Residential Summer Language School 2024

‘Where Learning Meets Adventure’

LANGUAGE COURSE

AGES: 7 to 13 years

DATES: 8th to 26th July 2024

COURSE PRICE: £1695 per week, excluding Masterclasses and airport transfers. A reduced price of £4250 will be charged for the full three week programme. The minimum booking is for two weeks, although one week bookings will be considered in Week 3. ‘Early bird’ discounts are available for any bookings made before 8th March 2024.

The residential programme will offer English language classes in the mornings, with a wide range of activities, sports and cultural visits in the afternoons, alongside Orwell Park children from the local area. All levels of English are welcome, from beginners to fluent speakers. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Headmaster’s Welcome

A very warm welcome to Orwell Park School. My wife, Milly, and I are very excited to welcome you to our beautiful school for a very distinctive Residential Summer Language School experience.

Orwell Park is one of the UK’s leading coeducational boarding prep schools and we have a long, proud history of preparing our students to go onto the top senior boarding schools in the country, including Benenden, Eton, Harrow, Marlborough, Oundle, Radley, Uppingham, Wellington, Winchester and Wycombe Abbey, often with scholarships and exhibitions.

Founded in 1868, Orwell Park is renowned for its magical setting in 110 acres of parkland on the banks of the Orwell Estuary in East Suffolk and we feel incredibly lucky to be able to live and work in such inspiring surroundings. At Orwell Park, we strive to provide an exceptional education that combines the legacy and traditions of the past with the vibrancy of the present and the future.

The Orwell Park Residential Summer Language School will be led and run by Orwell Park teaching and boarding staff. Milly and I live on site and will both play an active role in the 2024 Summer School. I am delighted to have Mr Alex Brunt as our Summer School Course Director; Alex is a senior and very highly respected teacher at Orwell Park, whose dedication, organisational skills and strong rapport with children and parents make him the ideal person for this important role. Under Alex’s leadership, the Summer School will be ambitious, fun and

meticulously planned – but most importantly, it will be an incredible opportunity and a hugely memorable experience for your child.

As a prep school which accommodates a significant number of full boarders during term time, including a diverse mix of international students from across the world, Orwell Park is ideally setup for this Residential Summer School programme. The students will be accommodated in our wonderful dormitories and be able to enjoy the large common room spaces, extensive facilities and stunning views. The English as an Additional Language (EAL) lessons will ensure that all students, regardless of their ability level, make rapid progress in their language learning. A number of our local Orwell Park pupils will also be attending the activities, Masterclasses and excursions on the Summer School, meaning that your child will be conversing, playing and collaborating with native English speakers when they are not in their EAL morning lessons.

Our aim is that the Orwell Park Residential Summer Language School will provide a fully immersive and transformational educational opportunity and an authentic taste of what life at Orwell is like during term time.

I very much look forward to welcoming your daughter or son to Orwell Park this summer.

Guy Musson Headmaster

Welcome to the Orwell Park

Residential Summer Language School, from the Course Director

Orwell Park is unique in so many ways. Located on a large, secure campus in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with its herd of deer seen roaming the grounds every morning and evening, the setting certainly stands us apart. However, at its heart is the first class education and sense of adventure which is embraced and enjoyed by all those who come through the gates of one of England’s most historic independent boarding prep schools.

The Orwell Park Summer Language School will aim to provide an unrivalled level of learning for all of its students, with a fully comprehensive programme of differentiated English lessons being offered alongside a wide range of Masterclasses, plus exciting trips and activities. The enriching programme that we have put together focuses on providing children with the chance to grow and develop through a number of physical, cultural and creative opportunities.

We feel very fortunate to be able to offer the students a wide range of outstanding facilities, including 5 tennis courts, 2 outdoor all weather sports surfaces, an observatory with a functioning Victorian telescope, a beautiful outdoor swimming pool, a 9-hole golf course, ‘footgolf’, a large sports hall, 3 squash courts, a military assault course, a Design Technology workshop, an Art studio, Performing Arts in our historic Orangery, science laboratories, high ropes and bushcraft facilities in our woodland Forest School. All of this means that our Summer School can offer an incredible number of different on site activities, in addition to exciting excursions to Cambridge, London and a full official Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour.

