Prestigious English Plus Horse Riding Summer Camp for Teenagers at Downside School Campus in Bath

Course Description: Prestigious English Plus Horse Riding Summer Camp for Teenagers at Downside School Campus in Bath

The best English Language Learning camp with horse riding lessons at the best boarding school in UK

**Classic “Harry Potter” style English boarding school **

Our Bath Residential Summer Centre is based at Downside School. This classic “Harry Potter” style English boarding school is one of the oldest and most prestigious private schools in the country. Downside occupies a beautiful 500-acre estate at the foot of the Mendip Hills and offers excellent facilities. The centre is ideally situated just 25 minutes south of the city of Bath in Somerset and two and a half hours from London.

Course offered Summer Course:

This course is designed to give students the opportunity to improve their English skills whilst enjoying a mix of horse riding and grooming at approved local stables.

Course structure and content:

Students have 15 hours of English lessons per week and 6 hours of horse riding and grooming related activities.

• Riding - Hacking

• Dressage

• Show jumping and cross-country jumping

• Gymkhana games

• Tacking up and general grooming of the horse

• Manes and tails plaiting

Key information:

Course length: 1 – 4 weeks

Start dates: 5, 12, 19, 26 July; 2, 9 August 2023 Arrival/ departure day: Wednesday

Lessons per week:

15 hours of English 6 hours of horse riding and grooming activities

Maximum class size: 15

Minimum entry level: Beginner

Included in the price of all courses:

• 15 hours of English lessons per week

• Two half days of horse riding and grooming activities at approved local stables

• Full-board residential accommodation

• Additional sports and activities programme (daytime and evenings)

• Full-day excursions every Tuesday and Wednesday

• One half-day excursion per week

• At least one excursion entrance fee per week

• Placement test

• Internet access

• End-of-course certificate

• 24-hour supervision

• Weekly laundry service

• School bank service

Centre facilities:

100 acres of sports fields for football, rugby, cricket and other games

Volleyball, basketball and tennis courts

Large sports hall

Indoor heated swimming pool (25 metre)

Art room and 600-seat theatre

Student café

Large, historic dining room

Residential Summer Centre 2023

Canteen - Serving Area

Swimming Pool

Arts & Crafts Suite

**Activities: **

Students benefit from a full weekly activity program, mostly on campus.

Typical activities include:

Arts and crafts, Badminton, Barbecues, Basketball, Bushcraft/Woodcraft,

Capture the Flag, Casino night, Cookery, Dance, Dodgeball, Disco night, Football, Frisbee games, Karaoke, Kings' Got Talent, Latin dances, Movie night, Murder Mystery, Pool parties, Quiz challengers, Swimming games, Tennis, Touch Rugby, Volleyball, Zumba.

Excursions:

Typical attractions include:

• Bournemouth

  The perfect place to spend a day of sunshine and shopping by the beach; make sure to not miss its Pier!

• Cardiff

  Explore the capital of Wales, self-proclaimed record holder for the title of city with most castles in the world.

• Weymouth

  A lovely seaside town with sandy beaches to enjoy and, of course, its Sandworld exhibition!

• London

  Enjoy an overnight stay in London at the end of your stay!

  Our staff will guide you through the most iconic sights of the Westminster area (inc. Trafalgar Square, Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and more!) or visit historical museums of worldwide fame in the South Kensington area (Natural History Museum, Science Museum, etc..)

• West Midlands Safari Park

  Enjoy a drive-through safari with more than 100 different species to observe & rides to experience!

• Oxford

  Discover the home of one of the most prestigious universities in the world with its many colleges; full of history, fun facts and with many of its buildings used in the Harry Potter franchise (Christchurch, Bodleian Library, etc...)

• Portsmouth

  A beautiful seaside destination where you will board the world's most famous battleship, the HMS Victory.

Half-day excursions:

• Bath

  Spend half day wandering through the streets of stunning Bath exploring its shops, visiting the Roman Baths or cruising the river Avon.

• Bristol

  Enjoy shopping on the High Street, experience the science and art museum "We the Curious" or have fun in the Bristol Zoo.

• Cheddar Gorge Caves

  The most complete human skeleton in Britain was discovered here, estimated to be over 9000 years old!

• Salisbury

  Explore the beautiful Cathedral City of Salisbury which preserves one original copy of the Magna Carta to this day.

• Wookey Hole Caves

  A complex of limestone caverns which leads you straight to the earth's core... Make sure to not lose sight of your friends!

Accommodation:

• Mix of traditional accommodation embedded in the stunning main quad in addition to separate and self-contained boarding houses.

• A mix of single and twin with some triple rooms and a small number of rooms for 4 – 8 students

• Modern communal bathrooms

• Boys and girls are housed in different accommodation areas/ boarding houses

• 1 – 8 beds per room

• Student:bathroom ratio 6:1

Meal Plan:

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided every day.

• Lunch and dinner are usually hot; on excursion days students are given a packed lunch.

Special dietary requirements

• Vegetarian always available. Others available on request.

• Mix of traditional accommodation embedded in the stunning main quad in addition to separate and self-contained boarding houses.

• A mix of single and twin with some triple rooms and a small number of rooms for 4-8 students; no room locks for safety.

• Modern communal bathrooms

• Boys and girls are housed in different accommodation areas/ boarding houses

• 1 – 8 beds per room

• Student:bathroom ratio 6:1

• Each house has a common room for relaxation, TV, and music.

