Specifically designed English courses for learners aged 12-16, running throughout the year.
Why choose Junior program with Catch-up Education?
Discover Australian culture and life by living with a friendly and caring host family. All accommodation is conveniently located so that students can travel safely to and from school.
All English for Teens students are required to attend daily activities after class. These activities are designed to reinforce the day’s lessons and to help students improve their English, while discovering the natural beauty and cultural richness that Bondi and Sydney have to offer them.
| Timetable | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30am – 10am 1st Period |
Speaking: Friends around the world |
Writing: A blog by students for students |
Listening: Generation gap |
Reading: The time before the internet |
Practice Test 1 PET for School |
| 10:30am – 11:30am 2nd Period |
Grammar: -ing forms |
Pronunciation: Intonation |
Grammar: Modals |
Vocabulary: Personality adjectives |
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| 12:30pm – 2:30pm 3rd Period |
Group Project: Planning and designing a Facebook page |
Experts: Teach your teacher |
Planing our future: Researching and discussing about careers |
Academic Counselling: Your future studies |
Results of exam and feedback session |
| 14:45 pm Afternoon activities |
Interviewing skills: Talking to real people on the street! |
Coogee to Bondi walk: Homework write about your experience |
Tour of Sydney University – Presentation: Do’s and dont’s at University. |
Powerhouse Museum Tour: Contrasting Past and Present Technology. |
Explotinh and discovering Bondi |
| Premium Studies 25h/Weeks |
Standard Studies 25h/Weeks |
Study Tours 15-25h/Weeks |
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Current and fun topics to capture the attention of teenage students
Cross-curricular and culture units that stimulate interest in Australian and global topics
Intensive 25 hour program to prepare for the prestigious University of Cambridge certificate
Suited for elementary (A2), Pre Intermediate (B1) and Intermediate/ Upper Intermediate (B2)
You will obtain an official certificate from Cambridge English Language Assessment, part of the University of Cambridge.
Every student has their existing language skills assessed by our qualified and committed staff, to ensure that they study with others of a similar age and level. This makes learning easier and helps to boost students’ confidence.
Find out your level of English!
Contact us for our special prices
Study tour: Language & Culture 
Study tour: Marine Studies & Biology
15 Days/14 Nights
Year-round
Minimum 10 paying participants
This Australian study tour for student groups combines mornings of English language instruction with afternoons and weekends of adventure. A homestay with an Aussie family means your language skills are reinforced and you get a taste of what daily life in Australia is like. Best of all, you get to experience a huge variety of environments: tropical rainforest, an outback farm, national parks and of course The Great Barrier Reef.
Unique activities to this study tour include a visit to James Cook University, a sustainability/aquaponics workshop, an Aboriginal culture park, team building games and activities, and a community service project. Join us on an unforgettable study tour that will enhance your English, teach you about Australian culture, and introduce you to the most spectacular scenery in the world. Open to class groups of 20 or more students.
* Two teacher rooms (private twin or triple share rooms) are included at Cairns accommodation in the trip price for groups of 20 students or more. A supplement of $175 AUD is charged if an additional private room is required for the trip. If teachers are happy to share a room, no additional costs are incurred. Small World Journeys reserves the right to change the order of activities for logistical reasons. Prices are valid for travel until 31 March, 2021.
Fly to Cairns: Welcome to Australia! You arrive in Cairns for your study tour and are warmly greeted by one of our staff members at the airport.
Arrival in Cairns: Here you have a safety talk and an orientation on what to expect in Cairns and on your Australian tour.
Homestay: Next you are introduced to your Australian homestay family. You live in their home for the next two weeks, and you get to experience the typical life of Australians, including BBQs and evening activities.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner.
School Orientation: Today you are transferred from your accommodation to the private English college for the first day of your study tour classes. Your language school is accredited with The National ELT Accreditation Scheme (NEAS), which means it is a guarantee that the school has been accredited in all areas of education, including high-level teacher qualifications, and the use of the latest, best-practice teaching methods.
On arrival you are given a brief orientation before continuing on to your English classes.
English Classes: In closed classes for your study tour group only of no more than 19 students you commence your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
Rainforest Waterfalls and Swimming Hole: After class and an introduction to the region, your guide takes you to a secluded freshwater swimming hole hidden in the tropical rainforest. A series of small waterfalls flow into large pools surrounded by boulders, and rainforest trees hang over the water, keeping it cool and refreshing.
Damper Making Lesson: For those who are keen, your guide teaches you how to make damper, also known as “Aussie bush bread”. You learn how to create savoury bread the way the Aussies have been doing it for years. A yummy treat!
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
English Classes: In closed classes for your study tour group only of no more than 19 students you continue your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
Team-Building Activities: After lunch you have a fun-filled afternoon of activities designed to strengthen your sense of teamwork. Activities can include a “Lost at Sea” challenge, relay races, Beach Olympics, a raft-building exercise, a “magic carpet” initiative, and other games involving creativity, intellect, communication and working together.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
English Classes: In closed classes for your group only of no more than 19 students you continue your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
James Cook University Visit: James Cook University is Australia’s highest-ranked university in environmental science and offers marine biology studies not found anywhere else.
Marine Labs & Aquarium: Popular with film crews, the marine labs at JCU boast one of the world’s best sites for capturing marine creatures on camera. Sophisticated equipment placed in the tanks allows for observing and filming animal behaviour up close. Additionally, JCU’s unique circular tank allows for a simulated current and the careful study of jellyfish. You meet staff who are on the cutting edge of marine science research, learn how they “milk” fish for venom, and about the latest findings in the development of anti-venoms.
