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Whitgift Summer School was founded by Whitgift School in 2015 and continues to be fully planned and delivered by Whitgift School, an independent day & boarding school for pupils aged between 10-18 with a 426-year history. This fact is a point worth stating, as this is certainly not the case for all international summer schools delivered from independent boarding school campuses in the UK over the holidays. It is also something of which we are immensely proud.

The summer school at Whitgift is managed by the International Office, who are located in one of the sports pavilions with excellent views of the 1^st XV rugby pitch and South London.

The international team also oversee other exciting international projects and are well integrated into the day-to-day running of the main school. Mr David Bates, Director of Education and Summer School Course Director, teaches English as an Additional Language (EAL) and works as a resident tutor in the boarding house. Additionally, Mr John Chisholm, Summer School Marketing Manager, is the President of the Staff Common Room and often assists the year-round admissions team. Finally, Ms. Jenny Sparkes and Mrs. Louise Morrison (Administrators) are both a core part of the high performing school support staff, regularly assisting with other areas of school life. This all means that the team running the international summer school at Whitgift are well-connected, knowledgeable, and able to effectively plan for the summer whilst on site throughout the year.

We are also incredibly lucky to be able to involve many of the excellent staff from across the school in the summer school. These include our highly skilled professional sports coaches, who lead our Hockey, Football, Tennis, Basketball, Golf and Fencing Academies. Also, we can draw on our outstanding academic teaching staff, including IB and EAL teachers, to deliver inspirational lessons, and experienced boarding and medical staff, who offer world class pastoral support.

In addition to this we are fortunate to be able to receive consistent support from our fantastic year-round departments such as our audio-visual team, grounds, catering, cleaning and IT, who all ensure that the experience given to students and staff is consistent to the high standards available to the main school. The access we have to facilities, outdoor spaces and resources is also second to none.

Perhaps most importantly, being part of the year-round school, means that our own pupils from Whitgift & Old Palace of John Whitgift Schools can take part in the international summer school. Not only does this give them a fantastic opportunity to increase their cultural awareness, develop their 21^st century skills, and make friends from all around the world, but it affords our visiting international students to the same benefits, whilst giving them the opportunity to work alongside first language users of English and develop their fluency. It is this, which is perhaps, the most unique and positive feature of Whitgift Summer School.

Overall, we are incredibly lucky to be a part of Whitgift School, and certainly do not take this privilege for granted. It means that we are in a position to deliver an international summer school to the same standards and expectations of one of the finest independent schools in the UK, giving our visiting international students the best possible summer school experience.

The first term in the academic year at Whitgift is called Michaelmas. This is followed by Lent and Trinity. We see Whitgift summer School as the unofficial 4^th Term in the academic year and long may it continue.