Advice for parents

Holiday courses

Caroline Hugo, Director of St Edmund’s College Summer School, explains the advantages gained by attending a UK summer school and how to choose the right one

Covered here:

Positive experiences
 Choosing a good-quality summer school
 Cost and what to look for
 What makes a good summer school?
A wonderful gift
 Frequently asked questions

During the past ten years, the idea of the ‘English plus’ style of course for young learners has become established as the alternative to the cheaper and less serious English language summer camp. We have realised at last that children need to be engaged in challenging learning experiences, which require high-quality teaching and resources. The English language coursebook alone can no longer provide the exciting opportunities young learners need. A new style of course has emerged, which caters for greater child development and therefore is not only a wonderful complement to the child’s education at home, but an excellent preparation for a move to a UK boarding school.

Positive experiences

Ryo Takeshita is a young boy from Japan who attended a UK summer school before joining a British boarding school. He says: ‘I was only 10 when I first came to summer school. At first, I was a bit nervous because, at that time, I couldn’t speak any English at all. All I could say was “Hello” and “How are you?” However, after I had made a few friends, summer school became such a fun place. I got involved in a lot of activities and all of them were so much fun. I had a lot of new experiences while on summer school and made friends of other nationalities. Even though I couldn’t speak English, everyone was very nice and friendly to me.’

The happy experience of Ryo is a common example of the experiences of many international students who attend a short summer or spring course before attending a boarding school in the UK. Children often amaze themselves at how much confidence they find and how well they adapt to the new environment. Parents, in their anxiety for their child’s welfare, often underestimate the huge natural potential that their child possesses to not only succeed, but enjoy themselves in the wider world.

Choosing a good-quality summer school

A spring or summer school has to be carefully chosen to ensure that the child has a positive experience similar to Ryo and others like him. One way to ensure the high quality of a summer school is to look for the Accreditation UK logo.

Accreditation UK is a British Council accreditation scheme that ensures that a school is operating within the law and delivering satisfactory standards on inspection in the key areas of teaching, resources, welfare, premises and management. The English UK website offers a course search facility, which lists all British Council-accredited junior courses in the UK and this is an excellent route for inexperienced parents selecting a summer course for their child for the first time. There are some very good courses that are not accredited by the British Council, but the trend in recent years has been for reputable courses to become part of the scheme.

UK boarding schools are in the ideal position to offer high-quality courses. They possess the necessary combination of expertise and facilities to ensure both safety and understanding for the child. Indeed increasing numbers of boarding schools are offering their own summer schools.
Boarding schools also have residential accommodation suitable for young people. Parents can have the peace of mind knowing that their child is cared for in a safe environment. British Council guidelines and childcare regulations require that houseparents and teachers are carefully recruited, and checked for a criminal background. Most authorities would agree that it is not advisable for children under the age of 16 to be accommodated with a host family.

Cost and what to look for

Looking after children well is an expensive venture, as most parents will know! It follows that high-quality, safe summer courses are not cheap. You should look for courses that have an all-inclusive price with no added extras, as this means that you can be sure of exactly how much you are spending. The teachers should be qualified and experienced, and there should be a wide and varied selection of sports and activities.

The curriculum of a well-designed course will complement the child’s home learning experience and offer learning opportunities that the child may not have had at home: painting, drawing, ceramics, structured sports coaching, drama, information and communication technology (ICT) or cookery are just a few examples. There should be a good nationality mix – around 20 different nationalities is usual on good courses. I would recommend that the best class-size is between 8 and 16 students, depending on their age and ability. In my opinion, the best length of course is about three weeks. Two weeks can be too short to get the most out of the experience, and the child may well not be ready to leave after such a short period. Six weeks, on the other hand, can sometimes be too much of a good thing! Closed groups or monolingual groups may offer competitive prices, but the learning experience will be greatly reduced by the lack of opportunity to speak English and mix with other cultures. You may like to check these various factors by asking prospective schools and centres if they have a group-size policy or a nationality quota.

What makes a good summer school?

Having considered all of these practical points, perhaps we should ask what the magical ingredients are that make a summer school experience unforgettable for the children themselves? Well, as I look back on 25 summer schools and recall the opinions and experiences of the young participants, I don’t think I would be misrepresenting them if I told you that they like to feel safe. They like to learn something new in the classroom every day and to be surrounded by cheerful people. They don’t like grumpy teachers or houseparents. They like to feel that the management is on their side and that people listen to them. I have very rarely encountered seriously homesick children, but when this happens they should be reassured and allowed to go home with no recriminations – some children just can’t manage it, or for that particular year at least. Parents should always involve their children before sending them abroad and never send an unwilling child. Very young juniors should come with a friend and should be confident staying away from home.

A wonderful gift

A final note for parents – it’s harder for you than it is for them, so try not to project your own anxieties onto your child at departure or on the phone – be loving, cheerful and upbeat. Let them call you and don’t stay on the phone for too long – e-mails are better. A summer school course is a wonderful gift to your child, but choose your school and your course carefully to ensure you find the perfect fit.

Caroline Hugo is Director of St Edmund’s College Summer School and St Edmund’s College’s International Department

Frequently asked questions Information about holiday courses often requested by parents and students What is the accommodation like at the school? Most schools have a varied style of accommodation, ranging from single and twin rooms with their own bathroom, to more traditional dormitories with up to six beds in the same room. When you make your reservation with your school, you will have the opportunity to discuss the accommodation possibilities and select the one that is best for you. What is included in the cost of my course? Many programmes are 'all-inclusive', with everything from tuition, accommodation and food to social activities and excursions included in the cost of your stay. You will also be provided with a course book or a syllabus, around which your lessons are based, and which you can take home at the end of your stay. Many schools also include the entrance fees to excursion destinations in the cost of your stay. If you are enrolled on an all-inclusive course, the only extra money you should need is some pocket money – about £50 per week, for example. What should I bring with me to the school? When you make a reservation, your school should send you a detailed list of things to bring. It is recommended that you bring comfortable, loose clothes and also include a set that you could play some sport in and don't mind getting a little dirty. You shouldn't need to bring dictionaries, phrase books and reference books with you, as most schools will provide these for you.