Located only an hour by train from London Liverpool Street and an hour from London Stansted airport, Orwell Park is easily accessible for students from all over the world. I feel lucky to have taught here for 18 years and have every confidence that Orwell Park’s Summer Language School 2024 will be one to remember; we can’t wait for the adventure to begin! A.Brunt

Alex Brunt Course Director

“The Orwell Park Summer Language School will aim to provide an unrivalled level of learning for all of its students”

Course Overview

The structure of the Orwell Park Summer School is designed to give all overseas students the perfect blend of education, new opportunities, adventure, friendship and fun. The children will benefit from 3 hours of intensive English as an Additional Language (EAL) lessons in the mornings, followed by an exciting afternoon programme of Activities and Masterclasses. Each week there will also be full day and half day Excursions to wonderful cities (Cambridge and London), beaches (Frinton and Felixstowe), aqua parks (Curve at St Osyth) and leading national attractions,

such as the world famous official Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour. During the Activities, Masterclasses and Excursions, the residential group will integrate fully with local Orwell Park children, giving them the ideal opportunity to further practise their English in a relaxed, enjoyable and collaborative environment. There will be further fun through our programme of structured activities each evening, such as toasting marshmallows over the campfire in our beautiful woodlands, which will aim to bring the Summer School community together.

Whilst every effort will be made to stick to the advertised schedule, external factors such as weather and travel restrictions might result in plans needing to be adapted nearer the time. We therefore reserve the right to provide suitable alternatives.

*FULL DAY EXCURSIONS

Week 1Cambridge

Week 2Harry Potter Studio Tour

Week 3: London

English Lessons English Lessons

Break Break English Lessons English Lessons Break Break

Final Assembly: Presentation of Certificates and Prizes

English Lessons English Lessons Departure Lunch Lunch

Masterclasses/ Activities

Grub

Masterclasses/ Activities Supper

*HALF DAY EXCURSIONS

Week 1St Osyth

Week 2Frinton

Week 3Felixstowe

Capture the Flag Film Night Disco Boarding House Boarding House Boarding House

*The days of the excursions will vary each week.

English as an Additional Language (EAL) Programme

The Orwell Park Summer Language School aims to combine specialist, intensive EAL teaching with an immersive and authentic English boarding experience. The core academic element of the language programme will be led and run by our own Orwell Park teaching staff, including our experienced and dedicated Head of EAL, Mrs Isabel Garbett. Our in-house EAL specialists will be supplemented by an external team of carefully recruited EAL/TEFL/ TESOL teachers, who are joining us for the three week programme.

All EAL students will follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), with full-time pupils at the School working their way through the Cambridge English exams by CEFR level. All levels are welcome at the Summer School, from beginners to fluent speakers, with students being grouped by their ability and experience after an initial assessment, to ensure a bespoke and individualised approach that sees them work at the level and pace that is most suitable.

The EAL programme will focus on the four key areas of language development: listening, speaking, reading and writing, with a wide range of techniques, resources and activities embedded into the programme. Small class sizes, individualised learning programmes and experienced teaching will ensure that your daughter or son will make rapid progress each week that they spend at the Orwell Park Summer Language School. There will be three hours of lessons each morning and the programme will also include sessions on British culture through a topic-based approach. The students will be supported in preparing presentations and developing their debating skills.

SUMMARY / KEY INFORMATION

• Small class sizes of no more than 12 children

• Students will be grouped based on their ability/experience

• All abilities welcome, from beginners to fluent speakers

• 3 hours of lessons in the mornings (see Course Programme)

Main Activity Programme

An incredible range of on-site activities are included in the weekly course fee, taking full advantage of Orwell Park’s stunning 110 acre campus and excellent facilities. The activity programme will include:

• Arts and crafts in our large Art Studio

• Assault course installed by a British Army regiment

• Bushcraft in our extensive woodlands and outdoor Forest School classroom

• Crate Stack in our high ropes team building area

• Golf and Footgolf on our beautiful 9-hole golf course

• Multi-sports (including Cricket, Badminton, Basketball, Squash and Football) in our Sports Hall, Squash Courts, Astroturf and extensive outdoor pitches

• Swimming in our magnificent outdoor pool, accessed via the Wysteria Walk

• And much, much more…!