Venomous Creatures & Mangrove Biome: Here you meet unusual and deadly creatures such as sea horses, baby crocodiles, cone shells, the lethal chironex jellyfish, and the extremely rare lung fish, found in captivity only at JCU. The cast members of Finding Nemo live here too. You also investigate a working model of a mangrove biome, an important tool for studying effects on water quality and salinity as well as climate change mitigation.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
English Classes: In closed classes for your group only of no more than 19 students you continue your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
Aboriginal Culture Park: Later you visit a unique aboriginal culture park, that showcases aboriginal rituals, dance and traditional arts. You witness the telling of creation stories and Dreamtime legends, learn about medicinal properties of “bush tucker” (food), watch a dance performance, and learn to throw spears and boomerangs and how to play the didgeridoo. For study tour groups wanting to personally interact with Aboriginal people, this is an ideal cross-cultural experience for international students.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
English Classes: In closed classes for your group only of no more than 19 students you continue your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
Crocodile Farm: This afternoon you meet crocodiles in their natural habitat as well as a crocodile farm at Hartley’s. This multi-award winning eco adventure attraction is the best place to see crocodiles in Australia. You learn why saltwater crocodiles were almost hunted to extinction, and their importance in ecosystems today. Lagoon boat rides enable safe, guaranteed viewing of giant saltwater crocodiles in a natural setting. Hartley’s is famous for its crocodile feeding, snake and wildlife presentations and is perfect for students on a study tour. In the Gondwana Gateway you also meet animals of far north Queensland, like monitors, snakes and the giant endangered cassowary.
Optional Photo – You and a Koala! If you have always wanted to get a quintessential photo with a koala- here’s your chance (extra cost).
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Ferry Ride: Today you are ferried to the pristine Fitzroy Island. A fringing coral reef surrounds the island, part of the inner Great Barrier Reef, providing a sheltered home for a variety of fish and coral species.
Field Guide: 101 Animals of The Great Barrier Reef, written by Dr. Martin Cohen, helps you to better understand the underwater world and is yours to keep.
Snorkelling Lessons: Your Small World guides first teach you the basics of how to snorkel. Then they will explain some of the basic fish and coral types you will be observing in the water, and with your snorkel gear you take to the water to experience the reef for yourselves. Using a life ring and a floating bar, you swim along with your guides who lead you to underwater examples of some of the reef’s most interesting features. You can expect to see among other things giant clams, gentle turtles, spaghetti coral that waves in the current, lionfish, cuttlefish, colourful coral gardens and fluorescent parrotfish.
Glass Bottom Boat: For those who choose not to snorkel, you can still view sea life on a glass-bottom boat ride instead. Your captain provides commentary, and you get a fantastic look at all of the reef creatures without having to even get wet.
Turtle Rehabilitation Centre: During your visit you also visit the island’s Turtle Rehabilitation Centre where a collection of volunteers help save sick and injured sea turtles by looking after them until they are ready to be released back into the ocean.
Swimming and Marine Trampoline: At the end of the day, you may love to go for a swim, bounce on the giant marine trampoline, or try out a paddle board in the shallow Welcome Bay.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Curtain Fig Tree: This morning you head up the mountain range into the Cairns Highlands for your first full day excursion on this study tour. Here the rich volcanic soils of the Cairns Highlands created a suitable environment for lush tropical rainforests, which in turn have attracted a host of mammal, reptile and bird life. In the Highlands you visit a national park and pay tribute to a local high-profile resident – the massive curtain fig tree – and learn how these giants straight out of Lord of the Rings eerily “strangle” their hosts.
Millaa Millaa Falls: Millaa Millaa (meaning “plenty of water” in the local Aboriginal language) is the icon of tropical north Queensland and one of the most photographed natural sites in the region. The waterfall flows over pure basalt rock thousands of years old in a dramatic burst. There is a fantastic swimming hole at the base of the falls, and you can climb on the peculiar columnar basalt for a unique perspective of the falls from behind.
Babinda Boulders: The clear waters that pour from Mt Bartle Frere spill over massive granite bounders in this luxuriant section of jungle. Here you can learn about the significance of this special place to the local Aboriginal people, and swim in cool calm waters with the rainforest as your backdrop.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
English Classes: In closed classes for your group only of no more than 19 students you continue your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
In the afternoon, your group can choose from one of the following community service projects: Service Project for the Homeless – Preparing a Meal and Food Packs: Today a commercial kitchen opens its doors to you to give you space to prepare a meal for the homeless. With Small World Journeys staff guidance, you use donated food to prepare a meal that will be served to needy people tonight. Staff also teach you how to make special bags using upcycled materials. You then put food into the bags you’ve made—food items most appreciated by those living on the street.
Project for the Reef: The second project involves working together to protect waterways, ocean and reef. By stencilling messages on drains, you contribute to raising awareness of urban stormwater pollution and its impact on the local marine environment. The colourful and creative designs are a pleasant way to remind the community that all rubbish drains to the ocean.
Project for Aboriginal Women in Remote Communities: You can also learn to make “Moon Pads” to distribute to Aboriginal women in need. During this activity you master some basic sewing skills, gain an understanding of the complex cultural barriers that affect women in remote and poor areas, and learn about the environmental/social benefits of making these reusable sanitary products. The pads you make are then taken to the Aboriginal community of Ampilatwatja.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
English Classes: In closed classes for your group only of no more than 19 students you continue your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
Aquaponics Activities: You gather at the property of an “aquaponics gardener” for a fun and intensive look at how to produce organic fruits, herbs, veggies AND fish in a sustainable way in your school or back yard. Through hands-on activities, you learn how fish poop makes veggies develop, how things like sweet tomatoes, crunchy lettuce and fragrant mint grow without soil and how the icky-sounding but effective “worm tea” keeps insects away. Native bees on the property produce honey for collection, a breeding box makes fish food, and solar power keeps all systems running.
