International Summer School at Leighton Park

International Summer School

Summer School at Leighton Park is for international students aged 8 to 17 who are visiting the UK for a short period of two weeks. We welcome groups of students aged 8 to 17 accompanied by one or more Group Leaders and individual students aged 13 to 17. The courses combine English language tuition, general or specialist activities and classes, events, local visits and excursions to places of historical and cultural interest.

School Facilities

Leighton Park School is set in extensive, safe, attractive grounds with excellent residential, educational and sporting facilities. The school is conveniently located opposite the main University campus on the edge of town and is within walking distance or a short bus ride of all the shops, cafés and restaurants as well as the train station.

On campus there are extensive and well-maintained playing fields, all-weather surface courts and astro pitches for football, hockey and tennis, a sports hall for basketball, badminton, volleyball and an indoor heated swimming pool. Additional facilities for activities include a state-of-the-art music department, film-editing studio, dance studio, theatre and art & design centre.

During breaks in lessons and activities, students can relax and buy refreshments in the student café. WiFi is available across the campus and in the boarding houses.

Accommodation and Catering

Students are accommodated in 3 different boarding houses, all located on the main campus. The Junior boarding house has 25 beds in 3- and 4-bedded ensuite rooms whereas the two Senior boarding houses have 65 beds each, divided into single, twin, 3- and 4-bedded rooms. Girls and boys are accommodated on separate floors or in different parts of the boarding houses and have separate bathrooms if the bedrooms are not ensuite. The modern communal bathrooms are on each floor and have washbasins, toilets and showers in a ratio of 1:5. Group Leaders have single rooms in all houses unless otherwise requested and the use of staff-only bathrooms. Summer school staff are resident and on-call at all times. The school provides bed linen and towels as well as a weekly laundry service. There is a common room, games room and communal kitchen in each boarding house where students can relax, make drinks and snacks, socialize with each other, watch TV or DVDs, play video-, indoor- and board-games.

The school has a large modern dining room and provides the students with 3 wholesome meals each day. Breakfast offers a selection of cold and traditional cooked items; lunch and dinner consist of soup with bread, pasta bar, a main dish, vegetables, salad bar, desserts, fresh fruit basket. Packed meals are provided for full-day excursions, late arrivals and early departures and there is a weekly barbeque.

English language courses

Experio English is a partnership between Experio Summer and EngXcel. EngXcel is the latest enterprise from the founders of ABC Cambridge, a school built on 60 years’ experience of delivering quality English language tuition at all levels and in accordance with British Council standards.

All students are tested on their first full day and subsequently placed in classes of no more than 16 students at an appropriate level for their ability. The lessons are topic-based and are designed to help students develop communication skills, natural English and a range of vocabulary. Materials have been specifically chosen for both the Kids’ and Teens’ courses and include authentic resources.

For English classes and daytime activities, students are divided into two age-groups:

Kids

8 to 12 years old

Teens

13 to 17 years old

All students have:

Morning English classes from 09:00 – 12:40 (15 hrs/week)
Afternoon activities from 13:45 – 17:30

EACH COURSE FINISHES WITH A CERTIFICATE CEREMONY AND PRIZE GIVING

Activity Programmes

Kids’ activities are a combination of language practice, culture, arts and crafts, sports and lots of fun!

A wide range of afternoon Academy options are on offer for Teens from 13:45 – 15:45 on three afternoons per week. Students should choose their preferred course(s) at the time of booking: Intensive English, Creative Arts, Performing Arts, Film Making, Sports Coaching (either two courses x one week each or one course x two weeks).

Intensive English

is for motivated students wishing to make additional progress with their communication skills in English (speaking, listening, reading, writing).

Creative Arts

is for students with an artistic flair who would like to learn or improve their skills in drawing, painting, design, sculpture and ceramics. Their work will be exhibited for the summer school to admire.

Performing Arts

is for students who have an interest in music and theatre and want to develop their knowledge and experience of performance skills and theatre-making techniques. These techniques will include improvisation, mime, dance, puppeteering, magic etc.

Film Making

Film Making is designed for budding writers, directors, cinematographers and editors eager to learn the fundamentals of audiovisual storytelling, pre-production, working with actors, and post-production. All short films will be screened at the End of Course Presentation and Awards Ceremony.

Sports Coaching in Football and Tennis

Sports Coaching in Football and Tennis is for athletic students wishing to experience high-quality professional coaching in their chosen sport. Students can choose to do one week of each sport or two weeks of the same sport. Sports Coaching is open to students of all experience and abilities.

Evening Activites

Every evening all students can enjoy a variety of different activities: disco, film night, talent show, sports tournaments etc. In addition, there are team-building games like Scavenger Hunt, Obstacle Course Challenge and Capture the Flag which encourage students to mix and work together as a team. Each course finishes with an Awards Ceremony and Prom Night.

Excursions

Students will have two half-day excursions on Thursdays (13:30 – 19:00) to the famous university city of Oxford which include a guided walking tour, university college visit, Ashmolean Museum, punting on the River Cherwell and free time to explore and shop. Full-day excursions are on Saturdays (08:30 – 20:00) and will take students to London (Buckingham Palace, Whitehall & Westminster, Covent Garden, free time for shopping) and Bath (open-top bus tour, walking tour, free time to explore and shop). Optional Sunday excursions can be arranged for groups and these can be booked in advance or on arrival at the school e.g. Cambridge, Windsor, Thorpe Park etc.

Student Health and Welfare

Leighton Park School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its care. Safeguarding processes and procedures are in place to support students, their families, Group Leaders and staff; how to access and benefit from these will be explained during the orientation session. All summer school staff have had basic First Aid training and know exactly which procedures to follow in cases of illness or injury. If students need to see a doctor, then we can arrange an appointment at the local Medical Centre and for more serious cases and medical emergencies, we can arrange transport to the Royal Berkshire Hospital (5 mins drive from the School).