"I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone at Sherborne Summer for  providing my son with such an enriching and unforgettable four weeks. 
We have also received his detailed course report and were deeply moved by the thoughtful, encouraging, and perceptive comments from each of his teachers. Reading through the report, it was clear how much he has grown academically across all his subjects, from Business Studies and Science to Maths and Drama. We are particularly grateful for the warm support and gentle encouragement he received regarding his English. While he was initially a bit self-conscious about his language skills, the welcoming environment at Lyon House and in the classroom gave him the confidence to speak up, ask questions, and express himself far more fluently by the end of the course. 

Beyond the classroom, he truly thrived in the boarding environment. He thoroughly enjoyed the sports, the trips to Splashdown and Westfield, and the House Talent Show. The opportunities to make friends from all over the world and experience life in a close-knit boarding community have given him a new level of independence and maturity. He returns home with fond memories, newfound confidence, and a renewed motivation for his future studies. We hope to have the opportunity to send him back to Sherborne again in the future. 

Wishing you all a wonderful remainder of the summer and continued success for the school."

"Our child had a wonderful time in Sherborne and is actually considering coming back next summer. In addition, our younger son is also interested in a summer school stay. The Sherborne summer team gave the boys an experience they'll remember for a long time."

"I am also incredibly grateful for the wonderful time E. spent with you. Thanks to your kindness, care, and support, she felt safe, comfortable, and happy throughout her stay, which means so much to both of us. By the end of the camp, I can confidently say that E. is leaving with wonderful memories. She is genuinely happy, satisfied, and truly enjoyed every moment she spent with you and at the camp. Thank you once again for all your care, support, and dedication. We truly appreciate everything you have done for E."

"I’d like to thank all of you who have welcomed my son so warmly! He enjoyed every day of the camp. Interesting English lessons, exciting activities and events have turned into unforgettable emotions. You create nourishing and supportive environment for your summer students. It was a great experience to be a part of your community"

"S. and S. arrived home in Germany last night and they are already missing Sherborne Summer School! They both had a wonderful time and they told their parents how kind and caring all the staff were. Mrs N. wants to send a huge thank you to everyone involved to look after the boys."

"We appreciate the support and assistance from the Sherborne team throughout the programme. A. came back with very positive feedback and we would like to thank you again for the wonderful opportunity and care given towards her."

“Thank you for all, I really liked the 2 weeks here, I want to return next year.”

“If I were given the choice between relaxing on the beach and coming to Sherborne I would 100% pass on the beach.”

“Thank you for the two weeks in England. These 2 weeks were so nice, and I enjoyed it so much!”

“If you want to improve your English, you should join this summer school.”

“Thank you for the nice experience and for new friends and better English and fun in the holidays.”

“Thank you for 2 incredible weeks.”

“Dear Houseparents, thank you for always helping and supporting me, even though you are 18-28 years old, it was still fun spending time with you.”

“Thank you for your kindness, support and all the fun activities. I learned a lot and had a great time. I will always remember this summer school.”

“This summer school helped me improve my English, make new friends and have an amazing time.”

“If you want to have the best vacation ever, come to Sherborne.”

“The school is wonderful, the house staff are friendly, and the teachers are cool.”

“This was one of the best experiences of my life.”

“This Summer school was the best summer school ever because my tutors are very kind and I made a lot of friends.”

“There was lots of delicious food and the chicken katsu curry was the best.”

“Everyone from last year still remembered me. Thank you.”

“All my lessons helped me to improve my English.”

“In 2 weeks, I've learned more than in 4 months.”

“The lessons were very funny and that helped me a lot.”

“Lessons and teaching staff were excellent, the way of them leading us to learning was exceptional.”

“I love all of my teachers; they always help me when I need them. They always make sure that I complete my work and that I understood how to complete the problems. And especially they make sure that we enjoy all of the lessons.”

“The teachers are awesome and friendly.”

“I really enjoyed my time in Sherborne, and surely, I will never forget about the magical time I spent here!!”

The school provides its students with appropriate pastoral care. The school offers a range of comfortable, conveniently located accommodation, which is very well managed. The leisure programme is very well designed and delivered to meet the needs of the students. Care of students, Accommodation and Leisure opportunities and Safeguarding under 18’s are areas of strength.

