Studio Cambridge Sir Christopher (Ages 16 – 19)
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For students aged 16-19, Studio Cambridge’s Sir Christopher program offers standard and intensive English courses at all levels for students in an international university setting. Living and studying in a Cambridge University college allows students to feel the life of a Cambridge student. The university’s life, traditions and history are in fact the main themes of this camp.
Cambridge is one of the most famous city names in the world. It has been a center of learning for 800 years and is the international symbol of academic excellence. With 20,000 university students, the whole city is designed for young people. It is the ideal place for the international English language student – international in outlook but very English in character, steeped in history but looking to the future, big enough to spend weeks exploring but small enough to be relaxed and friendly.
Ridley Hall, where this program is housed, was established in 1881 and is an independent college affiliated with Cambridge University. Newnham College, the other seat of this program, is one of the 31 University of Cambridge colleges and was founded in 1871. Both colleges have the atmosphere of the perfect Cambridge campus: the traditional buildings and impressive dining halls are surrounded by green lawns and private gardens. The campuses are ideally located next to each other in the center of Cambridge, just 5 minutes’ walk to all the main attractions of this wonderful city.
SIR CHRISTOPHER PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
- Location: Cambridge
- Age Range: 16 – 19
- Capacity: 250 students
- Number of lessons per week: 28 lessons = 21 hours (intensive course) or 20 lessons = 15 hours (standard course)
- Maximum class size: 16
- Ratio of staff to students: 1 : 10
- Number of excursions per week: 1
Ridley Hall, Ridley Hall Rd, Cambridge CB3 9HG, UK
Newnham College, Sidgwick Ave, Cambridge CB3 9DF, UK
I’ve been booking this program for my clients for as long as I’ve been working with Studio Cambridge, about 10 years. I have recommended it often to parents who do not want to enrol older teenagers in an adult program, where they will be amongst the youngest students in the school, but who at the same time don’t want their children to be the oldest participants of a program aimed at 14-17 year olds. This program is perfect for 16-18 year olds because it is large, and all of the participants are aged 16-19. They all attend the same classes and stay in the same residences of the two buildings that house the program. It is also suitable for all students in that it includes a semi-intensive or intensive course at the same price (students who don’t want lessons in the afternoon can simply participate in more activities). The intensive option for motivated students also offers the possibility of taking the IELTS exam, which is becoming more and more important to universities and employers. Parents like this program for their children because they are more looked after by staff than they would be on an adult program, and older teens like it because they have the chance to make many friends with students their same age in one place, and at the same time not feel like they are participating in an isolated junior program. They have just enough freedom to move around comfortably, and there is no better place to do that than Cambridge, a city that is safe, pedestrian, and caters to young people. My only regret about this program is that there aren’t more of them like it on the international market—over the years I have suggested to many school owners that they implement a similar one in other cities.
Studio Cambridge Sir Christopher
Why study English at Studio Cambridge Sir Christopher?
The Sir Christopher Program is the perfect program for older teenagers aged 16 – 19 years in preparation of university by offering a classic, university campus and the possibility to experience the life of a Cambridge student at Ridley Hall and at Newnham College. The Sir Christopher program has an international reputation and is one of the few in the world offering a complete package of course, accommodation and activities for this age group. It offers options of standard and intensive courses to cater to learners of all levels. The intensive course offers students academic skills or English language skills lessons in addition to their regular classes that will further prepare them for university, and also the possibility to take the IELTS exam. With its fantastic nationality mix, students will have the opportunity to make many friends from many different countries in their English classes, on the social activities, and in the accommodation. To allow students to receive a real feel of university life, the program participants are offered various Cambridge University discovery-themed activities. Lesson topics include famous Cambridge alumni, its scientific discoveries, its sporting traditions and its debates. The social activity program choices include hunting for “hidden” Cambridge, presentations from Cambridge students, and guided tours of the college. To arrive and depart from the campus, airport transfers are included in the fees on the scheduled dates—students can arrive and depart from most important London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted) without the timetable restraints imposed by most other schools. Finally, the price of this program also includes insurance, which is not the case with most other programs; for those programs, if insurance is desired, it has to be added on by the agency at an additional cost. Overall, the price of the Sir Christopher program is a very good value for everything that it offers.
The facilities
THE SCHOOL FACILITIES AT A GLANCE
- Traditional University college 5-10 minutes’ walk to Cambridge city center
- Lovely, picturesque gardens
- Modern facilities
- High level of safety and security
- Free Wi-Fi available (certain areas)
- Traditional dining hall, with good quality hot and cold food
- 11 classroom
- Lecture Hall
- Student common rooms
MORE ABOUT THE FACILITIES AND SERVICES
Program Registration
Marshall Language Services will reserve a space on the course, and if necessary, make a note to the school of any accommodation preferences such as the desire to share a room or to have a single. When the reservation is confirmed, parents will receive a letter for visa purposes, if necessary.
