12 – 14 year olds, girls and boys (English level: B1/Intermediate to Advanced)
GCSE Explorers Summer Courses are designed for students who want to prepare for GCSE studies or revise for their GCSEs or a pre-IB programme. The comprehensive approach serves as excellent preparation for GCSE, Middle Years Programme (MYP) or equivalent. It’s ideal for international students who want to taste the variety of subjects offered in the British education system.
Students will study 30 hours a week including four 75-minute lessons Monday-Friday with lectures, workshops, assemblies, educational visits and tutor time. The course is based on the curriculum of the IGCSE/GCSE programme, covering and integrating a spectrum of subjects: English, Applied Mathematics, Sciences, Social Studies, Humanities and Art. Students are assessed on academic performance and attitude towards learning in lessons and this assessment is documented in the student’s weekly report.
The programme also includes 20-hour of Be a Leader programme spreading across the 2-week course. This is a CPD accredited qualification to help students develop critical thinking, communication, negotiation, problem-solving and presentation skills. Students will engage in team projects that link to the afternoon trips and elective activities. At the end of the programme, students will present their project for the rest of the camp to enjoy.
GCSE Explorers Summer Courses fully integrate English language learning and academic subject study through European ground-breaking teaching method – Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), an approach for learning content through a foreign language (English), thus teaching both the subject and the language. Taught by qualified subject teachers and is supported by EFL (English as a Foreign Language), the lessons integrate theory and practice, combining classroom instructions and practical workshops and experiments in the laboratories. Students will be introduced to the principles of Theory of Knowledge, and are encouraged to think like Mathematicians, Linguists, Economists, Historians and Scientists and develop a love for their subjects. They will also develop IT skills, research and study skills, language skills, and learn how to deliver effective presentations, laying good foundations for successful future learning.
In the afternoons and during the weekends students will enjoy a full structured social and leisure programme, cultural visits and trips to complement the academic programme, and to encourage social interaction in English.
Course essentials:
GCSE Explorers Summer Courses consist of a well-balanced programme of academic tuitions, activities, sports and excursions. The weekly programme includes:
- 30 hours of GCSE academic tuition per week (27 hours in London)
- 20 hours of Be a Leader programme (CPD accredited)
- Lectures, workshops, laboratory experiments, educational visits and Personal Best tutor time
- Afternoon, evening and weekend sports and social programme
- 2 full days and 1 half-day trips and excursions per week
- Maximum class size of 15 students (typically 12 students per class)
- Insurance
- London Heathrow airport transfers (between 09:00 and 17:00 on arrival and departure days)
Tutorial Subjects:
The curriculum of GCSE Explorers Summer Courses encompasses a diverse range of subjects, including:
- English
- Applied Maths
- Sciences
- Social Studies
- The Arts
Lessons are cross-curricular centred around a captivating weekly theme, and are taught by inspiring subject teachers. The followings are sample themes of a weekly course programme.
Activities and Excursions:
British Education encourages students to be involved in artistic pursuits, sports and community service work in order to fostering students awareness and appreciation of life outside the academic arena. The social programme of the course is designed to incorporate aspects of the Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) strand of the IB Diploma.
- Creativity includes a wide range of arts activities. Students will be able to participate in digital media, textiles, drama, bracelet making, cooking, model making, art competitions, circus skills, quizzes and photography.
- Action includes participation in individual and team sports, including football, cricket, volleyball, basketball, badminton, tennis, paint-balling, archery, fencing, swimming, hiking, orienteering, canoeing, water zorbing, sports competition, driving, survival skills and abseiling.
- Service encompasses community and social service activities. Students could be involved in helping to organise fun charity events to raise money. For these events students worked as a team and developed leadership and organisational skills.
In addition, excursions are a vital part of the summer experience for international students to gain a cultural understanding of the UK alongside academic study. Students will have 2 fully day and 1 half day excursion each week to experience the rich cultural heritage of Britain. The followings are structured four-week leisure programmes including sports, evening activities and weekend trips.
