Norman Court Summer School

Useful Information

Here are some of our frequently asked questions.
Just click on one of the topics below to find out more.

• The airport and arrival

  Are students met by a Norman Court Summer School representative at the airport?

  Yes. Our Transfer Team are at the airport on arrival days to personally meet our new students and to ensure they are transferred safely to the school. If the student is travelling as an 'Unaccompanied Minor', you will need to speak to the airline about their procedures. For unaccompanied minors, the airline will usually require us to provide the name and contact number of the member of our staff who will be collecting your child.

  What happens on arrival at Norman Court Summer School?

  When the students arrive at the school they are taken to the summer school office where they give their passports, tickets and pocket money to the Centre Manager who will place them in the school safe. The students are encouraged to call home if they have not already done so and are given something to eat if they are hungry. They are then shown to their room and given time to unpack or rest, before being introduced to the other students.

• Other students

  Will there be students from different countries at the school?

  Yes. There will be approximately 30 different nationalities each summer.

  How many students are there in the school?

  Norman Court is a small school with a maximum of 70 children attending the Summer School, which is an ideal number for the age range of 8 to 12. All the students are residential.

  How many students are there in each class?

  The maximum in a class is 15, but the average is 12. We try to have a wide nationality mix in each class. The morning after arrival, students are given written and oral tests in English and are placed in a class based on their ability and age.

• Norman Court Summer School staff

  Who are the Norman Court Summer School staff?

  During the summer there are around 15 full-time staff. The team is led by the Centre Manager who oversees the general management of the school and the welfare of the students. There are additional managers who are responsible for academic studies, activities, excursions and transfers as well as a team of teachers, activity leaders and house-parents. Overall there is a ratio of 1 member of staff for every 5 students.

• Sleeping arrangements

  Where do the students sleep?

  The girls and boys live in separate wings of the Manor House in dormitories of between 4 and 8 children. All the dormitories are bright and spacious. We generally place the older children in the smaller dormitories and the younger children in the bigger ones. There are at least two members of staff on duty in the girls’ and the boys’ wings each night.

• Safety and welfare

  Is the safety and the welfare of the students the prime concern of Norman Court Summer School Staff?

  Yes. We do everything possible to ensure the safety of students the entire time they are with us. Alongside our team of managers, teachers and activity leaders, we also have a team of House Parents who will address any concerns and arrange medical help if needed. The students are supervised 24 hours a day and will always have a member of staff close at hand if there are any problems.

• Visiting and keeping in touch

  Can friends and family visit, or take a student out for the day?

  Yes, friends and family are welcome to visit students or arrange to take them out for the day. 24 hours notice must be given in writing, prior to any visit to the summer school. If a student is to be taken out of the school or out of the care and responsibility of our staff during an excursion, the parent or guardian must provide written permission by signing an absence form.

  Can students use the internet and email?

  Yes. There is an Internet Suite that students can use at specific times. Students will be supervised.

  How do the students contact home? Can parents contact students during the course?

  Having arrived at Norman Court, students will be encouraged to phone home on the school's phone. After this they can use the office phone to call home outside lesson and activity time. Due to its rural location, mobile phone signal is weak at the school. The only UK network that has signal at the school is Orange Mobile. In the event that the student's mobile phones do not work or they do not have one, each dormitory room will have its own mobile phone which parents can use to contact their children. Please call the dorm phones between the hours of 17:00 and 18:00 UK time when they will be relaxing in their boarding houses.

  Please note that in our experience, students' first days at the school are much more rewarding and they make friends quicker if they are allowed to settle in. In some instances repeated phone calls from home only make homesickness worse.

• Eating arrangements

  Where do the students have meals and what do they eat?

  All meals are taken in the dining room at Norman Court. There is a hot breakfast served 3 days a week, with a continental breakfast, cereal, fruit, toast and yoghurt on offer every day. At lunch and dinner there are always two hot choices on offer, including a vegetarian choice, as well as a salad bar. Students are provided with packed lunches for day trips. The tuck shop is open three times a day, and every night before bed the students are given juice and biscuits.

  Can students with special diets be catered for?

  Yes. Please inform us of any special dietary requirements at the time of booking.

• Students’ belongings

  What do students need to bring?

  A guidance list of casual clothing is sent to you after the booking has been completed. All students must bring a pair of non-marking trainers to use in the sports hall (without black soles). A free laundry service is provided (please mark all items of clothing with the student's name) and sheets and bed linen are provided by the school. Students must bring a towel as these are not provided by the school.

  How much pocket money should a student bring?

  As everything is included in the price, the only money students need is for sweets and drinks from the tuck shop and for presents and souvenirs. We recommend around £50 per week. The students are able to collect pocket money from the office at specific times during the week.

  Can the school look after valuables?

  Yes. We will look after all passports, travel documents and pocket money. We would recommend that students bring as few valuables as possible. It is important to note that the bedrooms do not lock from the outside (this is nearly always the case in British Boarding Schools) for reasons of personal safety. We are only able to look after important documents (passports, money etc) in the school safe.

• Departure day

  What happens on departure?

  On the morning of departure the students will be given breakfast and then escorted to the airport, where they're checked in by our staff and looked after until they go to the departure lounge. If the student is travelling as an ‘Unaccompanied Minor’ they will be handed over to a representative of the airline. Parents collecting their children directly from Norman Court School are asked to arrive at the school between 09.00 and 11.00 on the morning of the departure day.