Masterclasses

We have put together an exciting additional offering of four Masterclasses for the students to choose from. The Masterclasses are all led by professional coaches, teachers or instructors and give your daughter or son the opportunity to specialise in their afternoons at the Orwell Park Summer School. All Masterclasses are optional and are subject to an additional charge of £150 per child per week. All levels of ability and experience are welcome to sign up for a Masterclass. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so book early to avoid disappointment.

SAILING

£150 per week

In partnership with the East Anglian Sea School at our neighbouring Levington Marina, specialist instructors will take your child out on the safety boat (RIB) to the floating pontoon located on the River Orwell. With the instructor, your daughter or son will learn the ropes on board one of the training Wayfarers. The Hartley Wayfarer dinghies are perfect for teaching small groups and allow less experienced students to learn safely.

• 2 x 2-hour sessions per week

• All equipment, including life jackets, will be provided

• Can be combined with shooting (optional)

Masterclasses

SHOOTING

£150 per week

We have our own clay pigeon shooting range on site, with two traps. Our Shooting Masterclass is run by British Association for Shooting and Conservation accredited instructor Mr Simon Clarke, who runs our regular term time sessions at Orwell Park. As well as offering further practice of following instructions carefully in English, clay pigeon shooting will develop a range of skills including self-discipline and control, co-ordination, patience, and self-awareness.

• 2 x 2-hour sessions per week

• Clays, 20 bore shotguns, traps, cartridges and ear defenders all provided

• Can be combined with sailing (optional)

• Minimum age for Shooting Masterclass is 8 years old

PERFORMING ARTS

£150 per week

Led by a team of music and drama professionals, your child will have the chance to put their English skills to the test by taking part in a fun but intensive series of Performing Arts sessions, culminating in a performance at the end of the week. Orwell Park has a proud history and strong reputation in the Performing Arts and the Summer School series of Masterclasses will be coordinated by our very own Head of Drama, Mr Darren Boddice, with all sessions and the final performance taking place in our historic Orangery.

• 4 x 2-hour sessions per week

• All equipment provided, including costumes and props

• Can be combined with tennis (optional)

Masterclasses

TENNIS

£150 per week

With 5 tennis courts on site and a team of professional coaches working at Orwell Park throughout the year, we have the ideal setup to offer sessions in this hugely popular sport. The expert team of coaches will be led by Mr Lee Tweed, LTA Level 4 Senior Performance Coach from Ipswich Sports Club; Lee works with all abilities, from beginners to national level players. All aspects of the game will be developed in these Masterclasses, with fun games and match play being enjoyed alongside the coaching drills and sessions.

• 3 x 2-hour sessions per week

• Balls and racquets and are provided, but students can bring their own racquet if they wish

• Can be combined with performing arts (optional)

If you wish to combine two Masterclasses in the same week, Shooting can be combined with Sailing, whilst Performing Arts can be combined with Tennis. The total cost for either Masterclass combination is £300. You can select different Masterclasses in different weeks.

Evening Activities

Evening Activities are included for all and a range of fun options will be on offer including toasting marshmallows over the campfire, wide games such as ‘capture the flag’, quiz nights, movie nights, swimming in the heated outdoor pool (it doesn’t get dark until around 9pm in the UK in July), disco and karaoke nights. These activities will not only bring everyone in the Summer School together in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, but also again offer the students plenty of opportunities to practise and develop their English language skills.

