A Close Shave

This time last year, a group of our teachers joined 'Movember' to raise money for men's cancer charities.  You can read about it here: One of the Kindest Cuts of All

It's that time of year again and this year our teacher Michael Baldwin is challenging his follicles for a good cause.  As long as we've known Michael he has had a hairy chin so it was quite a shock to see him clean shaven on the 1st November (see below).  We asked him why he was going facially naked and this is what he told us:

'The most important reason is to raise awareness, and even for me to be more aware of the cancers that are killing people and that we know so little about.  We need to raise money for research, this is aimed at prostate cancer, but really it's to raise awareness of any type of cancer.  I would love people to donate to my page on the Movember site but in fact donating to any cancer charity would be fabulous.'

People are welcome to donate

via the website on my behalf http://mobro.co/michaelrdbaldwin

Before

Naked

To see what Ray Winstone and Jimmy White want you to know click this 
video link  (great clip!!)

To read how Movember started click the link below

BBC: The history of the Movember appeal

or go to 
the Movember website

Fact box:

Some other cancer charities that also do great work
and would welcome donations are:

Macmillan 

Marie Curie 

Wear it Pink

Cancer Research UK 

CLIC 

leukaemialymphomaresearch

Yet another inspection, yet another celebration!

It's a part of teaching life nowadays to need inspections by various groups, which always mean the teachers and staff have to work particularly hard before and during the inspection.  What better way to mark the end of the week than everyone getting together for a drink or three?

Allan Gray, Ceri Tipler, Dave Cann

Dave Cann, (background: Jacqui, Will) Alan Daysh (June) Emma Hoyle

Alan Daysh, John Hicks, Emma Hoyle, Andrew Edwards

Lewis Richards - showing what Real Men don't drink ;-)

TEN to LSI

As Autumn gets into full flow, LSI Portsmouth was delighted to welcome a group of TEN (The English Network) agents, as they arrived in Portsmouth as part of their tour of all the TEN schools in England.  We had a wonderful time showing friends old and new what Portsmouth and LSI has to offer, as well as showing off all the improvements that have been brought in recently at LSI.  It has to be said the pleasure was all ours as this was such a lovely friendly group of people.

Beautiful New Executive Brochure 2014 Available Now

Our marketing department have been working their socks off to get our new 2014 Executive school brochure ready.  It has to be said, this year's brochure is absolutely gorgeous.
The staff and students spent a few days recently feeling like stars, with a wonderful professional photographer who arrived with all his equipment for the shots. Life continued as usual, classes happened, coffee breaks were taken, lunch was eaten and socialising went ahead as normal, the only difference being that a professional photographer; Peter Langdown was following with his lighting, tripods and equipment and his incredibly expensive camera. It was easy to imagine being a star being followed by the Paparazzi. Everyone involved in the shooting enjoyed the experience immensely.

Then came the job of updating and editing the text, which was no small feat, too many stunning photos, but eventually this beauty was born.
This was one of Allan Gray, Senior Marketing Consultant's last projects before finally leaving LSI. If you look closely at the last page shown here (page 9) you can see him in discussion with a student over a glass of wine - not a surprise to anyone who knows him ;-). Along with Emma Hoyle's amazing organisational skills this has resulted in being by far the most beautiful brochure we have produced to date.
You can download your copy here:
2014 Executive English Brochure

Those Summer Nights....

2013 saw LSI Portsmouth break all records in numbers of students at the school, which in turn meant record numbers of teachers working.  So what better way to say goodbye to a thoroughly enjoyable yet a little exhausting summer than to have our traditional End of Summer Party?
It was great to see faces old and new, enjoy some wonderful food (organised by Hannah) and be fortified with liquid refreshment to help wash it all down. If there was one thing missing it was someone taking photos!  Everyone was enjoying themselves too much to get the cameras out and so all we have are the few pictures here - kindly donated by Angel.  I'm sure you can only agree that it looks like everyone is having a thoroughly fabulous time!  (The photos give the impression that only about ten people attended - this most definitely wasn't the case - there just isn't any evidence to say otherwise!)

From left: Lisa Li, Najat, Andrew, Angel and Peter

From left: Angel, Lisa Li, Ouddy, Karen and Najat

Najat and Peter (Looking a lot more relaxed now!)

Najat, Peter, Angel and Lisa Li

In the background you can just make out: Ed, Cliff, Marion, Gordon, Ceri and Shelton
in the front: Lisa Li, Ouddy, Karen, Najat, Antonio.

The evening was held in the lovely old Bridge Tavern in Old Portsmouth, a wonderfully historic pub brimming with character.  

End of Another Era - Cristina has Gone!

