Many of our students at the School of English and Culture are seasoned travellers and are well-accustomed to heading away from home for a few weeks each summer. For others, MCSEC might mark their first time in a foreign country or away from their family. Regardless of their previous experience, it is only natural for young people to feel some nervousness at the start of the course as they settle in and make new friends.

There are number of things that we do to try and make this process as comfortable as possible for all our students. Firstly, all our students are interviewed by a member of staff before the course. This gives students an opportunity to ask any questions they might have and also to make sure that there is someone that they know and recognize on arrival at Marlborough, as well as having someone to contact in the run up to the course if they think of any other questions.

For those students who return to MCSEC each year, there is no shortage of friendly faces, as the majority of our staff have been part of the team since year one. All our teachers live in the boarding houses during the summer course and participate in all the evening and weekend activities, something which we think is fundamental to maintaining the approachable and familial atmosphere of our courses. Creating a strong sense of community among students and teachers also means that our staff are quickly able to spot any issues such as homesickness and offer the support needed.

Another key aspect of the system of the support is the ‘clan’ that students will be placed in upon arrival at Marlborough. This is a small group of students assigned to a member of staff, or ‘clan leader’, who will sit down together regularly throughout the week. This might be a short conversation to discuss logistics for the coming day, or a longer chat where students share their experience of the course so far. Though the clan leaders are a natural point of contact for students, all our teachers are available throughout the day and on duty overnight for anyone who needs them.

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