Alumni Stories: Lucrecia Forsyth
As part of our Alumni Stories series celebrating 70 years of Bell, we’re proud to feature Lucrecia Forsyth, whose journey with Bell began in 1987 and helped shape the path she walks today.
“At that time, there was very little information available about English schools in England,” she recalls. “My father’s business partner, Mr. Crosland, and his wife Liza, kindly offered to find out which was the best English school, and thanks to them, my brother and I ended up studying at Bell.”
Lucrecia enrolled on a Business English course at Bell Cambridge, with electives in Drama Reading and the History of Pop Music. She describes her experience as one she “truly enjoyed,” and still remembers her teacher, Will, who made a lasting impression. “To this day, I still remember my teacher, Will — he was brilliant at making us feel confident.”
Lucrecia today
One of her most vivid memories comes from the day of the ARELS oral exam, when Will gave her some now-unforgettable advice:
“Even if you don’t understand the question, just answer, because what you need to show is that you speak English, not that you master the topic.”
As fate would have it, one of the questions in the exam didn’t make sense to her at all. But she followed Will’s advice, speaking continuously and confidently – saying whatever came to mind. “Back then, we recorded our oral exam answers on cassette tapes, while teachers supervised the recordings to ensure everything was working correctly. Because of this, Will was able to listen to what I had said during the exam. He later told me he had laughed so much at my answers that he was sure I would pass — and I did!”
To our delight, Lucrecia still has her original Bell Cambridge school certificate and report from 1987, which you can see below. It reflects her as a confident, curious and dedicated student who made the most of her time at Bell.
But studying at Bell wasn’t just about the classroom, “It wasn’t just about studying English; we also enjoyed life outside the classroom — going to pubs and nightclubs in Cambridge, and participating in the traditional Bell trip to Scotland, which I’m happy to see is still a tradition today.”
It was a summer that left a deep impression on her – one that would go on to inspire her career. “Studying at Bell — learning, traveling, and discovering new cultures — remains one of the most valuable experiences of my life. It was this experience that later inspired me to found Escuelas del Mundo, an educational consultancy based in Peru, with Bell proudly as one of our principal partners.”
Now, decades later, Bell continues to be part of Lucrecia’s story not just as a memory, but as a lasting professional partnership.
“Thank you, Bell, for shaping my journey.”
This is part of our special Alumni Stories series, celebrating 70 years of Bell. You can read the first story, featuring Lydia Pollo who studied at Bell in 1989, and now returns to as a Group Leader – here.