2019

Excellent just got better

an English summer

an EnglishsummerBetter in every wayBETTER SCHOOLS

We work with only the most prestigiousEnglish boarding schools. Though theywere founded hundreds of years ago,they’re as up-to-date as any in thecountry.

Millions of pounds are spent on themevery year to make sure they’reconstantly being developed.

BETTER LOCATIONS

Our residential Summer Schools couldhardly be better situated. All are withineasy reach of London, Heathrow airportand some of England’s most historictowns and cities.

BETTER RESULTS

Our courses are designed for studentsaged 8 -17 and they’re among the veryfew in the country to concentrate onthe Trinity College examinations inspoken English. Our average pass rate

over the past three years is 99%, with83% of students achieving merit ordistinction. We now also offer FCEand IELTS exam courses at Rugby.

Why Thames Valley?For over 45 years, we’ve been helping young people from all over the

world improve their English.

During this time, more than 60,000 have spent their summers with us. Many of them returning for a second or even

a third season.

So, what is it about our schools and our courses that has made themamong the most consistently popular in the country?

You don’t have to look far to find the answers.

Distinction

Merit

Pass

Fail

2 Thames Valley Summer Schools

Epsom

LeatherheadAscot

LONDON

Oxford

Cambridge

Brighton

Canterbury

WarwickStratford-upon-Avon

WindsorHEATHROW

GATWICK

STANSTED

Bournemouth

Rugby

Q

Q

Q16%

43%

40%

1%

Thames Valley Summer Schools 3

Taking good care of you Striking the right balanceFrom start to finish, we make sure your time with

Thames Valley is worry-free.Passing the Trinity Examination may be the main priority, but we

make sure you enjoy yourself outside the classroom too.

STAYING ON CAMPUS

All Young Learner centres areresidential. A typical boarding housewould have 35-50 students staying thereand you’d sleep in a single or twinroom, or in a larger room with 3-6 beds.Mixing and making friends in thesesurroundings comes very easily.

Accommodation is full board (breakfast,lunch and dinner) and there is a freelaundry service for your machine-washable clothes.

COMING AND GOING

When you arrive at the airport, you’llbe met by our staff and taken to yourchosen centre by private coach. At theend of the course, we’ll take you backto the airport and see you safelythrough check-in and passportcontrol/security. If you’d prefer yourown taxi transfer, this can be arrangedat additional cost.

AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS

In the afternoons, teachers and specialiststaff will organise a whole host ofactivities for you.

If you’re keen on sport, there’s volleyball,tennis, badminton, basketball, squash,table-tennis, football, softball, swimmingand water polo. If you prefer to dosomething more creative, all our centreshave classes in ICT, arts and crafts,aerobics and Zumba. At Ascot you caneven learn to bake a cake!

SUPERVISION

Each boarding house is supervised by anexperienced Housemaster or Housemistresswho is responsible for your personal safetyand welfare. They’re on call 24 hours a dayhelping to organise every aspect of yourvisit; looking after your pocket money, flightdetails and passport; ready with supportand encouragement whenever you needit. You won’t have to worry about a thing.

On average, there’s one adult in residencefor every five students. It’s reassuring tonote too, that most of our senior staffwork in UK boarding schools throughoutthe year. Many of them come back to work with us summer after summer.

4 Thames Valley Summer Schools

I really enjoyed the good relationship Ihad with the teachers in and outside the(boarding) house and how they lookedafter me.

“

”Eulalia Marti Pallares, Spain

GETTING OUT AND ABOUT

Our excursions are an important part ofour teaching programme. We buildlanguage exercises around trips to manyof the country’s most famous landmarks.Places like Canterbury, Cambridge,Oxford, Brighton and Stratford-upon-Avon are all on the itinerary –depending on the centre you choose.

You’ll also enjoy excursions into London.These usually include an educationaltour of great museums (British, NaturalHistory, Science or the National Gallery)combined with the opportunity to dosome shopping in Oxford Street, CoventGarden or Regent Street.

Depending on your centre too, there’llbe some splendid sightseeing with a ride on the London Eye, a cruise on theRiver Thames or the opportunity for atour on an open top bus.

View of Big Ben from London Eye

Checking-in at Heathrow

Canterbury Cathedral

`` work and playOur afternoon Academy courses giveyou the chance to learn new skills fromqualified instructors (see Academies insertfor details).

In the evening, you’ll find there are allsorts of entertainments, ranging fromdiscos to karaoke, talent shows to sportscompetitions, film shows to themedbarbecues.

Thames Valley Summer Schools 5

Natural History Museum, London

LIVING ENGLISH

We have a team of language expertswith over fifty years’ experiencebetween them. Their task is to makesure that you learn the most currentform of English. And that you learn it in the most stimulating and enjoyable way.

