Cambridge Exams at BBELS: Amazing results in 2019

Cambridge Advanced English (C1) exam results

If you are thinking about studying one of the Cambridge English exams then consider studying here at Byron Bay English Language School. Yes it’s true that we offer a beautiful place to study but more importantly our Cambridge students receive amazingly good success rates.

Looking at the two graphs you can see that in 2019 our Cambridge Advanced (CAE) exam students and our First Certificate (FCE) students achieved results that were higher than the national and international average. Furthermore, our students were higher than average in each component of the exam: listening, reading, speaking, use of English, and writing.

 

Cambridge First Certificate in English (B2) exam results

We are so happy for the students who studied so hard to achieve these results. We are also so proud of our Cambridge teachers who plan and deliver lessons that are obviously so well suited to the needs of the individual students and the challenges of the exams.

Well done to our students and teachers from 2019. We are sure that this success will continue in 2020.

If you would like to know any more information about our exam courses please contact us at info@bbels.com.au or visit our website.

 

 

10 Reasons to Study English at BBELS

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BBELS and student bikes

Since opening in 2008 the Byron Bay English Language School has hosted over 10,000 international students. Many of our students loved studying here so much that they came back a 2nd time … some even for a 3rd time!

We are so lucky to have such a high quality school in this beautiful part of Australia. If you are thinking about studying English but you aren’t sure which school to choose, here are 10 reasons why studying at BBELS is a great idea.

  1. Academic integrity in a relaxed environment. Our teachers are passionate about teaching students of all different levels and nationalities. We identify the needs and interests of each student so that we can plan lessons according to their targets.

BBELS Teachers and Administrative team

2. Experienced group of teachers and administrative team.  The individuals in our team each speak a 2nd language, they are all well-travelled and understand the needs and frustrations of English language students. Several of our staff members love working at BBELS so much that they have been here for 10 years.

An Advanced Cambridge class on their graduation day

3. Cambridge exam success rate. Our Cambridge and IELTS exam teams are highly experienced and have successfully guided students towards their exams for years. We are very proud of the fact that the results our students achieve is above both the national and international average. Many of our Cambridge students have been able to join the company of their dreams or enter their chosen university course after studying at BBELS.

4. Activities programme. Our activities officer makes sure that there are activities after school that all of our students can enjoy. Beach volleyball, music lessons, dance lessons, yoga lessons, card games, and cooking lessons are just some of the activities that our students can join if they choose. By participating in these activities our students often make new friends while enjoying themselves outdoors.

Afternoon elective classes

5. Afternoon classes. Students in the Intermediate to Advanced level classes join “elective classes” 3-afternoons per week. Depending on the time of year, students can choose to join classes such as: vocabulary and speaking, grammar, environmental studies, Australian Studies, Business English, cinema studies. By joining these classes students have the opportunity to develop skills in the areas of their interest.

Student accommodation

6. Student houses and homestay options. We have several houses throughout Byron Bay where students can live together. We try to make sure that students only live with other students from different countries. This is a great way for them to learn about each other’s culture while practising English. We also provide the option for students to live with local homestay families. Students who take this option get to learn about the local culture while living in a family environment.

An excursion to a local forest

7. Class excursions. Trips to local villages, forests, markets and galleries are a monthly event for our classes. We always try to make sure that students have the opportunity to see places around the Byron Bay area so they can understand the local culture a bit better. It is also a perfect opportunity to use  English outside of the classroom.

The side entrance to the Laneway Cafe

8. The school (Laneway) cafe. At BBELS we are so lucky to have a school cafe. The meals are delicious and within a student’s budget. The cafe is also popular with the BBELS staff who believe that this little cafe has the best coffee in Byron Bay.

Trip to Fraser Island

9. Travel desk. BBELS has its own travel officer who has helps our students get fantastic discounts on bus and plane tickets, and accommodation in hostels and hotels throughout Australia. The travel officer also organises cheap trips to nearby towns and national parks at the weekends.

March Nationality Mix

10. Nationality Mix. As you can see from this pie chart, we are lucky to have students join us from all the continents of the world. Our students love the opportunity to meet people from different countries, many of whom make lifelong friendships while studying here.

