It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of the teenage wizard and the seven increasingly lengthy stories that featured him. Published between 1997 and 2007, the books were the defining pieces of literature for a whole generation of young people. The stories, which tell of Harry, an orphan who grows up without knowing he has […]

Katniss Everdeen lives in a post-apocalyptic version of the USA, where inhabitants’ movements are restricted to the districts in which they were born. Condemned to a life of hard work, Katniss works hard to feed her family. However, when her name is pulled from a hat, she is chosen as a participant in the Hunger […]

Described as ‘Die Hard, with fairies’, the Artemis Fowl series is an incredible mix of James Bond-style gadgets, violence, crime and humour. Artemis is a twelve-year-old genius determined to earn lots of money and become a super-villain. After he captures a fairy to hold for ransom, he engages in an increasingly dangerous battle of wits. […]

Effective altruism, both a philosophy and a movement, was developed in the 2000s and given the name in 2011 by William MacAskill and Toby Ord, two Oxford professors who wanted to maximise the impact of charitable giving. They believed that if people were going to be charitable and donate their money, they should do it […]

If you’ve made it this far, you’re well on your way to becoming a self-taught guitar player. So far, we’ve covered the basics of the guitar and you’ve started learning parts of songs, as well as useful techniques to spice up your playing. This is where it gets harder, but don’t let that put you […]

The vast majority of us celebrate this spookiest holiday of them all in some way or another. Whether that be glamming up in our most monstrous costumes, stalking through streets trick or treating from all the richest people’s houses, or simply curling up in a blanket watching something horror-themed on Netflix. There’s something so charming […]

This series by Lemony Snicket, of thirteen novels for older children or young teens follows the lives of three orphans, Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire, from the moment they become orphans. Written in a mock-gothic style, the novels are full of wit and darkness. The narrator, Lemony Snicket, plays an important role in the stories, […]

This Percy Jackon and the Olympians series came about when the author Rick Riordan’s son requested yet another bedtime story based on the Ancient Greek myths. This collection of books has been a huge hit with everyone from primary school upwards. The stories follow the life of Percy Jackson, a demi-god and son of Poseidon. […]

The Mortal Engines series, by Philip Reeve, is a futuristic dystopia, set in a post-apocalyptic world where people live in large cities and travel around consuming one another in a bid to win increasingly scarce resources. Whilst science fiction isn’t for everyone, these stories work as a parable for modern times and our environmental battle […]

If you clicked on this article, you are probably someone who wants to know how to learn guitar. Maybe you want to teach yourself before starting lessons so you know some of the basics or maybe you just want to start your guitar-learning journey completely by yourself. Either way, as someone who taught themselves for […]

Written largely during the Second World War, The Lord of the Rings is, as a trilogy, one of the best-selling books of all time. Originally written as a follow-up to Tolkien’s children’s novel, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings tells the tale of Frodo Baggins and his companions as they seek to destroy a magic […]

Would it surprise you if I said that suicide is something that most of us take for granted? If you are a non-disabled person, you will have never thought about the fact that you have the right to commit suicide. However, some people, such as Tony Nicklinson, a man who suffered from Locked-In Syndrome, are […]

Understanding politics isn’t easy – let alone trying to understand the role of the most important person in Britain: the Prime Minister. This week’s Mastering Politics is all about the power of the prime minister and how much of it they really have. What is the role of the prime minister? The prime minister’s (PM) […]

As an A-Level English Language student, I’ve been really enjoying the topic of language and gender. Unlike my other subjects, Biology and Chemistry, I find there’s much more freedom and opportunity for discussion. We’ve looked at theories and theorists, newspapers articles and considered real life situations and interactions all to help us develop our own […]

Ben Drummond, a year thirteen Sixth Form student is a source of inspiration in doing what you love. Ben is a keen hiker who, for many holidays, goes camping with friends and family in the lake district. Here, he and his dad go on long walks climbing mountains and this has sparked an innate passion […]

Next week marks the start of a new school year, and for many, the start of year 12. Sixth form will surprise, impress and blindside you.  So to help you know what to expect, here’s some advice from a newly minted year 13.  Your learning is your responsibility In lower school, learning is very guided […]

Angele is deconstructing the barriers in the French Music Industry. When she isn’t addressing a sexist society with hit songs like “Balance ton quoi”, this Belgian artist is producing catchy tunes. As a result, she has caught the attention of Francophone (French-speaking) youth, helping to push through an English-speaking-dominated industry and a French national-dominated musical […]

As Taylor Swift herself says in ‘I Think He Knows’ – ‘I am an architect,’ which is true in the way that she  creates some of the best bridges of all time. But in this instance, it is musical bridges rather than the likes of the Tyne Bridge.   5. ‘Getaway Car’ – Reputation ‘Getaway Car’ […]

Plenty of people love staying at home and binge-watching different Netflix series and films, no matter what else might be going on in the world. So here are b**p’s Netflix recommendations for you. Stranger Things Stranger Things is a science fiction horror series about a lab which has used people as experiments and knows a […]