Computers, of course, are an essential part of the modern learning process. But over and above these, you’ll have the help of the most up-to-date textbooks.

Course material is re-written on average every four years and itincludes a Trinity Student Book that is unique to us.

6 Thames Valley Summer Schools

Getting resultsTrinity College London has been assessing abilities in listening and

speaking English for over fifty years. Its examinations are internationallyrecognised and we take great pride in our students’ annual pass rate.

A modern approachAll languages are constantly changing and English is no exception.

With this in mind, we go to great lengths to make sure our courses areconstantly being updated.

THE RIGHT LEVEL

The level at which you’ll prepare forthe Trinity examination is

determined on day one, whenyou take an oral test.

From here on, your progress willbe monitored closely by your

teachers and yourDirector of Studies.

They’ll do their best tomake sure that,

whatever the length ofyour course - 2, 3, or 4weeks - you’ll be readyto take the examinationat the end of it.

They’re all native-level English speakersand are expected to hold internationallyrecognised teaching qualifications – asrequired by the British Council. Usually,they’re in their twenties or early thirtiesand will already have had teachingexperience in language schools abroad.

Covering all sorts of up-to-the-minutetopics like film, sport, music andtechnology, it also reinforces what you’llbe seeing and doing on your excursions.

TAKING THE TRINITY EXAM

All our Trinity coursesprepare students forthe examination.

At our Ascot, Epsom and Leatherheadcentres, you study for the examinationat grades 1-9 (beginner to upperintermediate). Grades are aligned tolevels pre A1- C1 of the CommonEuropean Framework of Reference forLanguages.

Average size of classes is 13-14 students,maximum 15.

The examination is entirely based onyour conversational ability and, from theword go, you’ll be carefully coachedtowards achieving the required level.

You’ll have 5 forty-minute lessons eachmorning, five days a week (16 hours and40 minutes’ contact time). In lessons 1-3,you’ll focus on conversational andinteractive language tasks. In lessons 4-5,the emphasis is on topics required byTrinity for their examination (subjectslike global warming, fashion, festivals,music, shopping and travel).

Whichever teaching programme youchoose, you’ll practise one-to-oneinterviews so that, by the time theexamination comes around, you’ll be perfectly comfortable and confident.

A MORE INTENSIVE COURSE

At Rugby, the course is designed tospeed up improvement in theaccuracy and fluency of yourEnglish so that you can takethe Trinity examination at ahigher and more challenginglevel. (We prepare for grades 1-11,aligned to pre A1-C1 of the CEFR.)

In addition to morning classes, you’llhave lessons on two afternoons aweek (total contact time 20 hours).Classes will be smaller with an averageof 9 students, maximum 10. You’ll alsohave the use of additional languageaids such as DVDs and ICT.

THE VERY BEST TEACHING

We’re as selective about our teachers aswe are about our schools. We insist onthem being friendly, fun to work withand easy to relate to.

Distinction

Merit

Pass

FailbetterresultsI enjoyed talking with the teachers because, although I could beasking exam related questions, it doesn’t feel like talking to myteacher but it felt like chatting to a really good friend of mine.

“

”On Kiu Anku Cheung, Hong Kong

Thames Valley Summer Schools has been the best English course I’ve everbeen to. I would really like to come back and bring more friends with me.“

”Jorge Alonso Civantes, Spain

Thames Valley Summer Schools 7

40%

43%

16%1%

Lots to doThe campus may be relatively compact,but there is no shortage of facilities.There is a large sports centre with twosports halls, squash courts and a 25 metreindoor swimming pool. You’ll also find18 tennis courts, an indoor shootingrange and extensive games fields in 32hectares of magnificent grounds.

Performing arts centreThe school is justly proud of its newstate-of-the-art studios for music, drama,film and dance. Lighting, sound andmulti-media facilities here are up to thehighest professional standards.

Founded in 1853

Built on the slopes of thebeautiful Epsom Downs, the

college is just 22km from centralLondon and 15 minutes’ walkfrom Epsom town centre.

Its handsome Victorian buildings are still in evidence,blending skilfully with the

new outstanding teaching facilities.

A cosy campusInviting and friendly are the termsusually used to describe Epsom. Thismakes it particularly appealing to theyounger age group studying for theTrinity exam. Most bedrooms on campusare twin or single. There are also some 3-4 bed rooms available.

E P SOMCOL L EGE

Extensive grounds and playing fields

Forest boarding house 4 bed room

TRINITY EXAMINATION COURSE • AGES 10 -16

AN ENGLISH SCHOOL FRIEND

In each class you’ll have the chance tomake friends with English boys andgirls of a similar age to yourself.

They’ll be with you throughout theday: working with you in lessons,joining you for lunch, taking part inyour afternoon activities andencouraging you to speak as muchEnglish as possible.

It’s one of the advantages we enjoyover most other summer schools andit’s a great way to develop confidencein your conversational ability.