Sunset in Byron Bay

11. Location. Yes, I know the title says “10 reasons to study at BBELS”, but here is 1 more. BBELS is located right in the middle of town. We are just a few minutes walk from cafes, supermarkets, bars and clubs. After school you can walk 10-minutes down the street to Byron Bay’s Main Beach. Byron Bay is a beautiful place to study. After school you can relax in our natural environment or enjoy cultural activities in town.

If you would like to know more about our courses contact us at info@bbels.com.au or visit our website.

 

Excellent Cambridge Results

A graph comparing BBELS Cambridge Proficiency students (dark green) with national and international students

Students have been coming to BBELS to prepare for the Cambridge English exams for over 15 years. During this time period our students have received some brilliant results. This period has also allowed out teachers time to develop skills and strategies to help our students get the results they dream of.

 

A graph comparing BBELS Cambridge Advanced students (dark green) with national and international students

By looking at these graphs you can see that students who study the Cambridge Preparation courses at BBELS receive higher grades than the international and Australian national average. This is a great visual representation of the quality of our courses and academic staff.

A graph comparing BBELS Cambridge First Certificate students (dark green) with national and international students

Our students work hard to achieve these results (but they still have time to enjoy our beautiful beaches). Our next Cambridge preparation course starts on January 7th 2019. If you would like to study in a relaxing natural environment with highly dedicated teachers, please contact us at info@bbels.com.au

Fantastic Results. Congratulations to our CAE students!

Congratulations to our CAE candidates for doing so well in their exams. We were so pleased to see such a high pass rate.

We would especially like to offer a Huge CONGRATULATIONS to Thomas (from the Netherlands)  and Meva (Switzerland) for scoring an A in the March CAE exam. They achieved CPE level scores for Use of English and speaking and a perfect listening score of 210. Well done! We should also say a big thank you to the Cambridge teachers, Kat and Ash, whose dedication, knowledge, and good humour helps our students achieve good results.

When Thomas contacted his teacher with the happy news, he said:

” Thank you! Without you it would not have been possible”

At BBELS we love meeting students like these who are talented, hardworking and apply themselves to their exam preparation while still managing to have a great time in Byron. 🙂

If you think this sounds like something you’d like to do, take a look at our next Cambridge exam preparation dates by following this link. We look forward to meeting you soon.

 

 

CPE results. Congratulations to Femke.

Femke with her teacher Kat

A big congratulations to Femke, our lovely student from the Netherlands, who completed the CPE Boost course of study at BBELS. She has just received the happy news of her success in passing the exam.

The Cambridge proficiency exam is a demanding exam and she was nervous about getting through it but Femke worked hard with her teacher to prepare. Well done Femke and good luck with your further studies.

We would also like to  congratulate Kat, our CPE teacher, for all the hard work and dedication that she directed towards Femke during the course. Kat always receives such positive feedback from her students for her caring approach to her classes.

If you would like to know more about our Cambridge Proficiency preparation classes or about any of our other courses please contact us at info@bbels.com.au or visit our website.

Another BBELS Love Story

How many more stories can we post about relationships that have started here at BBELS?

In September 2010 Michael Jud and Nadine Lauber met while enrolled in our Cambridge Exam preparation course. Although they studied in different classes Michael and Nadine still managed to meet one another … and the rest is history! Michael said that he “fell in love with Nadine on the first day of school but it took her a little longer” 🙂

Our fabulous activities officer Max reuniting with Michael, Nadine, and Merel.

This week the lovely couple returned … with their newborn baby Merel! Interestingly September seems to be “their” month. They met in September 2010, they married in September 2015, and their baby Merel was born in September 2017.

We are so happy to see the three of them here at BBELS where it all began. If you have any more stories about friendships or relationships that started at BBELS please let us know.

 

Interview with our top CAE student Peter.

Peter and his CAE teacher Kat

The latest Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) results have been released and once again we are very happy with the high standard of our students. Congratulations to our students for doing so well, some of whom got the highest level possible in the listening, reading, writing components of the exam. We are so happy for you and we hope that your CAE certificates will grant you entry into the jobs or university courses of your dreams.

