An Exeat English course is a specific program designed for international students in boarding schools to improve their English. You may be wondering how this course differs from other English courses and why it should be considered. Below we explain what it is, how it can help and why it is important.
What does Exeat Mean?
The dictionary meaning defines Exeat as “a permission from a college or educational institution, usually a boarding school for temporary absence.”
Exeat is commonly used to describe the time when these schools are temporarily closed, typically over weekends or school term holidays. So all the students automatically have permission to be absent during these times.
And most frequently it is a term used by boarding schools in particular.
What is an Exeat Weekend?
Many of the boarding schools in the UK have Exeat weekends, where the school and the boarding house close completely for the weekend. This is usually for two nights on a Friday and Saturday. Often this is compulsory, as it gives all the staff a break from work.
It is a welcome break for students also to have a change of environment. British boarding students will get to go home to their family, and international students in these cases will usually stay with a guardian or family friend.
But not all boarding schools have Exeat weekends. There will be some that remain open. They will have a more limited weekend staff to look after the needs of the students, in particular the international students who do not have anywhere else to stay.
Most though, will have Exeat holidays during the year.
What are Exeat Holidays?
Exeat holidays are where the school closes for Half Term, Easter and Christmas and of course for Summer Holidays.
For international students with guardians or family friends in the country, they can stay with them when the boarding house is closed during the school year. Or they can go back home to their families. And most typically they do for Christmas and Summer.
But they also have the option to take up an Exeat English course/English Language Tuition over their holidays, especially during the shorter term holidays.
This can be very helpful when a student does not have the option to go back home and they do not have a guardian or their family friend who is able to host them.
But even if a school is not closed for a short-term holiday, an Exeat English course provides some excellent academic opportunities and is a valuable option for international students.
Why Choose an Exeat English Course?
Not only does an Exeat English course provide the student somewhere to go during the school holiday, but during the program, the student stays with a qualified English teacher.
These courses are a great opportunity to improve fluency and confidence in the English language.
The student is provided with focused One on One attention, allowing them to concentrate on the specific areas where most improvement is needed. This direct and dedicated attention is unlikely in a large classroom setting with many other students.
The teacher can also help with questions and provide guidance in other areas, helping with specific English terminology in other school subjects like Maths, Science and History.
This type of course is also a great way for an international student to experience everyday life and culture. It is a chance to see something different. It gives them a break from the usual, a break from their routine.
Classroom learning can also be a bit stressful. On this course you are still learning, but it is a more relaxed environment in a comfortable home.
Our Exeat English Course
Our course is for students from 11 years of age attending a boarding school in the UK, as well as South Africa and France. We provide One-to-One based learning, or if preferred, the student can request Two-to-One.
We provide full board accommodation, where the student lives in the home and has meals with one of our qualified tutors.
The course comprises of 15, 20 or 25 hours per week. The student will have daily morning lessons with their tutor and afternoon/evening homework, working to improve their English. But they can also include other subjects in their studies too.
The student is also taken on one full day excursion to experience some local sights and fun activities. And they will also have time to enjoy their holiday in a relaxed setting.
The course is open to attend during any of the school holidays to both girls and boys. And we also have a wonderful multinational summer school as another option during July and August of the summer holidays.
Have a look at our Exeat Holiday English Course details here and take your English studies to the next level to give you more confidence and fluency.