Make Your Own Sustainable System: The best part of the day is learning how you can make your own mini-aquaponics system that you can easily and cheaply re-create at your home or school to produce your own food. This is a creative exercise to spark discussion about the global themes of agriculture, hunger issues and sustainability and to show students how, through principles of permaculture, anyone can be self-sufficient.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
English Classes: In closed classes for your group only of no more than 19 students you continue your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
Cairns Aquarium: The new Cairns Aquarium has more than 3 million litres of salt, fresh and brackish water displays. It showcases the incredible species and habitats found exclusively in Queensland’s Far North. The acrylic panel for the aquarium’s Deep Reef habitat mimics the “ribbon reefs” at the edge of the continental shelf – this is the only of its kind in Australia, and one of only three in the world. The design of the habitat allows aquarium visitors to see many of the creatures that cannot be found anywhere else in the world or are rarely seen due to their nocturnal habits. Several rare, endangered, unusual, and even deadly specimens are on display.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
English Classes: In closed classes for your group only of no more than 19 students you continue your English language practice. During the day you participate in three hourlong lessons with breaks in between.
Certificate and Farewell: During a closing ceremony, the academic staff at the English College presents you with your Certificate of Studies.
Outback Cattle Station and Wildlife: As you cross the Great Dividing Range, you enter outback country, where the dirt turns red and gum trees prevail. Here you are welcome guests at a traditional working cattle station and homestead, opened to your group. On arrival, you hop in the hay truck to trace a route through the station–much of which has been set aside as a sanctuary for wildlife—and look for the kangaroos and crocodiles that roam the property.
Aussie BBQ et Stargazing: After a classic Aussie “barbie”, you have a fire under starry outback skies. From this remote outback station, views of the southern hemisphere stars are phenomenal. You’ll learn how to find southern constellations—including the Southern Cross—most of which cannot be seen at all from the northern hemisphere. Students sleep in single-gender dorm-style bunk houses, while teachers sleep in single cabins tonight.
Accommodation: Outback Farm
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Cattle Station Life: This morning you get a sample of true outback life on a cattle station. You visit the cattle yards to learn about the cattle musters and branding, and efforts made for humane animal treatment.
Cow Milking, Animal Feeding and Whip Cracking: You can meet goats and chickens, learn how to milk the cows and crack a whip properly in true cowboy style. You also take a walk back through time on the homestead to the age of the early Australian pioneers, and you can touch the old furniture, trinkets and memorabilia all well-preserved by the family.
Boomerang Throwing: Yes, they actually come back to you! Your guide teaches you the significance of the boomerang and how they were cleverly used for hunting. You learn proper throwing technique and what makes them return.
Daintree Rainforest & Beach Eco-Lodge: Later you enter the magical Daintree Rainforest – the oldest continuously growing rainforest on earth. Your lodge boasts an attractive swimming pool, guest laundry, and a superb location in the rainforest but directly on the beach. The lodge uses grey water for irrigation, locally-sourced food for its restaurant, and recycles 80% of its waste. Students sleep in dorm-style cabins and the sounds of the jungle surround you.
Accommodation: Daintree Rainforest Beach Accommodation
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Cape Tribulation and Rainforest: After a night of immersion in the rainforest, you wake to birdcalls and the chatter of the jungle. You can enjoy a sleep in this morning and enjoy this lush green paradise, with an optional swim in a nearby crystal-clear swimming hole.
Beach BBQ Party: In the afternoon, you head to the beach for a classic Aussie BBQ. You can stroll the beach, play games, and watch the sunset after which is a BBQ, music, dancing and a beach bonfire. This is a perfect tropical setting for a closing ceremony to end your time in Australia.
Accommodation: Cairns hostel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning after breakfast you have some time to do some last-minute shopping. Then eventually your study tour must come to an end and you are transferred back to the Cairns International Airport for your flight home.
Meals Included: Breakfast
4 Days/3 Nights
Year-round
Minimum 10 paying participants
The Great Barrier Reef provides a backdrop rich with opportunities for field-based discovery, and a pilgrimage to this UNESCO World-Heritage site is the dream of every student studying marine science. This educational excursion honours the attraction of the sea. Staying on a tropical island lets you roam the emerald rainforest and discover the wonderous abundance of marine life at the inner reef. A marine biologist introduces you to some of the planet’s greatest biodiversity and presentations by, and interaction with our marine guides adds depth to your marine science studies.
* Two teacher rooms (private twin or triple share rooms) are included in the trip price for groups of 15 students or more. For trips with low numbers (10-14), one teacher room is included. A supplement of $160 AUD is charged if an additional private room is required for the trip. If teachers are happy to share a room, no additional costs are incurred.
Catch-up Education reserves the right to change the order of activities for logistical reasons. Prices are valid for travel until 31 March, 2022.
Arrival in Cairns: On arrival you are met by a Small World Journeys staff member and given a brief orientation on what to expect and a safety talk. (Plan to arrive by noon today)
Marine Science Seminar: Next you head to James Cook University for a marine-focused seminar. JCU is Australia’s highest-ranked university in environmental science and offers marine biology studies not found anywhere else. Today you have the opportunity to engage with world leading researchers and equipment.
Marine Labs & Aquarium: Popular with film crews, the marine labs at JCU boast one of the world’s best sites for capturing marine creatures on camera. Sophisticated equipment placed in the tanks allows for observing and filming animal behaviour up close. Additionally, JCU’s unique circular tank allows for a simulated current and the careful study of jellyfish. You meet staff who are on the cutting edge of marine science research, learn how they “milk” fish for venom, and about the latest findings in the development of anti-venoms.
