University of Reading Summer, Summer Camp at the University of Reading

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• Year of foundation/opening: 1984
• Location: Reading, United Kingdom
• Number of students: ~500
• Type of education: blended
• Type of institution: summer language camp
• Language of instruction: English.

Junior Summer Courses — Reading — is a summer program for teenagers aged 10-17 at the University of Reading. Participants live on campus, study in international groups, and are fully immersed in an English-speaking environment.

The stay here lasts 2 or 3 weeks and takes place in July. This is a format of a short but intensive trip: the child finds themselves in a real British university setting where everything is organized in advance and thought out down to the smallest detail.

Classes are held on weekdays, usually in the first half of the day. There are about 15 lessons per week, each lasting 45 minutes. In the first few days, children take a short test, after which they are divided into groups based on their level.

There is a lot of speaking practice in class: children work in pairs and small groups, discuss topics, role-play situations, complete short assignments and mini-projects. The main goal is to help the child speak more freely and not be afraid to use the language in live communication.

There is no difficult homework; after classes, there is time for sports, trips and a general program. At the end of the shift, they receive a certificate of participation.

The Whiteknights campus was once part of a large private estate. In the 19th century, it was home to the Marquess of Blandford, son of the Duke of Marlborough — the history of the owner is still mentioned in university chronicles. The university bought the land after World War II. There is its own lake on the territory, Whiteknights Lake, right in the center of the university area.

Of course, there are legends about ghosts among students — the first mentions date back to 1922, when one such apparition became the hero of a publication in a school yearbook!

The campus regularly ranks among the greenest university campuses in Britain and has been awarded the Green Flag environmental award.

University scientists participated in the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Participants of the summer camp live on the territory of the University of Reading campus in student residences. As a rule, these are single rooms, which is convenient for teenagers — there is personal space and the opportunity to relax quietly. In most cases, the rooms have their own bathrooms.

Meals are provided on a full board basis: breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the university canteen, and packed lunches are issued on excursion days. The menu is standard British, with a choice of hot dishes and the possibility of taking dietary restrictions into account with prior notice.

The residences are within walking distance of classrooms and sports areas, so children do not move around the city independently — everything takes place inside the campus or organized with escorts.

It is worth mentioning the architecture separately. The most impressive part of the campus — the historic mansion Foxhill House, a 19th-century building with a tower and characteristic silhouette, which looks like an English estate. Next to the mansion — modern educational buildings with large glass facades: an old building with a tower and red brickwork is adjacent to laconic and strict glass and concrete facades.

Students are in for an extensive excursion program including trips to London and Oxford.

• In London, the usual route is through the center: Westminster, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament building, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, the Thames embankment.
• In Oxford, they walk around the historical center and the grounds of university colleges: inner courtyards, old colleges and libraries, narrow streets, pubs from the time of Oliver Cromwell and even Robin Hood.

There is also no time to get bored on campus, something happens every day: during the day — sports matches, tournaments and team games on university grounds, in the evening — joint events, quizzes, contests and discos.

• Classes and accommodation on a real university campus: the child lives in a genuine British university, on the grounds of the large green Whiteknights campus with a lake and park. This is a safe area without city traffic outside the windows.
• The camp is only 30 minutes by train from London — full-fledged trips to the capital are guaranteed without long journeys.
• Trips to London and Oxford are already included in the program.
• Small classes and a clear daily routine: study, sports, evening activities.
• Flexible participation format: you can choose the appropriate level of program intensity without overpaying for unnecessary options.

The program takes place on the Whiteknights campus of the University of Reading — a full-fledged university town with an area of about 120 hectares. The territory is a large park with a lake, well-maintained lawns, alleys and the Harris Garden botanical garden. The space is open and green, without dense urban development, children live and study in a calm environment. The campus remains compact: academic buildings, residences, dining halls and sports facilities are located close to each other, everything is within walking distance.

Classes are held in functioning university classrooms, participants have access to the library, learning spaces, dining halls and common areas for relaxation and communication. The sports infrastructure includes an indoor sports center, gyms, game rooms for basketball and other team sports, football fields, tennis courts and outdoor areas.

Reading is approximately a half-hour train ride from London, relatively close to Heathrow Airport.

The shift takes place in summer. Arrivals — at the beginning of July, in mid-July and at the end of the month. Duration — 2 or 3 weeks. There are no exams, the format is practical.

In addition to the cost of the course itself, you should include the following expenses in your travel plan:

• round-trip air tickets,
• visa fee with service charge,
• medical insurance for the duration of the trip,
• airport transfer,
• additional excursions or entrance tickets if you choose an extended program format,
• pocket money.

• First, you need to select the arrival dates and duration of the program — 2 or 3 weeks, book a place and receive confirmation.
• After receiving confirmation, you need to make a payment.
• Then you need to apply for a visa to the UK and purchase airline tickets for the agreed dates, agree on organizational matters: airport transfer, dietary requirements, additional excursions (if necessary and desired).
• Upon arrival, the student registers on campus, writes an English entrance test in the first few days, after which he is assigned to a group according to his level.

The program is intended for teenagers aged 10—17. No special academic preparation is required: in the first few days, testing is conducted, after which students are assigned to groups based on their level.

To register for participation, you need the consent of parents or legal guardians, a certificate of health and any dietary restrictions or features.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision