Summer Fields School, Private Boarding School Summer Fields

• Location: Oxford, United Kingdom,
• Founded in: 1864,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of education: for boys.

Summer Fields School is a boarding school with the possibility of full-time education, where only boys from 4 to 13 years old study.

The last full inspection from the Independent Schools Inspectorate took place at the SFS in June 2022: the inspectors praised the exceptional quality of education and pastoral care.

• Summer Fields School began its history in 1864 with only seven students.
• The school's mottos are: A healthy mind in a healthy body (analogue in Latin - Mens Sana In Corpore Sano).

At Summer Fields School, all students are assigned to residential buildings based on age. The eight-year-old first-time students live together in the Borva building, and as they grow older, they move into new cabins more suitable for their age.

There are eight residential buildings on campus in total:

• Borva for Year 4 students,
• Savage's for Year 5 students,
• Upper House for Year 6 students,
• Front Lodge for Year 7 students,
• Mayfield for Year 7 & Year 8 students,
• Cottage for Year 8 students.  

All the boys eat in the common dining room, which is located in the central building of the school, which is a bright and spacious room. Employees eat together with students, talking to each other and with them.

Meals during the day:

• breakfast
• dinner
• supper
• tea drinking,
• Snacks.

Food for snacks is always in the public domain. The chefs do everything possible to ensure that boarders and full-time students receive the dishes that they like and are good for their health: hot dishes, salads, meat snacks and vegetarian dishes. Students can always ask for more if a standard portion is not enough for them.

The menu is drawn up by professional chefs, but boys are also invited to participate in the selection of dishes: the nutrition committee includes representatives from each classroom. Committee meetings are held twice a semester.

The classroom at Summer Fields School is just one of the locations where children spend most of their time. Outside of it, the boys are also actively and productively developing! Due to the fact that Oxford is close to campus, students have access to the cultural and entertainment attractions of the city, where they attend concerts, performances and museums.

Sightseeing trips abroad for boarders are organized to places such as Ypres and the Somme. Each academic year at school begins for children with a 4-day hike - children go:

• to Cornwall,
• St Bryvel Castle in Wales,
• Devon.

Other routes for several days (during the holidays and not only):

• London
• Baht
• Windsor
• Cotswolds
• Black country.

On the campus of Summer Fields School, students are offered extracurricular master classes and lectures, for which city and foreign speakers are invited. Additional activities and formats available to boys on the territory of the boarding house:

• creative circles,
• Craftsmen's Club,
• ball games,
• cooking classes,
• horticulture
• Informatics Club,
• theatrical and musical art,
• playing bridge,
• apiculture
• archaeology
• table tennis
• scrapbooking,
• cross-stitching,
• crochet and knitting,
• croquet
• board games,
• gymnastics
• pentathlon
• photo and video club,
• scientific clubs,
• swimming team,
• Railway modeling.

The list of classes in the schedule changes regularly to maintain the interest of boys in new activities and meet the current requirements for modern school students and future applicants.

Off-campus, children can go rock climbing, caving, kayaking, camping, raft building, and developing survival skills.

• At Summer Fields School, young boarders are developed in all aspects: academically, morally, spiritually and culturally. All educational and extracurricular activities are aimed at making boys self-confident and developing a sense of independence.
• Educators help students discover talents, identify leading interests, and form values that will not only prepare them for the next stage of learning, but will stay with them for life.
• The success of boys' future depends on dedicated teachers who inspire them to work with enthusiasm and pleasure.
• Boarders feel at home here and are offered a large number of evening and weekend activities. Extracurricular life on campus is in full swing both in free time and within the framework of the structured schedule of clubs.
• Studying in a full-board format is a valuable experience that teaches children independence and the social skills necessary for life in society. A caring and supportive atmosphere allows boys to feel happy and protected.

The campus of Summer Fields School is located on a round-the-clock guarded, isolated area, which has an area of 28+ hectares. The school's infrastructure includes:

• modern, high-tech classrooms with all the necessary equipment,
• library
• computer class, 
• Gardens
• Playgrounds.

Additional expenses for parents of Summer Fields School students include extracurricular lessons conducted by subject teachers, for example:

• music lessons,
• golf
• classes in the drama club,
• skeet shooting,
• rifle shooting,
• tennis
• fencing
• squash
• chess.

Boys are admitted to preparatory classes from the age of 4, in Year 3 - from 7 years old. Usually, the admission process takes place in September, but applicants have the opportunity to get into the school in January or April, subject to availability.

The admission process consists of 6 main stages:

1. Submit the request along with the documents.
2. Receiving a response from the school about the acceptance of the questionnaire, signing up for an online or offline interview.
3. Passing an interview with employees.
4. Passing the entrance exam, assessing the portfolio of a potential student.
5. Receiving an invitation from Summer Fields School.
6. Resolving visa issues and leaving for the UK.

The task of Summer Fields School is to choose a high school for each boy that will be most suitable for him. To compile a list of suitable educational centers, specialists identify the strengths and interests of children. The entire process of preparing for the transition to high school begins several years before students turn 13 years old.

Children leave the walls of the boarding school fully prepared for entrance exams and tests that high schools can conduct when admitting students. One of the standardized tests is Common Entrance, for which boys are prepared in the first place: children master the solution of logical problems and train to pass interviews.

Basic requirements for foreign students:

• Applicants must have legal guardians or immediate family members in the United Kingdom, with whom the school must have direct communication for unforeseen situations and standard notifications.
• Applicants must be fluent in English and prove their level of proficiency through an international test.

Thanks to the support of the McLaren Foundation, Summer Fields School is able to pay scholarships to students annually - they cover up to 100% of the costs. Parents of boys can apply for material support; There are 2 scholarship categories:

• For new students who have been given a place, but their parents or guardians cannot fully or partially pay tuition and other expenses,
• For students whose parents or guardians are experiencing difficulties with tuition fees due to changed circumstances.

The exact amount of the scholarship is determined personally, after consultation with the school staff and a meeting of the independent commission of Bursary Administration Limited. When considering an application from the student's parents, their financial situation and the child's academic performance are taken into account. The final decision is made by The Maclaren Foundation.

The amount of school scholarships is reviewed annually and can be increased/decreased depending on the circumstances.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision