Oxford College

Each evening our teams hold well-being activities and events designed to build confidence and help students make connections. They’ll develop key team-working and communication skills whilst, most importantly, having fun! This part of the experience ensures students socialise with peers outside their subject groups and builds a sense of community within the college.

Alongside a wide range of traditional team sports, students can choose to participate in other well-being and fun activities such as yoga, art, poetry and creative sessions. Our social programme is led by the College Mentors with students at the very heart of it, who choose and shape the programme’s activities around their interests.

Our social programme explores much of what the historic city offers, including informative walking tours, stunning walks around Christchurch meadow and traditional punts along the river. Our students will experience Oxford as it is truly meant to be seen.

To encourage students to develop their independence, they are provided with free time in small groups to explore their new surroundings. Visiting the Botanic Gardens, meander through Christchurch College, Ice cream by the Radcliffe Camera and visiting the Bridge of Sighs, making the cobbled streets of Oxford their own.

Throughout a two-week programme at Oxford College Summer School, students have previously been on two-day trips, including a landmark-filled trip to London, where there was a variety of activities to suit all interests including a sightseeing walking tour, the British Museum and the National Gallery.

Our dedicated social programme team designs memorable visits to London for all of our students. In previous years itineraries have included Kew Gardens, London sightseeing and visiting the museums of Greenwich and Knightsbridge. Every London itinerary comes with free time to explore and browse the stores of some of Britain’s most loved brands.

This was followed by a fun and relaxed excursion around Oxford, where students took the day to explore their home city of Oxford in more detail, with a range of activities designed around discovery and recovery from an intense academic week.

As part of the college programme students will have the opportunity to live like an Oxford student by attending a formal dinner, a classic Oxford tradition. During this special event the whole school comes together and students dress up for a formal dining experience.

Graduation

We’re proud to celebrate our students’ achievements in style with a formal graduation ceremony and disco at a prestigious location. At the end of each two-week course, the graduation ceremony offers moments of reflection and an opportunity to recognise achievements, both personal and academic, alongside new friends.

A graduation certificate will be presented to students during the special ceremony. We’ll also provide a report outlining all accomplishments while studying with us, along with helpful tips to guide learners in the right direction towards future success.

At SBC, we go beyond the curriculum, believing in learning by doing. Our students are actively encouraged and challenged to utilise new skills in an environment which is nurturing and supportive.

By combining the university learning format of lectures and workshops, students have the chance to engage with theoretical principles as well as developing the soft skills required outside the classroom. We put theory into practice by facilitating new opportunities to inherit key skills such as critical thinking, leadership, communication, and teamwork – mirroring what is practised every day in a professional work setting.

We place the student experience at the heart of everything we do, having caring, inspirational tutors with vast subject knowledge and world experience is paramount. We purposefully work with teachers who are not only knowledgeable of their subject but who are highly skilled in bringing the very best out of young people. Teaching is both an art and a science; we go above and beyond to find approachable professionals, with compassion and flair, and whose values align with our own; ensuring a lasting impact that will live long after our students’ final class with us.

Another highlight of our academic programme is when students take part in a series of workshops and lectures led by industry professionals and academics in their respective fields. The Industrial Experience element of our courses provides a profound level of insight so that students can further make informed decisions as to whether their future career choices are right for them. In addition to this, students at Oxford College Summer School gain insight into their chosen career path through industry experience, directly from those at the top of their field. Sometimes spending the day in a real-world corporate environment where they will absorb knowledge through workshops, lectures, and Q&As.

The safety and well-being of students is our number one priority. We have a comprehensive Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and procedures in place to which all employees, volunteers, visitors, and contractors are obligated to adhere to.

Each of our college sites is composed of dedicated and experienced College Mentors and Social Welfare Managers to ensure that students have the best possible experience during their college journey. All staff are given the tools through their extensive training to guarantee that students feel safe, secure, valued, and respected whilst studying with SBC. These friendly and caring staff are always available to provide high-quality pastoral support and remain on call 24 hours per day.

During excursions and local visits, all students with parental consent are allowed free time for up to 2 hours. Students must stay in groups of at least 3, during free-time. Staff will make students aware of the designated meeting place and time, with a designated member of staff who will be given a fixed location so that in the event of needing support, they know where to go.

Students with parental consent can also sign out of the site campus during designated free-time for up to 2 hours.

All students will be given an SBC Gold Card which they must carry with them when offsite. Gold Cards have details of the emergency number to call in the event of a student becoming separated from their group.

Student voice is paramount to the college experience, and we empower our students to shape their own experience by championing that voice. SBC is committed in our response to student feedback and welcome student-led initiatives which help us to continue to provide excellent service.