International Summer School

International Summer School at Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate

Summer with us, designed by you.

International Summer School is for students from around the world. The school provides a unique opportunity to sample life at a leading UK Independent School, improve English skills and make friends for life.

Set in more than 220 acres of beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, Queen Ethelburga’s has provided students with a vibrant and supportive school community since 1912.

The ‘Excellent’ rated school (ISI 2019) alongside QE Enterprises now offer a selection of International Summer Schools and short courses that students from across the globe can access outside of term time.

Our innovative and highly successful school delivers first class teaching in outstanding facilities - a perfect setting to allow students the opportunity to immerse themselves in English and activity-based programmes.

Students will develop their English language skills, tailor their schedules with creative and enriching elective modules and experience the best of British Boarding in one of the UK’s top Independent Boarding Schools.

Children at Queen Ethelburga's International Summer School


Why Choose QE This Summer?

  1. Experience life at a leading UK Independent School.
  2. Meet students from around the world and make life-long friends. Share different cultures, knowledge and traditions.
  3. Personalise your schedule.
  4. Take part in exciting selection of trips and excursions to immerse yourself further in British Culture.
  5. Access to amazing facilities including a swimming pool, gym, climbing wall, game consoles, sports courts, dark room, fully-equipped theatre and a coffee shop.

All the teachers and members of staff here are very kind and reasonable. They’re very warm and nice especially Jason, Sam, George. The basketball court is high-quality. I wanted to spend all week at the court.”

International Summer School student, 2023

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Children at Queen Ethelburga's International Summer School

Learn English and delve into British culture at Queen Ethelburga’s International Summer School.
For All Ages
International Juniors (AGES 7 TO 12)

Tuesday 2nd July - Tuesday 30th July 2024

Juniors will enjoy a selection of camp activities alongside a minimum of 10 hours English learning per week.

Prices start from £3100.

International Seniors (AGES 13 TO 17)

Tuesday 2nd July - Tuesday 30th July 2024

Seniors choose from one of our innovative elective modules alongside a minimum of 10 hours English learning per week.

Prices start from £3250.

 

The Programme

 

I really enjoyed this summer camp, it was a very good experience, very different. I learned a lot of things and I loved making new friends. I hope I have the opportunity to come back next year!

International Summer School student, 2023

 

Intensive English Study

Students will have a minimum of 10 hours of English language learning per week. Some of this will be in a traditional classroom setting, but most English teaching will be embedded within other lessons and activities. 

Cross-curricular teaching means English language learning is at the heart of all of what we do here at the International Summer School.

Students have the potential to make huge progress in their spoken and written English, focusing on fluency and usability. The curriculum will loosely follow the internationally recognised IELTS examination syllabus and is taught by experienced English tutors. Students will be put into ability groups (based on a short test on arrival) to build foundational skills to be practised in activities and different scenarios.

Senior Elective Pathways

Students aged from 13-17 (International Seniors) will tailor each week of their academic summer school programme with one of four exciting pathways. Students can discover exciting, new subjects or develop existing skills while learning from our expert team of professional coaches and teachers. Students can change pathways on a weekly basis.

Students can choose from:

  • Explore - Science, History, Geography, Maths, Cultural Studies
  • Innovate - Business, Marketing, Technology, Computing
  • Create - Art, Photography, Media, Theatre, Music, Design
  • Move - Sport, Wellbeing, Fitness
Junior Programme - Camp QE

After their dynamic English lesson, Junior students can look forward to an energetic afternoon with our Camp QE staff.

Students will take part in activities such as, water sports, footgolf, scavenger hunts, building challenges and much more. We love team challenges and themed days at QE, and so do our students! 

Success is celebrated with end of week events, such as discos and pool parties. Or, if students want something more relaxing, there are activities such as arts and crafts or film nights.

Our state-of-the-art facilities and high-quality, independent-school coaching staff ensure that your child has a safe, enjoyable learning experience that they will always remember. 

Thrive and Evening Sessions

Students on our short courses can start the day with activities, such as yoga, crafts or mindfulness, as well as being able to access specialist well-being workshops.

