Cambridge Summer Camp

Summer children's courses are held on the basis of Cambridge University in Sidney Sussex College. The campus is located in the center of the city, within a walking distance from it there is a tourist infrastructure.

Every day, on summer courses at the UK language school, children will enjoy fascinating language classes, a practical and highly effective, rich extracurricular program, sports and recreational activities. 

St Giles uses a learner-centered teaching approach focused on students' needs, interests, and goals. Lessons are fast-paced and interactive, with activities designed to keep students motivated and make the course engaging and relevant.

All teachers are qualified, native-level English speakers who hold recognized certifications such as Cambridge CELTA or Trinity Cert. TESOL, along with a university degree. Many teachers have additional Diploma or master's-level qualifications. Each center maintains a teacher development program with regular observations and appraisals to support consistent teaching standards.

Students self-certify their English level at enrollment and take a placement test on the first morning of lessons. They are then grouped by level or taught in mixed-ability classes with differentiated aims. Classes have a maximum of 15 students, allowing for individual attention.

At the end of the course, students participate in a graduation ceremony. Each student receives a certificate showing their English level and length of stay, accompanied by a full report from their teachers.

The Cambridge Summer Camp offers 20 General English lessons per week, totaling 16.7 hours. Lessons are held every morning from 9:00 to 13:00 and follow a communicative, learner-centered approach designed to build communication skills and confidence in using English inside and outside the classroom.

In addition to the core program, students can choose from English Plus specialized options offered for 5 hours per week in the afternoons:

• Exam Skills: preparation for exams such as FCE, CAE, IELTS, and TOEFL,
• Performing Arts: exploration of the language of drama, theater, and dance,
• University Studies Taster: an introduction to academic life at a British university.

Each week of the course centers on a specific theme, such as Food, Global Culture, or Science and the Environment. Students learn vocabulary and functional language connected to the theme and apply it in an end-of-week group project. Projects may take the form of a film, presentation, drawing, song, or another creative format. Students present their projects to their peers.

Throughout their stay, students build a workbook portfolio documenting their accomplishments, weekly targets, excursion-related work, and newly learned language.

• St Giles International was founded in 1955, when Paul Lindsay rented a small room in Soho, London, to start a school of English. Today it is one of the UK's longest-running language education companies,
• The Cambridge Summer Camp has a capacity of 120 students, with students of up to 48 nationalities studying together each summer,
• In the 2025 season, the nationality mix at Cambridge Juniors included Turkey (34%), China (12%), Taiwan (7%), Italy (7%), Brazil (6%), Switzerland (5%), Mexico (4%), Spain (4%), and 16 other nationalities (21%),
• The general staff-to-student ratio is 1:15 to 1:20, while excursions use ratios of 1:12 or 1:15 for closer supervision,
• St Giles International was ranked 77th in the Sunday Times International Track 200 in 2014, recognizing it as one of the UK's fastest-growing private companies in overseas sales,
• London Stansted Airport is 40 minutes by car from the Cambridge campus, and London is 60 minutes away by train,
• The camp also offers a separate Cambridge Family Course for parents with children aged 5 to 13. Parents study at the nearby year-round St Giles Cambridge school while children attend classes in a neighboring building.

Students stay at Mary Ward House, the camp's boarding house located a 15-minute walk from St Mary's School. Accommodation includes single, twin, or shared rooms for 2, 3, or 4 students. Bathrooms are shared at a ratio of 1:5. The residence has Wi-Fi and an on-site dining hall.

Full-board meals are provided for residential students, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner included daily. On excursion days, students receive packed lunches. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated on request.