From Parents of Students on our Summer 2025 courses:

Our child really had a great time at Sherborne with all the lovely people around her (teachers, classmates, supervisors and so on). For her it was a great opportunity to learn and grow in so many aspects. She enjoyed staying with you so much and is still delighted by her experience she gained over the weeks. This summer, my child had a wonderful time at the summer school, and it left a profound impression on her. From the curriculum to the diverse activities, she talked non-stop sharing all her experiences with me. She also made good friends here, met caring teachers, and showed daily progress in her personal growth. Over these two weeks of learning and life, she has grown so much, both in maturity and physically. I believe these are the most valuable gains. I also want to especially thank you for welcoming and caring for my daughter with such love during the program. She returned home healthy and very happy, with new friends from all over the world, who have contributed to broadening her perspective on diversity and inclusion.

Sherborne continues to impress us, not only with its pastoral care but also with the strong academic structure and individual attention the boys have received.

Thank you for my son’s stay and care in Sherborne. I really liked the friends he made, the stories, and the learning I saw in him.

In fact, I would say that talking to him and seeing how he expresses himself, he has returned in just one month a more mature child, more aware of his surroundings and the life around him.

It is fair to mention his house parents, as he has told me that he has connected with them and felt very well cared for.

Our daughter particularly enjoyed her time in Sherborne! Thanks to the highly individualised education tailored to the children, she benefited enormously from her stay.

She found her daily routine to be very structured and had a great, varied time with both academic subjects and projects as well as leisure activities. The teachers, mentors and members of staff took very good care of her.

Overall, she came back with greatly improved self-confidence and excellent language skills.

I am absolutely amazed by what Sherborne has done for my daughter. She only planned to stay for one week, but ended up wanting to stay for 3, which is incredible! She has returned more confident in herself and for that we are so thankful.

Over the past seven weeks, every staff member has treated me with kindness, support and respect. I truly appreciate the positive environment they created for me.

There were so many talented guys there, and everyone looked so happy. The most favorite part of the summer school is class. Teachers are so kind that they teach me kindly, gently. Anyway, it’s definitely my best summer school.

I really enjoyed Sherborne International School. It is actually like normal school during the day but I also enjoyed night activities, sports and weekend trips. It was so cool and I want to come back here again. Thank you to all of the staff for giving us some amazing memories.

Sherborne was a very calm and peaceful town, and I was able to spend my time there happily. The school was clean, and I really enjoyed the time I'd walk with my friends to and from classes. Thank you very much for the three weeks!

Not only did Sherborne improve my language skills, but it also became a step toward independence, and I felt like I was getting better at managing my daily life — even with some help from those around me.At 16, I attended the Sherborne pre-IB summer course for 3 weeks during August 2025. I immediately found my peers and the house staff to be incredibly supportive and welcoming, helping me integrate into the new environment. At the same time, the camp’s cultural diversity enriched my experience. Moreover, the camp was extremely well-organised, balancing academics and social life; during these three weeks, I was never bored. On an academic level, the experience was equally constructive. I studied maths, biology, and chemistry, all of which were taught by deeply enthusiastic teachers. Learning with them became a pleasure, and also useful for my current IB endeavours.

Federico, Italy

I never thought there could be such a beautiful place to learn. 

Everyone I met, from the teachers to the kitchen staff and drivers, was friendly, respectful and very accommodating. This created an atmosphere in which we were all encouraged to make mistakes, correct them, and learn from them. Speaking English constantly gave me much more confidence, and I am amazed at the progress I was able to make during my 4-week-stay at Sherborne International. But what impressed me most was the diversity of the student body, which provided a great foundation for forming unique friendships. There was always plenty to laugh about and lots of fun to be had, in class as well as during the various activities like sports, field trips, karaoke etc. I still often think back to my time in Sherborne and am very grateful to have had this wonderful experience! I have strongly recommended Sherborne International to my younger sister. 

Marie, 17 Germany 

I have been coming back to work at Sherborne International most summers for over a decade. I think what keeps bringing me back is the combination of: the great courses provided, the opportunity to work with great teachers (many returning), and, of course, the wonderful young people I get to teach. The students really invigorate me every time. They are such a diverse group who tend to really enjoy intellectual challenge and creatively-thought-out tasks.

As a teacher, I get to enjoy all my favourite parts of the job - I am given great resources while being encouraged to be creative and push my students' progress in the ways I see fit. I started at Sherborne International when I was still relatively new to my career, and was given such a perfect opportunity to learn from some immensely experienced and professional teachers. I've taught juniors, seniors and pre-A level/IB students, and for all these courses I've found an excellent framework of resources that are both demanding yet fully recognise the fact that these young people are on their summer break - a balance that can be difficult to strike. 

Aside from the lovely surroundings, one thing that always attracts me back to Sherborne is that teachers are given the time and space to teach to their best ability and give this mixed group of bright young people the educational challenge they deserve, while learning so much about their many different cultures. 

Sasha - English and ToK teacher

I have greatly enjoyed teaching chemistry on the International School’s summer short courses for many years. The international mix of students brings a stimulating blend of cultures, ideas, and perspectives, making each class a dynamic and enriching experience for both pupils and teachers alike. Small class sizes allow pupils to engage in individual practical work, fostering their confidence and independence. Although the atmosphere is relaxed and informal, it is underpinned by a strong sense of purpose and ambition. The school is exceptionally well managed, with good resources and dedicated support for staff—all of which make teaching here a genuine pleasure. It is little wonder that so many of us return year after year!

Chris – Chemistry teacher

I love coming back to teach at Sherborne International because of the warm, supportive atmosphere and the strong sense of community among staff and students. It’s especially lovely when students return for the Easter course after attending in the Summer — it’s great to see familiar faces and know they’ve chosen to come back. It’s incredibly rewarding to see students grow in confidence and ability, and to know I’ve helped in some small way. I always leave with a warm, satisfied feeling — that’s what keeps me coming back year after year.

Chriselda – Maths teacher

The short courses at Sherborne International School are excellent opportunities for teachers to be a part of a truly aspirational and enriching teaching and learning experience, which is one of the many reasons why so many (of us?) teachers choose to return every Easter and summer year on year. The learning environment, outstanding resources, small class sizes and endless support from management enable teachers to deliver at their best. Likewise, the students, in turn, appreciate this quality educational provision and quickly engage, commit and push themselves to achieve their best.

Underpinning this rich learning environment, is a clear awareness from all members of both the teaching and pastoral staff that these children are at Sherborne International school during what would have been their Easter and summer holidays. So, much time, energy and effort is given to ensure there is a palpable sense of fun both in lessons and after the school day, with dramatic assemblies, cultural trips, enrichment days, free gym membership and sporting activities on offer each and every week.

Being a part of the Sherborne International short course team means being able to deliver teaching and learning at its best alongside highly supportive and fun colleagues - I'm already counting down the days till the next one!

Vanessa – English Literature, IB and Drama teacher

Dzhonni Avdoi is a 15-year-old student from Russia. Studying GCSEs, he was in Sherborne for four weeks this July for the Sherborne International Summer Course, an intensive academic programme for international students aged 8 to 17.
The summer courses provide a taste of life in a traditional British boarding school giving students from over 35 countries a taste of the British countryside. For many of the students, parents and agents, this is their first taste of England beyond London and in visiting Sherborne they leave with great experiences of this part of the world, providing a great boost for Sherborne as a town.

Dzhonni writes about his experience.
This warm and beautiful summer, I embarked on a journey to Sherborne International to help me prepare for my GCSE exams. Little did I know, this school would soon feel like a second home to me, with its welcoming boarding houses, supportive staff and lively student community.
At Sherborne International, I discovered a new approach to learning, with lessons focussing on how to study for exams, as well as deepening my understanding of the sciences, maths and English. The teachers, many of whom are experienced examiners, shared their experiences with us, providing invaluable tips for success in our exams. They shared their wealth of knowledge, from highlighting common mistakes to guiding us on how to articulate answers for maximum points.
The staff at Sherborne International played a crucial role in creating a positive and enjoyable environment. Their friendliness and willingness to help, whether tending to injuries or offering a supportive conversation during tough times, makes a huge difference. The athleticism of the staff also contributes to the fun, with post-dinner games of football, touch rugby or cricket being a regular highlight.
Friendships formed with fellow students added another layer of joy to my experience. The camaraderie among us made school activities, trips and sports events even more enjoyable. The welcoming nature of the student body ensured that no one ever felt lonely, fostering a sense of belonging and community.
Our adventures outside the classroom were equally memorable. We went on numerous exciting trips, including visits to Thorpe Park, the Chelsea FC Stadium, boat trips in Greenwich, various waterparks, shopping destinations and adventure parks. Exploring new places across England with friends made these experiences even more enriching and enjoyable. It also gave us all a taste of other parts of the country and a chance to see some of the famous sites we had heard of.
Another highlight for me was the sports opportunities available. These offered a fantastic outlet for both physical exercise and mental relaxation. With a wide array of activities available, such as gym sessions, basketball, football, touch rugby, badminton, horse riding, climbing, swimming and kayaking, there was something for everyone to enjoy and push us to get out of our comfort zone.
I owe a debt of gratitude to the people who made my stay at Sherborne International so special. A heartfelt thank you to my house parents, Louis and Will, for their constant support and care. I am also deeply grateful to my favourite members of staff—Sandy, Angus and Guy—whose presence made a significant impact on my experience. And, of course, a special thank you to my friends, with whom I made all of these memories.

Sherborne Times 2024