Autumn is with us now and another successful summer at Oxford School of English is in the books. It’s always the busiest period for us but also one of the most fun times of year as our school buzzes with the atmosphere of happy and keen students from all around the world
Surviving the Heat!
This summer was one of the hottest on record around the UK, thankfully we were well-prepared. With our new air-conditioning units installed in every classroom, and our water-cooler in the common room dispensing ice-cold water to help all our students stay hydrated and refreshed during the sweltering summer months. The safety and comfort of our students is always our top priority.
Junior Summer School:
For six weeks every summer we run our junior school for students between the ages of 12 and 17. Students from Argentina, Italy, Ukraine, Turkey, France, Kazakhstan and more came together. Every summer it goes a similar way: the first day they are a bit shy but excited and two weeks later they are in tears saying goodbye to their new friends. It never gets old seeing young people start to use their independence and embrace new life experiences.
Our summer classes focus on teaching our young students valuable real life communicative skills that will stand them in good stead as they continue their educational journey in their own country. Students are encouraged to engage in creative collaborative tasks where they can use English in a way which is relevant to them and produce work they can show off to their families back home.
Summer activities:
Punting: As we do every summer took our students out on the river for a bit of traditional Oxford punting. It’s tricky at first and a surprisingly good full-body workout but students quickly got the hang of it and nobody fell in this year (though it was so hot they would’ve dried off in a flash had they done so).
Trips: Another summer packed with fun visits and trips around the UK. Our students explored the beautiful gardens and house of Blenheim Palace, seeing where Winston Churchill was born and having fun getting lost in the hedge maze; they experienced the glory of the natural kingdom at Cotswold Wildlife park with its lemurs, rhinos, lions and more; they ascended the heights of the great tower at Warwick Castle, following in the footsteps of knights, nobles and kings and watched the incredible falconry show where condors and hawks swoop low over your head; they sunbathed on Brighton Beach; they took plenty of selfies with Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Horse Guards in London and, of course, they bought some great souvenirs in all these places.
Teacher Refresher Course:
This summer we also ran our teacher refresher course for non-native teachers of English. Welcoming teachers from Czechia, Spain, Germany, Turkey and France, it was a fantastic experience to work with teachers of English from around the world, discussing methodology and sharing techniques. Our classes included both primary and secondary school teachers, and of a whole range of different experiences from the newly-qualified to those with decades on the job. Taken by our senior teacher Iain and Director of Studies Joe, we looked at practical engagement activities, new teaching theories, how to handle and utilise the rise of AI in the classroom and other vital skills and strategies for teaching English in a rapidly changing world. The visiting teachers also got a chance to observe our extremely experienced staff in action. It was great to meet and help our colleagues from other countries as their students are the ones who become our students.
Adult school:
As well as our junior school, our regular adult school classes continued apace, with students from Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Japan Switzerland, Hungary, Brazil, Romania and many more places beside. We helped students from all levels improve their English, with most focusing on their general English level but some with specific needs in Business English, exam preparation for CAE, CPE and IELTS. During those long summer evenings, our weekly pub nights were especially popular.