Thursday 26th September was a very sad day for LSI and all the staff and students who have known and loved Cristina Purcell for the last 9 years.  Over the last 5 years Cris has gone from being manager of our Saudi Ladies course to being the Pre-Sessional Course Manager.  With the very high numbers of pre-sessional courses that have been running for the last couple of years here, Cris has done a heroic job.  She has managed to keep all the students and teachers on course, as well as being a really good friend to so many here.  The high point of Monday morning during the summer has been Cristina's  cakes, each Monday a new batch of delicious goodies would appear to have with a cuppa (gosh we will miss those).  Cris is one of those people with so many hobbies and interests that she has never had a spare moment, until now.  She is leaving us to go and live in the country in Wales, where she can now spend her time doing what she really wants without being disturbed.

And it's Over.. Pre-Sessional Course 2013

After months of very hard work from both students and teachers, the 2013 Pre-Sessional Course finally came to an end on 6th September 2013.  As you can see from everyone's face, it was a very happy day.  We are sorry to say goodbye to so many lovely students but we wish them well in their future studies and careers.

From the left:Front row: Andrew (Principle), Hewa, Cristina (Pre-Sessional Manager)
Back row: Teachers: Kamila, Joe, Kelly, Joanna, Becky, Leanne 

Thank you to Hewa for the photos!

Why is Portsmouth in the Daily Newspapers?

This little story has absolutely nothing to do with LSI but is about Portsmouth and a very fun story that is being reported quite a bit in the media.

Andrew Whyte has piqued the attention of many with his photos of a little Lego figure posing all around the city.  At the moment most of his photos are of the seafront, but he is hoping to branch out more around the town and even has days out. He has a project called the 365 project where he aims to take a photo each day in a different location.  What is so cute is that the Lego man has his own little camera, and the photos show him trying to capture photos.

So far it has been reported in the city’s local  blog Teamlocal, the local newspaper the Portsmouth News, in the Daily Mail and even in The Sun.  Legoman has his own facebook page called Legography which has over a thousand followers.

If you'd like to see some lovely images of Portsmouth, do click on the links above as there are some stunning images, and what is even more impressive is that they are all taken on an iphone!

https://www.facebook.com/Legography

https://www.facebook.com/Legography

https://www.facebook.com/Legography

https://www.facebook.com/Legography



https://www.facebook.com/Legography

 If you'd like to follow him, do go to his facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/Legography

Do you know of any other strange / interesting things in Portsmouth?
Send us a photo or leave a comment below

A Day in the Life of an LSI Teacher - Alan Daysh

A couple of years ago one of our teachers took a video to show what his day was like at LSI, things have changed a little now, some of the teachers have since left, new ones have come, but it's a lovely snapshot of a typical day here and makes for some really fun and interesting viewing.  Make sure you have it with the sound turned on (he wrote the soundtrack - yet another one of our talented teachers).

LSI A Day in the Life

Graduation Day - We're so proud!

The middle of July is graduation time at Portsmouth University.  It's a gorgeously colourful and happy time, with family and friends visiting Portsmouth to share the day with the graduates. Colour is everywhere, parents in all their finery, families, smiles and gowns on their way to and back from ceremonies.

We were delighted to have Xiaoxiao Zhang come back to visit us.  She studied with us in 2011 on our pre-sessional course before going on to study for her MSC in Logistics and Optimisation. Xiaoxiao Zhang proved such a star on her course, that not only did she pass with a distinction, but she also got head hunted by a very large international company because of her ground breaking research.

 With Xiaoxiao Zhang are from the left: 

Andrew Edwards the Principal, 

Cristine Purcell the course manager and 

Lisa Li Dong Marketing for China

Views around LSI - Part Two

We thought it would be nice to show the world what you can see around LSI.  Portsmouth is essentially an island in the centre of the very south of England.  

Continuing from our last post which showed some views near the sea last post this one is to show some of the lovely old / interesting buildings around.
We start with maybe the building you would arrive in if you were visiting Portsmouth, it then follows past the pub, on to Gunwharf Quays and a couple of the night spots, and end up along the sea front.

Portsmouth and Southsea Train Station (opened in 1847)

The Brewhouse and Kitchen (formerly the White Swan built in 1916)

The New Theatre Royal (originally constructed in 1854)

Portsmouth Sailing Club (founded in 1920)

Now a Shopping and entertainment centre but previously a Naval Base with a fascinating history

All Bar One and Tiger Tiger - maybe the most popular night venue in town

Loch Fyne Restaurant - in the Vulcan buildings

A good old traditional tavern!

Southsea Tennis Club

Views Around LSI - Part One

We thought it would be nice to show the world what you can see around LSI.  Portsmouth is essentially an island in the centre of the very south of England.  The island is made up of many areas, the oldest and most historical being Old Portsmouth.  (Read more here)
LSI is a two minute walk away from Old Portsmouth, and from the school (on the higher levels) you can see the sea.