The sample timetables below include a typical weekly programme and a typical day of GCSE Explorers Summer Courses:
Boarding:
Students stay in Sidcot School boarding houses with single and double rooms. Girls and boys are accommodated in separate boarding houses which are close to both the classrooms and dining room. A team of friendly staff will stay with the students to look after them in the evenings and is on duty throughout the night. The Sidcot School nurse is also on call twenty-four hours a day.
Meals:
Well balanced, nutritious three cooked meals a day are provided in the college refectory. Packed lunches are provided for excursions.Facilities:
Sidcot has an inspirational environment with fantastic facilities spread over 160 acres of rolling Mendip Hills. Excellent sports facilities including a swimming pool, good IT facilities and wireless access throughout the campus, a library, a new creative arts block with extensive drama, art and music facilities. There are students’ lounges, kitchens and laundry facilities in the accommodation.
Laundry:
Laundry is done once a week. All bed linen is provided and is laundered once a week. Towels are not provided.Established in 1699, Sidcot School is a lively and popular independent boarding and day school where students work hard and achieve excellent results. The school is a non-selective all-through school for boys and girls aged 3 – 18.
The School is situated in the heart of glorious Somerset, the south-west of England, surrounded by some stunning countryside. Sidcot benefits from being situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty whilst being within easy access of the two major cultural centres or Bristol and Bath. The coast at Weston-super-Mare is 8 miles away, and it is only two hours from London.
Sidcot’s beautiful 160-acre countryside campus is home to over 500 students, including around 160 international students from 30 countries worldwide. Sidcot encourages children to make a difference in the world through teaching them to live their lives adventurously, to question and to take action. They celebrate individuality, creativity, and challenge students to think with greater depth to reach a better understanding of themselves and the world they live in. Students are encouraged to be outward looking and adventurous, to participate fully in the life of the school and to be of service to the community. The focus is put on finding the best in everyone.
Sidcot School is one of seven Quaker schools in England. With the belief that there is ‘that of God’ in every person, the Quaker philosophy to education aims to ensure that:
- Every learner is approached with optimism
- Individuals are encouraged to believe in their own ‘immense potential’
- Learning happens most creatively when relationships are based on mutual respect
- Methods of discipline are based on trust, mutual support and a desire to promote the positive
- Responsibility is encouraged, as is questioning, exploration, honesty and openness.
Sidcot School is always pride of offering a range of extra-curricular activities with excitement, diversity, challenge and rigour within a safe and supportive framework. ‘PASS’ (Programme of Activities for Sidcot School) is a very special co-curricular initiative based on key values of integrity, stewardship, self-reflection, adventure and community. A range of exciting activities are embedded at the heart of the curriculum and are focused on bringing these values to life. Every Year Group will be involved in a unique and tailored range of activities every Wednesday afternoon throughout the year.
As well as offering an education based on Quaker values, Sidcot is one of only a few schools in the UK to offer a choice of three pathways at sixth form (A Levels, IB and BTEC). Sidcot students perform well in both GCSE and IB exams, and the level of academic excellence is all the more impressive as this is a non-selective school with students of all strengths and abilities. Typically, over half of its students go to Russell Group universities, and nearly 94% students received offers from their preferred choice of university.
- 2022 GCSE results: 39.4% of grades were A*-A and 92% were A*-C.
- 2022 IB results: Average score of 35.2 points and 100% pass rate.
- 2022 A Level results: 38.5% achieved A*-A and 76.7% A*-C grades.
- 2022 BTEC: 100% pass rate. 100% Distinction and above (BTEC Sport), and 67% Distinction and above (BTEC Business).
The pastoral care, gentle approach to learning and determination to ensure inclusivity make this a kind and accepting community where opportunities are broad and curious exploration of each wholeheartedly encouraged. This is a school where learning is fun not forced, persuasive not pressured, ‘absolutely not a hothouse,’ glowed parents. – The Good School Guide Review
