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Summer 2027 · Oxford · Ages 10–16

Headington Oxford Summer School

Two programmes in Oxford: Outdoor Adventurers for ages 10–14, and six subject choices from English to medicine and business for ages 12–16, all with a packed activity programme and weekly excursions.

Book a place
Headington School main building and lawns, Oxford

1 · Dates and fees

Summer 2027 dates and fees

Dates
28 June – 9 August 2027
Length of stay
2 or 4 weeks
Lessons
15 hours per week
Class size
15 students max
Options
Residential or day

Outdoor Adventurers

Ages 10–14Level A2+

Science, engineering and the natural world explored through English, with outdoor challenges, fieldwork and expeditions.

LengthResidentialDay
2 weeks£4,295£2,995

English Adventurers

Ages 12–16Level A2+

English developed through real conversations, presentations and projects, with the full activity and excursion programme.

LengthResidentialDay
2 weeks£4,295£2,995
4 weeks£8,590£5,990

Future Programmes

Ages 12–16Level B1+

Choose one subject: Future Entrepreneurs, Future Doctors, Future Scientists (STEM), Future Global Leaders or Future Artists.

LengthResidentialDay
2 weeks£4,795£3,495
4 weeks£9,590£6,990

Course dates

Ages 10–14 · 2 weeks
28 June – 12 July 2027
12 July – 26 July 2027
Ages 12–16 · 2 weeks
28 June – 12 July 2027
12 July – 26 July 2027
26 July – 9 August 2027
Ages 12–16 · 4 weeks
12 July – 9 August 2027

Fees are per student. Optional extras are charged separately. Airport transfers are available from Heathrow and St Pancras at £150 each way. See the English level guide to check which programme fits.

2 · The school

Headington School, Oxford

Headington is an academically selective day and boarding school for girls aged 3 to 18, set on a 23-acre site in a leafy suburb of Oxford, close to the city centre. It is ranked among the top 50 schools in the UK, and many of its pupils go on to Oxford, Cambridge and Russell Group universities.

A major building project added a modern atrium, gym, performance space, art and design technology studios, and a new dining hall. In summer the campus welcomes boys and girls from around the world.

The summer programme is British Council accredited and rated a Centre of Excellence by EL Gazette from 2018 to 2026, and has welcomed more than 21,000 students from 155 countries since 2008.

72%
of A-level entries graded A*/A in 2022
83.2%
of GCSE grades at 9–7 in 2022
23 acres
of campus in Oxford
155
nationalities welcomed since 2008
Students celebrating together in Oxford Students talking together during the programme A group of friends in tie-dye T-shirts

3 · The summer programme

Try something new. Discover what excites you.

Mornings start with a subject lesson that mixes theory and practical work. Students might design a health campaign in Future Doctors, build a business case in Future Entrepreneurs, or debate international policy in Future Global Leaders. Once a week, a fieldwork session takes learning out of the classroom.

Late morning is Time to Shine: in small teams, students research, plan and build a project linked to their subject, then present it at the end of the week, building English, confidence and teamwork.

Every student takes a short English placement test before arrival, so they join the right class from day one, and leaves with a personalised certificate and reference letter.

15 hrs
academic lessons per week
6
subjects to choose from
15
students maximum per class
1:6
staff-to-student ratio

Subject choices for ages 12–16

English Adventurers · A2+
English through real conversations, presentations and projects.
Future Entrepreneurs · B1+
Business and entrepreneurship, building a business case from scratch.
Future Doctors · B1+
An introduction to medicine, such as designing a health campaign.
Future Scientists (STEM) · B1+
Science and technology through practical, hands-on work.
Future Global Leaders · B1+
Leadership and global issues, debating policy with peers worldwide.
Future Artists · B1+
Art and design projects in the school’s art studio.
A student presenting her Time to Shine project A student giving a presentation in class Students working on a practical science task

Timetable: a typical week for ages 12–16

A sample week for residential students. Activities and excursions are examples and may change.

TimeMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
07:15–09:0007:15 Wake up · 08:00 House meeting · 08:20 Breakfast
09:00–10:30Oxford excursion
Explore the historic university city, its architecture and academic heritage		Subject lessonSubject lessonFieldworkFull-day excursion
Week 1: Thorpe Park
Week 2: London		Subject lessonSubject lesson
10:30–11:00BreakBreak
11:00–12:30Time to Shine
Introduction to the week’s project		Time to Shine
Mind-mapping ideas in small groups		Time to Shine
Developing the idea and presentation		Time to Shine
Rehearsal for the ceremony		Time to Shine Ceremony
Presenting projects to the class
12:30–13:30Lunch and breakLunch and break
13:30–17:00Multi-activity
Badminton, rounders, drama games, dream catchers		Multi-activity
Tennis, football, Just Dance, portraits, or optional extra		Multi-activity
Basketball, kwik cricket, scrap collage, yoga, or optional extra		Multi-activity
Swimming, volleyball, friendship bracelets, photo challenge		Multi-activity
Ultimate frisbee, uni hockey, tote bags, sketching
17:00–18:30House time: relax, call home, unwind with friends
18:30–19:30Dinner
19:30–21:00Welcome gamesCapture the flagBig QuizTrashion ShowHouse NightTalent ShowProm Night
21:00–22:00House time with juice and biscuits · 22:00 lights out
Ages 10–14

