Berkshire College Summer School

Berkshire College is an excellent, prestigious place to teach students from all over the world: English language courses in the UK will allow you to make significant progress in learning, help you to talk in everyday life without much difficulty and at the same time to ensure familiarity with the British culture and history thanks to a rich leisure program. It is located near the historic center of Mansion House, fully equipped for modern and comfortable learning and living. Berkshire College has a sports hall, tennis courts, soccer and rugby grounds, and a spacious and functional school cafeteria. Getting to London is very simple, as it is to the major airports, which makes the school even more attractive for international students, facilitates excursions to Windsor, Oxford, Reading. The distance to London is 53 kilometers, to Gatwick Airport - 89, and to Heathrow - 29 kilometers.

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• Location: Berkshire, near Windsor and Maidenhead, 40 minutes from central London,
• Student ages: 8 to 18,
• Programs: English Language Program, Year-Round Program, and Summer Program,
• English instruction: 15 hours per week,
• Maximum class size: 18 students.

Berkshire College is one of the centers operated by Ardmore Language Schools. David Walker founded the company in 1984 to provide learning experiences for young people. Ardmore has more than 40 years of experience in junior English language education and has grown from a small family business into an international organization. It has been part of the global education group Cognita since 2018 and has offices near London and in New York City. Ardmore is accredited by the British Council.

The campus is set in the English countryside and is within reach of several London airports: 29 km from Heathrow, 89 km from Gatwick, and 122 km from Stansted. Its compact layout includes refurbished accommodation close to the classrooms and dining hall.

Students come from more than 50 countries. Courses combine English lessons with cultural activities and include full-board residential accommodation, daily activities, evening entertainment, and weekly excursions.

Lessons use a communicative approach that develops speaking, listening, reading, and writing through games, projects, and problem-solving tasks. Students complete a Level Assessment on arrival and are placed in one of six levels, from pre-beginner to proficiency (A0 to C2). Each level has dedicated course materials.

• Ardmore Language Schools founded: 1984,
• Location: Berkshire, Windsor area, Maidenhead, UK,
• Distance from London: 53 km,
• Distance from Heathrow Airport: 29 km,
• Distance from Gatwick Airport: 89 km,
• Distance from Stansted Airport: 122 km,
• Student ages: 8 to 18 years,
• Nationalities represented: more than 50,
• English levels: 6, from A0 to C2,
• English instruction: 15 hours per week,
• Maximum class size: 18 students,
• Accommodation: residential, with full board,
• Programs: English Language Program, Year-Round Program, and Summer Program,
• Accreditation: British Council,
• Part of: Active Learning Group / Cognita since 2018.

Students stay in comfortable, refurbished residential accommodation at Berkshire College, just steps from the classrooms and dining hall. The college offers triple and multi-bed rooms with shared bathroom facilities. Bed linen is provided and laundered at least once a week, while students need to bring their own towels. Accommodation is provided on a full-board basis, with 21 meals per week, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast includes cereal, toast, fruit, yogurt, and fruit juice. Lunch and dinner include meat and vegetarian options, carbohydrates, vegetables, desserts, and drinks. The center can accommodate dietary restrictions and food preferences when notified in advance. Male and female students are housed separately and use separate bathroom facilities. Students must return to their rooms by 22:00, with lights out at 22:30. A safe is available on site for valuables.

Subject list: Accounting, Art, Health care, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Hotel business, linguistics, maths, Mechanical engineering, Mechanics, pedagogy, philology, sports science, tourism
Activity list: a party, basketball, Contests, Cruise on the River Thames, Excursion to london, football, tennis

Program Structure

English lessons are held from Monday to Friday, with 15 hours of instruction per week spread across five mornings or afternoons. Each daily session consists of three 60-minute lesson periods and a 30-minute allowance for breaks. Courses usually last two weeks. One-week, three-week, and four-week stays are also available.

Ardmore uses a communicative teaching approach. Lessons include role-play, pair work, group work, creative tasks, surveys, questionnaires, and other interactive activities. The emphasis is on communication and using English in real-life situations. Each student receives an Ardmore Student Book designed for their level, and all course materials are provided.

At the end of each week, students complete a Progress Review. On course completion, they receive an Ardmore Diploma Certificate with teacher comments on listening, speaking, writing, contribution to group work, everyday English, and overall progress.

Activities and Excursions

The program includes daily activities and evening entertainment. Activities include football, arts and crafts, aerobics, badminton, tennis, volleyball, basketball, hockey, dance, and swimming. Evening options include talent shows, cultural shows, discos, games evenings, sports tournaments, casino nights, and film evenings.

Each week includes at least one full-day excursion and one half-day excursion. Destinations from Berkshire College include London, Oxford, and Windsor. Students are accompanied by Ardmore staff at a ratio of one staff member for every 10 students.

• Dining hall,
• Games room and common room,
• Indoor conference hall,
• Large lecture theater,
• Modern and traditional classrooms,
• Sports facilities,
• Vending machines,
• Wi-Fi.

• Return airport transfers, which are not included but can be arranged with a Meet & Greet service on arrival,
• Travel insurance, which is mandatory for all students and can be arranged separately,
• Additional excursions and custom programs available on request,
• Meals beyond the standard 21 per week.

A 30% deposit is required to secure a booking. The remaining balance is due four weeks before arrival. Payments can be made by bank transfer or through Flywire using a bank transfer or credit card.

Extras:

• One way transfer - Gatwick 297 GBP
• One way transfer - Heathrow 272 GBP

The enrollment process for courses at Berkshire College includes the following stages:

• Selecting an English Language, Year-Round, or Summer Program and suitable dates for courses that run from Sunday to Sunday and usually last two weeks, with one-week, three-week, and four-week stays also available,
• Completing an individual or group booking form,
• Paying a 30% deposit to secure the booking and the remaining balance four weeks before arrival,
• Providing passport details, visa or ETA information, travel insurance, and written notice of any medical conditions, dietary requirements, or allergies no later than three weeks before arrival,
• Arranging optional airport transfers with a Meet & Greet service if needed,
• Completing a Level Assessment on the first day for placement in one of six levels, from A0 to C2.

The experience and knowledge students gain at Berkshire College help them use English more confidently in everyday life, develop communication skills for future study and work, and prepare for language proficiency tests. Students practice English in class and throughout the day during meals, activities, excursions, and time in their accommodation.

The multicultural environment also helps students develop independence, resilience, and awareness of other cultures. Students build international friendships and learn from peers from more than 50 countries. On course completion, each student receives an Ardmore Diploma Certificate with teacher feedback. The certificate records the student's progress and may support future educational applications.

Students enrolling in Ardmore programs at Berkshire College need a valid passport and, depending on their nationality, either a visa or an electronic travel authorization (ETA). Anyone traveling to the UK needs permission unless they are a British or Irish citizen. Visitors from countries that do not require a visa for short stays must obtain an ETA, which is valid for up to two years. Students from countries that require a visa receive an Ardmore invitation letter.

Travel insurance is mandatory for all students. Medical conditions, dietary requirements, and allergies must be reported in writing no later than three weeks before arrival.

No English proficiency test is required before arrival. Students at all levels are accepted, including those with very little English. On the first day of lessons, each student completes a Level Assessment and is placed in a class at one of Ardmore's six levels, from A0 to C2.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision