Headington Oxford Summer School
Ages 13-16
Our Headington Summer School is hosted at a leading independent school located in Oxford, ideal for students aged 13-16. The programme offers teenage students a great combination of academic courses and English language learning, cultural excursions and activities, which will provide them with a truly memorable summer experience.
Connect and grow this summer by taking advantage of all that Headington has to offer.
Discover how you can find your spark at this fantastic school.
Discover more about what a typical two-week course at Headington Summer School looks like for our students. Please note our sample timetable is given as an example and can be subject to change.
Headington Summer School provides students with an idyllic setting in which to study and meet other students from around the world. It is a great opportunity to enhance their English language learning and immerse themselves into the cultural excursions and social activities.
Located in a picturesque suburb and spanning 23 acres, Headington is a 30-minute walk from the centre of Oxford, making it conveniently accessible to the city’s historic beauty.
Headington’s facilities accommodate a wide range of skills and interests including a sports hall, theatre, dance studio and new purpose-built art students. Students will be able to take advantage of these during the social programme whether they wish to challenge Headington’s famous alumni Emma Watson on stage or compete against new friends while using the school’s extensive sports facilities.
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At Headington Summer School, our student experience goes beyond classroom learning and offers an action-packed social programme led and designed by our enthusiastic activity leaders. Encouraging students to get stuck in and participate in a variety of engaging activities and excursions which will help students build confidence and form lasting friendships.
At Headington Summer School, students can fully immerse themselves in a wide range of fun activities. We aim to facilitate the physical and mental well-being of all our students, by providing a whole host of activities that allow students to explore their extracurricular passions and interests.
On Tuesdays, students can take part in the cultural programme which has previously featured activities such as Oxford Walking Tours, Punting on the River Thames, and visits to local attractions such as the Ashmolean Museum.
In addition, there will also be several whole school events, such as tournaments, quizzes, zorbing and discos. This helps develop key teamwork and communication skills whilst, most importantly, having fun! This part of the experience ensures students socialise with peers outside their subject and language groups and builds a sense of community within our schools.
During a two-week course, students will go on three enjoyable excursions to famous UK cities and popular tourist destinations, providing the opportunity to see some of the UK’s most famous attractions and landmarks.
To ensure that our students get to make the most from their trip, our dedicated team of staff accompany the students and provide a full itinerary for the day.
During previous years, all students previously visited London, but to broaden our students’ cultural horizons even further, our excursions frequently include visits to other famous British locations such as Bath and Bristol. This year’s trip to Bristol included the Bristol Graffiti Experience, where the students learnt about the world’s most famous graffiti artist.
Students have also visited the famous coastal city of Brighton! Here they saw panoramic views across Brighton in the spectacular i360 observation tower, and had the chance to explore the wonderful city with friends in their spare time.
In each location, with parental consent, students will have the opportunity to explore independently in small groups during their excursion free time.
Because we encourage experiential learning, SBC goes above and beyond the curriculum. Our students are challenged to use and exhibit new skills in a supportive and encouraging setting.
At SBC, we take full advantage of how we can differentiate ourselves from more formal teaching settings and cultivate a relaxed atmosphere. With more dynamic lesson structures, our students have an even greater opportunity to demonstrate their individuality and to enhance their soft skills.
By creating fresh possibilities for important skills like critical thinking, leadership, communication and teamwork, we bring theory into practice.
Each of our students are empowered to think independently and critically while working together with others to find solutions, under the careful guidance of our excellent teachers.
A highlight of the students’ week is our famous Time to Shine projects. Here, students work in teams to develop a special presentation throughout the week, which is then presented to the class. Outstanding presentations will be given in front of the whole school during a special Time to Shine event.
Confidence, public speaking skills and teamwork are just a few of the qualities that are developed during this special project. By placing student autonomy at the heart of our academic programme, students deliver their own ideas, solutions to problems and outlook on the world.
The English Plus Programme enables our students to try new activities and classes or to develop existing interests and skills. English Plus courses are optional, and each student can select one English Plus course each week, at an additional cost. Where selected, English Plus replaces the Multi-Activity Programme for two afternoons each week.
