Spring & Summer Camps in the UK, Europe and the Middle East

Summer Camps

With the start of the New Year people are already planning their summers and how to fill the long hot days in the UAE is always a struggle. Whilst many families head home for a couple of months, more and more parents are considering how to use this time more profitably for their children. Summer Camps can vary wildly from the all American outdoors experience we are familiar with from films such as The Parent Trap to the academically focused courses that run as tasters for University.

The benefits of attending a residential summer course are well documented, it gives children a taste of independence and an opportunity to learn in a new environment with different teachers and coaches. It keeps children physically or mentally active and can often be a great cultural experience too, with trips and outings to places of interest, whether it is a day trip to London or punting on the River Cam. And all these experiences help bond the children together and forge new friendships.

Camps or courses fall broadly under four categories, those which focus on languages, programmes which are designed to help you prepare for University, intensive revision courses and Activity camps which help you to develop a new skill or practice an old one.

English Language Camps

These are designed to provide an intensive focus on improving English skills with up to 30 taught hours a week. This immersive approach has proved to be very beneficial for acquiring or improving a second language. Most providers aim to offer a diverse programme with morning sports, afternoon lessons and evening social activities appropriate to the age group, so the children are learning all the time. The staff to student ratios are small but do check that there is a good mix of nationalities so the common language is English and there is no temptation to chat in your mother tongue. These courses are run in Oxbridge Colleges, country houses across the UK and in several British boarding schools up and down the country.

Academic Programmes

The Academic programmes often take place at Universities and Summer School students will learn from world-class academics and researchers and study alongside like -minded students from all over the world. There are opportunities to learn about PPE or Law, to investigate Astro Physics, Computer Coding or Engineering or to work on your creative writing skills or practice and refine your essay writing skills.

These courses are not exclusively about work, there will chances to explore London and other parts of the UK through social activities with day trips to famous UK cities, team building tasks, parties, London tours and theatre shows.

Revision Camps

These are run in many colleges and schools in the spring and summer holidays, giving exam candidates a quick boost before the exam season begins or keeping their hand in over the long summer. They concentrate on three key areas:

• improving understanding of key topics,

• raising awareness of the key skills and knowledge that examiners are looking for

• improving examination technique.

Easter Revision can have a dramatic impact on a student’s grades with small classes and individual programmes. The courses can be demanding both in terms of time and commitment but they can build invaluable examination confidence and improve performance.Popular courses can be found in London, Oxford and at several of the best known boarding schools in the UK.

Activity Camps

From Drama camp to Space camp, to Riding camp and Sports camp, these camps offer opportunities to pick up a new skill or improve on an old one. The combination of recreational, educational and social activities give each student a chance to broaden their outlook by meeting and mixing with people from different countries and varied backgrounds. Activity camps are hosted across the world, Switzerland has a wide range to offer, and we particularly the camp in Spain that offers riding and Spanish. If you do not wish to travel far from the UAE there are some interesting summer residential courses in Jordan.

Do contact us if you would like further information about specific camps.