Frequently Asked Questions
Arrival and Departure
Do you offer an airport transfer service?
We offer an Arrival airport shuttle service from London Heathrow & Gatwick Airports. The service operates between 08:00 – 16:00 on the camp start date (Monday).
We offer a Departure airport shuttle service from London Heathrow & Gatwick Airports. The service operates between 11:00 – 17:00 on the camp end date (Sunday).
The cost of this service is £120 each way.
In order to use this service, you must book a flight that arrives / departs between the given hours. Transfers for flights that arrive / depart outside of these hours may be subject to an additional charge. For more information see HERE.
Who will meet my child at the airport?
We have a dedicated team of staff located at selected airports on arrival and departure days. Your child will be met by a member of our staff as they walk through to the arrivals hall. Our friendly staff will be holding a Charterhouse Summer School sign in a prominent position at the front of the arrivals area and your child will be escorted from this point all the way from the airport to the camp venue.
On the departure day our staff will help your child to the check-in at the airport. We can also make arrangements to transfer your child to the airline’s unaccompanied minor service if you check the unaccompanied minor box when booking the transfer.
When should I drop my child off / pick them up?
If you are planning on dropping off and collecting your child from the School, we’d recommend the following times for drop off / collection
Monday Arrivals: 10:00 – 12:00 Sunday Departures: 10:00 – 12:00
The school address is: Charterhouse School, Charterhouse Rd, Godalming GU7 2DL, United Kingdom
Can someone else pick up my child on the last day?
We are only able to release students from our care to a named parent/legal guardian. If you would like someone else to collect your child, please provide us with a written and signed request from a parent or legal guardian naming the person collecting the child ahead of the collection day. We will provide you with a password to quote on collection and we will require ID from the person collecting.
Summer School Life
Where do students stay?
Students stay on the school campus within dedicated boarding houses. The boarding house has a variety of room types – single, twins, and quad rooms. There are also communal areas for students to relax and socialise together in.
You can find more specific info on the boarding house and where students will be staying on our Accommodation page HERE
Will my child be sharing a room with another student?
Our accommodation offers a mix of single, twin and triple bedrooms.
If you have a particular preference for room type, or if you would like your child to share a room with a particular person, you can request this in the Student Welfare Form after making your booking. However, this person must be the same gender and the students must be less than 2 years apart in age.
Students that are roomed with others, will be of a similar age (within 2 years) and typically a different nationality, unless requested.
Do you have a laundry service?
Yes. This is a free service organised by our staff. Laundry is done once a week. We advise you to bring a laundry bag and ensure all clothes and belongings have sewn-in name labels to avoid losing anything.
Can you cater for specific dietary requirements?
We can cater for all dietary requirements when notified in advance. Please notify us of any dietary requirements in the Student Welfare Form or by email to info@charterhousesummerschool.com at least 4 weeks before the start of the course.
It is extremely important to us to provide a healthy and balanced range of food that is both nutritious and enjoyable for our students. We provide a variety of meal options to choose from, including vegetarian options.
You can see some sample menus HERE
What is your mobile phone policy?
We ask students to give their phones and valuables into the “bank” for safe-keeping and to ensure they aren’t distracted from their study and socialising on camp. Each evening students get their phones back to call home and catch up on messages before returning them to the bank before bedtime. We always wake students up in the morning but some like to have a watch or alarm clock with them overnight while they don’t have their phone.
This system makes sure everyone gets a good night’s sleep and makes for a great social atmosphere, encouraging interaction and new friendships.
How can I keep in contact with my child during the course?
Before the course starts, you’ll be send a Parent Information Pack, which will include the direct course email address and contact number. You can also contact your child’s mobile phone, but please note that students will not always have mobile phones available, as per the Mobile Phone policy.
We know it can be a big adventure to stay away from home in a new place, with new people. We are experienced in helping pupils to settle in well and we usually find that any homesickness subsides as students settle into their experience and get involved in their studies and activities. To encourage independence and minimise homesickness we do advise limited contact with home during the first couple of days at the school. This helps students to settle in and become immersed in the summer school experience. Our staff are also trained to identify any emotional issues or changes in students’ behaviour and provide support to help students make the most of their time here.
Do students speak English all the time?
Yes! Charterhouse Summer School is a fully immersive programme and English is spoken at all times on the course. We have students joining us from around the world, and English is the common shared language. Speaking English at all times is the fastest way to improve!
What are the rules and what happens if you break them?
We hope and expect that our students will do their best during their time with us. Our ethos, values and behaviour policy are designed to ensure that everyone knows what is expected of them and to keep everyone in a safe and enjoyable environment at the school. You can view our ethos HERE and everyone gets a copy of the camp rules when they arrive and signs to agree to them.
We respond quickly to issues of fighting, verbal and physical intimidation or persistent bad behaviour. The use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs are strictly prohibited.
How are students supervised?
We have a dedicated pastoral care team on site all day and night to ensure the safety and wellbeing of each student, not just physically but also emotionally. They assist with day-to-day tasks like ensuring students get to the right place at the right time each day and making sure they eat well, get enough sleep and are enjoying their summer school experience.
We carefully select and train our pastoral care staff for the job. They all have an enhanced DBS check and are trained by external bodies in child safeguarding and first aid, alongside our in-house training programme. Our teachers and senior staff have extensive experience working with children living on-site throughout the year and so we are very well placed to ensure our summer school students have the same great experience as our year-round boarders.
How many students from one nationality will attend the course?
We make sure that there is a maximum of 20% of any one nationality on Charterhouse Summer School courses to guarantee English is always spoken and our students can enjoy a truly international experience. We also split nationalities in classes, activities and encourage students to sit with international friends at mealtimes.
Study Programme
Can I change my Academic or Elective options after booking?
This is possible if we have availability in the option you would like to switch to. You need to contact us at info@charterhousesummerschool.com to confirm whether we have availability.
If you would like to switch once the course has started, you need to speak with the Course Director. He/She will then confirm whether this is possible. Please note that we cannot guarantee this will be possible, but we will try our best to find a solution.
Who are the teachers and what qualifications do they have?
The school and members of staff from within the teaching faculty have been instrumental in developing the Summer School programme.
The teachers working on Charterhouse Summer School are all highly qualified in their respective subjects, and successfully working professionals in their fields. Our teachers are passionate about their subjects and are dedicated to making the learning experience fun and bringing out the best in every student.
Our on-campus pastoral and senior management teams are all highly experienced and have a passion for working with young people. Many are teachers in their full-time jobs but they are all motivated and dedicated to making sure that all our students have a memorable summer experience.
Will my son/daughter receive a certificate?
Yes, all students will be awarded a Charterhouse Summer School Completion Certificate and a full Academic Report in their chosen course upon completion of the course.
Your Booking
How do I register my child onto the course?
Once you have decided which course and dates you would like to attend, you can securely book online HERE.
Upon booking you must pay a deposit of £1000 to secure your place on the course, with your final balance payment being due before 1st June.
If you would like to discuss your booking with a member of our team, please contact us
When is the final payment due?
The final balance payment is due before 1st May.
You can make the payment securely through our website within the ‘My Booking’ section
Do I need to apply for a VISA?
Depending on which country you are travelling from, entry requirements to the UK will differ. If you are travelling from within the EU or the European Economic Area you will not require a visa to enter the UK.
If you are unsure, please contact us