You enjoy learning about health, illness and how different systems in the body work.
Adventure Programmes
AGES 12–16
Future Doctors at Headington Oxford
Spend two weeks developing your English through medicine and healthcare. Explore the human body, health, clinical communication and medical decision-making through case studies, discussion and collaborative activities.
- No.1 UK multi-campus summer school
- British Council accredited
- 155 nationalities (since 2008)
At a glance
- Fees from
- £4,795 2-wk residential · Day Programme £3,495
- Ages
- 12–16 Adventure Programmes tier
- Start dates
- 12th & 26th July Two-week sessions, 2027
- Class size
- 15 max Students per class
- English level
- B1+ Intermediate and above
- Academic hours
- 15 hrs Lessons per week
- Location
- Oxford Headington School
What’s included: tuition, accommodation (residential option), meals, excursions, social programme, student report, certificate and student insurance.
Transfer service available for an additional fee.
Is this right for your child?
Explore medicine while developing your English
Future Doctors is a two-week English-language programme for students interested in medicine, health and the human body. Students encounter accessible themes from anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, healthcare and medical ethics while developing their English.
Through discussion, case studies, roleplay and collaborative activities, students build the language needed to describe symptoms, ask questions, explain health-related ideas and consider how information can inform medical decisions.
- Develop English through medicine, health and the human body
- Explore medical ideas through case studies, discussion and roleplay
- Build confidence communicating health-related information
What you'll study
Explore the language and ideas of medicine
Students encounter accessible medical and healthcare themes while practising the English needed to ask questions, explain ideas and discuss cases. The programme provides an introduction to medical topics rather than professional clinical training.
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Module 01
The Human Body
Explore selected body systems and develop the vocabulary needed to describe their structure and function, considering how different parts of the body work together.
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Module 02
Clinical Communication & Diagnosis
Use roleplay and accessible cases to consider how healthcare professionals gather information. Students practise asking questions, listening carefully and identifying information that may be relevant to a case.
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Module 03
Medicine, Ethics & Society
Discuss questions connected with healthcare, patient choice, public health and developments in medicine while practising how to express and support different viewpoints in English.
The signature experience
Explore a health question at Time to Shine
Students collaborate on a medicine- or health-themed project, bringing together information from across the programme and deciding how best to communicate it to an audience.
At Time to Shine, students present their project in English, practising how to explain medical or health-related ideas clearly and respond to questions from others.
- Collaborative project based on a health or medical theme
- Presentation practice that develops subject vocabulary and confidence
Is this programme for you?
Does this sound like you?
Students arrive with different interests, but many recognise themselves in at least one of these.
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You're fascinated by the human body.
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Medicine is something you'd like to explore.
You don’t need to have decided on a future career — you simply want to discover more about medical ideas and healthcare.
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You want to communicate more confidently in English.
You want to practise asking questions, explaining ideas and discussing health-related topics with other students.
Sound familiar? This course was built for you
Outcomes
What your child leaves with
Future Doctors combines English development with an accessible introduction to medicine and healthcare, helping students communicate more confidently about scientific and health-related topics.
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Certificate of Achievement
An SBC certificate recognising completion of the Future Doctors programme.
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Personalised Report
An individual end-of-course report reflecting participation and progress during the programme.
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Medical English
Practice using English to describe the body, health, symptoms and medical ideas.
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Case-Based Communication
Experience discussing accessible medical cases, asking questions and explaining possible interpretations.
Independently recognised
The UK's leading multi-campus summer school — inspected, ranked and reviewed to prove it.
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No.1
Ranked the UK’s number 1 multi-campus summer school provider
EL Gazette
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15 / 15
Areas of strength, including student welfare and safeguarding (2018 Inspection)
British Council
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Excellent
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot by families
SBC STAFF
Meet some of the SBC team
SBC staff support students throughout their summer — in lessons, activities and daily life. They help students settle in, grow in confidence and make the most of their time with us, in a safe and friendly environment.
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Natalia Mavromoustaki
MA Careers Guidance, BSc Psychology
As a tutor, Natalia teaches through discussion, activities and real examples. "It's rewarding to see someone grow in confidence or find a real passion. Summer schools let students learn outside the classroom, build confidence and meet new people."
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Cas Slater
Office Coordinator
As Office Coordinator, Cas handles arrivals, departures, excursions and daily site running. "Watching students go from shy and overwhelmed to leading group presentations is inspiring. They get to know themselves, make friends for life and really come out of their shells."
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Olivia Clark
Activity Leader · University of Warwick
As Activity Leader, Olivia runs the daily sports, arts and evening activities. She studies Theatre and Performance at Warwick. "Knowing I played a part in watching students have fun, learn and try new things is very rewarding. You will make friends from all over the world."
Beyond the classroom
Excursions & activities
Some of the fortnight’s most memorable hours happen away from the lab bench — on excursions that showcase the best of UK culture and attractions.
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Excursion
Thorpe Park, London and Oxford
Excursions designed to ignite adventure and curiosity, broaden horizons and create lasting memories.
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Social programme
Multi-activities and specialist events
Football, basketball, tennis, arts and crafts, disco, talent shows, karaoke, punting and many more!
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Time to Shine
Practise presenting like a doctor
Weekly showcases where ideas turn into performances, experiments or displays, building public-speaking confidence.
A day in the life
Always moving. Always learning.