Outdoor Adventurers: the science of adventure

For younger students, every day begins with a big question. How do engineers design bridges? Why do volcanoes erupt? What makes extreme weather possible? Students explore these questions through enquiry-based lessons taught in English, then take their learning outside through practical investigations, outdoor challenges and fieldwork.

Because English is the language of every lesson, project and activity, students use it naturally all day while they design structures, investigate ecosystems and explore Oxford together.

Outdoor Adventurers is based at Headington Rye Prep School, Headington’s junior campus in Oxford, with dormitory rooms, shared bathrooms, house common rooms, a sports hall, swimming pool, theatre, playing fields and Wi-Fi. Boys and girls are housed separately. Students receive 15+ hours of lessons a week and a personalised certificate of attendance.

A typical day
07:00–09:00Wake up and breakfast
09:00–09:30Basecamp: the day’s theme and an energiser
09:30–10:30Explore: the big question of the day
11:00–12:30Examine: group enquiry and investigation
12:30–13:30Lunch
13:30–15:00Experiment: practical challenges and fieldwork
15:30–17:00Summit: teams share and test their solutions
17:00–19:30Down time and dinner
19:30–21:00Evening activities, e.g. Capture the Flag, Trashion Show, Secret Cinema
21:00–21:30House time with juice and biscuits · 21:30 lights out
Excursions
Oxford Expedition; week 1 London Expedition (Knightsbridge, museums, Hyde Park, Oxford Street); week 2 Oxford Outdoor Activity Centre.
Activities
Den building, Lego, swimming, football, tag rugby, dodgeball, drama, dance, yoga, Silly Olympics, karaoke, talent show and more.
Optional extra
Outdoor Laser Adventure: team missions in a woodland site with movie-style props. Additional fee.
Headington Rye Prep School campus in Oxford A student lighting a fire during bushcraft Two friends laughing at camp

Activities and optional extras

Afternoons are packed with sport, creative workshops and outdoor fun, and every evening brings the whole school together for events such as Capture the Flag, the Big Quiz, the Trashion Show, Talent Night and Prom.

Multi-activity options include
FootballTennisVolleyballSwimmingArts and craftsDramaPuntingQuiz nightFilm nightKaraokeDiscoFashion showTalent show
Optional extra · Adventure Sports
A two-day experience: canoeing, kayaking or sailing on the first day, then a team paintball session on the second.
Optional extra · Tennis Academy
Focused coaching in technique, footwork and match play on Headington’s own courts, for beginners to experienced players.

Optional extras carry an additional fee. Ask us about availability.

Students playing combat archery A coach helping a student with tennis A student making friendship bracelets

Excursions

Every week includes an Oxford excursion and a full-day trip further afield.

Students exploring an Oxford college
Oxford
Museums, historic landmarks and the atmosphere of one of the world’s most famous university cities.
Students in front of Big Ben in London
London
Iconic landmarks, museums and cultural attractions, with time to shop and take photos.
Riders on a roller coaster at Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park
Over 30 thrilling rides and roller coasters for a day of pure adventure.

Accommodation and care

Boarding
Purpose-built boarding houses with single, twin and small dorm rooms, shared bathrooms and a student common room. Boys and girls live separately, sharing with students of a similar age who speak a different language.
Welfare and safety
House Parents and pastoral staff are available around the clock, led by a dedicated Welfare Manager with trained first aiders on site. All staff are DBS-checked and safeguarding-trained.
Meals
Cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner in the modern dining hall, with packed lunches on excursion days. A weekly laundry service is included; please bring your own towels.
Facilities
Swimming pool, tennis courts, sports hall, theatre, lecture hall, art studio and dance studio, plus games and TV rooms in the boarding houses.

Included in every course

15 hours of lessons per week, including Time to Shine projects
Full multi-activity and evening programme
Weekly Oxford excursion and a full-day trip
Accommodation and three meals a day (residential)
24-hour pastoral care and a 1:6 staff ratio
Personalised certificate and reference letter
Comprehensive travel insurance
4 · Booking

Book your place for summer 2027

Places are limited, and the earlier you book, the more choice you have. A £1,000 deposit secures a place, with the balance due by 1 May 2027. Complete the booking form, or send us an enquiry and we’ll help you choose the right subject and dates. You can also email info@summerschool-uk.com.

New to booking? Read the course booking procedure.