SBC Oxford Summer College (Ages 15-17)
THE DESTINATION | THE SCHOOL | MAP | RACHEL’S TAKE | WHY THIS SCHOOL? | FACILITIES | THE COURSES | FROM OUR CLIENTS | HOUSING | SOCIAL LIFE | INSURANCE AND PRICING | REQUEST AN ESTIMATE | OTHER PROGRAMS | SIMILAR PROGRAMS
Offered by Summer Boarding Courses, the UK’s top ranked provider of summer courses for children and teenagers, Oxford Summer College is an extremely high-quality academic program for students aged 15 – 17. It takes place at Wycliffe Hall of Oxford University, where students will have the opportunity to live and study in the setting of this world famous, prestigious university. The program provides a truly international, academic and social environment and is just a short walk away from Oxford city center.
Wycliffe Hall
Wycliffe Hall is a Church of England theological college and a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The college is named after John Wycliffe, who was master of Balliol College, Oxford in the 14th century.
Founded in 1877, Wycliffe Hall provides theological training to women and men for ordained and lay ministries in the Church of England as well as other Anglican and non-Anglican churches. There are also a number of independent and undergraduate students studying theology, education and philosophy.
The City of Oxford
Oxford, “The City of Dreaming Spires,” is a beautiful city of stunning architecture, history and culture. For over 800 years, it has been home to royalty and scholars, and since the 9th century, an established town, although people are known to have lived in the area for thousands of years. Nowadays, the city is bustling and cosmopolitan. The visitor will find traditional and modern colleges, fascinating museums and galleries, and plenty of parks, gardens and green spaces in which to relax. The city center is compact enough to cover on foot, and only a few minutes’ walk from both the main rail and coach stations. With its mix of old and new, there is plenty for both the tourist and resident to do, and for more, Oxford is a just a short hop away from many other attractions and from London.
THE PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
- Location: Oxford
- Age Range: 15 – 17
- Maximum number of students per session: 200
- Maximum class size: 15
- Accommodation: Residential
- Course duration: 2, 4 or 6 weeks
- Number of full day excursions per week: 2
- Exclusive EtonX Future Skills Online Course Included
Oxford Summer College: Wycliffe Hall, 54 Banbury Rd, Oxford OX2 6PW, United Kingdom
“Nevermind the slick brochures and sales pitches of other schools. The EL Gazette and British Council have said it all about this one—Summer Boarding Courses, who offers this program at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, is the number one provider of programs for children and teenagers in all of the United Kingdom. I’ll explain a bit how this ranking works: every four years, the British Council carries out an inspection of its 500 + member schools in the UK (nearly all reputable language schools in the UK are accredited by the British Council). During the inspection, in which two examiners inspect the school for days, they grade a school in 13 areas like teaching, care of students, accommodation, etc., and in 15 areas if the school also has programs for young learners. For each area, a school can receive a grade of “acceptable,” or it can exceed the expectations of the examiner. When the latter is the case, the school receives what’s called a “strength” in that area. As a result of these inspections, language schools typically receive about 3.5 strengths. On its last inspection in 2018, Summer Boarding Courses received 15 out of a possible 15!
Of the various programs offered by Summer Boarding Courses, there are several reasons that I like this one. To begin with, the program offers academic subjects and is as much for native speakers of English, as it is for non-native speakers who would also like to improve their English while learning about things that truly interest them in the setting of one of the finest and most famous places of study in the world. Participants on the program will also be able to really enjoy studying, without the stress of a test or final grade at the end. Then, outside of class, the social activities are at the same very English (there are trips to London and other university cities), very Oxford-y (punting on the river running through town for example, and the University Challenge game) and overall, a lot of fun for students this age. Finally, like in all of my good programs, the number of participants of a single mother tongue are limited to just 10%, ensuring that students will speak English to each other also outside of class. For students who just need to improve their English, the program also offers the choice of a general or intensive English course (the programs on the Summer Boarding Courses all have a fantastic nationality mix.) The beautiful university city of Oxford has always been a favorite of students wanting to do summer courses, and the colleges in which the program participants will be studying give them the opportunity to experience the city as a university student. Two full day excursions per week, airport transfers, insurance, and a high staff-to-student ratio complete this package, making it an excellent value for parents.”
SBC Oxford Summer College
Why choose the Summer Boarding Courses (SBC) Oxford Summer College program?
- Summer Boarding Courses is the UK’s top ranked multi-campus summer school with locations in Oxford, Cambridge, London and others.
- Summer Boarding Courses is the only school for children and teenagers to have been awarded a perfect score after its accreditation inspection by the British Council in 2019 (see “Rachel’s Take” above for an explanation of this difficult accomplishment).
- Oxford Summer College runs at Wycliffe Hall of Oxford University, where students experience boarding life on a university campus, which further prepares them for their next stage in life.
- Oxford Summer College truly offers an international setting, with students from over 95 countries in 2018.
- The Oxford Summer College program offers an extensive selection of popular academic study options including Business and Leadership, General English, Engineering, Medicine, Politics and Economics and Natural Sciences.
- The Oxford Summer College program includes the EtonX online course for additional skills at no extra charge.
- The Oxford Summer College programs include daily Social and Wellbeing activities in the afternoon and evenings, as well as weekly excursions to famous destinations in the UK.
