Academic English

This programme is aimed at students who wish to meet students of a similar age and prepare their English for use in future academic environments.The course is fun, using themed English lessons in class with mid-week local excursions.

Our Summer school helpers are on duty every day so you will be able to get plenty of conversation practice.The course also includes a day trip to another nearby town/city every Saturday, and transport will either be by coach or national rail.

The boarding house accommodation is fully supervised and all meals are provided in the college; the menus are varied and always include a ‘healthy’ option. In conclusion this course is ideal for motivated students who are preparing for GCSEs, A Levels or equivalent academic programmes, either in the UK or elsewhere but also wish to ‘taste’ life in Britain.

✓ Morning – English lessons. Students will be divided into ability groups and this will be based on the individual’s language level. The course will cover the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.They will learn presentation skills, research projects and give oral presentations.There will be an English test every 2 weeks.

✓ Afternoon - The afternoon sessions will be team building exercises either in the main hall or outside.The afternoon sessions, although intended to be fun, will also have educational value; developing the student’s confidence and fluency, in varied learning environments.

English with Art & Crafts

✓ Morning – English lessons as per the Academic English Programme.

✓ Afternoon – Art workshops 3 times per week with the weekly outdoor activities on the remaining 2 days.

This programme provides a creative focus for those students who have an interest in art and creative design.This can be combined with academic English and local excursions but also provides 6 hours per week of focused artwork. Ideally students intending to create a portfolio should attend a six week course but we can offer shorter periods of study if required.

Workshops will include; working with acrylics, pastel, water colours and pencils as well as exploring a variety of skills and techniques connected with Fine Art. Students will also have the opportunity to explore silk painting, printing techniques, modroc sculptures, batik, fabric painting and felt making. Workshops can be tailored to meet individual needs and will work for students with some experience or students with little or no experience in Art.

English with Tennis Coaching

✓ Morning – English lessons as per the Academic English Programme.

✓ Afternoon – Tennis coaching 3 times a week with the weekly outdoor activities on the remaining 2 days.

This programme is aimed at tennis players of all ability levels. Students will work in ability groups and lessons are available from beginner to competent player. All lessons are taken by professional tennis coaches. Sessions include basic technical tuition on all strokes as well as looking at the tactical side of the game and training for fitness and dexterity. Students will attend lessons at the Northampton Lawn Tennis Centre for three hours, three afternoons a week.

Students will integrate with other young players. We can take a maximum of 12 students on this course a week, so book early. Tennis racquets are provided or you can bring your own.

Junior Academic Programme

This programme is aimed at secondary school students who are aged between 12-14 years and want to join a summer programme that will provide specific subject learning alongside a UK cultural experience.

As a modular programme, each week we will cover topic based study, therefore allowing students the flexibility to join us on any given week or to complete the full four weeks. The subject areas will include; English Language, Maths, Science (Biology/Chemistry/ Physics) and Psychology. Twenty-one lessons a week will be covered in the classroom with educational trips/activities taking place on a Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.

The course content is largely based on Year 10 (UK system) this being the first year of GCSE, and each subject will cover a variety of topics. Qualified full time teachers will bring to life each subject making the content real and relevant. Whilst we appreciate students may have already covered some of the content, we hope a refresher in the subject and learning in a new environment with varying teaching methods will bring a new dimension to each area and provide a valuable reinforcement of knowledge. For some students learning in their second language will also be a challenging experience.

Students will be set into small teaching groups, no class size greater than 10 and the level of teaching will reflect the ability levels of each group.

Who should consider this programme?

✓ Students aged between 12-14 years old
✓ Students who are due to start GCSE/IGCSE study
✓ Students in their first year of GCSE/IGCSE study and wish to reinforce some learning
✓ Students in a national curriculum who wish to experience GCSE study

Enrolment criteria:
Students must have a good command of both written and spoken English; minimum standard IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent). Where certificates are not available, we can provide an on-line test to assess suitability.

Excursions and Activities

Full day excursions include some cultural interest combined with either sight-seeing, shopping or an arranged activity. Typical activities include; a tour of Stratford upon Avon, punting on the river at Cambridge, a day out at Alton Towers Theme Park and London where we make visits to art galleries and many of the well known tourist attractions.* However students must be prepared to do lots of walking
as this is usually the easiest and most enjoyable way to see our cities!

*Each year we try to vary the places we visit and make our choice in line with the ages and interests of the students and events that are taking place in the UK.

The afternoon excursions will have an educational theme and trips are selected in line with the weather conditions at the time. Our summer weather can vary!

The social programme will take place every evening between 19.00 – 21.00pm and will include various activities including craft nights, in-house entertainment and sports; Badminton, Basketball, Football,Volleyball,Table Tennis and Tennis. Students should also pack a swimming costume, as we sometimes visit the local pool.