Chester English Summer Program

Chester College's International English Summer Program, aimed at campers aged 8-18, has been running successfully since 1985. In July 2020, we will be running its 35th edition - bring it on!

Our main objective has remained the same throughout the years: to offer young people a rich, educational & fun experience in the month of July, where the enhancement of communicative abilities through English runs parallel to the promotion of creativity, self-betterment, comradeship, sports practice and recreation.

The use of English is promoted actively in all spheres. The Camp’s dynamic methodology includes an English program through Music and Drama, an additional Trinity College London English program (conducive to a test that may be taken in-house at the end of July), sports, games, outings and trips, amongst numerous other activities, within an overall stimulating recreational framework, characteristic of the summer, holiday season.

We pride ourselves on our personal attention: the average camper-teacher ratio, including all specialised Music and Sport staff, is below 7:1. Through this small ratio we also aim at creating as much directed English practice and exposure as possible, in all Camp areas.

Camper’s native-language mix additionally naturally stimulates the use of English as the common means of communication, apart from forging an invaluable intercultural experience.

2020 Dates

Chester English Summer Camp has 2 different strands: Residential (Boarding) and Day.

Dates for the 2020 Chester International English Summer Program are the following:

Boarding Participants

Full Program: July 1-31
Session 1: July 1-16
Session 2: July 16-31

Day Participants

Full Program: July 2-31
Session 1: July 2-16
Session 2: July 17-31

Boarding Participants

The boarding strand of Chester College´s International English Summer program includes:

English language classroom program (Monday-Friday): 15 sessions/week
One daily Music session
One daily public speaking & Drama session
Daily recreational, sport and cultural program on and off campus. Sports may include: football, baseball, swimming, waterpolo, volleyball, introduction to surfing, horse-riding, amongst many others
Separate program of evening activities
Saturday & Sunday full-day trips to areas of educational and recreational interest in the region of Galicia
Preparation and full staging of an End-of-Program Musical and a showcase after Session 1.
Preparation for Trinity College London examinations (GESE, ISE)
Accommodation in Chester College’s residential facilities (separate male/female houses, supervised by dorm-parents)
Full board: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and morning and afternoon snack
Use of course materials
Weekly laundry service
Progress Report at the end of the Camp
Airport / Train Station transportation & pick-up service to and from the Camps (optional)
Permanent, 24:7, staff supervision, care and assistance

Day Program participants

The timetable for day participants in Chester College’s International English Summer program is the following:

Monday-Friday: 09:15-18:30. Two times a week special out-of-campus activities may stretch up to 21:00. These activities are communicated to parents, in advance, via information letters handed in to the parents at pick-up.
Saturday: Full-day outing.

The Program’s Day strand includes:

English language classroom program (Monday-Friday): 15 sessions/week
One daily Music session
One daily public speaking & Drama session
Daily recreational, sport and cultural program on and off campus. Sports may include: football, baseball, swimming, waterpolo, volleyball, introduction to surfing, horse-riding, amongst many others
Saturday full-day trip, to an area of recreational & educational interest in the region
Preparation and full staging of an End-of-Program Musical and a showcase after Session 1
Preparation for Trinity College London examinations (GESE, ISE)
Lunch and morning & afternoon snack
Use of course materials
Progress Report at the end of the Camp
Permanent staff supervision, care and assistance

Our son Noah absolutely enjoyed the Camp and would like to return next year. As parents we felt he was very well looked after. Thanks to everyone who helped make this Camp such a great success.

Ms. Helga D.- Mother of Noah D. Bonn, Germany.

Our 15 and 16 year old daughters have really enjoyed themselves from the first moment. After 2 days they were regretting not having signed up to go to the camp for the full month. They have made friends from different countries who they have kept in touch with, and it was a really enriching experience.

Ms. Ana N.- Mother of Ana & Sara G. Ferrol, Spain.

English Programme

English in action is the Camp´s motto: the use of English is dynamically promoted as a communication tool in all Camp spheres, not only in the classroom setting.

