In this section you will find some general information about the courses at Etherton Education. This includes information about the class sizes, the level of English required and the sports and leisure program.
Class Sizes
The maximum class size is 16, but we aim to keep most classes around 10 to 12 students. On the Pre-A-Level / Pre-IB courses this can sometimes be as low as 3 to 4 students depending on the subject choices of the students at the time. For some lectures and workshops there will be larger groups.
Staff to Student Ratio
The overall ratio is around 1:3, that is, one member of staff to each three students. We have very high levels of individual care. There are always plenty of staff around to look after our students.
Recommended Minimum Level of English
Course – Pre-A-Level / Pre-IB
Minimum Recommended Level: B2 / IELTS 5.0
Course – Pre-GCSE
Minimum Recommended Level: B1 / IELTS 4.0
Students may be required to complete a short online test before they arrive. The test is NOT a Pass/Fail assessment! The results help us to assign students of similar ability with English into classes before they arrive. This means our arrival days can be more about settling in rather than having to take tests. If there are any concerns about the level of English of a student, we will speak with their agent or parent. Please note, our courses are not suitable for complete beginners but for those students who have a low level of English, we will give them support to help them improve and to gain confidence in using English.
Sports Programme
Sport is a very important part of Etherton Education summer courses. All students on our courses will participate in sports each teaching day for around an hour. This gives students the chance to have a taste of British sports taught by Coaches and our Student Hosts. The aim is to encourage and inspire students to take up sports in their future schools. Sport is a fantastic way for international students to make friends and integrate in their new environment. We give them the chance to learn some basic rules and sport specific vocabulary to get them started.
With the fantastic facilities that our school has, students will have the chance to participate in many different sports including – football, netball, rugby, hockey, basketball, tennis and cricket. Each week will see different sports introduced and there will also be free time for students to play their favourite sports with our Student Hosts.
Leisure Programme
We have unique social activities designed by Etherton Education which are managed by our Student Hosts so that students can relax and enjoy themselves after a full day of studying. We have two big social evenings each week with varying activities from a Fashion Show, a Business Game, Speed Chatting and many more. These evenings bring out students’ creativity and give them a chance to develop their team spirit. The social aspects of the summer are a really important time to boost English speaking skills. Students will be put into new scenarios that require a willing attitude and eagerness to help their team complete the task ahead.
There are trips each Thursday for all students during the courses. The trips are different each week and always have an educational side to them. All transport and entrance fees are included and students receive a packed lunch to take on full day trips.
For all students, the all-day trips may include such places as Oxford, the historic city of Bath, Bristol, Longleat Safari Park and House, and the Eden Project.
Please note, the trips advised above run throughout the courses so the trips students actually take will depend on the weeks they attend. The trips advised above are examples only and Etherton Education reserve the right to make adjustments at short notice due to weather / travel / circumstances beyond our control.