'Every child can shine'…read more.. A little optimistic I think, some children just aren't cut out to shine in the sky of Maths and English! Nevertheless, most children with a bit of extra help, are good enough - at Kumon they offer study programmes to provide that extra support and aim to build confidence. I'd never actually heard of them but apparently they have over 600 centre across the country, this one in Henleaze is run by Sophie Lennox. At Kumon your child can learn valuable study skills which will see them through their SATs (if they even still have these now days), GCSE's, A-Levels and beyond!

This is a great little local centre where you can do all kinds of different courses for so many…read moredifferent weeks and for many different prices for each every course. I've taken some good writing courses and creative crafting courses there. They chop and change their course names and subjects regularly so checking their website or by going down to the centre and then asking for information at the reception desk in the main entrance. To go to the centre alone is free; but you pay for your class, either by paying for several weeks in advance or by paying just for that class and then just for every class that you turn up for. However, I got the feeling that they do prefer you to pay a full advance payment for the several weeks or so that you take the class for. The courses are entertaining and interesting and the prices are reasonable enough because of what you discover and learn from them is very satisfying and ultimately worthwhile. I do very much recommend this place, which is situated on Hammond Way road within the Penylan area. It is near to Albany and Wellfield road and Colchester Avenue.

The University of Bristol is a city university, unlike the other big Uni in Bristol, UWE, which is…read morea campus university. The Bristol Uni buildings are located all around the centre of the city, and most are very old and pretty. The university is pretty large, with around 13000 students, and they, along with their UWE counterparts, mean that the city is buzzing with life. The university does pretty well for itself; it's high in the league table, and draws a very Clifton-esque student population every year.

Let's get straight to the point - I wish I'd gone to this university. No offence to Cardiff where I…read moredid choose to study, but Bristol is clearly better. Up there in the heady heights of the league tables with Oxford and Cambridge, Bristol Uni is an old-skool red brick institution with some of the most prestigious medical courses, English and history degrees in the world. It looks all towering and cool at the top of park street and has educated comedy genii such as David Walliams, Matt Lucas, Chris Morris, Simon Pegg and errr Lembit Olpik, plus the famed feminist author Angela Carter (I'm bowing down to her as I write this). Stunning architecture and a past that stems back to 1876 - this is the educational and philosophical pulse of Bristol in all its glory.

I did one of James's courses a few months back, so it's good to see him expand his service as he is…read morea very capable workshop facilitator with a warm and welcoming approach to working with people. I found the course helped me remain calm and centred in groups and when giving presentations. If you want to be a more confident, more relaxed communicator then get in contact with James!

Circomedia is the leading training centre for phsical theatre in Europe and has been established in…read moreBristol for ten years. It offers serious full time professional courses or three month tasters or part time evening classes for those curious to just have a go. Has a second home in a beautiful converted church in St Pauls which houses a large selection of equipment such as trapezes and rope ladders . If you just like watching circus check out their end of year show, often on at Bristol Old Vic for some high flying high quality performances.

My review is primarily for the Circomedia Portland Square, St Pauls site which they lease this…read morebeautifully restored church from the Church's Conservation Trust and have installed a permanent flying trapeze rig and a sprung dance floor. It is a wonderful space with the modern equipment and glass screens juxtaposed with the richly coloured stained glass windows and old stone font. Circomedia run a range of training courses from a two year diploma, teacher training, evening courses, workshops and team-building exercises. Some of the skills covered include clowning, corde lisse, acrobatics, juggling and unicycling. Circomedia also hosts performances here, the next one being Rapunzel and for just one short week in August, will be opening a continental style café at the front of the church with fair trade and organic produce and spontaneous circus performance

A hidden gem for all but knowledgeable Newport locals, head out of the city centre over the railway…read morebridge near the central train station and a short walk into the mainly residential suburbs to find this. It's worth the trek. The restored, beautiful old Llanthewy Road Baptist Church is home to the Burleigh Academy, a performing arts organisation set up by a former touring soul/rock singer to teaching dance and music. There are various spaces and studios, but the building's main area is Burleigh Hall, a 300-capacity room with a small, functional bar. An intriguing occasional gig venue covered in jazz memorabilia, unsurprisingly the smoother side of musical sounds are usually the staples of the programme, with regular jazz nights the main attractions. Although once in a blue moon, outside promoters provide intimate shows from rock-leaning acts. It also hosts wedding/civil partnership ceremonies, conferences, birthday and christening parties and theatre workshops.

Having spent my first year at Bristol in Churchills, i am not going to give it a bad review…read more But i would say this: the reason why i enjoyed it so much is because of the friends i made. The rooms are fine- they are quite big and have a large bathroom between four rooms. Some of the rooms have sinks in too. So far as facilities go there isn't much that churchill can boast, they have a bar and the quod but that is about it. I had a great time so would recommend it to all despite the lack of facilities compared to say, Wills or Baddock.

Churchill Hall is a great hall for some, myself included…read more Positives: The catering is better than school canteens, there is a projector room with sky, a heavily subsidised bar selling pints for as little as a pound at times, a beautiful patch of green to eat, drink and be merry on in the summer time, lots of good looking people, large rooms and a great sporting ethos. Negatives: perhaps more than any other hall there are divisions between public-school and state school students, the bathrooms are pretty disgusting, there is a lot of damp, other halls have better facilities and locations, the hall has decreased in size since I was last there and this makes the hall feel a bit sparse. Rather than tell you I had a great time, I hope this helps you to make an informed decision for yourself!

can't recommend Cwmbrân driving school enough. Learning to drive with Molly was the best decision I…read moreever made. It's taken me years to pluck up the courage to pass my test and I couldn't have done it without her. She's professional, always punctual and an all round great person who will go out of her way to accommodate your needs. I wouldn't recommend anyone else