The English language classroom program concentrates purposefully on developing all skills areas (speaking, reading, writing, listening), with special emphasis on oral skills.

Campers sit a test level the first day of Camp, and are distributed into class groups, based on language level and age.

Full Camp (4 weeks) campers are prepared and given the option of taking an official Trinity College language test (GESE or ISE) at the end of the month. Please note that campers who wish to take an ISE exam (ISE I or II, equivalent to levels B1 or B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – CEFRL) need to register with Chester College before April 15, 2020. GESE registration deadlines are much more flexible, and campers may be registered in one level or another once the Camp has started and language levels are adequately assessed.

Chester College has been an official Trinity College exam center since 1992.

Our Staff

Our teachers are native speakers of English, carefully selected, highly qualified and experienced in English teaching or in their respective specialized field. We also count on a team of enthusiastic native English-speaking monitors and team leaders.

The average camper:teacher ratio, including all specialized staff, is below 7:1.

Drama and Music

Music and Drama constitute an essential component of Chester College’s English Summer Program. Both constitute an ideal framework in which to foster communication and public speaking skills, creativeness, memory and personal development, amongst numerous other areas.

Campers prepare a Musical throughout the duration of the Camp, which is enthusiastically performed before families and friends before the final goodbyes. Previous editions include stylised versions of Aladdin (2019), School of Rock (2018), Beauty & the Beast (2018), Matilda (2017), The Wizard of Oz (2017), West Side Story (2016), Annie (2016) Snow White, 12 1/2 Dwarves and 2 Fairies (2015), Hamlet (2014), Romeo and Juliet (2013), Shrek (2012), The Blues Brothers (2011), Sister Act (2010) and Grease (2009), to name just a few!

A showcase is also performed before leaving participants at the end of Session 1 (mid-program).

It has been a great experience for the children. The multinational environment helps them develop their adaptation skills. They have fun and learn in a very homely setting.

Ms. Maite V.- mother of Maria, Veronica & Paco. Madrid, Spain.

Sports and Activities

Sports

For at least 2.5 hours a day campers participate in a variety of sports activities including football, swimming, basketball, volleyball, water polo, uni-hoc, baseball… One or two days a week campers leave Chester College’s premises to go on special , longer outdoor activities including canoeing, introduction to surfing, horse-riding, aquapark outings, and more.

Activities vary weekly and we cannot guarantee that a certain activity will happen on a certain fortnight, since most would be reliant on weather conditions.

Social and Cultural Activities

Walks in the old part of Santiago, visits to museums, exhibitions, attending concerts and shows as well as shopping trips are all an integral part of the exposure to the culture of the city.

Excursions

Every Saturday and Sunday there are trips to the scenic seaside beaches nearby and to places of historical and cultural interest in both Santiago the Compostela and the region of Galicia.

Evening Activities (Resident Campers)

A varied daily program which includes cultural visits, competitions, talent shows, karaokes, arts and crafts, concert prop and decorations making, themed parties, etc.

Nutrition

Chester College has its own kitchen, where meals are prepared daily under the supervision of a paediatrician. Meals consist of 2 courses and a dessert. They are supervised by teachers (who have lunch with the campers) and auxiliary staff, who encourage both good table manners and the use of Spanish.

Chester College additionally provides morning and afternoon snacks for all campers (normally a small sandwich or a piece of fruit, as well as water).

Residential Facilities

For our residential participants there are two separate school residences (a girls’ residence and a boys’ residence), with rooms for 2-4 campers in each.

Camp participants are accompanied by dorm-parents at all times, who strive to create a homely, safe and caring environment.

Thank you very much for everything you have contributed to our children, Guillermo and Alejandro, who have thoroughly enjoyed the Camp this summer and who have really improved their English skills, made friends, and had huge fun in Drama.

Ms Dounia C.- mother of Guillermo and Alejandro. Zurich, Switzerland.

Would you like to find out more about Chester College´s International English Summer Program?

Participants are encouraged to register as soon as possible as places are limited. All applications are treated on a “first come, first serve” basis.

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