Teenage Residential (14-17)

CAE Princess Helena: PHC @ Bedford school

Bedford School is the fabulous new home of our much loved Princess Helena (PHC) Teenage Residential (14-17 years) courses. What’s more, it’s perfect for young people looking for an international English course. Each summer around 20 different nationalities come on our Teenage Residential Course (14-17)  for a great time in the United Kingdom. You may want to prepare for an exam, practising your English with students from all over the world, or to try your skills at cooking, do team sports or relax in the swimming pool. You’ll have a fantastic time and want to come back for more next year.

Bedford School is a private boarding school within the town. It has been on its current site for over 120 years. In summer it becomes the centre for our teenage residential (14-17) course.

  • The school is a beautiful and safe building, and is surrounded by 50 acres of its own excellent sporting facilities and large picturesque park and gardens.
  • Bedford School is in a secure leafy residential area to the north of the town centre. It is less than an hour by road from Cambridge and an hour and a half from London. It is also convenient for London Stansted Airport and London Luton Airport.

This course ran for many years at Princess Helena College. See our CAE at Princess Helena blog! for a flavour of the courses over the years. You may even recognise yourself or a friend or family member.

  • 2 or 4 week courses recommended for teenagers aged 14-17 *
  • Residential accommodation
  • Secure environment with 24-hour supervision
  • Elementary to Advanced levels (no beginners)
  • 20 hours of lessons per week
  • Maximum of 72 teenagers, in classes of 12 students
  • Excellent mixture of nationalities
  • Wide choice of afternoon sports and activities
  • Full evening entertainment programme
  • Tennis courts, sports hall, gym, pitches and indoor swimming pool
  • Regular excursions
  • All costs included in course price.
  • * In special circumstances, CAE reserves the right to accept students of minimum age 13
  • Students can enrol for 2 or 4 weeks
  • 20 full hours of lessons per week
  • An integrated programme of language lessons, afternoon activities, evening entertainment and visits
  • Learn the English you need by doing the things you like to do
  • Enjoy social activities in the afternoon and evening
  • Daily CAE Portfolio and Homework session
  • All meals provided at the school
  • Regular weekly excursions. All students will visit London and Cambridge as well as other local destinations.
  • Maximum class size is 12 students
  • All students are interviewed and tested on arrival
  • Classes are allocated by language level, nationality mix, age and gender
  • 20 full hours of lessons per week
  • Level based Project work classes give teenagers a chance to practice all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking
  • Excursion Classes (preparation and follow up) link the classroom language to the English speaking environment
  • Afternoon Electives give you time to learn English by doing things you like
  • Join two weekly Electives in each 2 week programme
  • Daily Portfolio and Homework sessions give you time to review your progress, complete homework tasks and take part in Student Committee meetings
  • Free learning materials
  • Teenagers prepare a special CAE Portfolio to take home as a record of their achievements on the course
  • Students receive an end of course report and CAE Course Certificate.

The Afternoon and Evening Programme is an essential part of your course. It is here that you can really put your English into practice. Bedford School offers you a choice of some great activities and sport every afternoon and evening. There’s a swimming pool, tennis courts, a well equipped gym, playing fields and a large indoor sports hall. In addition to a theatre and arts centre. We all have our favourite activities, but we also encourage you to try something completely new!

In the Afternoons, sign up for

  • Sports
    (Basketball, Swimming, Tennis, Badminton, Football, Volleyball, Cricket, Netball…)
  • Art and Crafts
    (Drawing, Painting, Mask making, Jewellery design, T-shirt painting…)
  • Activities
    (Drama, Music, Singing, Reading club, Cookery, Dance, Chess…)
  • Local visits
    (Strawberry picking, Museum visits, Market surveys, Town trails…)

In the Evenings, take part in

  • Cinema visits
  • Discos
  • Theme parties
  • Team challenges
  • Quizzes
  • Talent competitions
  • England is our classroom
  • Students get the chance to use their English in real situations
  • Students will most likely visit London and Cambridge as well as other local destinations
  • Learn about the places you are visiting before the trip and talk or write about them when you get back to class.
  • Students are issued with a CAE Identity Card. You must carry this card at all times.
  • Students are supervised at all times. Older students may be allowed a short period of free time for souvenir shopping.

Bedford School is a private boarding school. In summer it becomes the centre for a CAE teenage residential course.

  • The school is a beautiful and safe site, and is surrounded by its own large picturesque park and gardens.
  • Bedford School is in a secure leafy residential location to the north of Bedford town centre. It is less than an hour by road from Cambridge and London and conveniently located to Luton Airport.