Journaling often looks really simple when you watch someone else doing it on social media online. However, as soon as you prepare to begin, you’re left with no ideas. Often, frustration and boredom can make keeping a record of your day seem tedious but there are lots of ways to make it more fun and […]

Feminism is a key feature in modern-day society. the google definition is, ‘the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.’ There are many different ways to express this. One way is through music. Here we analyse one writer’s most prolific feminist songs. Mans World – MARINA ‘Man’s World’ represents […]

Animal Farm is a book, which, many would think is about animals on a farm, however, the message is far more advanced. The short answer is that it is about the dangers of communism. Animal Farm is aimed at 13+ but can be read by any age. The farm is run by Farmer Jones, but […]

The Bunker Diary is written by British author Kevin Brooks. It was published in 2013. Many people wanted it banned for its disturbing themes and dark plot. However, in 2014 it won the Carnegie Medal. Plot We follow 16-year-old Linnus as he writes about his experience in a diary. One day he was walking along […]

Some of the questions people may focus on when it comes to coding include ‘Where should I start coding?’ ‘How do I start?’ ‘Where do I find support if I need help?’ This article will answer those questions and if coding is something you have an interest in pick up some of our top tips […]

When you first have to write a job application, it is difficult to know how to present yourself. Do you mention everything?…Or should you keep it simple and concise? These are 6 tips that can help you write a successful job application that will show off your strengths: Focus on spelling, grammar and punctuation – […]

Hamilton is a 2015 musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It features a staggering 46 songs and the musical, which you can find on Disney +, is 204 minutes long. Out of the 46 songs, these are the ten best.  10. Guns and Ships ‘Guns and Ships’ is sung by Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr and […]

This amazing murder mystery thriller is written by British writer Holly Jackson. It is an extremely enjoyable read. If you love thrilling and exhilarating books that keep you up at night desperate to know what happens next, this book will be right up your street. What’s more, there are 2 other books in the series […]

Do you love the original Disney ‘Lion King’ animation? If so, you won’t be disappointed by the Lion King Stage production –in fact, you will be truly delighted! This enchanting musical tells the story of a royal lion cub, Simba, who is welcomed into the Kingdom of the African Savannah with great rejoicing and hope […]

What is evolution? Are humans still evolving? If we evolved from monkeys, why are there still different species now? Evolution is a process of a species adapting to its environment. This relies on natural selection; the mechanism. An organism that is more adapted to its environment has a higher chance to live until it can […]

Mindfulness is a useful technique that can help with your mental health. It can assist with stress; meditation mainly focuses on distracting your mind and paying more attention to your breath, or noises for instance.  It also can reduce heightened anxiety for similar reasons. Mindfulness-based therapy helps you let go of worries. Surprisingly, the technique […]

In the 2022/23 season, Newcastle have seen huge improvements. Under the new management of Eddie Howe they are beating all expectations and now sit third in the premier league. Last year Newcastle only scored 44 goals whereas this season they have an impressive 59 goals and the season isn’t even over. They also have the […]

Would you prefer to read and envision the story of the Hunger Games in your mind or would you prefer to lie back and watch a multitude of talented actors tell you the story? Either way, both ways are successful in conveying a brilliant storyline. Whether you have already read the fun series, have never […]

There is an incredible lack of knowledge of the incident of the Princes in the Tower. Motives, outcomes and even the way of death are all unknown. As the suspected murder happened in the 1480s, the evidence of the crime has been long lost or even non-existent. Setting the scene The father of Edward and […]

‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ is written by Taylor Jenkins Reid and is easily considered to be one of the best ‘booktok’ books. It is filled with plot twists and some unexpected moments. It is filled with characters who are made to be hateable and characters who are made to be likeable. It is […]

Picture this; You have made the perilous journey of thousands of miles across several countries, avoiding a war, death and trafficking, only to be turned back by what you thought was a safe haven. Rishi Sunak’s plan for migrants trying to cross the channel is a complete and utter disaster, not to mention violating several […]

The King is Dead is a queer and scandalous book involving the royal family and racism. It’s about a 17-year-old boy called James and he is the next king. It is up to James to lead Britain and to be the country’s first black king. However, the population of the country he is set to […]

England netball is on a roll. The team is just getting stronger. The Vitality Roses are currently in training for the 2023 netball world cup in Cape Town and have their sights set on a win. They couldn’t have reached this point without the amazing players that make up the national team. Each and everyone […]

Formula One began in 1950. The first Championship was won by Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina for Alfa Romeo. But since then there have been many changes to this highly competitive sport which features only twenty of the most talented drivers in the world. Here are some interesting facts about this hugely popular sport which takes place […]

University can be one of the most challenging times in an individual’s life. Suddenly, you’re all away from home and the friends and family you love with a bunch of people who are so utterly different from you. You might not like your course, your ‘friends’ or the city you’re in. And suddenly you find […]

1914. The world stands on the edge of change. But women still have no vote. Evelyn is rich and clever, but she isn’t allowed to go to university. Life is set out for her, but Evelyn wants freedom and choice, even if it means paying the highest price alongside her fellow Suffragettes. Meanwhile, May campaigns […]