Earlscliffe Summer and Easter, Folkestone, United Kingdom (Ages 8 – 17)
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Founded in 2002, Earlscliffe is an independent sixth form college during the academic year, offering an intimate, highly personalized environment. Earlscliffe’s Summer Program and Easter Programs provide students aged 8-17 years old with a variety of stimulating courses during the Easter holidays, and from early July until mid-August.
Earlscliffe is located in the desirable West End of Folkestone, one of England’s most elegant Edwardian resorts.
With towering white cliffs to the east, the historic Cinque Port town of Hythe, broad sandy beaches and Romney Marsh to the West and backed by areas of unspoilt countryside, Folkestone is the attractive hub of the part of the southeast corner of Kent, aptly described as the Garden Coast.
Strollers always enjoy the mile-long Leas promenade and the paths atop the East Cliff and Warren. While families head for the beaches and the adventure playground in the Lower Leas Coastal Park, shoppers are spoiled for choice in the town centre—there are traditional shops, galleries, studios and boutiques, as well as many independent specialist retailers.
EARLSCLIFFE AT A GLANCE
- Location: Folkestone
- Summer Age Range: 13 – 17 years
- Easter Age Range: 8 – 17 years
- Maximum number of students: 100
- Hours per week in Summer: 22
- Classroom hours per week at Easter: 16
- Full-day excursions per week in Summer: 2
- Full-day excursions per week at Easter: minimum 3
- Accommodation: Residential
- Main building and residence – 29 Shorncliffe Road
- Residence – 47 Earls Avenue
- Creative Arts Studio – 26 Grimston Gardens
- Residence – 29 Westbourne Gardens
- School House – 24 Grimston Gardens
- Residence – 25 Grimston Gardens
I began working with Earlscliffe about ten years ago. From the feedback I received from clients (and some very demanding ones at that) I have come to recognize it as one of the highest quality summer programs in England. For ambitious students who prefer an alternative to a general English course, it offers the unique Mini-MBA program. The University Preparation course is a continuation of what the school does during the academic year. This year-round school manages its own summer programs—they are not organized by outside companies who rent the premises. The directors also actually own the campus, so they are directly responsible for the facilities and everything that takes place in them. Some of the clients I have sent on this program have returned for successive years—with the choice of alternative schools and destinations on the market from year to year, that fact is a very strong indication of the desirability of a program.
Earlscliffe Sixth Form College
Why Choose this Program?
Founded in 2002, Earlscliffe is an independent sixth form college that operates during the academic year and summer. With a national ranking of 38 in The Telegraph’s “Top 100 School A-level results,” Earlscliffe’s students regularly secure entry at the very best universities. For their summer programs, as parents themselves, the directors Julie and Tim Fish are committed to offering a personalized service to their students, from the first point of contact to the farewell disco. They do not rent space in other schools or operate a chain of summer centers. They focus on delivering high quality programs in one school, which they also own, and where they have full control of the curriculum. The summer programs offer an array of stimulating courses for teenagers from early July to mid-August (as well as their traditional Easter course for 8 – 17 year olds). At Earlscliffe, both students and staff return to the school year after year to be part of the family environment.
The facilities
THE FACILITIES AT A GLANCE
- 2 School Buildings
- 4 Residential Buildings
- Student Common Room in each Residence
- Pool and snooker tables
- Table tennis
- Basketball
- Badminton
MORE ON THE FACILITIES AND SERVICES
Campus
The Earlscliffe campus is made up of a group of six Victorian and Edwardian buildings, all recently renovated and decorated each year to provide high-quality residential and teaching facilities. Earlscliffe is located in the desirable West End of Folkestone, within walking distance of the elegant Leas promenade, the shops of the town center and the high-speed train link to London St Pancras.
Airport transfers
Earlscliffe offers a group pick-up and check-in service included in the program cost for flights and trains arriving and departing from London Heathrow, London Gatwick or Ashford Eurostar station between 9am – 4pm on scheduled arrival days. Out-of-hours and unaccompanied minor transfers can also be arranged. On the average, Earlscliffe is about 100 minutes from London Heathrow and 80 minutes from London Gatwick.
The courses
GLOBAL ENGLISH
- Ages: 13 – 17
- Minimum Level of English: Lower Intermediate
- Length of course: 2 to 7 weeks
- Classroom hours per week: 22
- Class size: Maximum 12
- Excursions: 2 most weeks
- Extra options: 4 hours of English tuition in small groups or one-to-one
Global English Course Content
- Weekly UNESCO debate: pollution; climate change; education; clean water; women’s rights.
- Weekly topical debate: hunting; animal testing; euthanasia; capital punishment.
- “In the News” forum: discussion of the media stories of the day.
- Advanced reading comprehension: discussion of a topical article from “The Times,” “The Economist,” and other popular news publications.
- Extended Writing: instruction on academic essay writing, both creative and reflective.
- Critical thinking: Students will be taught to demonstrate knowledge of a subject and give their opinion(s) about it, supported by evidence that they have judged to be appropriate. They will make a film, news clip or a radio show as a group and present it to the whole school. Finally, they will learn about the various cultural destinations they will visit, and write a trip review of a town or site visited.