Airport Transfers
Marshall Language Services will need to furnish the participant’s flight information to Studio Cambridge so that the airport transfers can be organized. Parents will receive detailed instructions on what the student should do when their flight arrives. It is also possible for parents to accompany their children to the campus personally.
Transfers to and from Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted airport on Sundays are included in the price of the course. When the program is over, Studio Cambridge staff will accompany the participants back to the airport and check them into their flights. If they are traveling as unaccompanied minors, they will hand over the children to airline staff.
Student Welfare
On the campus, there is a dedicated office and staff for student welfare, and an emergency 24-hour telephone number that will be provided to parents along with the enrolment confirmation. Residential staff will be living on site with them to provide 24-hour supervision. There is one staff member for every ten students.
The courses
COURSE CONTENT AND SAMPLE TIMETABLES
The program is available for learners of all levels, from beginner to advanced. A standard program and an intensive program with academic skills, or language skills depending on English level are available.
English Language Studies
The program includes:
- An entry test on the first Monday of the course
- International classes
- All classes in the morning, unless on intensive course
- All educational materials
- Academic report and certificate of studies from teachers at the end of the student’s stay
- Optional entry to IELTS exam at an additional cost estimated at £150
Standard program
The standard program provides 20 lessons (15 hours) each week of English lessons, typically in the mornings. There are additional sports and social activities during the afternoons and evenings.
A sample timetable for a standard program
Intensive program with academic skills
The intensive program with academic skills or English language skills provides 28 lessons (21 hours) each week of English lessons, typically in the mornings and afternoons. These lessons are divided into 20 lessons (15 hours) of English language instruction each week plus 8 lessons (6 hours) of Academic skills or English language skills (depending on level of English).
Students of Levels 2 – 3 are provided English skills lessons which will help to further improve general English skills. Students of Levels 4 – 6 are provided Academic skills lessons, including the opportunity to take the IELTS exam.
Students can choose to take the IELTS examination on specific dates. Please contact Marshall Language Services at the time of enrollment to inquire about availability. This examination is at an additional cost.
There are additional sports and social activities during the evenings.
A sample timetable for an intensive program with academic skills
Students are accommodated in residential bedrooms at Ridley Hall or next door at Newnham College. Both residences are centrally located in comfortable and secure buildings. All the residential accommodations have modern facilities. Students live in comfortable, fully furnished, single bedrooms, with some in twin bedrooms. Bathrooms and showers are usually shared, with the exception of some en-suite rooms available at Ridley Hall. Studio staff members live on campus and provide 24-hour supervision.
Meals
Breakfast is provided at the residences. Lunches on class days are provided at Ridley Hall College. Dinner is taken either at the residence itself or in the Ridley dining hall, 5 minutes’ walk away. There is a wide choice of hot and cold food for every meal. Vegetarian and non-pork options are always available. Packed lunches are offered on excursion and weekend days
Laundry
Laundry facilities are available on site. One wash per week may be done free of charge. Bed linen is provided at the residence and will be changed and washed once each week.
Evenings
Each evening students on will have activities organized for them by the Studio staff. Residential students can go out in the evenings but must return home by midnight at the latest. Students who fail to return on time will be spoken to by the Studio staff. This is an important rule and returning late is considered serious misconduct and action will be taken.
All the residences are situated in quiet residential areas, so students and staff are asked to respect the privacy of the neighbors and avoid excessive noise in the evenings.
Keys
Students will be given keys to their room and to the entrance to the residences. A small deposit of £20 will be taken when the keys are issued, in case the keys are lost.
Dates and Fees
Calculate your own approximate quote
The following tool will help you to get a good idea of the cost of a language course and accommodation, if requested, at this school. It may not include all the courses and accommodation options available or take into account promotional offers or costs associated with student visas, insurance, study materials or exam fees. For these reasons, the availability of any course, accommodation option (especially in the high season) and the final price of a package will always have to be verified with Marshall Language Services prior to enrolment.
Other Programs by this School
Studio Cambridge also offers the following programs:
- The summer program Sir Michael Global Leaders and Creative Social Media in Cambridge for students aged 14-17
- The summer program Sir Laurence in Cambridge for students aged 13-16
- English language courses year round for adults at the Studio Cambridge school in Cambridge
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