Dear parents,
In the following you will find information regarding your child’s stay at Summer School 2025. This information applies to all programmes and age levels.
Start and end time
The Summer School starts on Wednesday 9 July 2025 and ends on Friday 25 July 2025.
We prefer not to make exceptions to the Summer School start and end times, as it is important that everyone – both students and employees – get off to a good start on 10 July. The actual teaching will start on 11 July.
Transport on arrival at the Summer School
At the start of the Summer School there are the following arrival options:
- Own transport
You drop your child off at the Summer School between 15.00 – 17.00. - Bus transport from Copenhagen
It is possible to purchase a ticket for bus transport from Copenhagen to the schools at Willemoes/Haarby Rejser. Students should meet at Ingerslevsgade at Copenhagen Central Station between 12.30 and 13.30. The buses depart at 13.30.Bus tickets must be purchased before 14 June 2025. Bank details for Willemoes/Haarby Rejser will be sent. - Public transport
We encourage you to purchase train and seat tickets in advance for both arrival and departure days. Tickets and seat tickets can be purchased and received as a pdf at www.rejseplanen.dk.
Transport at the end of the Summer School
At the end of the Summer School there are the following departure options:
- Own transport
You pick up your child at the Summer School yourself. Times will be announced later. - Bus transport to Copenhagen
Students who have purchased bus transport from Willemoes/Haarby Rejser will be taken to Copenhagen, where they can be picked up at Ingerslevsgade at Copenhagen Central Station at approximately 17:30. - Public transport
We encourage you to purchase train and seat tickets in advance for both arrival and departure days. Tickets and seat tickets can be purchased and received as a pdf at www.rejseplanen.dk.
Payment deadlines
- Rate 1: Payable no later than 14 days after enrolment.
- Rate 2: Payable no later than 14 February 2025*.
Payment is made via this link. Remember to log in before you pay.
*If you register your child after 14 February, you will receive an email with information.
Confirmation
The confirmation will be held on Friday 25 July at 10.30 in Brahetrolleborg Castle Church.
Packing list
Remember the student’s name on all items!
We recommend that the child takes part in the packing so they know what they have brought to the Summer School.
- Cold and warm weather clothing
- Outdoor shoes/solid footwear
- Warm and windproof outerwear
- Rainwear
- Sportswear and sports shoes for both indoor and outdoor use
- Swimwear and beach towel – do not bring regular towels
- Duvet, pillow, bed linen should not be brought
- Toiletries
- Nightwear
- Pencil case (e.g. pencils, pencil sharpener, markers, coloured pencils, ruler, scissors, eraser and glue stick)
- Laptop or tablet, power cable and possibly an adapter for a Danish plug
- Headphones suitable for the student’s computer/tablet
- Mobile phone and charger
- Alarm clock (mobile phone cannot be used as an alarm clock)
- Hiking bag/backpack
- Water bottle, as we do not distribute spring water in plastic bottles for environmental reasons
- Any medication
- Blue health insurance card for EU citizens
- Copy of passport
- Wash bag (max 20×30 cm) for socks and underwear
- Costume (invitation to the theme party will come later)
Pocket money
Included in the participation fee for the Summer School is DKK 200 for shopping in the Summer School’s cashless kiosk. If the student needs additional money, they must bring it with them. It is not possible to deposit money into a pocket money account.
We encourage students to bring pocket money with them on field trips.
Field trips
We plan for students from all tracks of the Summer School to go on a field trip:
- Students aged 10-13 will be going to Djurs Sommerland.
- Students aged 14-17 will be going to Copenhagen and Tivoli Gardens.
Valuables and insurance
Remember to take out insurance to cover your child’s stay during the Summer School. This includes theft, illness, doctor and hospital visits.
Valuables such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets, as well as any cash and debit cards, are brought at your own risk! The summer school’s insurance does not cover private valuables.
Cleaning and laundry
In order to maintain a high standard of hygiene, time is set aside for daily cleaning of private rooms and common areas under the guidance of the assigned adults.
Laundry facilities are available in all departments of the Summer School. However, we encourage students to bring plenty of clean clothes for all types of weather so that they only need to do laundry a few times. The Summer School staff are of course happy to help organise laundry.
First aid
Before the Summer School starts, we organise a first aid course for all our employees so that they are able to handle any emergency situations.
Fire drill
On one of the first days of the Summer School, a fire drill will be organised so that everyone know what to do if a fire alarm sounds. The heads of department at the different schools will be in charge of this drill based on current instructions from the authorities.
The track Danish language and culture
Danish lessons at the Summer School
At the Summer School, we offer Danish lessons at different levels.
There are approximately 12-15 students in each class. The students in each class are at roughly the same level. At the Summer School, we aim for a form of teaching where students draw on each other’s expertise and can take advantage of the dynamics of a larger group to familiarise themselves with pair and group work and practice debating, including arguing for their own opinions.
Division by Danish level and language screening
At the Summer School, we have 10 different levels of Danish. This ensures that all students receive instruction that corresponds to their level. Upon enrolment at the Summer School, students are divided according to the three main levels. In the spring, a test is sent out for the students to complete on their own. Based on the test, students are placed in the 10 different levels.
