Bromsgrove International Summer Camp, England

Two levels of English run side by side. The Intensive English Language Programme is aimed at beginner to intermediate learners; students take a placement test and a questionnaire on arrival so they can be placed in the class that matches their age and ability, and class levels are adapted week to week as the mix of students changes. Lessons are taught by specialist teachers from International House, Bristol, using a topic-based approach, and each student receives 20 hours of English tutoring a week. The Advanced English Course is for students who already have a good level of spoken and written English or whose first language is English, and adds debating, public speaking, creative writing, magazine and report writing and presentations. Advanced students may take optional University Preparation classes instead of activities, working on personal statements for university applications and on interview skills.

Courses run for two weeks from Tuesday to Tuesday, and the school states that additional weeks can be added up to a maximum of four weeks. The fee includes transport to and from Birmingham or Heathrow airports at specified times, three meals a day, laundry service once a week, all teaching and school-based activities, four full-day excursions or trips each fortnight, and free wi-fi. Payment of half the fee is due with registration and the remainder six weeks before arrival. Places are confirmed through an online enquiry form followed by a booking form sent by the school.

Students live in the Bromsgrove School boarding houses, which are modern and comfortable, with extensive and reliable wi-fi and common areas for relaxing at the end of the day. All rooms are ensuite, with the option of single, double or triple rooms. Rooms are allocated depending on numbers, and in general older students have priority for the single rooms. Boarding staff live alongside the students.

Three meals a day are included in the course fee, with snacks and packed lunches provided for excursion days. Breakfast is served from 08:00 to 08:45 and lunch from 12:40 to 14:00.

Half of each day is given to the Multi-Activity programme, from which every child chooses freely. Sports include swimming, tennis, volleyball, badminton, trampolining, table tennis and team games. Art and craft covers art, trash fashion, design technology projects, jewellery making and cooking. Performing arts covers dance, drama, singing and music sessions. Science and STEM covers mad science, robotics, astronomy, STEM activities, computer science and coding. Evening activities run from 20:00 to 21:30, with bedtime at 21:30 for juniors and 22:00 for teens. Four full-day excursions are included each fortnight, with destinations such as London, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick.

The camp uses the whole of Bromsgrove School: a secure walled campus of 100 acres with coded entry and exit gates and a manned gatehouse where visitors sign in. All staff are DBS police checked.

Bromsgrove is a traditional boarding school that runs its own Easter and summer camps, so the camp has free use of all the school facilities and staff. Lessons are in small groups, ages 8 to 11 and 12 to 16 are taught and do activities separately in an age-appropriate environment, and the central location puts London, Stratford, Warwick, Oxford and several theme parks within reach for excursions.