Choosing a Summer School
17th May 2019
The Summer break is nearly upon us and students and parents alike are planning activities for the holiday. There are many benefits of attending a summer school. As a student at summer school, you will not only have the opportunity to make new friends and learn new skills, but gain even more confidence and independence while being away in a new environment. Not to mention, summer schools can help prevent summer learning loss. A common finding across numerous studies is that on average, students score lower on standardised tests at the end of the summer than they do at the beginning of summer (on the same test). So, continuing to learn over the summer will keep you academically sharp.
If you are planning to incorporate a school over into the summer schedule, here are some things to keep in mind when choosing the right one for you.
1. Read online reviews
There are a number of sites that offer you insight into other student and parents experiences at the Summer School you are interested in. Trust Pilot is a great source of information across a range of industries, including education and Summer Schools. You definitely want to be looking for a rating above 4.5.
Read the reviews for Oxbridge International Summer School here.
2. Pick somewhere that takes security and safety seriously
The last thing you want is to be worrying about security and safety so check out what measures the Summer School has in place when in comes to this. Secure access to teaching and living quarters, as well as staff dedicated to supervising trips and excursions are things to look out for.
3. Wellbeing and dietary requirements
Whilst you definitely want a Summer School designed to fire up academic passion and learning, pastoral care is also important. Making sure your Summer School is providing a safe environment for education is key to a successful Summer School experience. At Oxbridge International our staff and tutors are trained in safeguarding and make extensive efforts to gather all the relevant information that are vital in the event of an emergency.
4. Accreditation
Accreditation can give you the peace of mind that the Summer School you are considering is going to offer a high quality of teaching and education. Bodies like the BAC ensure that institutions meet a minimum standard of quality and also mean that Schools are able to send letters in support of visa applications.
5. Teaching Style
What type of teaching experience are you searching for? Some students are looking for additional support in particular subjects to help their high school studies, while others are seeking to experience what university might be like. For example, tutorials at Oxbridge International are a mixture of one-to-one sessions and very small groups. It is this intensive and bespoke style of learning that prepares students for university life in the UK.
It’s important to understand what your objectives are and how the Summer School will help you in achieving them.
6. Tutors
What credentials do you the tutors at the Summer School have? It may sound obvious but making sure the tutor teaching the subject is an expert in the field is a must. If a summer school is offering a multitude of courses in different areas you need to ask yourself how well equipped are the staff to handle a range of interests and abilities.
At Oxbridge International we have long standing relationships with our tutors who are all graduates of the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge. All tutors undergo rigorous training with our Programme Director year on year.
7. Consult
It’s hard to beat the referral from a trusted neighbour, friend, co-worker or classmate who has been through the process before. And in the event that you are unable to find anyone in your network that already experienced a summer school, ask the institution you are considering to put you in touch with another student or parent. Here at Oxbridge International Summer School we are certainly happy to do so.
To talk about any of the above please do not hesitate to book a consultation with one of our advisors at Oxbridge International Summer School.