Subject lessons and projects by day, a packed activity programme by afternoon and evening. Here’s how a typical day on Future Doctors at Headington runs — and how each one builds toward the Time to Shine Ceremony.
Roll over a moment in the timetable to see it — and what it’s really like.
Activities
- Arts & Crafts
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Board Games & Puzzles
- Circuit Training
- Creative Writing
- Cricket
- Film Festival
- Football
- Karaoke
- Murder Mystery
- Museums
- Photo Challenge
- Picnic in the Park
- Punting
- Rounders
- Silent Disco
- Taskmaster
- Trashion Show
- Volleyball
- Yoga
Excursions
A sample of what recent groups have done. Excursions vary by session.
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Oxford
Wander through the historic city of Oxford, home to the world-renowned university, stunning architecture, and centuries of academic tradition.
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London
See famous landmarks, visit world-class museums and cultural attractions, take epic photos, shop some big-name stores, and soak up London's unforgettable energy.
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Thorpe Park
Experience the thrills of Thorpe Park, one of the UK’s top theme parks, packed with exhilarating rides and unforgettable adventures.
Safeguarding & welfare
Safe days, settled nights
Sending your child abroad is a big decision. So we start with your child’s wellbeing, and build everything else — lessons, activities, boarding life — around it.
- 24/7 On-site pastoral support
- 1:6 staff-to-student ratio
- 100% DBS-checked, trained residential staff
- 15/15 British Council areas of strength met (based on 2018 inspection)
Accommodation & campus
Live and learn at Headington Oxford
Headington Oxford Summer School is a fast-paced summer built on learning by doing. Through project-based lessons, sports and creative activities, students build confidence, independence and skills like teamwork and problem-solving — with the historic city of Oxford all around them, part of the experience itself.
Everything is on one campus: an indoor swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, dance studio and theatre, plus five comfortable boarding houses with separate accommodation for boys and girls, mostly in single and twin rooms, and staff available for pastoral support.
- Art Studio
- Dance Studio
- Laundry Service
- Lecture Hall
- Modern Dining Hall
- Shared Bathrooms
- Single Bedrooms
- Small Dorm Rooms
- Sports Hall
- Student Common Room
- Swimming Pool
- Tennis Courts
- Theatre
- Twin Rooms
- Wifi
Why SBC
Trusted, accredited and part of Dukes Education
Dates & fees
Two Options. One transformative fortnight.
Whether your child boards with us or returns home each evening, your fee covers everything in their programme. See what’s included with each option below.
Residential
From £4,795
per 2-week course · Boarding — full days plus evenings and weekends
- Full board — all meals & accommodation included
- Multi-activity programme
- Evening activities & excursions
- 24/7 pastoral care
Non-residential
From £3,495
per 2-week course · 09:00–21:00 daily · varies by campus
- Same academic programme as residential
- Lunch & evening meals included
- Full activity programme and excursions
- Return home in the evening
2027 dates
Flexible lengths
2 or 4-week options available
Programme start dates
12th & 26th July
Places are limited and allocated on a first-come basis. Check availability before you plan.
Places can start to fill from spring — book early
Questions
Frequently asked questions
No prior knowledge is required. The course is designed for curious students aged 13–16 who want to explore medicine for the first time.
All essential materials will be provided. You should bring a notebook, pens, and a tablet or laptop if you prefer to take digital notes. Comfortable shoes are also recommended.
Yes. You’ll take part in simulated clinical activities such as basic patient assessment, role-play exercises and diagnostic problem-solving.
The programme introduces anatomy, clinical practice and medical ethics, while developing transferable skills like communication, teamwork and critical thinking.
B1+ is required, though teachers can adapt to mixed-ability classes.
All residential staff are DBS-checked and trained, with 24/7 pastoral care and British Council–accredited safeguarding procedures.
No. This is a Summer Boarding Courses programme. We use the facilities at Headington School in Oxford so students can live and study in a prestigious school setting, but the course is designed and delivered by Summer Boarding Courses. Summer Boarding Courses contracts the use of these facilities and has no formal connection with Headington School, and the school does not deliver, partner in, or endorse our programmes.
Explore before you enquire
Take the detail home
No call, no pressure. Just the documents that help you decide — sent straight to your inbox.
Academic Overview
Every module, the learning outcomes and how the programme builds over the fortnight.
Free PDF download
Sample Timetable
A full fortnight, hour by hour — lessons, activities and excursions. Please note that timetables are given as an example and are subject to change.
Free PDF download
Dates & Fees
Full pricing, what's included, and when the programmes take place
IGNITE YOUR SPARK
Arrange a free consultation
Our friendly Student Experience team are happy to answer any questions, big or small, and help you find the best summer experience for your child — no pressure, ever.
What happens after you enquire
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Step 1
We read it personally.
A member of our Student Experience team reviews your enquiry.
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Step 2
You're matched with an advisor.
Someone who knows this course and can answer your specific questions.
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Step 3
We arrange a call.
Phone or video, at a time that suits you, to talk through dates, options and any concerns.
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Step 4
You decide — no pressure.
We help you find the right fit. You book when you're ready.
One parent's summer
Mirida
Student · Oxford College · Spain
All the staff members were amazing
Gracious
Student · Headington Oxford · Zimbabwe
Brought inspiration for the future
Julia
Parent · Headington Oxford · Spain
155+
Nationalities represented since 2008
21,000+
Alumni since 2008
№1
UK multi-campus summer school (ranked by EL Gazette)