Students who already attend our online classes are typically not tested, as we already know their level.
75 lessons in 17 days
The programme includes approximately 75 lessons at all levels. Each lesson lasts 45 minutes. There will be an alternation between theoretical lessons, activities and excursions in the local area or further afield. A framework and day programme for your child’s specific Summer School will be announced.
Is your child ready for summer school?
Our staff are skilled and committed educators who deliver qualified and creative teaching. We place great emphasis on ensuring that students experience differentiated and varied teaching with an emphasis on movement in the classroom. All situations are potential learning situations, which is why many of our students make great linguistic – as well as personal – progress during the Summer School.
It is a 17-day school programme with six Danish lessons every day. It is therefore essential that students have the motivation and expectations to improve their Danish language skills. We expect the students to want to socialise with other children and contribute to a good and rewarding stay for everyone. We encourage you to talk to your children about the purpose and expectations of their stay. For many children born abroad, the purpose is to strengthen their sense of belonging to Denmark. In our experience, the Summer School programme contributes positively to this.
Staff instructions and freedom with responsibility
Students will be supervised by adults throughout the programme, but we aim to give students freedom with responsibility based on age and maturity. We will therefore also make demands on the individual student and encourage independent decision-making as part of the programme. On field trips, there will always be two adults present. It is important that all students follow the instructions of the staff at all times. This is for the well-being and safety of everyone.
Time off during Summer School
We do not give time off during your stay unless it is due to exceptional circumstances.
Candy and snack policy
High sugar intake and learning is a bad cocktail, so we recommend not sending sweets. There is a kiosk at the school where students can stock up on sweets, soft drinks and crisps.
Drugs and tobacco
The consumption and/or possession of alcohol, tobacco and other euphoriant substances is prohibited at the Summer School. The Summer School staff will enforce the rules as part of their supervision of the students. We would like to point out that any violation of the above rules may result in immediate dismissal!
Bullying
To make the Summer School a safe place to be, we crack down on any teasing and bullying. Deliberate bullying can ultimately lead to the expulsion of the student or students who are bullying.
Pictures of others
We also inform you that it is forbidden to take pictures of others in private contexts without consent. If this is violated, it may result in repatriation.
Your child must be able to communicate in Danish or English
The language of the school is Danish, but English is used to give important messages if necessary for the safety of the students and understanding of important information.
In the event of an accident or illness, we cannot take responsibility for a child’s inability to understand basic distress calls or report pain or similar. This also applies to field trips where students are travelling in traffic and need to understand public announcements for their safety.
It is also very difficult for Summer School teachers and activity leaders to teach a student with whom they don’t share a common language, and therefore the learning outcomes are likely to be lower. Of course, the child’s language skills are also important in terms of their ability to socialise with other students and feel part of the community.
Children who do not master either Danish or English – i.e. do not understand simple information and ‘distress calls’ in one of the two languages – we cannot take responsibility for them and we reserve the right to send them home for their safety.
Repatriation
Naturally, any repatriation will only take place after contacting the student’s parents or contact person and will be at the student’s own expense. It is therefore important that the contact person can be available within a few hours to pick up or receive the student if the Summer School has to expel the student due to violation of the above rules or bad behaviour.
We encourage you as parents to go through our rules with your children before they come to the Summer School.
A dismissal from the Summer School will also affect the child’s possible future participation in the Summer School.
Being away from home for several weeks – perhaps for the first time – can be a big challenge. You can be extra vulnerable and feel homesick more easily. Making students feel at home quickly at the Summer School is a high priority. It is therefore important that students speak up if they feel misunderstood or upset. Ask your child to go to an adult if this is the case. We have a well-being interview with each child during the first few days.
Care and security
Every year we experience a few students suffering from homesickness. We are very aware of this
aware of this. Our general experience is that students who are homesick don’t necessarily benefit from extensive parental contact. Often, the student is reminded of the deprivation during the conversation with the parents. If you suspect that your child is homesick, it’s a good idea to consult with the heads of department before you call your child. We always focus on caring and making children feel safe and in the best hands.
At the school for our youngest students, we have hired an extra person in the group to free up a little more time for care and security.
Contact person
With several hundred students at the Summer School, it is inevitable that students get sick, injured or have to be sent home from the Summer School. If you are not in Denmark, your child must have a contact person in the country who we can contact and who can be available within a few hours and in some cases pick up the child. We have many students, so it is a great help to us if the parental information is forwarded to the contact person and any others who play a role in the student’s stay at the Summer School.
Contact with your child
Mobile phones can, of course, be used to provide proof of life. We recommend that you use the break between 15.00 and 16.00 CET if you need to get in touch with your child. This time has been chosen as it fits most time zones with a slightly flexible approach. Special arrangements can of course be arranged with the department management – for example, if the student does not bring their own mobile phone. We would like to appeal to you NOT to call outside of the phone time and thus respect the programme we have set for the students and their interaction with the other participants. Instead of calling, you can send an SMS that can be read when it fits into the student’s daily rhythm.
