Taunton International Summer School 8-17 year olds

Location

Taunton is a market town in the South West of England. Taunton has good road and rail links to London (1 hour 45 minutes by train). Bristol and Exeter are both 40 minutes by car.

Activities

Students enjoy a wide range of sports, evening activities, culture and excursions. Courses are hosted in the excellent facilities at Taunton School including two swimming pools, tennis courts, fitness suite, modern theatre, science laboratories, art studios, classrooms with interactive whiteboards and IT suites.

Accommodation

Students live in comfortable boarding houses on campus and are cared for by friendly and dedicated staff.

English

Students learn English for 3 hours every day in age and level-appropriate groups by highly qualified and experienced English teachers. The first two hours cover grammar, vocabulary and reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students then choose from a selection of on-hour English enrichment courses in pronunciation, creative writing, vocabulary development, public speaking, debating, philosophy & ethics and conversational English.

Academic programme

The Junior Academic course offers students a fun learning experience, specifically designed to engage young learners. The programme offers a range of challenging and stimulating learning experiences with 10 hours of English and 12.5 hours of tuition in a course of their choice. Classes are small, capped at 12.

Cookery

This course provides students with two and a half hours of practical cookery each day, using the excellent kitchen facilities at Taunton Prep School. Students not only learn how to cook delicious, healthy food and significantly improve their culinary skills, they also learn about British cuisine, the seasonality of food, its nutritional value and the importance of a balanced diet. Students will be introduced to a range of new vocabulary, learn a huge number of culinary skills, techniques and methods.

STEM

On this course, junior students are introduced to the world of computer programming and robotics. Students use programming software to run virtual homes, roller coasters and fairground rides, car and house alarms, traffic management systems and automated production lines. This provides a great opportunity for students to develop an understanding of computer logic and the sequencing of computer instructions. For more experienced students, it is possible to advance to computer games design using Scratch or Python.

Multi-sports

This two-week course features 2 hours of a different sport every day, from the more traditional sports of football, tennis, basketball, athletics, badminton and swimming, to less known sports including rugby, cricket, rounders, fencing and netball. Students also study English for 3 hours a day, where reading, writing, speaking and listening skills are developed by highly experienced and dedicated teachers.

English

Students receive 12.5 hours of English tuition plus 10 hours of tuition in a course of their choice.

Academic programme

Students on the Academic Programme study 4 academic themes: People and place, scientific enquiry, applied Maths and Creativity & the arts. Within each theme, students are taught how to research, organise, evaluate, synthesise and apply knowledge to different situations. It is an ideal course for students who want to develop their study and critical thinking skills and to become confident independent learners.

Future Business Leaders (ages 15-17)

This course provides an ideal introduction to Business, Finance and Economics. Students manage their own stocks and shares portfolio, study global trade and the changing pattern of international commerce, finance and investments, logistics and marketing. Students also receive an introduction to economic theory. The course includes a visit to a local manufacturer to see how a business operates, how it is structured and the systems needed to run it.

Senior STEM

This two-week programme offers an exciting opportunity for students aged 13-17, who are interested in modern science and technology. Alongside 3 hours of English tuition, students have 2 hours of highly practical and hands on tuition in science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. They will investigate, experiment, design and construct a product, following a process from initial idea to final completion.

Performing Arts

This is the ideal course for students interested in theatre, media and film studies. Students take part in a number of theatre workshops in characterisation, conveying emotion, comedy, stage combat, body language, voice projection, stage craft and timing. Students have the opportunity to write and perform their own scripts and screenplays, study set and costume design and the use of visual and audio effects.

Football and Tennis Academy options are also available