the afternoon.
Excursions were another exciting aspect of our students’ timetables. The group enjoyed the most notable sights of this historic city by boat, as they punted their way down the River Cam pointing out the beautiful architecture of the other colleges that line the river. Outside of Cambridge, students also had the chance to visit the UK’s lively capital with a trip to the theatre. This was one of the most well-received and memorable moments for everyone here.
The two weeks was concluded with a fantastic graduation, where students received their scrolls as recognition for a fortnight of hard work. The evening was closed with dinner and a party as everyone danced away the their final night in Cambridge.
A massive thank you to both the wonderful students and staff at Catz, they have made this session unforgettable! Good luck with the future and we hope to see everyone back next year.