Young Leaders

Course Requirements

• Bucksmore Young Leaders requires an upper-intermediate level of English (B2) aimed at upper intermediate and above in order to cope with the challenging syllabus
• The age range for students at Bucksmore Summer is 14-17
• Bucksmore Summer has a nationality cap of 20%. This means that there can be no more than 20% of students from a single country

Course Content

Centred round a weekly themed project, the Young Leaders syllabus comprises theory lessons, interactive lectures, project research and real-life case studies provide a stimulating and varied learning experience.

The Young Leaders programme aims to:

• Build language skills and confidence in public speaking and presentation English.
• Develop negotiation, debating and leadership skills through a series of practical lessons.
• Challenge students in time management scenarios and management tasks.
• Gain a better understanding of global English and its application for future learning.

Theory Lessons

Theory lessons are uniquely designed to complement the weekly project. Weekly themes include law, politics, journalism, tourism, the UN, technology and marketing. Year on year the theory lessons are revised and newly created to represent current events centred round the theme of the week.

For example, typical law week theory lessons cover topics such as language of the courtroom, the UK judicial system and a focus on a leader from the world of law.

Interactive lectures

Taught in Corpus Christi College’s McCrum lecture theatre, the interactive lectures bring a mature element not experienced in other English Language summer schools. The interactive lectures are carefully constructed to benefit and correspond to the students’ project for the week.

Modelled on university style learning, interactive lectures provide content for discussion in groups as well as constant interaction between the tutor and the audience.

The benefits of this can be seen when students are able to apply the knowledge learned in the lectures within their project.

Project Work

The opening of every week is done through a project introduction session where the project is announced and students are divided into groups. Initial roles are assigned in this session and a project manager is elected.

Throughout the week, students work together to research their project before performing or presenting their projects in the final project session.

Project sessions promote learner autonomy and teamwork where students are required to manage themselves and sometimes other members of their group. Student strengths and ambitions are realised throughout the project and the project presentations are a testament to this.

Case studies

Research skills, critical thinking and problem solving are all essential for leadership and these are integrated onto the young leaders programme through case studies.

Case studies cover four hours of academic tuition every week. Initially, students are provided with input and material on a real-life case study such ‘Coca Cola’s marketing failure’. After which, small groups are required to research and present findings on similar real-life case.

Through case study research and reporting, students are better able to work independently in groups and expand the skills and aptitudes needed to become successful young leaders.