FAQ’s
Which summer school is best for my child?
When choosing the summer educational programme we always take into account the age of a child, their hobbies and English language level. We need to know preferable accommodation type (student residence for more independent kids or a family stay) and also the goal that the family wants to achieve. After careful analysis of all these factors we would pick and choose a few best programmes to fulfill all your expectations.
How many hours of English is included in the course?
The hours of English can vary between 15, 19, 20, 22.5 and 30 hours a week. You need to take into account that your child will be constantly communicating with new friends from all over the world during the activities and lessons. The standard amount of English is considered to be 15 hours a week, any hours beyond 20 are considered to be intensive.
Children can stay either in student residences provided by the school (which is the most common type of accommodation), or with the local families who usually live in the walking distance from school or 10-40 minutes away by public transport.
Private boarding summer schools usually offer to stay in their premises. Given that during the school year those premises are offered on permanent basis to their own pupils, it’s usually a high-standard accommodation. If you have special requirements regarding accommodation please let your consultant know and we will choose the best suitable option.
How many times my child will be fed?
Children are fed thrice a day. A well-balanced menu includes meat and/or fish, fruits, vegetables and dairy products on daily basis. Usually food is served in school buffet so that each child has a choice of picking their own meal. Main meals are served by canteen workers. If your child has any type of food intolerance or special dietary requirements you should let the course runners know in advance, so the special menu can be offered to your child. All summer schools offer vegetarian options.
My child is a minor, can he/she travel on their own?
Yes. When you buy airplane tickets, you may opt for Minor Escort Accompaniment‘service (subject to conditions of the airways). The airways representatives will meet your child at the airport, help them to go through passport and security controls and help to board the airplane. Upon arrival in the UK you child will be helped to pick up the luggage and walked to the summer school representative. When doing that the airways representative will double-check the ID of the welcoming party. Inbound journey will be organised in the same way: when registering on the flight in the UK the child will be passed on into the care of airways representative who will accompany your child and make sure to pass them on to the parents.
If my child is NOT accompanied, how will he/she find the welcoming party in the airport??
After passport control and luggage pick up your child will be led to the arrivals area where the school representative will be holding a card with clear name of the school or will be wearing a distinguishable T-shirt. We email all the details including the emergency contact numbers of summer school and our consultant’s contacts in written right before your departure.
What if my child can’t find the representative of the school at the airport?
First and foremost – don’t panic! We always send our contacts to parents and we easily reachable. Secondly, we recommend to brief your child how to find the representative in the crowd – ie he will be wearing bright clothes or hat with the name of the school or carry a card. If your child hasn’t found the school representative in the first 10-15 minutes after coming out to the arrivals area, they should contact us and we will resolve the issue.
My child is arriving at the weekend. Will the mobile number BRIT Education has provided work on Saturday or Sundays?
The contact number we give you is for reaching us in the case of emergency, that is why we always have a person on duty to be available for contact any time.
Who will help to resolve problems of my child should they occur during his stay at summer school?
Qualified staff of the summer school will be available 24 hours and help to resolve any issues regarding health and safety of your child. No matter how minor the problems might look to a child, absolutely any issue can be addressed to summer school representatives.
What if my child gets unwell during his summer school stay?
School staff or medical officer will give necessary medication in case of the symptoms of cold, small bruises or light soreness. When necessary first can aid can be applied, ambulance called or child can be sent to the hospital.
Yes, you will need to take care of the insurance for your child. You can do it in your own city by choosing local insurance companies and asking for their advice. Despite the fact that it’s not a must to have an insurance for visa application to the UK, most of the summer schools require the copy of the insurance form. Some schools add the insurance costs into their fees.
What clothes should my child bring?
The wardrobe should consist of the necessary clothes: underwear, shorts, vests, T-shirts, warm coat and a few pair of shoes including flip-flops and running shoes. Child must have the sun protection kit such as sunscreen and baseball hat. Do not forget toiletries and a towel. If your chaild is planning to play sports, they should have adequate sports clothing on them. There is no need to bring bed linen.
How frequently is bed linen changed and clothes being washed?
Depending on the school clothes are washed 2-5 times a week. Children are informed about all the rules beforehand. They will need to leave their clothes in special laundry containers and the clothes will be washed and returned in the next 24-48 hours. It’s important to mark clothes in right way with a special marker. The bed linen is changed by the school staff once a week.
Do I need to mark my child’s clothes?
Yes, you will need to mark all the clothes. It will protect it from being lost and help the school staff to identify whose clothes it is after being returned from the laundry room.
How much money should I give to my child?
All the fun activities and excursions are already included in the school fees. Your child might need only pocket money for sweets and souvenirs. We suggest that your child has around £50 per week.
Can my child take a bank card?
We would not advice your child to have a bank card on them, especially if it’s not on their name. They won’t have the opportunity to pay by card in most cases, and there aren’t cash machines in the summer school premises.
How can I protect my child from being robbed?
To prevent robbery of cash and valuables we recommend that your child doesn’t bring expensive gadgets and tools with them to the summer school (laptops, expensive handsets, iPads etc). All their cash, documents and tickets will be kept with the school staff and given to your child a few times a week whenever it’s necessary.