Garden party at boarding house

 

  • Students sleep in dormitories ( 3 to 5 students )and in single or twin rooms.
  • There is a broad mix of nationalities in each shared bedroom or on each corridor.
  • Sleeping arrangements are made in advance and we encourage students to make new friends and speak English in the boarding houses
  • Friends and siblings travelling together may not share rooms. They may be in rooms next to each other but not in the same room.
  • Students may indicate a preference for a dormitory/ twin or single room but we cannot guarantee any requests.
  • Teachers sleep in staff bedrooms next to the student rooms and members of staff are on duty throughout the night.
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided in the school dining room. On excursion days students receive a packed lunch

 

  • Students are escorted to and from Bedford School for all airport transfers
  • On the Sunday before the course begins, all students are met at the airport by a CAE representative
  • On the Saturday at the end of the course, students are taken back to the airport, and helped with their check-in. CAE representatives will remain in the airport until the plane has departed.
  • There will be an additional charge for any arrivals, departures or extra nights outside our set days and times.
  • Teenage students who are flying alone are encouraged to register with the airline’s Unaccompanied Minor Service when booking their flight.

 

 

Click here to read our frequently asked questions.

A Typical Day at Bedford School

Morning

7.30 Get up “Good morning!”
8.00 BREAKFAST
8.45 Morning assembly
9.00 Wellbeing and mindfulness activity
10.00 BREAK
10.15 English classes: Develop your skills: reading and writing
11.15 BREAK
11.30 English classes: Excursion work: prepare to visit Cambridge!
12.30 LUNCH and free time

Afternoon

13.30 Afternoon assembly
13.45 Afternoon Electives: your weekly choice – English through…
…grammar, course magazine, speaking and listening, poetry
14.45 AFTERNOON TEA
Free time options: swimming, tennis and more…
16.00 Activity Classes:
Volleyball, arts, music, football, drama, dance, cookery
17.30 Free time
18.00 CAE Portfolios / Daily review / Student Committee

Evening

18.30 DINNER
19.30 Talent show – your chance to be a superstar!
22.00 House meetings: and time to relax, read and keep a diary
22.30 Bedtime “Goodnight! Sleep well.”
Please note this is a sample timetable. Exact timings are subject to change.

Please note this is a sample timetable. Exact timings are subject to change.

 

A typical weeks study during the Summer term:

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
07.30 Wake up
08.00 BREAKFAST
08.45 Morning Assembly / meetings for staff and students
09.00 Welcome to CAE! Introduction to your English lessons

Language focus:
New grammar, vocabulary and skills practice according to your level

Weekly Review LATE BREAKFAST
10.00 BREAK
10.15 Placement testing Your CAE Portfolio

Language focus:
New grammar, vocabulary and skills practice according to your level

CAE Portfolios & Student Tutorials Half day excursion:

CAMBRIDGE

Punting
College Visit
Cream teas

11.15 BREAK
11.30 Life at Bedford School: Getting to know the school Excursion work –
Life In Britain
Excursion work – English in Action Prepare to – VISIT Bedford Excursion follow up Prepare to – VISIT Cambridge
12.30 LUNCH and free time
13.45 Academic Electives: Sign up each week

Academic Afternoon Electives: a weekly choice.
Develop your English through…
Grammar workshop; Bedford School Course Magazine; Speaking and

Listening Focus; Poetry; Write a Short Story; Pronunciation

14.45 Afternoon activities:
An introduction:
Rounders for all!

Free time options:
Swimming, Tennis, Badminton, Reading, Football, Singing

Local VISIT:

Bedford

Charity Shop treasure challenge

Free time options:
Swimming, Tennis, Henna tattoos, Computer skills

16.00 Activity class:

British Sports, Art, Basketball, Music, Drama, IT

Activity class:

Tag Rugby Art, Indoor Hockey, Music, Drama, IT

Activity class:

Cricket, Art, Volleyball, Music, Drama, IT

Bedford School

Mini-Olympics

17.30 BREAK BREAK
18.00 Portfolios/Homework/Computer access/ Student Committee Meetings Portfolios
18.30 DINNER
19.45 Welcome Party Bedford School
“Murder Mystery”
Sports Evening Bedford School
Quiz Night
Fashion Show Disco: Black and White Chill out
Pamper
Film night
21.30 HOUSE MEETINGS and Free time
22.30 Goodnight!