MINI-MBA
- Ages: 15 – 17
- Minimum Level of English: Upper Intermediate/B2+
- Length of course: 2 weeks
- Classroom hours per week: 22
- Class size: Maximum 12
- Excursions: 2 every week
- Extra options: 4 hours of English tuition in small groups or one-to-one
Mini-MBA Course Content
This course is ideal for committed students looking for a very different kind of summer program, who want to boost their CVs and university applications by completing this rigorous and challenging program. Also, for students considering studying business, finance, management, economics or accounting at A level, IB or undergraduate level, the Mini-MBA provides an intensive and comprehensive introduction. Students must complete the school’s English test before applying.
This course contains 22 hours of teaching per week, except on the Extended Mini-MBA where the class will also visit businesses or production plants.
Mini-MBA students are integrated in the afternoon program with students on the other Earlscliffe summer courses and the normal sports, cultural activities and excursion program is offered to them. Then exclusively for the Mini-MBA students, there are two special London visits, one to the Bank of England Museum and the other to the top of The Shard, Europe’s tallest building.
- Unit 1: Introduction to Management- This unit forms the core of the course and provides students with the skills, vocabulary, knowledge, confidence and technique to analyze business issues, prepare projects, research company case studies and give presentations.
- Unit 2: Accounting- This unit aims to provide an introduction to basic accounting knowledge for a financial statement analysis.
- Unit 3: Entrepreneurship– This unit will include the concept of entrepreneurship and finding opportunities.
- Unit 4: Organizations- Students will look at the tradition of organizational development and how this has affected modern day leadership and management in business organizations.
- Unit 5: Marketing- This unit will involve a mixture of lectures, discussions and short case studies for analysis in class to give students an insight into some of the issues and tools in marketing for the 21st century.
UNIVERSITY PREPARATION (UNI-PREP)
- Ages: 16 – 17
- Minimum Level of English: Upper Intermediate/B2+
- Length of course: 2 weeks
- Classroom hours per week: 22
- Class size: Maximum 12
- Excursions: 2 most weeks
- Extra options: 4 hours of English tuition in small groups or one-to-one
This higher level, skills-based course is designed to focus on all the independent learning skills required of an ambitious undergraduate and to help students seeking entry to universities in the UK or in their own countries. The Earlscliffe Director, Tim Fish, has over 25 years’ experience in preparing international students for entry into some of the world’s very best universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, University College London, Durham and St. Andrew’s.
Uni-Prep Course Content
- IELTS lessons and exam preparation (the exam is optional, a separate fee applies)
- Research skills
- Essay writing skills
- Critical thinking
- Note-taking skills
- Completion of an extended essay on an academic topic of the student’s choice
- Choosing appropriate UK universities and courses
- The Oxbridge entry procedure
- Visiting Oxford, Cambridge and selected London universities
- Personal Statement guidance sessions for those considering applying to UK universities through the UCAS system in the autumn OR taking part in the school’s weekly general and UNESCO debates
- Public Speaking skills
- Creating a video CV
EARLSCLIFFE EASTER
- Ages: 8 – 17 years
- Level of English: Beginner/A0 to Advanced/C1
- Length of course: 1 – 2 weeks
- Hours per week: 16
- Class size: Maximum 12
- Excursions: Minimum 3 per week
- Extra options: 4 hours of English tuition in small groups or one-to-one
General English plus multi-activities
The Earlscliffe Easter course offers morning classes focused on the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening, and afternoon sessions that are more interactive project lessons involving drama, music, film, arts and crafts, and even debate for the more advanced learners. Given the unpredictable weather at this time of year, this program offers more trips and indoor sports than the summer programs. The traditional Easter special offer guarantees a great value for money.
From our clients
I have been using the services that Ms. Marshall’s agency provides over the course of many years for my four children, and I have always found very rapid responses to questions, and schools and language programs that are very good. I sent two of my children to the Sussex Summer Schools (now known as Earlscliffe) in two different years. Ms. Marshall was been very present during the period that the children were abroad, and resolved problems that were logistically difficult.”
—Angela Beatrice S., Rome”
Do you have a positive experience to share? Write to Rachel.
All students live in Earlscliffe residences, which are all staff-supervised. There are four residences located within a few minutes’ walking distance to the main building and the School House classrooms. The main building of each of the boarding houses has a student common room with comfortable sofas, Sky TV, game consoles and various indoor sporting facilities such as pool, snooker, table tennis and air hockey. Tea and coffee making facilities are provided throughout the day. Girls and boys live in separate accommodation areas. All residences have modern facilities and most bedrooms are spacious twin rooms or triple rooms with an ensuite WC and shower. All rooms are Wi-Fi connected.
Meals
Meals are taken in the college dining room, prepared by an onsite chef, and are varied and international. Any special dietary needs can be accommodated. Packed meals are provided to students for day trips. Breakfast, lunch and supper in the dining room are included. Morning and afternoon snacks are served at break times.
Laundry
Student laundry is done once a week.
Dates and Fees
The weekly course fee includes:
• Course Tuition
• Accommodation and all meals
• General sports, activities and events
• Excursions except to The Lion King and Harry Potter Studio
• Wi-Fi connectivity
• Weekly laundry service
• Return transfers on scheduled days and times
• Earlscliffe water bottle and T-shirt
• Insurance
Sibling discount: First child full price, any other children 5% off standard fees
NB: Summer programs can be combined to form a longer study period
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