Making English friendsDevelop your confidence with English boys and girls

throughout the day.

I like the English School Friends themost because they were helpful andnice, the English School Friend Ihanged out most with was Oscar.

“

“

”

I loved absolutely everything andwould like to return for the 4th time.

Erica Pillai, India

”Drake Tsang, Hong Kong

8 Thames Valley Summer Schools our schoolsMain school buildings

Thames Valley Summer Schools 9

Indoor 25 metre swimming pool

10 Thames Valley Summer Schools

You’ll find state-of-the art classrooms,all equipped with the latest teachingaids. There are two ICT suites with atotal of 36 computers.

The nearby sports hall offers five-a-sidefootball, basketball, badminton,aerobics and dodge ball. You’ll alsohave access to the school’s 25 metre, 6lane swimming pool; soccer, rugby androunders pitches; squash courts and all-weather floodlit tennis courts; a DesignCentre for art/craft and a Social Centrefor discos and other social events.

Accommodation is mostly in singlerooms, with some twins available. Foryounger students, there are a fewlarger rooms with 3-6 beds. Meals inthe central dining room are self-service.

Founded in 1567

Rugby is one of the oldest andmost famous schools in England. Itwas founded during the reign ofElizabeth I and its splendid historyis reflected in its stately buildings,

classrooms and courtyards.

Here in 1823, one of the students,William Webb Ellis, picked up asoccer ball and ran with it. In theprocess, he created rugby – a

game that has since been takenup around the world. Games arestill played on the original pitchand visiting students are morethan welcome to take part.

RUGBYSCHOOL

Main school buildings and original rugby pitch

A choice of coursesHaving led the way in preparing studentsfor the Trinity College exam, we nowalso offer at Rugby examination coursesfor the Cambridge FCE and for IELTS (seeopposite page).

The very best facilitiesClasses are held in one of the mostrecent additions to the school, the multi-million pound purpose-built ModernLanguages Building, opened in 2012.

INTENSIVE TRINITY EXAMINATION COURSES • AGES 12-17 FCE and IELTS EXAMINATION COURSES • AGES 12-17

A great locationThe school takes its name from thehistoric market town of Rugby and isbased in an area known as the Heart ofEngland. Many historic landmarks arewithin easy reach. A short coach ridetakes you to Stratford-Upon-Avon –Shakespeare’s birthplace; to WarwickCastle, the finest medieval castle in thecountry; or to the famous universitytown of Oxford.

A 50-minute train trip takes you intocentral London, where you can goshopping in Oxford Street or CoventGarden, enjoy a river cruise or take in avisit to the London Eye/British Museum.

Indoor 25 metre swimming pool

Modern Languages Building

Twin bedded roomICT suite

I loved people of different nationalities, itwas cool being with them .The teacherswere amazing and their method of teachingis the best I ever experienced in my life. Iwill go back to my country and suggest tothe Principal these cool methods of teaching.

“

”Naazneen Sandhu, India

FCE (now called B2 First) is one of Cambridge English Qualifications’ most popularexams and is accepted by thousands of businesses and educational institutionsworldwide. It proves you have the language skills to live and work independentlyin an English-speaking country or study on courses taught in English. Students onthis course will take B2 First for Schools which is targeted at the same CEFR levelas B2 First but with content aimed at school-age learners rather than adults.

Minimum level of English required: B2 (Upper Intermediate)

Minimum level of English required: B1 (Intermediate)

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is one of the world’s mostpopular English language proficiency tests. It is designed to assess the languageability of candidates who need to study or work where English is used as thelanguage of communication. IELTS is required for entry to university in the UK andother countries and has a strong international reputation. Students on this course willtake IELTS Academic which is aimed at people planning to study in higher education.

Centre RugbyAges 12-17Lessons/course 100Class size Maximum 10Dates/Fees July 04 - July 29 £4405

Centre RugbyAges 12-17Lessons/course 100Class size Maximum 10Dates/Fees July 04 - July 29 £4405

FCE examination IELTS examination

ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC OPTIONS

We take great pride in our students’ success rate in examinations. At Rugby we nowoffer examination courses for the Cambridge FCE and for IELTS.

Both courses run parallel to the Trinity course so that you’ll have the opportunity tojoin in the afternoon and evening recreation programme.

...offering you more!Exam date: Saturday 27 July 2019 Exam date: Saturday 27 July 2019

Thames Valley Summer Schools 11

This course is designed to:• Increase your chances of exam

success.• Expand your range of grammar

and vocabulary.• Develop your speaking, listening,

reading and writing skills• Give you a thorough

understanding of exam format.• Show you how to avoid common

exam mistakes.• Prepare you to take your exam at

the end of the course.