The first mention of Portsmouth as a Naval town was in 286AD by a Roman captain sent to investigate piracy ;-). The history is pretty sketchy after that, but a thousand years or so later Portsmouth was well established as one of the best known Naval towns in the world. Home to the Royal Navy, it has an incredibly rich history, and although a lot was destroyed during the second world war, there is still a great deal standing.  Below are just a few highlights of what can be seen on a stroll round the old town.

The City Museum (previously a barracks)

Portsmouth Cathedral

The Old Harbour

The Bridge Tavern - by the Old Harbour

View of the Spinnaker Tower

The Bond of Friendship - a gift from Australia

"LSI is the best school you can find, without a doubt!" - can't argue with that!

It's nice to get a student's perspective on what happens here at LSI, so straight from the horses mouth (so to speak) is Manuel's view of LSI and staying in Portsmouth (from an interview with Hannah Youell).

Manuel Fresco de la Frente

Hannah: Tell us a bit about your experience here at LSI Portsmouth;

Manuel: I arrived in Portsmouth without speaking a word of English; I was totally lost!
But from the moment I arrived I've been very happy here and my English started to improve straight away.
The teachers put me in the right level, and I was very happy with all the help they gave me.
The introduction on day one starts you with total cultural and linguistic immersion; you get the chance to speak English all the time with both the students and the teachers. This helps you to improve very quickly.

Hannah: And what about your accommodation?
Manuel: The student house in Victoria Road is amazing! The best place you can stay! Everything is perfect. Comfortable rooms, great beds, enough space for everything. The bathroom is nice, you just have to share it with one other person. The whole house is in perfect condition and there are loads of TV channels! Antonio the House Manager is a friend who I will miss very much.

Hannah: and the location?
Manuel: The house is in the best place in Portsmouth, next to LJR (Little Johnny Russell) and the Fat Fox - the 2 best pubs in town! There are supermarkets really close by, and you can find everything you need to live. Also it’s only about 15 minutes walk from the school.

Hannah: What do you like about living in Portsmouth?
Manuel: Portsmouth - I like it because it has sea, a university environment, amazing parties, friendly people, and there are plenty of supermarkets and shops close to the school and the student house. It’s got a great atmosphere.

Hannah: What did you enjoy about your classes here?
Manuel: I love my teacher Hugo, he’s really funny, we practice a lot of speaking in class, and we study grammar independently, working together with our classmates. The classes are very dynamic, you can learn a lot from your classmates. The mix of cultures is the best, there are people from all over the world and you can start planning your future holidays!

Hannah: Tell me about something you'll never forget about Portsmouth;
Manuel: My best unforgettable experience…… going to Skye Bar on Wednesdays for the club night Pure Culture: amazing R&B music and dancing with friends.

Hannah: Any advice for people who are coming to study here?
Manuel: Come in the summer if you can. This city feels like it would be very cool in the summer. In addition to the sea and live music, barbecues in the park ... wow!! ....
Hannah: Would you recommend LSI Portsmouth to a friend?
Manuel: LSI is the best school you can find, without a doubt! In addition you have access to everything you would ever need to study and live here.

Hannah: And finally, what do you think makes LSI such a special school?
Manuel: It’s a big school but it feels like a family: the teachers talk to you like friends, and they help you with everything, they remember you, always say hi to you around the school and they ask how you are. Just like if it was your family.

Thank you very much Manuel, it was a pleasure to have you studying with us and we’re so happy you had a fantastic time!

A Day in the Life - Nicky Hayes

Another in our occasional guest posts from our teachers, this time Nicky Hayes.  Nicky has been working at LSI for about 4 years, mainly teaching the executives.

"Another day at LSI. Teachers arrive early because there are always last minute things to do before the students arrive. It’s a good time to exchange ideas and just generally talk about any issues that may have arisen the day before.

The students begin to arrive about 9.15, so the teacher has to make sure that the classroom is ready. Then at 9.25 the staff room empties as the teachers go to their classrooms.

For me it’s always on the upper floors, so it’s a climb up the stairs carrying books, handouts and another class materials ………... good exercise, that’s why I don’t take the lift.

The class runs until 10.45 when we have a break. Time for a coffee, very reviving. It also gives teachers and students a chance to mix and speak in an informal way (an ideal opportunity for teachers to check what the students have learned). Then it’s back to class until 12.15 when many people go straight to the cafeteria on the second floor for lunch. Good fresh food always available. During the lunchtime the teachers not only prepare lessons, but also have time for social chit chat.

The afternoon class starts at 1.45 (the pudding shift). As a teacher this is always the hardest class, as students have had a nice long break and eaten lunch so they are very relaxed. I usually motivate the students through proactive exercises where they have to lead.

After the afternoon coffee break at 3.15, the final class of the day, at least for me, is always the most fulfilling, as the students are always very focused after three classes and are totally ‘in English’.

At the end of the day, 4.30, teachers, including myself, take time to pass on any relevant information about the days events to their line managers. Then, it's time to bid a fond farewell to LSi for another day."

Nicky in a serious discussion - probably about golf!