Breadcrumb

2024 -Testimonials

Director's Report - Summer 2024

In the report below, you can read about everything that the 2024 cohort got up to as part of the Oswestry School Summer programme. More detail can be found on our Instagram account too (@oswestrysummer). If you are looking for detail on our 2025 programme, you can find it in our brochure here.

It wasn't just the pupils who raved about the programme. Agents and parents described it as 'a unique and incredible experience', commenting on the programme's 'clever academic programme' the 'wonderful variety' of co-curricular options available and the 'brilliant trips that pupils will remember for a lifetime'. 

It is always an immense privilege to work with children in any context, but to work with those who have chosen to fly half-way around the world, to visit a new culture (sometimes for the first time) and often with on early-stage English, is a particular honour. This year’s Summer School cohort were as committed as they were enthusiastic and threw themselves into the programme with real energy.

 

Traditional British Camping Experience

Early arrivals for the programme enjoyed a traditional British Camping experience in the most tranquil part of the school grounds, overlooking the Welsh Hills and under wonderfully clear skies, unspoilt by light pollution. An afternoon of playing Quidditch and then enjoying a nature walk into he surrounding area culminated in ghost stories at the campsite before the pupils ultimately settled down for the night.

 

Welcome Dinner

On the first official day of the programme, pupils were invited to a welcome dinner – a seated affair in Oswestry’s wonderful dining facility. Alongside the food, there were speeches given by the Summer School Director and then by two senior pupils who worked hard on both their English and their confidence to deliver their words in a way that made them as informative as they were entertaining.

 

Academic Programme

The next day, the academic programme began in earnest, with junior pupils embarking on their study of the ancient world alongside their English and the senior pupils getting to grips with some tricky topics around the area of government and politics.

 

Co-Curricular Programme

In the afternoons, when not out on excursions, pupils chose three activities to complete – they were as varied as Music, Art, Horse-riding, Archery, Swimming, Boardgames and even a country walk!

 

Blist’s Hill

Our first excursion was to the extraordinary Blist’s Hill Victorian Town where pupils had the opportunity to step back in time and experience what life was like nearly 200 years ago. They especially enjoyed exploring the school house, meeting some of the animals and spending old British money in the range of shops.

 

Play in a Day

On our first Saturday, every pupil engaged with our drama workshop – breaking down boundaries and exploring new and unexpected talents. By the evening, they had successfully devised and performed their own production of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ – an achievement of which they were all justly proud.

 

Shropshire Hills

The beautiful Shropshire Hills are a very short distance away from Oswestry and Sunday saw us taking a trip to Cardingmill Valley where the pupils followed a challenging hill-walk trail to light-spout waterfall. The junior pupils also enjoyed building dams in the river.

 

Reading Competition

On Tuesday evening, the pupils took part in a reading competition which was hosted in the surrounds of the historic Oswestry School chapel – complete with stained glass windows! Every pupil read a passage from a selection and all impressed with their accuracy, their expression and their courage. The advanced group had prepared a parliamentary-style debate on mobile phone use in schools which they deployed with typical style and aplomb.

 

Cream Tea Time

A true taste of a British Summer was offered to the pupils at the end of the day, when they baked scones and set the tables for a traditional British Cream Tea. Cups were held appropriately at all times, the tea was added after the milk and – in the correct manner – jam was put on the scone before the clotted cream. The pupils, of course, were a model of sophistication and civility – well most of them …

 

Shrewsbury

The beautiful market town of Shrewsbury offered pupils the chance to see the birthplace of Charles Darwin, as well as some wonderful examples of Tudor architecture. Perhaps more importantly, it gave them the opportunity to test out their English skills as they hit the shops!

 

Gala Concert

The second Saturday of our programme was based around a visit from professional woodwind group ‘Chameleon’ who helped the pupils to develop and nurture their musical talents as they composed, refined and rehearsed their own works for performance. We had some surprise contributions to the concert, too, from pupils who were inspired by the workshops to showcase their own talent.

 

Beach

The weather might not have been exactly tropical, but it didn’t stop the fun on the beach! Although only the most intrepid (foolish?) pupils braved a dip in the sea, the rest enjoyed themselves burying their friends in the sand, blowing bubbles and, of course, tucking into that British classic – Fish and Chips!

 

Ready, Steady Cook

Pupils enjoyed a challenging culinary based evening when they were put into groups of three and given a budget of £10 to buy and prepare a two-course meal for the judges. Learning valuable lessons about approaching a supermarket shop and making the money stretch, the pupils produced an exceptional range of dishes which were praised very highly indeed in the adjudication.

 

Stratford Upon Avon

Following a lecture at Shakespeare’s Birthplace and a tour of the house in which he grew up, Pupils were treated to a production of ‘As You Like It’ by the Royal Shakespeare Company in their Open Air Theatre. This was certainly a day to remember and, for many pupils, their first real encounter with the bard.

 

OwesTV

For this evening activity, pupils were given specific roles for a broadcasting corporation and were tasked with producing content for a magazine show. From the editor in chief through to those who developed the music for the individual segments, they rose to the occasion spectacularly and thoroughly enjoyed watching the end result!

 

Chester

Pupils were given a tour of this beautiful town with its unique double-story high street and spectacular historical sights. There was also time for the all-important souvenir shopping and an ice cream or two!

 

Race to Oswald’s Treasure

The final Saturday of the programme saw the pupils engage in an escape-room style challenge. A series of problems, each one different and tailored to different strengths, led groups of pupils to portions of a difficult and complicated code which, when cracked revealed the location of a treasure hoard! Afterwards, the pupils enjoyed a bit of downtime on the school site and in the local town.

 

Oxford

For our final excursion of 2024, we took the pupils to the historic university city of Oxford. Here pupils were treated to a tour of the treasures of the internationally recognised Ashmolean Museum and then of the beautiful St John’s College. A walking tour of the city also allowed pupils to see the Bodleian Library, the Examination Schools and the famous Christchurch College where Harry Potter was filmed.

 

Graduation

The graduation ceremony was predictably bitter-sweet. It was a fantastic moment to celebrate the achievements of the pupils (which were as many as they were varied) but also it meant, of course, that we were saying goodbye to the new friends we made across the course of this exceptional summer.