This course is designed to:• Increase your chances of exam

success.• Expand your range of grammar and

vocabulary.• Develop your speaking, listening,

reading and writing skills.• Give you a thorough understanding

of exam format.• Show you how to avoid common

exam mistakes.• Prepare you to take your exam at

the end of the course.

School cloisters

Choice of great food Nearby Windsor Castle

YOUNG LEARNERS • INTENSIVE TRINITY COURSE

Founded in 1877

St George’s School, Ascot, wasfounded in 1877 and one of itsearly pupils was Britian’s famous

wartime Prime Minister, SirWinston Churchill.

It overlooks 12 hectares of fieldsand woods with stunning viewsacross the rolling Berkshire hills

yet is just a five-minute walk fromAscot High Street.

Main school reception building

Aerial view of campus Teachers friendly and fun to work with Multi sports in the large sports hall Finger-licking baking session

Main school buildings and tennis courts

A great locationAscot town centre is 5 minutes’ walk.Windsor Castle - home of the RoyalFamily - is 10km away. HistoricRunnymede, where the Magna Cartawas signed in 1215, is nearby on thebanks of the River Thames.

Fast and frequent trains take you intoCentral London (40km). Heathrow(17km) is a half-hour coach ride.

Spoilt for choiceThough the campus is safe and compact,it features every facility that you couldpossibly want.

There’s a brand new languages andlibrary centre equipped with multi-mediaand study areas. Alongside the state-of-the-art 350 seat theatre, there areseparate drama, dance and art studios.On the sports front, you’ll find a largesports hall, squash courts, extensiveplaying fields and eight tennis courts.There is also the Cookery School kitchenwhere you can learn to bake cakes.

TRINITY EXAMINATION COURSE • AGES 10-16

14 Thames Valley Summer Schools

S t G eo r g e ’s S c hoo l

A SCOT

Voted best school foodSt George’s recently won TatlerMagazine’s award for IndependentSchools (UK) best school food. Mealswere described as “spectacular” and “a real highlight of the school day!”.

AccommodationBedrooms are all bright and airy andrange in size from single and twin tolarger rooms with 3-6 beds.

350 seat theatre

Three bedded room

London Eye

Students choosing activities outside languages and library centre

12 Thames Valley Summer Schools Thames Valley Summer Schools 13

Founded in 1851

Like nearby Epsom College, St John’s is a splendid mixture ofthe old and the new. Its main

cloistered buildings date back to1851 and sit happily alongside

others that are distinctly 21st century.

The whole school forms aquadrangle around beautifully

manicured lawns – a feature thatgives it the feel of a traditional

Oxbridge college.

S t J o h n ’s S c h o o l

L E ATH E RH EAD

25 metre heated swimming pool

Central dining hall

One of the three computer suitesA creative, friendly environment

English School Friends encourage you to speak English as much as possible

Food for everyone’s taste in the magnificent dining hall

Drama and dancing afternoon activity Multiple room in boarding house

TRINITY EXAMINATION COURSE • AGES 8 -14 & 14 - 17

School Quad and main buildings

Thames Valley Summer Schools 1514 Thames Valley Summer Schools

Close to LondonBased in the friendly, bustling town ofLeatherhead, St John’s is handily placedfor your weekly half-day excursions into London. A 5-minute walk takesyou to the station. A 45-minute journeytakes you to the heart of the capital. A trip to the coast is just as easy - nomore than an hour by road. HeathrowAirport is 40 km away and Gatwick is33 km.

State-of-the-art classroomsOur courses are held in the new, multi-million pound teaching complex. Asadvanced as any in the country, it has 19 classrooms, superbly equippedcomputer suites housing 68 workstationsand purpose-designed art studios.

25 hectares of campusAll your needs are met at St John’s. Ithas outdoor playing fields, a 25 metreindoor swimming pool and a sports hallfor basketball, volleyball and 5-asidefootball. English School Friends (seepage 8) are on hand throughout theday too, helping with yourconversational English.

AccommodationAccommodation is first class withsingle, twin or 3-6 bedded rooms.

I enjoyed everything, especially thefun classes, activities, and excursions.I also think that the staff are veryfriendly and welcoming.

“

”Nino Bakradze, Georgia

The teachers are friendly and always ready to help you. The classes helpedme to improve my spoken language skills, I've learned many new words. Ifound here a lot of new friends, who I will miss a lot. I've also met EnglishSchool Friends, who are very smiley and interesting to talk with.

“

”Valeriia Kim, Russia

Thames Valley Summer Schools is the trading name of Thames Valley Cultural Centres Limited.

Thames Valley Summer Schools 13 Park Street, Windsor Berkshire SL4 1LUEngland

t +44 1753 852001 f +44 1753 831165 e english@thamesvalleysummer.co.uk www.thamesvalleysummer.co.uk

ENGLISHUKLEARNERSYOUNG

Correct at time of printing. For full details go to our website: www.thamesvalleysummer.co.uk