“… staying in such a wonderful building will help make the Orwell Park Summer School a truly memorable experience for the students”

Home from Home

Our recently refurbished boarding house will accommodate all students at the Residential Summer School in Orwell Park’s historic 18th century mansion, with boys and girls on separate floors. All rooms are light and bright, with high ceilings, modern comfy beds and stunning views across parkland and the Orwell Estuary. Each dorm has between 4 and 10 beds, with the vast majority accommodating either 6 or 8 children of similar ages. Experienced, senior Orwell Park boarding staff will ensure that your child is well looked after and we are confident that the boarding house will quickly feel like home. All staff are first aid trained and additional medical cover is available as required.

We have two cosy Common Rooms for board games, chess, television and downtime, as well as a Games Room and an extensive Library. Downstairs in the main Dining Hall, the students will enjoy three nutritious meals every day, freshly prepared by Orwell Park’s outstanding team of chefs and catering staff. The food at Orwell is incredibly popular and, whilst we will always encourage the children to try new food types as part of the cultural experience, all diets, allergies and tastes will be catered for at the Summer School.

We firmly believe that staying in such a wonderful building will help make the Orwell Park Summer School a truly memorable experience for the students.

Full Day Excursions

Each week, students at the Summer School will enjoy two trips – one for a full day and one for the afternoon, after morning lessons. We have put together an exciting range of venues, which will allow the children to get a taste of British culture, history and summer fun.

WEEK 1: CAMBRIDGE

Orwell Park is situated just over an hour from the beautiful world famous university city of Cambridge. The trip will include opportunities to go punting on the River Cam, visit historic colleges and museums, whilst appreciating the magnificent architecture and even finding time for some souvenir shopping. This is always a very popular trip to one of the most quintessentially British cities.

WEEK 2: HARRY POTTER

A full day visit for an official tour of the Warner Bros. Studios (The Making of Harry Potter) is an absolute must for any overseas visitor to the UK. JK Rowling’s world famous series of books and movies and much loved characters make this a real feature of the Orwell Park Summer School. The day will include a guided tour of the studios as well as a ‘Green Screen Experience’. This is not one to be missed, so we have placed it in the middle week of the Summer School, so all children who are on 2 week bookings will be able to attend.

WEEK 3: LONDON

No trip to the UK would feel complete without an excursion to one of the most popular capital cities on the planet. The most famous landmarks will be visited, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye, ensuring a rich cultural experience. There will be some further time for souvenir shopping and this full day trip is always a thrilling highlight of the summer.

Half Day Excursions

Curve’s Aqua Park is a massive inflatable obstacle course on the picturesque lake in St Osyth, Essex. The course includes slides, trampolines, balance beams, and much more! There are also options to go kayaking on the lake, or to relax and watch all of the fun unfolding.

Frinton is one of the most popular beaches on the East coast of England, with it’s colourful beach huts and long esplanade. It’s wide expanses of sand at low tide offer the perfect spot for a variety of beach games, with an ice cream providing the very essence of a British summer experience.

We are lucky at Orwell Park to be only a 15 minute drive from the popular Felixstowe beach. In addition to all of the usual seaside fun and attractions, there is a large games arcade on Felixstowe Pier and some of the finest fish and chips in the land!

WEEK 1: CURVE AQUA PARK AT ST OSYTH

WEEK 2: FRINTON-ON-SEA

WEEK 3: FELIXSTOWE

Safeguarding and Wellbeing

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Wellbeing, or as we prefer to call it, Or-wellbeing, is the foundation of the Orwell Park Summer School. As a full boarding prep school, we understand the 7-13 age range particularly well and our boarding team are experienced in looking after children from across the world.

Despite all of the excitement of our Summer School, we fully understand that children can sometimes initially find it difficult being away from home. Our Safeguarding Policy, robust procedures and caring, well-trained and experienced staff team all ensure that children’s safety and wellbeing is our number one priority. We have a range of measures in place, including:

• Safer recruitment procedures – All staff who work at Orwell Park and on the Summer School have undergone extensive background checks, with positive references obtained and followed up on.

• Safeguarding training – All staff receive appropriate safeguarding training and report into our experienced senior safeguarding team.

