Page 20 - ELG2503 March Issue 493

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Trying something new

How do you build a summer school from scratch? Lauren Billings visits one

of the oldest schools in the world to find out…

hen I arrive at the King’s for decades, but started to look at what they can experience of the King’s team. That’s also
School, it is a miserable, wintry do that’s unique to them. That’s when, Nina not just our academic teams and content,
day. But the school, set on tells me, they realised they needed a Mike! but our pastoral teams as well.’
Wthe backdrop of Canterbury King’s already have a reputation of being The King’s summer school will be accepting
Cathedral, continues to look grand and one of the oldest schools in Europe, and students between the ages of eight and 17,
imposing despite—or perhaps because of— possibly the world. Its charm and draw come with the plan to split into three age groups for
the grey skies. partially from what Mike and Nina call the boarding and classes.
I am greeted by a bright and welcoming ‘Harry Potter effect’, where the school’s In terms of content, King’s is offering its
Mike Pengelly. Mike has previously worked architecture and general vibe does make one English-language course alongside a choice
with on Summer Schools across the country, feel like they are walking through the halls of academy to complement their studies.
building some of the best and brightest. Now, of Hogwarts. Plus, as Nina rightfully points The choices on offer are Sports, International
he has been tasked with bringing the King’s out, we’re sitting in the middle of a UNESCO Relations, Music & Performance, and
School summer programme to life for 2025, world heritage site, which doesn’t hurt. Pre-University Preparation.
and it’s no easy feat. King’s clearly already has an amalgamation Mike shares with me his ambition to create
King’s is already very international, with of attraction for prospective students this a global youth orchestra—something that
students arriving from around the world to summer. But how do they plan to leverage this would be a world first—with the help of the
study in its prestigious classrooms. But it established reputation in order to mould the school’s music academy. It appears to be a
would be the first time they have run their King’s summer programme? mammoth task, however, as Mike admits it
own summer school. As we sit down to ‘The thing that we can do that no one will certainly take a lot of work.
chat—along with International Director, else can do is be King’s, so let’s be King’s,’ ‘We’re running the orchestra as normal for
Nina Hunt—I ask: why now? said Mike, quite profoundly. ‘The content the first year,’ Mike tells me, ‘but it will evolve
The answer is, sadly, quite self-explanatory. for the summer school is specifically into a global youth orchestra over a three- to
‘We intended to do the first one in March designed by our year-round staff, and will five-year period!’
2020,’ Nina tells me. Say no more. be taught by our year-round staff. Some Of course, no summer school would be
King’s have welcomed the likes of St Giles summer schools will bring in external staff, complete without its fair share of educational
summer school and other external programmes whereas here we can genuinely offer the excursions. With easy links between Canterbury
20 March 2025