One student who did exceptionally well in the exam is Peter (Germany). Peter was a model student (and a really nice guy). He didn’t miss a single lesson throughout the 12-week intensive preparation; he consistently listened to his teacher’s advice; he worked hard in class even after big nights out on the town. The result? Peter got an incredibly high “grade A” (CEFR C2 level). This included 100% in the listening component. Well done!

Peter with his classmate Julien (Switzerland)

While Peter was at BBELS he made the decision to change his life and find strong connections with the people around him. Over the period of the CAE course he became an exceptionally social person. After class each day he could be found chatting with other students around the school or playing beach volleyball at Main beach.

A classroom activity

We asked Peter a little bit about his experience at BBELS…

Why did you decide to study in the CAE preparation course?

My objective is to study a Masters in Business back home in Germany. For this it is compulsory to show you have a certain level of English. A high level CAE test result is also good for employment, especially in the sales area.

Peter’s CAE class

What did you like about the course and your teacher’s methodology?

Kat is an amazing teacher. Her explanations and directives in the classroom are very clear. She combines this great methodology with with a very warm heart. She cares for the welfare of her students, often spending extra time with them when they need someone to talk to. Kat also helped us feel comfortable in our new town, she recommended places to visit, gave us the names of good cafes and so on. At first Kat was very serious but once we knew the school rules she showed that she is quite a funny person.

Now that you have achieved such a great CAE exam result, what is your next plan?

I will travel around Australia for 3 months. I made some great friends at BBELS and we will travel together along the east coast. It’ll be a continuation of study in a way because my friends are from different countries so we will have to speak English during our travels.

If you would like to know more about the courses at Byron Bay English Language School please follow this link or email us at info@bbels.com.au

Fantastic Cambridge Exam Results at BBELS

We are very happy to tell you that our June Cambridge exam students got really great results. 100% of our Cambridge Advanced in English (CAE) students passed their exam, and 90% of our First Certificate in English (FCE) students passed their exam.

These are fantastic results and we hope that the students are pleased with their success. They worked very hard during their 12-week preparation course here at Byron Bay English Language School. Their teachers also worked hard, doing many hours of overtime to help the students succeed.

Here at BBELS our Cambridge students always receive excellent preparation in the CPE, CAE, ad FCE exams. Our teachers are extremely experienced and attend to each of the students’ academic needs to help them pass the exam.

Our next Cambridge preparation courses start on 4th September. If you would like more information about the course please email us at info@bbels.com.au or visit our website.

 

Congratulations to our Cambridge Proficiency Exam students

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Congratulations to Willemijn (the Netherlands) and Juliane (Switzerland)

We are very proud of our Cambridge Proficiency Exam (CPE) students. After studying very hard for 12 weeks at Byron Bay English Language School both Willemijn and Juliane scored exceedingly well in their CPE exam. Willemijn scored a grade A and Juliane scored a grade B. This is a fantastic achievement!

Their teacher, Kat, said they deserve these great results because they were excellent students who worked so hard in class and always maintained a fabulous attitude.

These great results prove once again that Byron Bay English Language School provides a fantastic academic environment for students who are serious in achieving their objectives. Well done to the students and their teacher!

Highest Rating for BBELS Cambridge Test Centre

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One of our Cambridge Advanced English classes on graduation day

In order to continue our role as a Cambridge Testing Centre we are visited each year by an inspector who checks that we are fully compliant with the rules and regulations issued by Cambridge. The inspector checks our administrative history and observes our team as we carry out the test throughout the day.

The Cambridge inspector visited our centre this week and we are very proud to say that we were awarded the Highest Rating for compliance as a testing centre. Part of the report stated:

Congratulations on your centre being awarded the highest rating. We would like to take this opportunity to compliment you and your colleagues on this successful outcome and the positive contribution you have made to our high standards.

Clear and consistent communication between invigilator, DoS/CEM / Senior staff ensured a smooth test administration.

We have shown in previous posts  the good results that our Cambridge students achieve. Now this evaluation by the latest inspection shows that we can be trusted to make the test day as reliable and smooth as possible for our students.

Byron Bay English Language School is a fantastic place to prepare for the Cambridge exams. The next Cambridge Exam Preparation Courses start on January 3rd 2017. If you are interested in obtaining any further information about our exam courses and start dates please contact us at info@bbels.com.au.