• Supportive, approachable staff – Not only do we want the Summer School to be a lot of fun, but we want all students to feel safe and supported. All children will be encouraged to talk to our friendly, dedicated team of staff, who will respond in a caring manner if any children are feeling worried or concerned.

• Fair, clearly communicated discipline – Whilst we hope that all children will bring a positive attitude to our Summer School, we do have high expectations with regards to behaviour and will set out the boundaries as part of the introductory welcome on Day 1. This is in every child’s best interests to ensure a collaborative and happy Summer School community experience.

• Mobile phones – Summer School students may bring a mobile phone with them. All phones must be handed in on arrival and will be kept in a locked cupboard. Children will be allowed to make calls and send messages for a limited period each evening, or the occasional morning (depending on time zones), via the secure, filtered Orwell Park Pupil WiFi. Mobile phones are also allowed on some excursions.

• Security – Our campus and buildings are secure and we have a large team of resident staff on site. We are in a safe, rural location, which is an idyllic one for children to spend a few weeks of their summer in. All external and internal doors operate on a secure key fob system. A 24/7 night bell is also in place, so children can always access our team of resident staff.

Transfers

We offer a range of options to help with transfers, from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted airports, as well as London St Pancras International Train Station. Transfers from other airports and train stations can be arranged on request. A fast train service is available from London Liverpool Street to Manningtree or Ipswich, with pickups available from these stations at a reduced rate.

The ‘Standard Service’ offers collections on Day 1 of each week, with returns on Day 7. Your child will be met in the terminal building by a member of our team. We run a number of shuttle minibus services on each arrival and departure day, but children may wait up to 3 hours at the airport whilst we are waiting for other students to arrive. On departure day, a member of staff will also accompany your child to the check in desk.

Both ‘Premium’ options (single or shared) are as above, with the key difference being that the transfer will depart the airport as soon as the student has been collected (siblings or students travelling together can share the same Premium service). On departure day, the student will be returned to the airport check in desk 3 hours before the scheduled flight departure time.

Visas and Unaccompanied Minors

Students from the vast majority of countries will require a visitor visa. If you need any support or advice with regards to visas, please contact Orwell Park’s account manager at our Immigration Services partner, Newland Chase: Zabaid Hussain (zabaid.jhussain@newlandchase.com / +44 113 340 3122 Extension: 44582)

We are happy to assist with the arrival and departure of unaccompanied minors. The family must ensure that the service is booked with the airline and that all necessary paperwork is handed over to us.

All prices are one way, per student. Pick-ups and drop-offs are available between 8am and 7pm.

Summary and Key Details

Ages: 7-13

Full Summer School Dates: 8th – 26th July 2024

Week 1: Monday 8th – Sunday 14th July 2024

Week 2: Sunday 14th – Saturday 20th July 2024

Week 3: Saturday 20th – Friday 26th July 2024

(Each week is 7 days and 6 nights)

Course Price - £1695 per week

A reduced price of £4250 will be charged for the full three week programme.

‘Early bird’ discounts are available for any bookings made before 8th March 2024.

The minimum booking is for two weeks, although one week bookings will be considered in Week 3.

Course Price Includes:

• English lessons

• Excursions

• 3 meals per day plus snacks

• Accommodation

• Main activity programme

• Evening activities

• Some laundry, as required

Course Price Excludes:

• Course Masterclasses (£150 per Masterclass per week – see pages 13-15)

• Flights

• Airport transfers (see page 22)

• Spending money (for excursions)

Booking

To book your daughter or son a place on the 2024 Orwell Park Residential Summer Language School, please complete the online form on our website www.orwellpark.co.uk/summer-school or email summerschool@orwellpark.org.

We will then be in touch to confirm your booking and arrange for payment of the deposit. A deposit of £750 will secure your place, with the balance due 8 weeks before the student arrives.

Please book by 30th March 2024 as places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you require further information, please email summerschool@orwellpark.org or call us on +44 1473 653224 .