aims and objectives
Leaving Primary School to join a senior school can be a daunting experience and an anxious moment for young students aged 11 or 12. A degree of independence, a passion for learning and a sense of curiosity are some of the key elements necessary to succeed.
With over 10 years of experience running our academic summer programme in Cambridge for teenagers, we have designed a special Junior Programme to help students leaving Primary School to bridge this important gap. This separate Programme has been running for many years with great success.
Students will live and learn for two weeks in Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. They will be mentored by Cambridge scholars in small groups in the ratio of 1 Mentor to 6 students.
Lessons will be taught formally in the mornings by highly qualified and well-experienced teachers recruited from amongst the best academic schools in the UK. Mentors will arrange educational activities and further teach the students in the afternoons.
The Cambridge Junior Programme includes the following five key components; English, Drama, Science, History, Art.
junior
fees and registration
Fees
2020 Cohort | 26 July – 8 August 2020
GBP £4,688. This covers:
- Tuition and Teaching Materials
- Accommodation
- All Meals, including lunches
- Cost of visits and travel to and from the airport
It does not cover air-fares, travel insurance or pocket money.
Registration
- Admission to the Cambridge Junior Programme is for students in Primary 6 (Year 6).
- In some circumstances, we may ask for the applicant to provide a reference from the school and a copy of their latest school report.
- Students from one of our participating schools should apply via their school. (Please follow the School’s own timetable for Applications).
- For individual applications not linked with our participating schools, please download an Application Form below and return it to us by 15 March 2020.
Download the Application Form here.
Programme AIMS, highlights and themes
Subsidiary Aims
Underlying the junior programme are a set of four subsidiary objectives, set to enhance the student experience. Cambridge Programmes aims to:
- Immerse students within a diverse and typically British curriculum
- Encourage and develop students’ participation and active involvement
- Develop students’ oral and written English language skills
- Develop teamwork, co-operation and creativity through a wide range of challenging activities
Journey of Discovery: 5 themes
- Life for Children in Wartime Britain
- Scientific Discoveries
- Habitats and Adaptations
- Philosophy and Debating through the use of English and Drama
- Art
Life for Children in Wartime Britain
Activities will allow opportunity for students to analyse and explain the reasons for social historical events and situations. The context of exploration being: “Children’s lives in wartime Britain”. Activities will draw from literature, film and a variety of historical sources. Drama will be used to investigate the typical experiences of evacuees, presenting possibilities for creative writing. Scientific investigation of materials, forces and basic aerodynamic design will support an understanding of the significance of aviation during World War 2, thus linking specifically with the students’ visit to the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, about 10 miles from Cambridge.
Scientific Discoveries
Science activities will focus upon key scientists’ scientific theories, discoveries and inventions associated with or developed at Cambridge University. Students will be encouraged to hypothesise, to devise experimental questions and to explore scientific processes. Both structured and open-ended scientific challenges will support and consolidate student learning. The focal point for activities will be an “Apprentice”-style challenge, requiring students to design and present their ideas for a specified product.
Habitats and Adaptations
Students will learn about Darwin’s theory of evolution, as well as about animal variation and classification. Additionally, students will examine local habitat variety and (plant and animal) adaptation. Activities will relate closely to ideas presented during the students’ visit to Whipsnade Zoo. Fieldwork activities will include habitat observation, use of classification keys, data collection and culminate in a “creature design” presentation task.
Philosophy and Debating
This theme is designed to develop students’ discursive skills, following the great Cambridge tradition of debating. Relevant philosophical questions, selected by the students, will provide the focus for debate. Students will prepare a structured argument as part of a mini-debate as well as also anticipating counter-arguments. Presentation will be assessed according to use of debating language and courtesy, as well as effective eye-contact, articulation and emphasis.
Art
Students are inspired to develop their own natural creativity throughout the art sessions within the Junior Programme. Guided by an experienced teacher and artist, they are encouraged to experiment with a range of media and also create a small individual sculpture of their own to take home.
Visits
- Duxford Imperial War Museum
- Whipsnade Zoo
- King’s College Chapel
- Punting on the River Cam
- High-Quality Musical
- Harry Potter Studio
