10 reasons why your kids should go to a residential summer centre to learn English

So it’s coming up to summer, and those long long holidays. That time of year which kids look forward to with great excitement, and which parents dread.

What will my kids do all day while I am working? How can I make sure they are not just wasting their time? What should I be doing as a parent to help continue their education in a fun way? How can I make this a summer to remember for them?

These and many other questions will be going through the minds of many parents, and one great solution is to send them on a residential educational and/or activity camp.

The benefits of sending your child on a residential English course are numerous.

1 - Your children will improve their English language level

At school, they probably learn in a big class, for a couple of hours per week, and there is a lot of focus on grammar and reading. But in a summer school, the main focus is on communication. They will never have such an amazing opportunity to practise speaking English with their peers. And what is so great, is that it is totally natural conversation. They have to speak in English as that is their common language. They are socialising and making friends, while improving their English, and we all know that we learn best when we are having fun. WSE prides itself on the amazing teaching team and programme that we have, which ensures that students have maximum opportunity to communicate, and that as well as learning English, they are learning how to learn effectively, which will benefit them in all aspects of their lives.

2 – They will meet children from around the world

What was that about socialising and having fun? Did I mention that this is an incredible opportunity to make friends from all over the world? In such an international world, a residential summer school is an invaluable intercultural experience that will help children fit into and understand the world around them when they grow up. It’s not just the English practice that will benefit them, but learning about so many different cultures, comparing their country to others and seeing how they are similar, as well as different. Finding out that youngsters in other countries have the same dreams and concerns is an enlightening experience which will broaden their minds and increase their confidence.

3 – Junior Summer Centres are more than just an English language course

But they don’t just study English. At the Wimbledon School of English Junior Summer Schools, we have skills workshops where students learn about all kinds of topics such as film making, pop culture, sports, debating and presenting, and many more. This means that whatever interests the children have, they can explore and develop them. Every Friday, each group makes a presentation, so they have practice of speaking in front of an audience, working in teams, and developing their soft skills, like time management, negotiation and planning.

4 – Plenty of fun activities for kids

But they don’t just study! No summer camp would be complete without a wide range of activities, and there is no time to be bored. Every day after class, the kids can choose from a huge variety of different options, from cookery to climbing. All tastes are catered for, it’s not just sports, but craft, art, drama, music, and many other interests are available. The feeling of mastering a new skill is empowering and an essential part of development.

5 – A wide range of sports for kids

For those super-sporty kids who can’t stay still for a moment, in addition to the scheduled activities, there is also water sports, horse riding and professional tennis coaching available. They can try all kinds of different watersports from sailing to paddleboarding. They can go for horse rides through the beautiful English countryside. They can perfect their forehand shot and dream of playing on Wimbledon’s world-famous Centre Court.

6 – Your children will feel like they are living in Harry Potter!

The Lord Wandsworth and Pangbourne campuses are two of the most beautiful boarding schools in the UK, and both around an hour’s travel from London. Lord Wandsworth is the biggest campus in the UK, and Pangbourne is not far behind, both surrounded by stunning countryside. In these beautiful settings, kids will feel as if they are living their Harry Potter fantasy by studying at Hogwarts, which is based on a traditional UK boarding school.

7 – Excellent student welfare from dedicated staff

The student houses are on campus, a short walk from the other facilities, so it is super safe for the children. Each house has a house ‘parent’ who looks after the boarding school kids all year round, so they are very experienced. The houses are very homely, with twin and triple rooms, and areas to play and relax in. No big scary dormitories here! It’s like living in a family home, with lots of friends too.

8 – Fantastic language excursions to London and Oxford

But of course they don’t just stay on campus. Students go on 2 excursions every week. One is on Wednesday, and that is part of their study, because the whole world is a classroom. We want our students to have a great time while they are with us, and to make learning fun, and part of that is making sure that learning is not just about sitting in a classroom. They will learn about the place they are visiting, and do a project on it when they return. For example, they might go to Bath and learn about the Romans who built it.

© visitlondon.comAntoine Buchet

9 – Your children will become more independent

A key part of growing up is becoming more independent. Being away from home is one way to develop this independence, but it can be scary for both parents and children. So what better way to take that first step towards independence than by going on a residential summer course, where you can be confident your child will be looked after as if they were at home? This way the kids learn how to manage being away from their parents, but still in a safe and controlled environment. They will become more confident, able to solve problems by themselves more easily, more resilient to changes and unexpected situations, and better able to deal with the world around them. Not to mention that they will become familiar with lots of different types of people.

10 – Lifelong memories

So all in all, there can be no doubt that if your child spends their summer with us, it will be a summer that they remember for their whole life.

Bookings are now open for our Junior Summer Centres. Click below for more information!

https://www.wimbledon-school.ac.uk/juniors/