Dangerous Marine Creatures & Mangrove Biome: Here you meet unusual and deadly creatures such as sea horses, baby crocodiles, cone shells, the lethal chironex jellyfish, and the extremely rare lung fish, found in captivity only at JCU. The cast members of Finding Nemo live here too. You also investigate a working model of a mangrove biome, an important tool for studying effects on water quality and salinity as well as climate change mitigation. Perhaps most importantly today, in a controlled environment you closely view elements of the underwater world with which you will be interacting over the next couple of days.
Expert Speaker: Speakers about dangerous marine animals may include famous venomologist Dr. Jamie Seymour, whose recent discovery that vinegar is not the best treatment for jellyfish stings has turned science on its head or Richard Fitzpatrick – “the shark wrangler” – a marine biologist and Emmy Award-winning cinematographer with more than 50 films for the BBC, National Geographic and Discovery Channel.
Accommodation: Your accommodation is at a comfortable hostel in the centre of Cairns’ restaurant and shopping district, and only a few blocks from the waterfront. The hostel is committed to sustainability and even has their own herb garden for guests use! A lush swimming pool and spa, and large common areas, the hostel also features free internet in common areas and air conditioning in each room.
Life in the Sea: After dinner with our marine naturalist, you are introduced to the different phyla in the sea and the diversity of life at the Great Barrier Reef – both big and small. You learn what interrelationships exist between organisms in marine ecosystems, and some cool examples of species that have adapted to changes in their underwater environment. You also review what changes the Reef, its biggest threats, what scientists are doing to help it and what you can do too.
Accommodation: Cairns budget accommodation
Meals Included: Dinner
Travel to the Reef: This morning you are ferried to the pristine Fitzroy Island. A fringing coral reef surrounds the island, part of the Great Barrier Reef, providing a sheltered home for a variety of fish and coral species.
Tidal Charts and Currents: After an introduction to the island, you analyse tidal charts and the currents to determine the best area for snorkelling today. Then you review your equipment and the basics of snorkelling before getting acquainted with the marine life at the reef.
Snorkelling and Marine Life ID: During this first snorkel, you can expect to see among other things giant clams, gentle turtles, spaghetti coral that waves in the current, lionfish, cuttlefish, colourful coral gardens and fluorescent parrotfish. With your marine guide you identify plankton, nekton and benthos and then once out of the water discuss their roles as producers, consumers or decomposers.
Food Pyramids and Classifications: After a hearty lunch your marine guide helps you classify examples of ocean life discuss the differences between classification groups in terms of their structure and needs.
Reef Restoration Coral Project: Before your next snorkel, you discuss why the reef is at risk and what is being done about it using the work of Reef Restoration Foundation (RRF) as an example. RRF’s coral propagation gardens at Fitzroy Island—a first at the Great Barrier Reef!—are a superb example of resilience and adaptation. You learn how the gardens have been established with resilient corals, and how the cutting/propagating process accelerates the recovery of damaged reefs. You have an opportunity to view both a mini replica of a coral “tree” and the underwater coral garden volunteers are cultivating.
Camping at Water’s Edge: Your campground is beautifully situated only steps from the water where you set up your tents. There is a BBQ and covered pergola area for eating an ablutions block with toilets and cold showers. There is also a small store and Foxy’s Café which offers a games area and music.
Accommodation: Fitzroy Island Campground
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (dinner is student prepared with food provided)
Lighthouse Hike: This morning if you feel like a challenge with your guide you can walk a gorgeous but steep rainforest track that gives way to dry open forest and scenic vistas. At trail’s end stands a historic lighthouse where views of the sparkling Coral Sea stretch to the horizon.
Snorkelling and Species Identification: Next you continue with your snorkeling adventures with your marine naturalist. Using the waterproof coral reef creatures tiles help you identify what you are seeing in the water: hard and soft corals, fish families, and invertebrates.
CoralWatch Data Collection: You also collect primary data in an activity that addresses climate change and coral bleaching. During this exercise you find out more about how and why coral bleaches. You learn how to identify different kinds of coral, match its pigments to a waterproof chart, and then record what you observe in teams of two. The data then goes back to the University of Queensland’s Coral Watch scientists, where they analyse the results over time and look for any long term trends. Your results also go into a database to track bleaching around the world, and your group receives a graph of your results.
Water Quality Testing: During your time on the island you discuss the physical and chemical properties of seawater and measure water quality using abiotic tests and a Secchi disk to measure turbidity. Small World Journeys collects these tallies from each group that visits Fitzroy Island so we can log this data, analyse the results over time, and look for any long term trends.
Turtle Rehabilitation Centre: During your visit you also visit the island’s Turtle Rehabilitation Centre where a collection of volunteers help save sick and injured sea turtles by looking after them until they are ready to be released back into the ocean. You learn about their unique characteristics and about human impacts on their population.
Great Barrier Reef Field Guide: Included in your trip is your own field guide 101 Animals of The Great Barrier Reef written by our guide Dr. Martin Cohen to better understand the underwater world.
Swimming and Marine Trampoline: At the end of the day, you may love to go for a swim, bounce on the giant marine trampoline, or try out a paddle board in the shallow Welcome Bay.
Optional Evening Activity – Documentary Film: Documentary films can inspire discussion and action, in addition to complementing the content of your trip. Tonight you have a choice to view one of several optional documentary films that relate to the environment (no extra cost).
