Christmas 2021

Pippa's Christmas Camp 2021

Christmas is a special time, a time that many would consider is all about children, spending time with family and creating memories. In 2020 many international students studying in the UK, were not able to travel home and spend Christmas with their families, so Pippa’s Guardians offered them the choice of spending it with a host family or with their friends at our Christmas Camp in the Cotswolds. The 2020 camp was a huge success and was even named as a finalist in the PIEoneer awards.

 

This year, many students are still in the same situation and so we asked parents and students what they would like to do, what would give them an enjoyable and memorable Christmas experience.

Unsurprisingly, another Christmas camp was a very popular request. We are therefore delighted to once again, be offering international students a Pippa’s Christmas camp from 18th Dec -5th Jan.

 

Our camp will be held at Dean Close School in Cheltenham. It offers an opportunity to study/revise as well as lots of fun and enjoyable activities, sports and social events, a traditional English Christmas Day experience (just with lots more seats round the family dinner table!) and a New Year’s Eve celebration with fireworks.

 

For more information about our Christmas camp, please email jodie@pippasguardians.co.uk

 

 


Pippa's October Study Camp

Our half term study camp

Our October half term study camp was a great success with lots of happy students. Our aim for the camp was to provide a safe and secure option for students who were not returning home for half term. We also wanted to give students the opportunity to study and get extra support on any work they were finding hard or that they missed out on following months of home learning. It was also important for us that students could relax, have fun and make friends. Based on our student and parent feedback, we feel we have achieved all of these goals and delivered and enjoyable camp for these students.

Comments from parents:

“I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for your extraordinary support and kind help to my son during the time at the Pippa’s Guardians half term camp on 16th-30th October. Oliver’s dad and I have really enjoyed the pictures you posted in WeChat that made us so happy to understand how he studied and what activities and foods he was enjoying at the camp. We are quite pleased to find the camp is fully suitable for him to stay in the holidays that he felt extremely enjoyable at the camp with excellent cuisine, abundant activities, truly good friends and tutors, cosy dorm and wonderful studying atmosphere with different ages students. At the same time, we very much appreciated for your efficient assistance to help me with setting up several appropriate time to video chat with my son when I missed him much in China which really made me relieved and reassured when I saw him with lovely smile on the face. Meanwhile, you especially supervised him to have online lessons at the specified time was fairly touched us, it seemed like a parent did beside him. When I knew the boys in the camp had their hair trimmed, I could hardly believe all of you are so thoughtful. Thank you so much for your efforts with your colleagues together to make the camp homely at a such challenging time! Oliver is looking forward to taking part in the camp next time!”
Mother of Oliver, student at Windlesham House School

“Thanks to Pippa’s for providing Wesley with such a wonderful half term camp experience! He was able to make new friends, and enjoyed a variety of sports and fun activities in a safe and friendly environment with superb facilities. Staff were all very caring and helpful. Parents were provided with frequent updates so we didn’t worry about our kids during the camp. Oh and thank you so much for celebrating Wesley’s birthday with him, what a nice surprise!!”
Mother of Wesley, student at Oundle School

“I am very pleased with Pippa’s half term camp. My children were able to get some help with their revisions, as well as having a blast with the many new friends they made at the camp from different schools.
The staffs at the camp have kept me well informed with their condition. As I miss my children dearly, the camp coordinator had so kindly sent me a video clip of my daughter playing my favourite piece on the piano. I am forever grateful for her kind understanding and assistance. They made me felt assured that my children were in good hands. There is nothing more important to us overseas parents to know that our children are well taken care of and that they are happy. I am very grateful to my guardian for having recommended this half term camp.”
Mother of Aidan and Kayley, students at Oundle School

“This is the first time that Daniel has spent 2 weeks holiday in the UK, Initially I was in hesitation between choosing camp and host family, but finally, I decided to let Pippa’s camp look after Daniel. Now, I think I made a great decision.
Various activities and social events were definitely what Daniel and I expected. Days are started with morning study sessions and followed with different kinds of exercise sports in the afternoon. In evening there was entertainment with special themes. Mothers are especially happy that their children spend time in groups more often and spend less time using electronic devices.
Daniel was very happy for the camp meals which are healthy and delicious! he made so many new friends. The range of activities and team-work kept him busy and he didn’t feel homesick at all!
What surprised me most was the incredible care of Pippa’s camp teachers. Daniel didn’t only receive care, but also learned more intelligent communication methods from the teachers, these are the things I noticed from my son after the camp. The teachers did a lot of work that was not seen by parents, which moved me very much. Finally, I would like to thank every teacher and staff in Pippa’s camp for providing me and my child a wonderful holiday. Thank you
Mother of Daniel, student at The Elms School

“Due to the Covid policies, I decided to let my daughter attend Pippa’s camp instead of sending her to the host family. The Camp was in Cheltenham ladies’ college, which has quality learning resources and perfect environment. My child has spent a beautiful holiday there!
On the first day, Children arrived at the camp by school car, the teachers warmly welcomed them and did a series of health checks, registration and confirmed each dormitory. Her room was comfortable and lovely. The students were mostly Chinese boys and girls from different schools, they have common ideas and were soon chatting. Every morning, students were waking up to a rich breakfast and the prospect of activities in the afternoon. After breakfast, students spent their time on self-study and homework subjects. There were several teachers waiting patiently in the classroom who could give assistance to students explaining any difficulties which they needed help with. The study time here was very efficient.
Lunch time, Children were sitting together to have a good chat. Evening they went to the music lounge to play piano, singing and then create an evening show with each student’s talent. The best thing is the students had opportunity to experience different ball sports and the Gym. They could choose what they would like to join in with, and no matter if it was football or basketball or netball, girls are as good as the boys!
Besides above, the teachers also took the students out to play bowling and bake cakes together. The theme of Halloween night was to challenge them to design the evillest pumpkin lantern! They had an excursion trip to town some afternoons, the students spent some free time themselves enjoying coffee, or buying new clothes or buying some school supplies. When it was close to the date returning to school, the teachers took some students to have their haircut who hadn’t had a haircut for months. The camp teachers really cared for my child like the way they would look after their own child. I am so touched! I felt the holiday flew so quick!
Thanks to Pippa’s camp team members that sent student’s photos to parents every day, I felt extremely happy with this holiday, the camp’s timetable, balanced study and entertainment, so the students didn’t feel alone in the UK. A big thumb up for Pippa’s team! 👍👍👍
Mother of Lisa, student at Uppingham School