Summer Courses

We're excited to announce that our team of tutors is offering summer courses this year, something to stimulate the students who may be ready for a change of pace as well as having a social outlet when, perhaps, we've all been on a bit of a slow-go due to the virus.

The timetable is published below, and to register for them, use our main registration form that now has a summer school section within it.

All courses will meet an hour weekly for six weeks starting the week of 29th of June and running till  6th August. There will be the usual reliance on living books and some homework to ensure good participation, and at the end of which, a certificate will be awarded.

Cost will be £100/$120 for any student registered for 2020-2021 already; £120/$150 for those new to Dreaming Spires.

Summer courses in timetable order:

History: A Short History of the Second World War 

This course takes a journey through six major events of the Second World War beginning with the outbreak of War in 1939. On the way, we’ll also be looking at events such as the Blitz, the Dunkirk evacuation, the Battles of Midway and Stalingrad, and finishing with the D-Day Landings. We’ll be reading a range of different books and websites about the Second World War, watching documentaries and getting to grips with some of the big questions and debates surrounding these events in our class webinars. I hope you can join us!

Summer Revision course for the Edexcel Spec A English Language IGCSE Exam

The six-week course goes through the new spec for the Edexcel's Spec A English Language IGCSE exam in the UK, aiming mainly for the Jan sitting, and culminating in an invigilated set of mock exams that will be marked by Yvonne Mason. The mocks will run a week after the duration of the course for which working webcams and official photo ID are a requirement.

Mathematics: Intermediate Geometry

Circles and triangles are familiar objects in geometry and also a hidden treasure trove of surprising results that can deduced from a basic set of rules. In this short course, we shall look at some of these results and how they can be proved through careful logical steps. Constructing and understanding proofs is an important skill that is valuable in every branch of mathematics. Students should already have met angles, including the sum of angles in a triangle, along with the definitions of isosceles and equilateral triangles. They should be keen to understand why things are true, rather than simply accepting that they are.

Geography: A Canter 'Round Capricorn

Geography Summer School will take us along the Tropic of Capricorn, crossing Africa, then Australia and South America. We will be learning about ten countries and discussing some of the issues that they are facing including indigenous people, resource exploitation, environmental degradation and drought.

English: What’s so great about Lord of the Flies? 

Dr Patrick will use the classic high school text to teach ways into books that start with a basic understanding of what’s happening, moving into topics like characterisation and how to discuss good writing, and finally, we’ll finish off with a live courtroom trial to see who is to blame for the disastrous outcome when the young boys started with such innocence. At the end, students will take away some tools to apply to their English studies the next year, whether on their own or continuing with one of Dr P’s 30-week long studies, plus perhaps a few good friends for the future!
Art History.

Classical Civilization: ’Augustus - How to be an Emperor'.

After decades of bloody civil war, Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus became the most powerful man in Rome. Then he became the Emperor Augustus, a legend in his lifetime and finally, a god. We have six weeks to watch this happen. This course is a basic introduction to Augustan Rome, suitable for any student 12+ who is interested in Ancient History.

Creative Writing 

Join professional writer Jackie Pavlenko for a fun creative writing workout this summer. The emphasis will be on writing exercises and games during the weekly live classes, rather than homework between times. However, you'll also work towards a short story, with opportunities for feedback from your peers and from Jackie. There will be some reading to support the course, but no narrations. Stretch your imagination, and gain confidence in your creativity and your ability to express yourself!

Science: Climate Change and Environment Crisis

Using resources such as A People’s Curriculum for the Earth, Climate Generation and WWF, students will explore the big climate issues of our times through simulation, role plays, poems and art.

Summer Revision course for the CAIE 0500/0990 English Language IGCSE 

The six-week course goes through the new spec for the CAIE board’s English Language IGCSE exam in the UK, aiming mainly for the Oct/Nov sitting, and culminating in an invigilated set of mock exams that will be marked by Dr Kat Patrick. The mocks will run a week after the duration of the course for which working webcams and official photo ID are a requirement.

Art History 1: Fashion and Painting 

This is a course in observation, and one that is as useful for those inclined toward science and medicine as well as those who love art. We will examine the symbolic nature of fashion, how it is presented in art and what we can understand about the artist and the subject. We will study artists including Gainsborough and a feast of Impressionist artists.

Art History 2: Van Gogh 

"I put my heart and soul into my work, and I have lost my mind in the process.” (Van Gogh) Through a study of a set of Van Gogh's paintings (including his early work, and favourites such as'Sunflowers', 'Starry Night') we will look at his life, his love of nature, his letters to his brother, his use colour, technique and the influences on his unique style. This course will develop your knowledge of Van Gogh, and your ability to read paintings in general.
Foreign Language:

Teach Yourself Foreign Languages

This course provides instruction and practical training in long-term, effective methods of language learning that you can master and work into your daily and weekly routine, allowing you to operate as an independent learner with only limited input needed from a teacher and/or native speakers. It also introduces you to free and very low-cost resources to support your learning of French, Spanish, German, Italian or Portuguese.

Grammar Basics for English & Foreign Language

This is a brief introduction to grammar, based on English but with reference to, and examples from, Romance languages. It teaches first principles, so that students can understand the nature and role of grammar in a language, and learn to identify the elements of language and their function. This will make the study and practice of English language, classical languages and especially modern foreign languages, a richer and better-understood experience.







Foreign Language:


Course One: Teach Yourself Foreign Languages


This course provides instruction and practical training in long-term, effective methods of language learning that you can master and work into your daily and weekly routine, allowing you to operate as an independent learner with only limited input needed from a teacher and/or native speakers. It also introduces you to free and very low-cost resources to support your learning of French, Spanish, German, Italian or Portuguese.






Course Two: Grammar Basics for English & Foreign Language


This is a brief introduction to grammar, based on English but with reference to, and examples from, Romance languages. It teaches first principles, so that students can understand the nature and role of grammar in a language, and learn to identify the elements of language and their function. This will make the study and practice of English language, classical languages and especially modern foreign languages, a richer and better-understood experience.