Accommodation: Cairns budget accommodation
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Aboriginal Speaker: This morning you learn from an Indigenous local – a speaker who shares with you his personal stories of living his whole life in this area. Topics can include traditional use of marine and terrestrial resources, the significance of totems, and what sustainability means from the perspective of an Indigenous resident. This is a great way to get insight into the local Aboriginal way of life. (available only on weekdays)
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Mangrove Workshop: Your guide teaches you about the interesting aspects of mangrove systems and their importance to the Great Barrier Reef. You walk along a critical mangrove ecosystem which is the breeding ground for many important aquatic species. You learn how mangroves deal with a lot of salt in their diet, how they act as the baby nurseries of the Great Barrier Reef and why both humans and the reef rely on these complex systems.
Optional Mangrove Cleanup: Unfortunately household rubbish also often makes its way into these mangroves systems and as a community service option this morning you can do your bit to clean up the waterway and help the reef. You tally your “rubbish results” at the end and the team with the top results gets a prize.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Study tour: Toronto Study tour: Vancouver Study tour: Lakefield Camp Study tour: Swallowdale Camp
3 Weeks – Global Leadership / 2 or 3 weeks – General English
20 hours per week
Dormitory
CISS Toronto is ideal for young learners who are seeking for a safe and rich learning experience in Canada. The educational component of the programme offers students with two options. General English your main objective is to improve your communication skills. Alternatively, if you have a passion for change, you may choose to take part in our Global Leadership course. Both with 20 hours of engaging lessons per week. CISS Toronto also includes an exciting excursion package designed to showcase the best Toronto attractions. The CISS Toronto programme is centrally located on a college of the University of Toronto’s downtown campus close to museums, art galleries, and world-class shopping. Residence rooms with full staff supervision make this the ideal programme for students who are seeking a secure urban learning environment.
The University of Toronto is not associated or affiliated with the operation of CISS summer programmes.
Our team is currently working on excursion options that are safe and healthy in the context of COVID-19. We expect to publish details in late winter, 2021.
Our downtown location, in a college which is part of the University of Toronto, puts the city right at your doorstep. Just south of the famous neighbourhood of Yorkville, you are a short walk to Yonge Street, coffee shops, stores and so much more. On campus you will find a comfortable, clean, and safe residence, air conditioned student lounges, and dining facilities that are modern…with a historic charm. Finally, WiFi is available throughout the campus.
You’ll live in a residence in one of the colleges of the University of Toronto with other students attending this programme. Students are separated by gender within the residence. Each room has bed, desk, chair, dresser and/or wardrobe. All bed linens are provided, along with a bath towel. Students must bring their own toiletries. There are card-operated laundry machines in the residence – we provide laundry detergent. Shared washroom and shower facilities are located on every floor. Safety is our priority so our staff live in the same residence, providing full supervision.
We provide you with three meals daily, Monday – Saturday. Brunch and dinner are served on Sundays to allow time for you to sleep in. All meals are provided in a modern cafeteria which features various stations offering a wide choice of main courses. Lunch and dinner are complemented by a full salad bar, fruit station, dessert offerings and unlimited drinks. All students eat together in the university dining hall. Our meals follow strict nutritious standards as well as health and safety guidelines.
General English
Learn English in a true University setting! CISS Toronto is proud to offer a comprehensive ESL programme including 20 hours of lessons per week. This option provides classroom instruction in speaking, listening, reading and writing, with a focus on helping students of all proficiency levels to improve in their fluency and accuracy of speech. The general English experience is the choice for most international summer students and augmented by evening language workshops that feature interactive activities that bring classroom learning to real-life situations.
Global Leadership
This course is designed to provide youth aged 13-17 with the essential foundations to become better leaders in an ever-changing world. In-class lessons are taught by expert staff with a focus on providing students with essential communication, leadership, and decision-making skills. These competencies are further enhanced by specialized workshops – each with a different subject focus. Leadership skills come to life when students discuss their ability to take positive action not only at local and global community levels, but within their immediate community at campus as well. The course concludes with students making public presentations on action plans for projects they will pursue when they return home.
| Programme | Age | Daily Schedule | English Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| General English | 13 – 17 years old | 20 hours per week | All levels accepted |
| Global Leadership | 13 – 17 years old | 20 hours per week | Intermediate to Advanced (IELTS 4.0+) |
Many questions about how to safely operate Summer Programmes in the context of the ongoing pandemic remain unanswered. We realize, however, that you need some details now, especially for the your child has been deferred to 2021 from the cancelled 2020 season. The following is therefore a preliminary plan that assumes positive developments over the coming months in terms of entry into Canada, rapid testing and, hopefully, vaccination.
Please rest assured that safety, as always, is our number one priority, and that we will only operate if it is safe and legal to do so. We are currently working with industry partners to create a set of operating guidelines for next summer regarding COVID-19. This means that some programming details will necessarily be delayed until we have a clearer picture of what will be safe and possible. We therefore anticipate publishing activity and excursion calendars, student manuals, and other details in the winter or early spring of 2021.
One change we can already share is that we are limiting our arrivals and departures at our Summer Camps to fewer dates than usual so we can protect the health and safety of students accordingly in controlled cohorts. This concept has emerged among Canadian and international educators as a “best practice” for managing groups of students during the pandemic. Please refer to Dates and Fees for more information.
Returning in 2022
20 hours per week
Double Rooms
Experience the latest approach to language learning! CISS Vancouver operates on the beautiful campus of Capilano University in North Vancouver; an urban location with modern facilities in harmony with its breathtaking natural environment. Inspired by the beauty and history of the land, and Vancouver’s reputation as a global city of the future, this programme offers students an innovative approach to language learning by combining dynamic Global English classes with our unique “21st Century Skills” workshop series.