Subject list: Academic English, business English, English for the summer, IELTS preparation, Intensive English, Preparation for CPE, Preparation for TOEFL, Preparation for TOEIC, Preparation of CAE and FCE
Activity list: basketball, bowling, disco, football, karaoke, swimming, table tennis, volleyball

The camp program includes at least 1 full-day and 3 half-day excursions per week, supervised at a staff ratio of 1:12 or 1:15. Excursion destinations may include London, with visits to the Tower of London and walking tours, as well as Norwich, the Cambridge Botanic Garden, Oxford, and Stratford-upon-Avon. Past excursions have also featured visits to football stadiums associated with Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Brighton, as well as the Harry Potter Studio Tour, Legoland, Hampton Court Palace, the London Eye, London Dungeons, and Madame Tussauds.

A full afternoon and evening social program offers activities on campus, including table tennis, basketball, volleyball, football, bowling, cinema nights, discos, punting on the River Cam, pizza parties, talent shows, barbecues, and capture the flag. Each week follows a specific theme, such as Food, Global Culture, or Science and the Environment, and concludes with a group project presentation.

Daily routine

Students wake at 7:30 and have breakfast at 8:00. General English lessons run from 9:00 to 13:00. After lunch from 13:00 to 14:00, afternoons are devoted to English Plus sessions, sports, and excursions. Dinner is served at 18:00, followed by evening entertainment and activities.

• St Giles International has over 70 years of experience in language education. It was founded in 1955 as a family business and is now managed by the family's third generation,
• The school received the Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade in 2015 and the IALCA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023, recognizing its long record in language training,
• All teachers hold recognized certifications such as Cambridge CELTA or Trinity Cert. TESOL along with a university degree, and many have additional Diploma or master's-level qualifications,
• The Cambridge Summer Camp includes English Plus specialized options at no extra cost: Exam Skills, Performing Arts, and a University Studies Taster,
• Students receive 24-hour supervision from on-site St Giles staff, with safeguarding measures, regular roll calls throughout the day, and an emergency phone line for parents,
• The camp welcomes students of 48 nationalities, creating an international learning environment and opportunities for cultural exchange.

The Cambridge Summer Camp is based at St Mary's School, a traditional boarding school campus in the center of Cambridge, within walking distance of the city's colleges, shops, and attractions.

On-site facilities include netball courts, an indoor sports hall, interactive whiteboards in classrooms, Wi-Fi, and a dining hall. Off-site facilities available to students include an athletics field, cricket nets, AstroTurf pitches for hockey, rugby, and football, as well as additional netball and tennis courts.

The campus combines modern teaching facilities with the historic setting of a traditional British school and provides a safe environment for students.

The residential package includes 20 English lessons per week, accommodation, all meals, insurance, 24-hour supervision, learning materials, excursions, sports and social activities, and an end-of-course certificate.

Additional fees not included in the package:

• Airport transfers from London Stansted, Heathrow, or Gatwick,
• Flights,
• Visa services and fees,
• Unaccompanied minor service fee (£60 per journey, mandatory for students under 13),
• Special dietary requirements supplement (£33 per person per week, vegetarian diets excluded),
• Refundable breakages deposit (£80, collected in cash on arrival),
• Non-Sunday arrival or departure supplement.

Cancellation policy: cancellations received more than 28 days before the course begins incur a deposit charge of £100 per week. Cancellations received 14–28 days before the course begins incur 80% of the course fees. No refund is available for cancellations received less than 14 days before the course begins or after arrival.

Extras:

• Registration fee (for a programme/course) 80 GBP
• Deposit for a course/programme 100 GBP
• One way transfer - Gatwick 210 GBP
• One way transfer - Heathrow 195 GBP

The Cambridge Summer Camp is open to students aged 8 to 17 with a minimum English level of A1+ (Elementary). Arrivals and departures take place on Sundays.

On the first morning of lessons, all students take a placement test to determine their level. Depending on the student intake for each week, students are either split into groups by level or taught in mixed-ability classes with differentiated aims so that all learners receive an appropriate level of challenge.

Up to 5 levels are available, from Beginner to Advanced. The maximum class size is 15 students.

Students under the age of 13 traveling individually must travel as an Unaccompanied Minor. Parents and guardians of all students under 18 must complete consent and travel documentation before arrival.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision