Caring homestays
Students placed in pairs or small groups with inspected local families, close to school.
Home / English Courses / Junior Group Courses
British Council accredited · Est. 1966Group English courses for schools — year-round, tailor-made
Bring your class to England. We build complete programmes for school groups: English lessons, cultural excursions, caring homestays and generous group leader terms — every season of the year.
Accredited & trusted
Age 9+School groups
Year-roundAny season
Tailor-madeYour dates, your budget
LeadersFree places available
About this course
What you'll get
- ✓A programme built for your groupTell us your dates, budget and aims — we design lessons, activities and excursions around them.
- ✓Lessons that complement schoolCommunicative English classes that energise students and align with CEFR levels.
- ✓Cultural excursionsLondon, Oxford, Bath, Stonehenge — plus the beaches and nature of the Dorset coast.
- ✓Group leaders looked afterFree leader places, leader programmes and a single point of contact throughout.
All included
Everything taken care of
All meals included
Breakfast and dinner with families, lunch arranged on course days.
Coach & transfers
Airport transfers and excursion transport all arranged by us.
Full supervision
Our activity staff work alongside your leaders at every step.
60 years of groups
Schools across Europe return year after year — ask us for references.
Simple group pricing
One transparent per-student price covering everything agreed.
Low season programme
Group Ministay Programme
A bespoke low-season programme tailored to groups of students aged 10+, available from January to June and August to December. Coming in July or August? See our Summer Group Programme.
What's included
- ✓English lessons15 hours per week (unless stated otherwise). 5 nights = 12 hours, 6–8 nights = 15 hours, 9 nights = 18 hours.
- ✓Homestay accommodationPart board with homestay hosts. Full board at weekends.
- ✓Full day excursionLondon, Oxford or Bath — with a walking tour and free time with group leaders.
- ✓Four local trips and activitiesChristchurch, Bournemouth, Hengistbury Head, tennis and more.
- ✓Evening activity at schoolGames evening, bingo, quiz or karaoke.
- ✓Airport transfersReturn transfers via private coach or minibus.
- ✓Five freshly prepared lunchesMade fresh each day in the school cafeteria, Monday to Friday.
- ✓Walking tourGuided tour of Southbourne and local beaches on the first day.
- ✓Free group leader placeOne free group leader with full board accommodation per 15 students.
- ✓Extras includedEnd-of-course certificate, student ID card, free Wi-Fi, and all education materials.
Sample timetable
A typical week
Here's what a seven-night ministay programme looks like. Every programme is tailored to your group.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | Group arrival | English lessons 09:00–12:30 |
English lessons 09:00–12:30 |
English lessons 09:00–12:30 |
English lessons 09:00–12:30 |
English lessons 09:00–12:30 |
Full day to London with walking tour and free time | Group departure & transfer to airport |
| Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | |||
| Afternoon | Walking tour of Southbourne & beaches | Local trip: Christchurch | Local trip: Bournemouth | Local trip: Hengistbury Head | Local activity: Tennis | |||
| Evening | Free evening with homestay host | Free evening with homestay host | Games evening at school | Free evening with homestay host | Free evening with homestay host |
Summer season programme
Summer Group Programme
A bespoke summer programme for groups of students aged 10+, running through July and August. Groups can arrive on any Sunday from 27 June to 15 August 2027, for 7, 14, 21 or 27 nights.
What's included
- ✓English lessons15 hours per week (21 hours on request), with a placement test before arrival so students start in the right class.
- ✓Full board homestayWith carefully selected hosts, and lunch at school Monday to Friday.
- ✓Trips and activities every weekdayBeach activities, Bournemouth, Poole, the New Forest or Moors Valley, and sports.
- ✓Full day excursion every SaturdayLondon, Oxford or Bath.
- ✓Evening activitiesTwo or three a week, free and paid, such as karaoke, s'mores on the beach and an under-18s disco.
- ✓Airport transfersReturn transfers from London Heathrow, Gatwick, Bournemouth or Southampton. Other airports on request.
- ✓Free group leader placeAccommodation for one group leader per 12 students.
- ✓Extras includedEnd-of-course certificate, student ID card, free Wi-Fi, and educational materials (books included for stays of 14 nights or more).
Junior timetable
A typical summer week
Juniors (aged 10–15) have activities in the morning and English lessons in the afternoon: 14:00–15:00, 15:15–16:15 and 16:30–17:30, Monday to Friday. Every programme is tailored to your group.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | Group arrival & transfer from the airport | Beach activities: volleyball & sandcastles 08:45–13:00 |
Local trip: Bournemouth, with a quiz 08:45–13:00 |
Local trip: Poole, with a tour of the town 08:45–13:00 |
Half day trip: New Forest or Moors Valley 08:45–13:00 |
Sports: tennis or another activity 08:45–13:00 |
Full day excursion to London, Oxford or Bath | Group departure & transfer to the airport |
| Lunch | Lunch at school | Lunch at school | Lunch at school | Lunch at school | Lunch at school | |||
| Afternoon | English lessons 14:00–17:30 |
English lessons 14:00–17:30 |
English lessons 14:00–17:30 |
English lessons 14:00–17:30 |
English lessons 14:00–17:30 |
|||
| Evening | Dinner and evening with host family | S'mores on the beach | Under-18s disco | Karaoke at school | Dinner and evening with host family |
Optional extras
Excursions and activities
Full day excursions
London, Bath and Oxford are included. Additional options include the Jurassic Coast (Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove and Swanage), Winchester, Portsmouth and Southampton.
Half day excursions
Choose from the Jurassic Coast (Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove), Winchester, Portsmouth or Southampton — all by private coach with a walking tour.
Evening activities
Bingo, quiz nights and karaoke are included. Optional extras include ten-pin bowling, mini golf and laser quest.
Supplements available
Weekly bus passes, student insurance, and special diet options (gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan) are all available on request.
Airport transfers
London Heathrow, Gatwick and central London transfers are included as standard. Stansted and Bournemouth airport transfers also available.
Why Southbourne?
Homestay hosts within walking distance, a ten-minute walk to the beach, 19 classrooms with interactive screens and air conditioning, and a school cafeteria serving freshly prepared lunches.
For full pricing details and to tailor a programme for your group, request a free quote or email joshua.garner@southbourneschool.co.uk.
FAQs
Good questions, honest answers
Quick answers — and we're one WhatsApp message away for anything else.
What's included in a group package?
Typically: English lessons, homestay with meals, activity programme, excursions, transfers and free leader places — but every programme is tailor-made, so you choose.
When can groups come?
All year round. The Group Ministay Programme runs from January to June and from late August to December, and the Summer Group Programme runs through July and August. Off-peak months offer excellent value and quieter excursion venues.
How are students accommodated?
With carefully selected homestay hosts, usually in pairs, all within easy reach of the school. Leaders can stay in homestay or nearby guesthouses.
How do we get a group quote?
Send us your approximate dates, group size and ages via the form below — we'll reply within one working day with a tailored proposal.
Google reviews
Why students choose Southbourne
★★★★★"Best school I've been to, as a guest teacher, in 10 years of different stages around Europe. Perfect organisation, staff educated and accurate."
★★★★★"The teachers are very experienced and friendly. The food in the canteen is great, and there are not too many students in the class. Thank you to the entire school team."
★★★★★"The school was like a big family for me. Every student was addressed by name — it was very personal and I felt very comfortable. I'm grateful for the lovely friendships that have developed with people from all over the world."
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