The activity programme showcases the best that British Columbia has to offer. Each week, students participate in one full day excursion and two half day excursions. Transportation, meals, and admission costs are included.
| Full Day (one per week) | Half Day (two per week) |
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CISS Vancouver operates on the grounds of Capilano University in beautiful North Vancouver. Students are sure to be impressed by the lush natural surroundings and area that is considered a top destination for tourists and locals alike. Easy access to the Pacific Ocean combined with spectacular views of the mountains make this the ideal place to be during the summer.
Facilities Include:
You will share a double room in the University residence with another student attending the programme. Students are separated by gender. There are two beds in each room, along with desks, chairs, drawers for storage, and a wardrobe. You will receive clean linens and a bath towel, but you should bring your own beach towel and toiletries. Each residence floor has full toilet and shower facilities, which are cleaned daily. Common lounges are also located on each floor and feature a small kitchenette, sofas, and a TV. Safety is our number one priority so staff live on the same floor of the residence, providing full supervision.
We provide you with three meals daily. Breakfast and dinner are provided in the cafeteria next to the residence, which features a wide choice of main courses. Lunch is taken in the bright, spacious cafeteria on the main campus. All meals served on-site are cooked by professional staff and meet rigid nutritious standards. Some meals may also be taken while on excursion and could be either in the form of a boxed lunch or served in a restaurant.
Global English
Morning English classes offer a student-centred, progressive approach to language acquisition. Using modern language-teaching techniques, our highly qualified and experienced English teachers focus on improving communication skills and building confidence in self-expression, while challenging students to expand their vocabulary and improve their knowledge of how the language works.
Afternoon Workshops
Two afternoons per week, students participate in workshops designed to enhance the language learning experience while building skills for success in the modern world: collaboration, innovation, and critical thinking.
Workshops also offer an opportunity to practice your English with local Canadian high school students (“ambassadors”). Together, you will work together to discuss and solve challenges related to weekly themes: Environment, Digital Citizenship, Globalization.
| Programme | Age | Daily Schedule | English Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global English | 13 – 17 years old | 20 hours/week | All levels accepted |
Activities schedule
Afternoon and Evening Activities.
On non-excursion days, students have certain choices made available to them in the afternoons. The options available on a particular day are noted on the schedule and may include:
Optional Activities
Many students travel great distances to spend their summer at the CISS Vancouver Programme, so we provide the option of doing some of the other great activities surrounding the campus. Students may choose to do one of the following optional activities (additional costs apply) when they are available in the schedule:
2, 3 or 4 week sessions
(English Optional) 10 or 15 hours per week
Double or Triple shared residence rooms
Lakefield Camp International welcomes campers for an unforgettable summer of learning, recreation, and friendship in the beautiful Kawartha Lakes region. Operating on the stunning grounds of Lakefield College School, our camp offers students a variety of programme options. Campers take advantage of modern classrooms, well-equipped athletic facilities, expansive playing fields, and direct waterfront access. Sports and arts programming may be combined with General English instruction or one of our other innovative programme options.
– Optional Excursions –
Clients wishing to pre-pay for Optional Activities should indicate this at time of booking.
Select optional excursions are offered for an extra fee. Excursion schedule depends on session dates, duration, and any Health and Safety guidelines informed at the time. All excursions are fully supervised by camp staff and include transportation, admission costs and meals, as required.
Trips may be paid for upon arrival at camp or pre-paid to the representative prior to arrival at camp.
Lakefield Camp offers an optional excursion package including a full-day excursion to Niagara Falls, including the Hornblower Boat Tour, and a full-day excursion to Toronto, including the CN Tower.
Package excursion price: $ 200.00 (includes both excursions)
For anyone who has never been away to a summer camp before, Lakefield offers the ideal experience. Comfortable and modern facilities are sure to please even the most sophisticated participants, while the extensive fields and natural waterfront provide the perfect backdrop for a truly Canadian summer camp experience.
The extensive grounds of Lakefield College School include a calm lake with boathouse and waterfront facilities, playing fields, and comfortable residence accommodations. The lake is your swimming pool; the fields are your playgrounds. Well maintained, the facilities include fields, courts, and classrooms in a clean, safe, natural environment.
Facilities include:
Campers live in residence houses in a double or triple room with washroom and shower facilities on every floor. Rooms include a bed, desk, chair, dresser and wardrobe for each camper. All bed linens are provided, however, campers must bring their own towels and toiletries. We try to ensure your roommate is a camper of a similar age but different nationality. Campers of different genders live in separate houses. Safety is our top priority so staff live on the same floor with the campers providing constant supervision.
We provide three meals plus a healthy snack each day. Meals are served in the dining hall with various buffet stations offering a wide choice of salad and sandwich options, in addition to hot meals. Meals are a lively time and campers are encouraged to join in with the songs and cheers that regularly take place. Our meals are cooked on-site by professional staff and meet rigid nutritious standards.
Each day is divided into 5 periods*, plus an additional recreation, REC period. Campers participate in their chosen activities during the 5 periods – 3 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. All activities are fully instructed and taught in English. The recreational or “REC” activity period is also offered daily, allowing campers to take part in their preferred activity or in a specialized activity that is only offered during this time. These activities are supervised, but not necessarily instructed. A different set of activities are offered daily.
