Page 6 - ELG1601 Feb Issue 433

ELsummer special
Page 6 February 2016

Specialists simply do it better

Melanie Butler investigates summer school providers in the UK
and finds that the secret of success is to specialise in under-16s

n the UK there just under boarding schools or on univer- ence – which may also sway the When it comes to residential
200 summer school provid- sity campuses. In reality, more results in their favour. courses, those run by boarding
Iers for under-16s, split into students are likely to be enrolled A quick look at the top ten schools make up about half; the
two roughly equal-sized groups: in a residential centre because home-stay summer schools multi-centre providers are the
those based in year-round many of the summer school pro- – from which we have had second biggest group, and inter-
language schools with accom- viders run more than one centre to exclude half a dozen great estingly all the single-centre
modation provided by local – four or five is very common. schools because they have not providers listed have worked
host families, and residential That may be one reason yet been inspected for child pro- with the same boarding school
all-inclusive courses based in roughly twice as many residen- tection – shows that over half or university for many years. The
tial centres appear in the top 20 are in towns where there are big multi-national chains, which
per cent of language centres than few other language schools and are well represented in the year-
those using home-stay accommo- competition for host families is round rankings, do not make
dation. Summer school operators less extreme. Around half also much of impression in these lists.
specialise in the age group, and have open enrolment for young When it comes to residential
about a third of them are boarding learners year-round and not just summer schools, it seems, the
schools with centuries of experi- closed groups. specialists do it better. n

Courtesy MM Oxford

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP MM Oxford has specialised in running junior summer courses
based at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, for 35 years, and is an EL Gazette Centre of Excellence

Top 10 non-residential summer schools

1. English in Chester
2= Kingsway English, Worcester
Skola English Study Tours, London
Stafford House Canterbury (residential available)
5= Anglo Continental Young Learners, Bournemouth
International House Bristol (residential available)
7. Melton College, York
8= Churchill House young learners, Ramsgate (residential available)
Devon School of English, Paignton (residential available)
EF Bournemouth

Top 20 residential summer schools
Disclaimer
1. St Edmund’s College, Ware (BS) We make every effort
2. Discovery Summer (MC) to ensure that lists in
3. Windermere International Summer School (BS) the EL Gazette are as
comprehensive and
4= St Clare’s, Oxford (BS) up to date as possible.
Thames Valley Summer Schools (MC) However, we are reliant
6= Bede’s Summer Schools (BS) on published reports
Bishopstrow College (BS) from the British Council,
Harrow House International College, Swanage (BS) and we can only use
International House Bristol (MC, also has host families) the latest published
information (31 January
Skola English Study Tours (MC, also has host families) 2016). Sometimes the
Summer Boarding Courses (MC) information is updated
Taunton School International (BS) several months after an
13= Absolutely English (SC) organisation has been
Alexanders English College (BS) inspected, and this may
Babbsco (Harrow and Mill Hill) (BS) mean that the data here
is based on informa-
Bell Young Learners (MC) tion from before the last
Heathfield International Summer School (MC) inspection or spot check.
Millfield Summer School (BS)
19= English Country Schools (SC)
Exsportise (MC)
International Student Club (SC)
MM Oxford (SC)

Key: BS = boarding school; MC = multi-centre; SC = single-centre
One summer Centre of Excellence, D’Overbroeck’s Oxford, which offers both resi-
dential and non-residential courses, is not listed because it is accredited under the
old British Council system.