Page 15 - ELG2104 Apr Issue 475

SCHOOLS
Summer

studies

Do you know what you’ll be doing? WORDS BY MELANIE BUTLER. PHOTO COURTESY OF EXPORTISE

ummer is coming, but as we went to press, the fate of 2021
summer schools was still hanging in the air. Whether it’s the
standard English and activity packages or the increasingly popular
Sacademic study courses, the reported demand is sky high, but as
Covid continues to surge in many of the main markets, it remains unclear
if and when they can open. Château de Cruix, Exportise’s British summer school in France
In terms of vaccine roll-out, the UK and Malta – which have
been leading the EU in their rate of vaccination – look to be in pole online offerings from SBS and Bucksmore, as well as from well-known
position. If vaccine passports are the key to unlocking language travel, boarding school providers like St Clare’s, Oxford, though all are also
however, it’s good news for the adult market, but bad news for the planning to open. In Ireland, Emerald Cultural Centres is offering its
under-16s, as vaccines are not yet licensed for use with this age group. English and STEM courses with Trinity College Dublin both face-to-
One big summer provider said that, though demand was high, face and online.
because the UK was seen as safe, the likelihood of students being EC is looking to go one step further on the digital highway by
allowed in by the beginning of July was about 50/50, depending on the offering an English language summer school through virtual reality,
Covid rates in the country they were coming from. It’s looking better as owner and founder Andrew Mangion explains on page 20.
for August, when infection rates are predicted to drop. Some summer providers have come up with another solution:
Many centres are planning online offers which are likely to go ahead offering students face-to-face summer school courses in their own
anyway, given that the huge Chinese market is unlikely to be able to countries. Exsportise is offering its new-look British summer school
travel. Indeed, many schools have never stopped their online junior courses, with the focus on 21st-century skills in both Austria and
courses – IH London Young Learners has been running morning or France, while Wimbledon School of English has teamed up with
afternoon classes throughout the winter and spring – complete with France Langue to offer English and surfing in Biarritz. Both schools
a free online social programme.Academic courses are leading the are still hoping to open in the UK too.

www.britishsummerschool.co.uk

editorial@elgazette.com 15