1 period = 1 hour = 60 minutes
Junior Program Options (ages 8 to 12)
| Programme | Daily Schedule | English Proficiency |
|---|---|---|
| General English + Activity 10 hours | 2 lesson periods + 3 activity periods | All levels accepted |
| Sports (formerly “Activities Only”) | 5 activity periods per day | All levels accepted |
Senior Program Options (ages 13 to 17)
| Programme | Daily Schedule | English Proficiency |
|---|---|---|
| General English + Activity 10 hours | 2 lesson periods + 3 activity periods | All levels accepted |
| General English + Activity 15 hours | 3 lesson periods + 2 Activity periods | All levels accepted |
| Outdoor Education | 2 lesson periods + 3 activity periods | All levels accepted |
| Leaders in Training – LIT – Ages 15+ | 2 lesson periods + practice | High-intermediate to advanced level |
General English + Activity (10 or 15 hours)
The General English + Activity option is the ideal choice for international summer students who want to improve their English. With this option, students receive 10 or 15 hours of English as a Second Language (ESL) lessons per week. This includes classroom instruction in speaking, listening, reading and writing, with a focus on helping students of all proficiency levels to improve in their fluency and accuracy of speech.
English lessons comprise two or three of the five daily periods, depending on whether you choose 10 or 15 hours per week. You can then choose different land, water, or art activities to fill the remaining two or three periods.
Outdoor Education (10 hours)
The Outdoor Education course is unique to Lakefield Camp. The goal is to involve and educate students using the incredible outdoor facilities unique outdoor classroom that Lakefield School has to offer. Outdoor Education students study environmental best practices, while gaining a comprehensive understanding about local geography, native Canadian traditions, and basic outdoor survival skills.
All instruction and conversation is conducted at a high intermediate level of English, offering a more practical approach to language improvement.
Outdoor Education lessons comprise two of the five daily periods. You can then choose different land, water, or art activities to fill the remaining three periods. You will also have the option to participate in an overnight camping trip, once during your stay.
Components of Outdoor Education:
Students who come to Lakefield with strong English ability or who do not wish to have lessons during their stay may choose all Activity Camp. This option gives students the opportunity to dedicate all five daily periods to various water and land sports and skill-building exercises; all lessons are conducted entirely in English.
Leader In Training (LIT)
The Leader in Training (LIT) programme puts the concept of “leadership” into motion by providing participants with a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience in a camp setting. This programme is ideal for participants who are 15 to 17 years old and who possess a high-intermediate to advanced level of English.
Morning lessons focus on examining theories, models, and meanings of leadership. LITs learn various techniques used by educators to lead and support younger children, including strategies for different scenarios that apply within a camp setting.
Afternoons provide LITs with an opportunity to apply their new knowledge, as they assist camp staff in leading various camp activities and organizing different events. Participants leave the programme with new skills and experience that will serve them for a lifetime.
Evening Programme
The evening programme is an opportunity for students and staff to do activities together. Participation is mandatory and is a combination of house-based activities and leisure options. Students from each residence house may team up to face each other in competition. Students may also enjoy camp-wide activities including the following:
ALL CAMPERS have the opportunity to select and participate in a variety of camp activities during their stay at Lakefield. The number of activity periods you have each day depends on which course you choose when you register:
Campers choose their activities after they arrive at camp. All activities are offered, however they may not all be available due to class size limitations and health and safety regulations. Activities that are part of the daily schedule are supervised and instructed in English and each activity period lasts for 1 hour (60 minutes) daily.
Activity Instructors
Activity instructors have proven competency skills in each of their activities
Lifeguards and activity instructors have certification in accordance with OCA (Ontario Camps Association) regulations
Recreational Period “REC”
On regular camp days, 1 hour is allocated as a recreational period (REC). During REC, a variety of the regular camp activities are made available for the campers to participate in. Activities during REC are fully supervised, but no formal instruction is provided.
Many questions about how to safely operate Summer Programmes in the context of the ongoing pandemic remain unanswered. We realize, however, that you need some details now, especially for the your child has been deferred to 2021 from the cancelled 2020 season. The following is therefore a preliminary plan that assumes positive developments over the coming months in terms of entry into Canada, rapid testing and, hopefully, vaccination.
Please rest assured that safety, as always, is our number one priority, and that we will only operate if it is safe and legal to do so. We are currently working with industry partners to create a set of operating guidelines for next summer regarding COVID-19. This means that some programming details will necessarily be delayed until we have a clearer picture of what will be safe and possible. We therefore anticipate publishing activity and excursion calendars, student manuals, and other details in the winter or early spring of 2021.
One change we can already share is that we are limiting our arrivals and departures at our Summer Camps to fewer dates than usual so we can protect the health and safety of students accordingly in controlled cohorts. This concept has emerged among Canadian and international educators as a “best practice” for managing groups of students during the pandemic. Please refer to Dates and Fees for more information.
7-15 years, boys and girls
Leader in training (LIT) 16-17 years, boys and girls
Returning in 2022
(New) Forest Camp – 10 hours per week
Shared residence rooms
Swallowdale Camp offers the perfect combination of a traditional Canadian summer camp and the comforts of home. It is based at Rosseau Lake College, a highly-regarded private boarding school located on Lake Rosseau. The Muskoka region of Ontario has long held a special place in the hearts of its year-round residents and seasonal cottagers. With fresh water lakes offering spectacular views, surrounded by the natural beauty of forested landscape, it’s no wonder that this region holds a strong reputation as one of Canada’s premier recreational destinations.
Facilities include:
Campers are separated by age and gender and live in one of three school residence houses. We place up to eight campers in a room, depending on the size and layout. All rooms includes beds (or bunkbeds), desks, chairs, dressers and wardrobes and campers will each receive a clean pillow and sleeping bag. There are full toilet and shower facilities in each residence, which are shared. Campers must bring their own towels and toiletries. Safety is our number one priority so staff live on the same floor of the residence with the campers and students are monitored 24 hours a day.
We provide three meals plus a healthy snack each day. Meals are served “family style” in the school dining hall. Campers will sit with their assigned group and counselor at a large table and food is brought to the table and shared. Our menu offers a variety of nutritious meals, all cooked on-site by professional staff. Meals at Swallowdale are famous for being lively and loud – campers are encouraged to join in the songs and cheers!