After the evening meal, there will be more sessions where you can meet other students, learn new skills, or practise old hobbies. For example, music sessions, team games, board games, swimming, badminton, yoga and baking. 
Our varied and exciting entertainment programme will also include outdoor theatre productions, cinema experiences, sports tournaments, and themed nights to help students wind down before settling into their comfortable boarding accommodation.

Creativity, Culture, Health, And Wellbeing

All students will take part in creative activities daily. Performing Arts in the King's Theatre, (our professional, 314-seat venue) or our dance and music studios; or fashion and design challenges, drawing, craft, and photography workshops as part of the Visual Arts.

Health is a core principle of International Summer School and we have an industry-quality student fitness centre and swimming pool, plus outdoor courts for tennis, basketball and cricket. Timetabled sessions will allow students free time to engage in physical activity, whether it be group led or as an individual. 

The wellbeing of our students is paramount. We aim to provide a safe and secure environment and a happy, supportive, and close community, in which students can thrive, both mentally and physically whilst in our care. 

Students are encouraged to be considerate, confident, independent and resilient, respecting and celebrating cultural diversity.

Children at QE International Summer School


Trips And Excursions

Students can look forward to an exciting itinerary of trips, with both an academic focus, and of course, the chance to relax, socialise and experience a wide range of leisure activities.

There is no better way to embed language learning than practising it with others, and our mixed nationality student body means that there are plenty of chances to do this throughout the day, as well as whilst on trips.

There is one planned trip per week and to maximise your Summer School experience, we recommend staying for four weeks.

  • Week One - Full day excursion to York
  • Week Two - Overnight stay in London
  • Week Three - Full day excursion to Manchester
  • Week Four - Overnight stay at residential activity centre which includes outdoor and water-based activities

Please book your place at International Summer School by 31st May 2024 to guarantee your place on the weekly trips.

Here is an overview of the trips that will take place in July 2024:

London

Two Full Days - one overnight stay in London

Explore the sites of London by taking a walking tour from Tower of London to Buckingham Palace via St. Paul's Cathedral, the Palace of Westminster, Trafalgar Square and seeing Horse Guards Parade and The Mall. In the evening, you can enjoy a meal out and a West End show. 

The following day, explore Covent Garden, the Tomb Raider Experience, Crystal Maze or Harry Potter Studios.

York

Full Day Trip

Historical and cultural immersion in what many describe as the Northern Capital City of England!
Visit famous attractions such as the Railway Museum, Museum Gardens, the Castle Museum and shopping at the Shambles. 

Finish by enjoying an evening meal at Panda Mami.

PGL

Three Day Residential

Challenge yourself to a variety of team building activities, such as 'Jacob's Ladder', archery, zip-wiring, orienteering, disc golf, trapeze, fencing and an agility course.

The residential trip is at an activity centre and includes meals.

Manchester

Full Day Trip

Visit the football capital of England!

In the morning, you can take a walking tour through the city to Manchester Museum/Whitworth gallery. Then, in the evening take a shopping trip to Old Trafford with a visit to the cinema.


Further Details

QE is a boarding school throughout the year and staff are highly skilled in offering students from around the globe the highest quality of care.

Our accommodation is spacious, comfortable and modern. There are common rooms and leisure spaces where students are encouraged to relax and recharge whilst having the opportunity to socialise with others.

To prepare you and your child, we send useful information with everything you need to know and details on what to bring before the course begins.

We do not offer single-occupancy rooms, our boarding accommodation is designed to integrate students, helping them to build new and lasting friendships. Rooms sleep between 2 and 4 students. There is also chance to meet online at our ‘Before you arrive’ webinar.

Pricing

Juniors
  • 2-week stay - £3100
  • 3-week stay - £4500
  • 4-week stay - £5900
Seniors
  • 2-week stay - £3250 
  • 3-week stay - £4725
  • 4-week stay - £6200

What’s Included?

QE’s International Summer School is an all-inclusive summer school offering a minimum of two, and maximum of four weeks in July 2024.