Information on our English plus options is coming soon.
Honestly, Headington was the best thing that happened to me this year, I met so many different people with different cultures. All the stuff members were amazing and so nice and supportive , I felt safe and at home here and I’m so sad to be leaving but hopefully I will be back next year
The safety and well-being of students is our number one priority. We have a comprehensive Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and procedures in place to which all employees, volunteers, visitors, and contractors are obligated to adhere to.
All staff are given the tools, through their extensive training, to guarantee that all students feel safe, secure, valued and respected whilst studying with SBC. Students are accommodated in secure and comfortable boarding houses with each house managed by a dedicated House Parent alongside a team of residential staff. Our staff teams are always available to provide high-quality pastoral support and remain on call 24 hours per day.
During some offsite activities, students aged 12 and over are permitted ‘free-time’ where they can independently explore a designated area in groups of at least three, for a set amount of time. Students must have consent from their parents/guardian to be allowed unsupervised free-time.
All students will be given an SBC Gold Card which they must carry with them when offsite. Gold Cards have details of the emergency number to call in the event of a student becoming separated from their group.
Student voice also features heavily in our students’ experience and we empower our students to shape their own experience by championing that voice. SBC is committed to our response to student feedback and welcomes student-led initiatives which help us to continue to provide excellent services.
At Headington summer school, there are five boarding houses with separate houses for boys and girls. Accommodation is mostly made up of single and twin rooms, and some small dorms. Students have access to shared bathrooms which are cleaned every day and common room areas for rest and relaxation. Rooms have a desk and small wardrobe for hanging clothes.
| Start Date | End Date | Duration | General English Price | Future Doctors, Future Engineers, Future Business Leaders & Future Global Leaders Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 15th July 2024 | Monday 29th July 2024 | 2 Weeks | £3,700 | £4,200 |
| Monday 15th July 2024 | Monday 5th August 2024 | 3 Weeks | £5,500 | - |
| Monday 15th July 2024 | Monday 12th August 2024 | 4 Weeks | £7,400 | - |
| Monday 29th July 2024 | Monday 12th August 2024 | 2 Weeks | £3,700 | £4,200 |
| Monday 29th July 2024 | Monday 19th August 2024 | 3 Weeks | £5,500 | - |
| Monday 5th August 2024 | Monday 19th August 2024 | 2 Weeks | £3,700 | - |
Headington Oxford Summer School includes:
Also available at a supplementary cost are additional academic options, the English Plus+ activity programme and Airport Transfers.
See our campus sample timetable here.
*Earlscliffe fee includes return transfers to/from London Heathrow and London Gatwick for flights/trains scheduled to arrive/depart between 9am-3pm on published arrival and departure day.
For other locations, we provide all our students with the option of using our Shared Transfer Service from/to London Heathrow Airport and St. Pancras International. The fees are:
| Campus | Single (one-way) | Return |
|---|---|---|
| SBC at Twyford School | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| SBC Canford | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| Headington | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| Eton | £85.00 | £160.00 |
| Oxford College | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| Cambridge College | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| Earlscliffe | Included in fees* | Included in fees* |
When a student arrives, an SBC staff member wearing a bright yellow t-shirt will be waiting to greet her/him and accompany them to our Welcome Club. At our Airport Welcome Club, she/he will have the chance to meet other students arriving, have some light refreshments and relax. After a little rest, students will be accompanied by students and SBC staff to board the coach and be taken directly to the school in a private coach.
The Shared Transfer Service can be used by students using the following flight and train times:
Flight lands on arrival day: 06:00-17:00
Flight take-off time on departure day: 08:00-18:00
The times outlined above also apply to students arriving and departing from Kings Cross St. Pancras train station.
If you book a flight outside of these times or to/from another UK airport, we can look at sending a staff member in a taxi to collect or drop off your child, but it will cost more than the Shared Transfer Service. Quotes are available upon request.
If you book a train or flight outside of these times or from another London airport, please contact your Admissions Manager for a private taxi quote. Please note this will cost more than our Shared Transfer Service from Heathrow, Kings Cross St. Pancras (& Gatwick for Earlscliffe students)
Important:
Flights must be booked on the arrival and departure dates so that all students can arrive and depart the course at the correct times.