- Oxford Summer College provides excellent standards of welfare and supervision.
The facilities
WYCLIFFE HALL FACILITIES AT A GLANCE
- Central location
- 6 classrooms
- Common room equipped with kitchen
- Pool table
- Study areas
- Computer rooms
- Free Wi-Fi
MORE ON THE OXFORD SUMMER COLLEGE SERVICES
Welcome Club
The Welcome Club is available to students who book the Transfer Service from London Heathrow airport. It offers refreshments, entertainment and a place to unwind and to meet other students arriving for their courses before the journey to the school.
Student Welfare
The well-being of its students is Oxford College Summer School’s number one priority and the school’s dedicated staff are available 24 hours a day to assist with any needs that might arise during students’ stay.
Airport Transfers
Airport transfers to and from London Heathrow airport can be arranged at an additional cost. To organize the transfers, Marshall Language Services will need to furnish the participant’s flight information to Oxford College Summer School. If children are travelling as unaccompanied minors, Oxford College Summer School staff will receive them from the airline personnel, and when the program is over, accompany the participants back to the airport and hand over the children to airline staff.
The courses
ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND SAMPLE TIMETABLE
Oxford College Summer School offers a wide range of academic courses to students aged 15 – 17 to help them develop their subject knowledge, English language proficiency and prepare them for university. A typical week includes 20 hours of tuition consisting of lessons, guest speakers, workshops, and one academic excursion every two weeks. All courses require a minimum B1 English level.
Summer College Oxford courses offered:
- General English: available 2, 4, or 6 weeks
- Business & Leadership: available for 2 weeks
- Engineering: available for 2 weeks
- Medicine: available for 2 weeks
- Natural Sciences: available for 2 weeks
- Politics & Economics: available for 2 weeks
BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP
SBC has developed our Business & Leadership course for the young businesspeople of the future. Students will develop their English language skills and business skills, and acquire knowledge of the latest business practices. Subjects in Business & Leadership include budgeting and finance, marketing, sustainability, and growth. As part of our Time to Shine project, students will develop a business plan for a new start-up company and deliver a product pitch to a panel of judges.
ENGINEERING
Designed for students who wish to improve their English through the study of an academic subject, Engineering focuses on innovation, design, and construction. Utilizing both science and mathematics, Engineering is the art of applying scientific and mathematical principles to solve real-world problems, such as in the construction of bridges, buildings, electronic circuits and mechanical design. It is also used to address critical issues in today’s global climate such as water and air pollution, and other such areas in the promotion of healthy ecosystems.
MEDICINE
In SBC Medicine course, students will develop practical skills, medical knowledge, and English language ability as they start their journey to becoming a doctor, or work in the health industry. Additionally, students will receive practical advice on studying Medicine at university, as well as taking part in full First Aid training during the course. Beyond medical theory and practice, we look at the role of Medicine in a wider, ethical context to develop students’ critical thinking skills and understanding of important issues in public health.
NATURAL SCIENCES
Natural Sciences is the perfect course for students with a passion for understanding how the universe works. During the course, students will focus on three core science subjects: chemistry, physics, and biology. These subjects are studied with the objective of better understanding the laws of the physical world around us, as well as developing the English language skills necessary to describe them.
POLITICS & ECONOMICS
SBC Politics & Economics course introduces students to economic systems and political ideologies. Students will examine the history of modern political institutions and discover how economics forms political thinking. The course also develops the research, presentation and English language skills needed for successful academic study, and later political career.
The programs provide:
- Pre-course assessment
- International classes
- 20 clock hours of tuition per week
- Maximum class size of 15
- Progress monitoring
- All educational materials
- Daily afternoon and evening activities
A sample timetable:
London Academic Excursion
The Oxford Summer College program includes a 3-hour academic excursion to London, where students will not only explore the city but participate in an academic talk or workshop. These afternoon workshops are designed to complement what the students have been learning at the college. Previous workshop destinations have included iconic locations such as the British Library, the Royal College of Physicians, Houses of Parliament, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Imperial War Museum.
EtonX Online
Summer Boarding Courses are working in cooperation with EtonX, a cutting-edge future skills online learning platform to offer its students the Future Skills Programme. This program is a series of short online courses (7-10 hours) focused on better communication, leadership and university preparation which develop soft skills, practical skills and an entrepreneurial mindset to help students succeed in life.
The courses include:
- Entrepreneurship
- CV Writing
- Interview Skills
- Creative Problem Solving
- Making an Impact
- Critical Thinking
- Writing Skills
- Public Speaking
- Research Skills
- Resilience
Benefits of EtonX
- End of course transcript/certificate on CV
- Attractive to leading universities & employers
- Real-world skills to succeed in life
- English language development
- Increased confidence
RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION
Oxford College Summer School students will be housed in either Wycliffe Hall or University College Annexe (academic subject students) or Wychwood School (General English students) which are short distances away from each other. There are separate boarding areas for male and female students and all accommodation consists of either single, twin or triple rooms with shared bathroom facilities that are cleaned 6 days a week. The campus facilities include a historic dining hall, communal areas and free Wi-Fi.
Meals
Residential accommodation includes a full board meal plan with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Laundry
Bed linens are provided. A weekly laundry service is also provided.
Dates and Fees
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