Here is what is included:

  • Comfortable, modern accommodation with amenities. Most accommodation offer 3-4 student occupancy as standard. All boarding houses offer a communal, social area allowing students to relax and make friends with others
  • 24-hour supervision and pastoral care
  • All meals and snacks, freshly prepared by our team of dedicated international chefs
  • 30 hours of tuition per week with proof of attendance/assessment subject to suitable progress on the course. (60 hours per course) 
  • Written assessment from academic staff
  • Exciting trips- both academic and leisure
  • Wellbeing activities integrated into daily schedules
  • A focus on physical wellbeing through sport and exercise with our professional coaches and access to our industry-standard facilities
  • Access to the incredible on-site facilities: fitness suite, swimming pool and student-favourite: Muggles. Muggles is a dedicated leisure facility offering table-tennis, video games, a food-outlet and an entertainment suite in a vibrant, fun-filled atmosphere
  • The potential to gain a conditional offer to Queen Ethelburga’s based on academic progress
  • A rich, cultural experience within a diverse community of mixed nationalities

Children on a boat at QE international Summer School

Welfare And Safeguarding

We have a dedicated Pastoral Team who report directly to the Course Directors. Every student in our care is assigned a tutor who will check in on welfare regularly. The tutors are supported by the Boarding Team, and together, we provide welfare care 24 hours a day.

There is access to on-site first aiders, and off-site medical staff if needed. Students will have chance to take part in daily wellbeing activities – referred to as THRIVE – to help boost their positive mental health during and after their stay with us.


Frequently Asked Questions

What dates can students arrive/depart?

Our arrival days are Tuesday 2nd July, Tuesday 9th July and Tuesday 16th July.

Our departure days are Tuesday 16th July, Tuesday 23rd July, Tuesday 30th July.

Are there specific times at which we need to arrive on site?
We recommend arriving between 10am and 4pm, but we understand this isn’t always possible. Should you need to arrive out of hours, we will provide a contact number and member of staff to greet students on arrival and get them settled. Once registered on the course, we will request your international flight information and estimated arrival time to site. This information must be provided prior to arrival.
Can we pre-book a place on a certain trip?
Trips are included in the price of the summer school. Should you wish to attend all of the trips, students must stay all four weeks. The sample timetables and trip overviews give further information on the trip schedule, to aid your decision making. For example, should you wish to go to London, your stay must include Week 2 of July!
What level of English do students need to have?
We require students to be able to communicate their needs in English; this is to ensure their safety. All the courses, lessons and activities are delivered in English.
We wish to send students, but they do not need intensive English lessons. Is there anything else on offer?
Yes – email us shortcourses@qe.org.
I’m an agent, and have a group- can you cater for us?
Yes – we work with groups annually and are happy to discuss any requirements - please get in touch at shortcourses@qe.org.
Do you accept group leaders?

Due to our rigorous safeguarding onsite, we can only permit group-leaders who can complete all required safer recruitment checks.

Please email shortcourses@qe.org if you would like to know what checks and documentation we require before adult trip leaders can be permitted on site.

We do not allow group leaders into boarding houses, they are accommodated in adult-only accommodation and have scheduled check-in times with their groups daily. We strongly stress that as a renowned boarding school, we have highly skilled and experienced staff in all areas. You can be confident in sending us your groups in the knowledge that they will be looked after by our on-site QE staff without the need for a trip leader.

Children at QE International Summer School


Application Process

How To Book & What Happens Next?

Complete the webform below or Download Registration Form

Bookings are open and will close on 31st May 2024.

Download the registration form here:

DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM

Please complete the application form digitally (ideally by using the webform below) wherever possible. Should you require it in a different format, please let us know.

Please ensure that you follow the following steps:

  1. Read the Terms & Conditions Document 
  2. Read our Cancellation Policy
  3. Complete the webform below or the Application Form
  4. Send the Registration Form by email to shortcourses@qe.org
  5. Follow payment instructions

On receipt of your registration form, our admissions team will be in touch.

Complete and send a registration form along with a copy of your child's birth certificate, passport and any relevant medical information.

Once we receive your booking, we will send an invoice for payment. We kindly request that fees are paid in accordance with the invoice due date. A deposit system is available for bookings made between September and December 2023. Once the payment is received, you will receive a booking confirmation email.

We can provide a Visa support letter if your child requires a Visa.

During the booking process, we ask for confirmation that you have read and agree to our ‘Terms and Conditions’ and ‘Cancellation Policy’.

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Please read the following documents and confirm below.

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