In order to submit your booking for Headington Oxford, click on the ‘make a booking’ tab in the right-hand corner of our home page and fill out our ‘Make a Booking’ form.
Your dedicated Admissions Manager will then contact you via your preferred method of contact to confirm any outstanding details. This will be the perfect opportunity to ask any questions before a deposit is paid. Once your details are confirmed, you will be sent a booking confirmation email, which serves as formal confirmation of your child’s place.
Your admissions manager sends a booking confirmation containing an invoice and the flywire payment link.
The fee includes all accommodation, meals*, lessons, academic materials, general sports, social activities and events, all standard excursions including admission costs, Wi-Fi, weekly laundry services, graduation certificate, academic progress report and travel insurance. Airport transfers from/to London Heathrow Airport on Start/End Dates start from £130 each way.
*We will endeavour to meet specific dietary requirements, e.g. vegetarian, vegan, Halal etc. Please let us know of any requirements at the time of booking.
Each academic course has a minimum duration of two weeks, however if you would like to enrol onto a second course you would be able to do so after the completion of the first course.
Students at Headington Summer School will live and study on the school’s beautiful 23 acre campus. Headington is just under two miles from Oxford city centre close enough to conveniently visit the historic splendour of the city, and far enough to keep the busy summer crowds at bay.
If Headington’s 23 acres of facilities and playing fields weren’t enough, the school is also close to the leafy surroundings of one of Oxford’s award-winning parks, which we make the very most of as part of our exciting activities program.
At Headington School, our students will benefit from all that the wonderful city of Oxford has to offer.
At Headington there are five boarding houses, providing accommodation for up to 190 students. Boarding at Headington is fun and friendly and students benefit hugely from the facilities, support, and friendships they form in the boarding houses. All the houses provide comfortable single, twin or small-dorm bedrooms with shared bathroom facilities and common rooms.
You have a right to cancel your booking within 14 days from the date of the Confirmation (the “Cancellation Period”) without giving any reason.
All cancellations must be made in writing and take effect from the date we receive such notice. Where a cancellation is made more than 30 days prior to the Arrival Date, there will be a refund of all Course Fees paid, minus the Deposit.
The quickest and easiest way to find out whether you need a Visa is to check via this link here.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa. This applies now, after Brexit.
For those that do require a Visa, the application that you will need to apply for is the Standard Visitor Visa.
It is important to note that, depending on the country, applications can take around 20 working days (or 3-4 weeks) to process. You are advised to begin the application process as early as possible. Once the Visa is obtained, we will need to receive a scanned copy of the student’s passport and the Visa by email. SBC International reserves the right to cancel a booking, if a copy of the Visa has not been received 4 weeks before the course arrival date.
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact your local embassy who should be able to offer you the correct support and guidance.
Yes, if you would like to make any amendments to your booking then you can do so by contacting your Admissions Manager. All amendments are subject to availability.
At the end of the programme, all students receive a certificate of attendance from the Director of Studies during their end of course celebration ceremony.
We provide students with an online test to complete prior to arriving at Headington Summer School. We will use the results to confirm their suitability for the course. In the case that a student does not meet the required level on the test, we will conduct an academic consultation to assess the next best step.
We have an extremely high ratio of staff to students throughout the summer. At each Campus, we have a Welfare Manager, who oversees the welfare and safety of the students and would deal with any pastoral issues. We also have several House Parents, who are responsible for the day-to-day care of the students and are the first point of contact if any student felt as though they were upset in any way. Alongside these members of staff, all employees are trained before the summer in Safeguarding and many of the staff are trained in giving First Aid. There will also be a dedicated Admissions Manager for each Campus, who will be the main point of contact for families with any issues or concerns.
Our friendly and supportive staff team are available 24 hours per day to support students. We pride ourselves on offering the best possible care to students, and achieved British Council area of strength in ‘care of students’ and ‘safeguarding under 18s’.
To begin the summer of a lifetime simply fill out our enquiry form below and a member of our expert admissions team will be in touch.