• Students advised to use suitcase locks for valuables; we are not responsible for items in bedrooms.

• School bank available for safe money storage.

• Nighttime supervision by staff in each house, assistance with problems, and support for homesickness.

• Classrooms are conveniently on-site.

• Mandatory room vacation on departure day between 9.00 – 10.00am as per management instructions.

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided every day.

• Lunch and dinner are usually hot; on excursion days students are given a packed lunch.

• Vegetarian always available. Others available on request.

Facilities

• 100 acres of sports fields for football, rugby, cricket and other games

• Volleyball, basketball and tennis courts

• Large sports hall

• Indoor 25-metre swimming pool

• 600-seat theatre

• Art room

• Large, historic dining room and student cafe

• Campus-wide WiFi

Typical activities include:

• Arts and crafts

• Badminton

• Barbecues

• Basketball

• Bushcraft/Woodcraft

• Capture the Flag

• Casino night

• Cookery

• Dance

• Dodgeball

• Disco night

• Football

• Frisbee games

• Karaoke

• Kings' Got Talent

• Latin dances

• Movie night

• Murder Mystery

• Pool parties

• Quiz challengers

• Swimming games

• Tennis

• Touch Rugby

• Volleyball

• Zumba

Full-Day Excursions

• Bournemouth: Beach, sunshine, shopping, and the famous Pier.

• Cardiff: Wales' castle-rich capital city.

• Weymouth: Seaside town with sandy beaches and Sandworld exhibition.

• London: Overnight stay with tours of Westminster sights (Trafalgar Square, Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace) and South Kensington's museums (Natural History, Science Museum).

• West Midlands Safari Park: Drive-through safari and amusement rides.

• Oxford: Historic university town with Harry Potter filming locations (Christchurch, Bodleian Library).

• Portsmouth: Seaside visit with HMS Victory tour.

Half-Day Excursions

• Bath: Explore shops, Roman Baths, and river cruising.

• Bristol: Shopping, "We the Curious" museum, and Bristol Zoo.

• Cheddar Gorge Caves: Site of Britain's oldest complete human skeleton.

• Salisbury: Historic city with an original Magna Carta copy.

• Wookey Hole Caves: Limestone cavern adventure.

• A fee applies for unaccompanied minor service.

• Students will be met at the airport by a guide or representative.

• The guide may arrive up to 45 minutes after flight arrival.

• If the guide is not found, students should visit the Airport Information Desk with their Transfer Confirmation Letter and remain calm inside the terminal.

• Students advised to carry: Passport (Visa if needed), Letter of Consent to Travel, Booking confirmation letter, Transfer confirmation letter.

• In case of flight delays or emergencies, call +44 7421 420 020.

• Heathrow Shuttle service timings: Airport departure at midday, 3pm, 7pm; Centre departure at 6am, 10am, 1pm.

• Students with parents/guardians must provide arrival/pick-up times in advance.

• We will issue a document for completion before arrival; unaccompanied travel to/from campus is not allowed.

• Arrival drop-off at the center: 3pm – 6pm

• Departure pick-up: 9am – 11am.

• N.B. All departures from Bath will be from Central London.

• Child assessed upon arrival for placement in an appropriate class according to age and English level.

• Six learning levels available, from Beginner to Advanced.

• 15 hours of English classes each week, learning though fun teaching methods including projects, games, and group work to boost confidence, collaboration, and communication.

• Between 9.00 - 12.30 or 14.00 - 17.30

• Teaching days: Thursday – Monday (morning or afternoon lessons)

• A full program of organised activities, with a choice of 2 – 3 activities per session.

• Minimum of two full-day excursions per week, including one entrance fee.

The syllabus includes:

• Language input and language practice

• UK or US culture lessons

• Excursion preparation/ follow-up lessons

• Online safety classes

• Project lessons

• There is also a weekly review of materials studied.

• 6 hours of horse riding and grooming related activities:

• Riding - Hacking

• Dressage

• Show jumping and cross-country jumping

• Gymkhana games

• Tacking up and general grooming of the horse

• Manes and tails plaiting

• Residential refundable deposit (payable upon arrival): £50. This can be paid in either Sterling (£50) or Euros (€50).

• Heathrow Airport Shared Transfer: £105 (One Way)

• Heathrow Airport Transfer: £355 (One Way)

• Gatwick Airport Transfer: £425 (One Way)

• Stansted Airport Transfer: £505 (One Way)

• Luton Airport Transfer: £405

• St Pancras/Central London Transfer: £505

• Bristol Airport Transfer: £185

• Student Insurance(Weekly): £7

• Courier Service: £65

• Unaccompanied minor supplement(departure only): £75

• Please bring suitable clothing and boots without a heel for horse riding lessons.

• Pocket Money Advice: £50 per week pocket money is recommended for treats and gifts. This is a suggested amount, every student is different.

• 15 hours of English lessons

• Two half days of horse riding & grooming activities at approved local stables

• Additional activities program (Day-time and evening)

• Full-board residential accommodation

• Full-day excursions every Tuesday and Wednesday

• One half-day excursion

• At least one excursion entrance fee

• Placement test

• Internet access

• End-of-course certificate

• 24-hour supervision

• Weekly laundry service

• School bank service