Frequently Asked Questions

Will you collect my child from the airport?
What does my child need to bring with them?
What makes your courses different from other courses? (Why should I send my child to your school?)
Where is the summer school?
Where will the students come from?
My child already speaks good English. Will he/she benefit from attending?
Can my child attend as a day student?
Can my child arrive or depart outside your official course dates?
How do you decide which class my child will join?
Do all of the children have the same bed time?
Can I stay near my child?
Can parents learn English too?
How much does it cost?
What does the cost include?
Is it worth the money?
How will my child get there?
What if my child gets homesick?
When do I need to book?
How do I book?
Can my child bring a mobile phone?
What if I can’t find the answers to my questions?

Q. Will you collect my child from the airport?
A. Yes. We will collect your child from the airport and providing that arrival is at Manchester Airport between 7am and 9pm we provide this service free of charge. If your child is going to arrive very late or very early, or if they are going to fly into a different UK airport, please contact us to discuss additional transport costs.

Q. What does my child need to bring with them?
A. Your child needs to bring everything that they would normally take on a 3 (or 6) week holiday ensuring that this includes some warm clothes, a rainproof coat, training shoes, sports clothes, 2 towels and a swimming costume (click here for current weather conditions near the school). However, do not worry about this as we will provide you with a full list of what your child needs to bring once they have been registered to attend.

Q. What makes your courses different from other courses? (Why should I send my child to your school?)
A.

• We provide courses solely for children aged from 7 – 12 years and have vast experience within this age range.
• We tailor our courses specifically for the needs of young children.
• This isn't just an English course, we are one of the few summer schools that also teach primary subjects to each child.
• Your child will be surrounded by other children of similar ages, rather than mixing with older teenagers.
• The school is located in the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside and within easy reach of many well known tourist attractions.
• Your child will be in a friendly, safe and well-supervised environment.
• Our administration is professional and highly organised but also prides itself on being personal.

Q. Where is the summer school?
A. Acorn International Summer School takes place at Terrington Hall Preparatory School in the beautiful village of Terrington in North Yorkshire. Please click on the link 'The School' at the top of the web page for more information. If you would like to know more about the school and the services it offers to children aged 4-13, please click here to visit the school web site.

Q. Where will the students come from?
A. The children will be aged from 7 – 12 years old and come from many different countries, religious backgrounds and cultures. Some of the children are likely to be attending International Schools in their own countries.

Q. My child already speaks good English. Will he/she benefit from attending?
A. Yes. Often students who speak good English still need to improve their writing; spelling and grammar. Our experienced teachers are able to tailor lessons that will be suitable for your child’s ability and by providing 10 hours of primary subjects a week your child will also develop a wider technical vocabulary. We also offer children the opportunity to take an examination at the end of the course giving them the opportunity to gain a British qualification. All students benefit by participating in a variety of sports and activities with their peers from other countries and cultures. They have a lot of fun and often become more self-confident and independent.

Q. Can my child attend as a day student?
A. No. Experience suggests that students who do this do not integrate fully into the life of the course.

Q. Can my child arrive or depart outside your official course dates?
A. This is unlikely to be possible as there are limited places available on the courses and they fill up quickly. We do, however, try to accommodate requests where possible and are happy to discuss your options further. Please email or telephone us with your requirements. (click here)

Q. How do you decide which class my child will join?
A. We organise classes for a variety of levels ranging from Beginner to Advanced. We ask parents to estimate their child's ability in the booking form as this gives us an initial idea of placement. We also assess each child's level of English at the start of the course. The great advantage of a course specifically organised for younger children is that there are never very young children mixed in classes with older teenagers. We do try to have children of similar ages in each class and, where possible, a variety of nationalities.

Q. Do all of the children have the same bed time?
A. No, there are two bed times at the Summer School, 7 – 9 year olds will go to their bedrooms at 9.00pm and will turn their lights out at 9.30pm and 10 - 12 year olds will go to their bedrooms at 9.30pm and turn their lights out at 10.15pm. Our experience shows that younger children need more sleep in order to cope with the busy days, whereas older children often like more time to read and socialise in their bedrooms. However, your child is free to go to bed early if they feel tired and we will ensure that they are disturbed as little as possible.

Q. Can I stay near my child?
A. It will not be possible for you to stay in the school accommodation with your child, but there are many different options available for accommodation near to the school. However, we have found that some children do not integrate fully into the summer school whilst their parents are nearby or visiting them often. As this is often the case, we suggest that parents may enjoy the opportunity to visit key landmarks and cities aroundthe UK while their child is at Summer School. Please contact us for a list of hotels near to the school or for a list of suggested places to visit in the UK.

Q. Can parents learn English too?
A. No. Our expertise lies with teaching English to young children and so we cannot offer this service.

Q. How much does it cost?
A. It costs £600 Pounds Sterling (click here for currency converter) per week however we do offer a discount of £50 per week for children attending for the full 6 weeks.

Q. What does the cost include?
A. The fees include tuition, accomodation, meals, excursions, day trips, sports and the use of all school facilities. Please click here for full details. The fees do not include air faires or spending money.

Q. Is it worth the money?
A. If you want your child to improve their English in a fun and friendly environment, make lots of new friends, visit different English landmarks and cities, experience the British education system and gain a British Qualification; then it is certainly worthwhile!

Q. How will my child get there?
A. You can bring your child personally to the school or we can provide free airport transfers from Manchester Airport on the first and last day of each course. If it is possible then we try to put parents from the same country in contact with each other so that students can arrange to travel together or alternatively one parent can travel with a small group of children.

Q. What if my child gets homesick?
A. Not many children get homesick and if they do then it usually disappears after a few days. However we have a dedicated and caring team of staff who are on hand 24 hours a day to help your child if they feel homesick. We find that children who overcome homesickness often benefit by becoming much more self-confident and independent.

Q. When do I need to book?
A. Because it is a small course and one of only a few in England that offers courses specifically tailored for 7 – 12 year olds we are likely to book up very quickly. We also try to have no more than 5 children who speak the same language on each course as this provides much greater opportunity for speaking English. As such you will need to book as soon as possible (preferably no later than April) to guarantee a place for summer 2009. If a visa is required this may take you some time to organise so please allow plenty of time for this process. Click here to go to the application form if you are ready to book now.

Q. How do I book?
A. Complete our Application form. If we can accept your child then we will send you full pre-course information (clothes list, airport transfer information, school rules, etc.) and request your deposit payment (250 GBP) to secure the place. The balance of fees is then payable 8 weeks before your child attends the course. Please ensure that you have read, and agree with, the Terms and Conditions of Acorn International Summer School before commencing booking.

Q. Can my child bring a mobile phone?
A. Yes of course! However we ask that children do not bring their mobile phones to class with them as this can disrupt lessons for everyone else and we do not accept any responsibility for lost or damaged mobile phones.

Q. What if I can’t find the answers to my questions?
A. If you still have questions unanswered then please click here to ask any question via our enquiry form. We will try to respond within 1 working day.