Each day is divided into five activity periods* (three in the morning, two in the afternoon). Campers choose their activities from a wide range of options, all of which are instructed by knowledgeable staff and taught in English. Free Time is also offered daily, allowing campers to take part in arts & crafts, land sports, swimming or woodworking. These activities are fully supervised, but not necessarily instructed.
General English
Campers who want to improve their English can enrol in English as a Second Language (ESL) lessons. All students taking ESL are tested on their first Monday at the programme, and placed in a level-appropriate class. ESL classes are 10 hours per week and comprise two of the five daily activity periods. Campers can then choose for their remaining three activities.
The general English experience is the choice for most international summer students. This option provides classroom instruction in speaking, listening, reading and writing, with a focus on helping students of all proficiency levels to improve in their fluency and accuracy of speech.
NEW – Forest Camp
New for 2020, CISS is proud to introduce “Forest Camp” at Swallowdale! This programme offers campers an opportunity to improve their English fluency through lessons and activities that are designed specifically around environmental themes. Lessons are taught by instructors who are passionate about the future of our planet, providing campers with a more concrete knowledge of the natural world, a greater appreciation for biodiversity, and a more profound respect for indigenous culture.
The curriculum for the Forest Camp programme at Swallowdale is designed to take place outdoors and features emergent, experiential, and inquiry-based learning. It provides students with an opportunity to have hands-on experience with nature – an approach that we believe is essential to both the physical and mental well-being of today’s children.
Activity Camp
Learn by doing in the all Activity Camp! This programme gives students an opportunity to enjoy all five daily periods devoted to water and land sports, arts, music and skill-building exercises. Each activity programme is divided into weekly modules; students start out with a basic introduction and learning the safety rules. As the week progresses, they develop their skills in each of their chosen activities.
Leader In Training (LIT)
The Leader in Training course puts the concept of “leadership” into motion by providing participants with a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience in a camp setting. This programme is ideal for participants who are 16-17 years of age and who possess a high-intermediate to advanced level of English.
Morning lessons focus on examining theories, models, and meanings of leadership. LITs learn techniques used by educators to lead and support young children, including strategies for different scenarios that may occur in a camp setting.
Afternoons provide LITs with the opportunity to apply their new knowledge, as they assist camp staff in leading and organizing various camp activities. Participants leave the programme with new skills and experience they will draw on for the rest of their lives
| Programme | Age | Daily Schedule | English Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| General English 10 hours | 7-15 | 2 class periods + 3 activity periods | All levels accepted |
| NEW – Forest Camp 10 hours | 7-15 | 2 class periods + 3 activity periods | All levels accepted |
| Activity Camp | 7-15 | 5 activity periods | All levels accepted |
| Leader In Training | 16-17 | 2 class periods + 3 practical training periods | Advanced ESL required |
Evening Programme
Evenings provide an opportunity for students and staff to do activities together. The programme is mandatory and is a combination of house-based activities and leisure options. Students from each residence house may team up to face each other in competition. Students may also enjoy camp-wide activities including the following:
Daily Instructed Activities
Whether taking the Activity Camp or General English, all campers have the opportunity to select and participate in general interest activities as follows:
At the beginning of each week, students select their activities from a wide variety of water and land sports, as well as arts and movement programming. Students attend their chosen activities in one-week blocks, ensuring they develop skills in those particular areas. ESL students are automatically scheduled into classes comprising the first two periods daily.
Activity choices are listed below. All activities are supervised and instructed in English. Each activity period lasts for 1 hour (60 minutes) daily, five days per week.
IActivity Instructors
Activity instructors have proven competency skills in each of their activities
Lifeguards and activity instructors have certification in accordance with Ontario Camps Association (OCA) regulations
Free Time Activity Period
On regular camp days, 1 hour is allocated as a recreational period (REC). During REC, a variety of water and land sports & activities are offered to students. Campers have the opportunity to participate in different REC activities on a daily basis. These REC activities are supervised but not instructed.
On Sundays and on days when optional excursions are offered, the daily programme is modified to allow for group activities rather than the typical daily choices.
Speciality:
Languages:
Many questions about how to safely operate Summer Programmes in the context of the ongoing pandemic remain unanswered. We realize, however, that you need some details now, especially for the your child has been deferred to 2021 from the cancelled 2020 season. The following is therefore a preliminary plan that assumes positive developments over the coming months in terms of entry into Canada, rapid testing and, hopefully, vaccination.
Please rest assured that safety, as always, is our number one priority, and that we will only operate if it is safe and legal to do so. We are currently working with industry partners to create a set of operating guidelines for next summer regarding COVID-19. This means that some programming details will necessarily be delayed until we have a clearer picture of what will be safe and possible. We therefore anticipate publishing activity and excursion calendars, student manuals, and other details in the winter or early spring of 2021.
One change we can already share is that we are limiting our arrivals and departures at our Summer Camps to fewer dates than usual so we can protect the health and safety of students accordingly in controlled cohorts. This concept has emerged among Canadian and international educators as a “best practice” for managing groups of students during the pandemic. Please refer to Dates and Fees for more information.
Junior Summer Programmes Residential Football camp
Madrid Junior Urban Experience (individuals)
Our popular Madrid Urban Experience Summer School has everything teens dream of.
Study Spanish in the mornings and enjoy a wide range of activities and excursions in the afternoons!
Ages: from 12 to 17 years old
The world-famous Real Madrid Football Club wants you to experience the best summer football coaching program. Immerse yourself in Spanish culture, make new friends from all over the world, and develop your football skills.
You can combine this program with one week or more of Spanish classes
If you want to know more about Catch-up Education and talk about your project.
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