Oxford Summer School | Computer science pre-university summer course

Course Summary

The Introduction to Computer Science course is designed to provide students aged 13-15 with a fascinating introduction to the basics of coding and programming. Intended to prepare students for future study - or even careers - in computer science, the course aims to inspire and intrigue young technological minds with intellectually stimulating material.

Throughout the course, individuals will learn how to code using Python, a popular programming language, alongside gaining an understanding of basic website design. In addition to technical tuition with ORA's expert teachers, skill sessions and group projects will enable students to develop key transferable skills for future success, including leadership, teamwork and presentation skills.

The Oxford Royale Summer Schools experience

Watch the ORA experience video

William Hague speaking to ORA students in a guest lecture

World-renowned guest speakers

A member of ORA's tutoring faculty teaching a class

ORA's expert tutoring faculty

Group of ORA students in matching t-shirts

Our alumni network and community

Student taking a photo of the Radcliffe Camera

Extracurriculars and enrichment

Our teaching philosophy

What to expect from the Introduction to Computer Science course

Students will explore computer science as a discipline, which will enable them to decide if they would like to study the subject at university. Essential and relevant skills will be covered during the course, including programming languages, website design and robotics, providing students with extensive information to aid in their decisions regarding career and study in the future.

Course Outcomes

By the end of the course students will have:

Learned and applied practical skills in computer science
Built their knowledge and understanding of the fundamental scientific theory behind computer science
Explored possibilities for their future careers, learned key theories, programming languages and designed their own website
Developed key abilities in leadership, teamwork and presentation skills

Topics covered

The use of the programming language Python - expressions, functions, tuples and more
The fundamentals of writing code
How computer science is used in the field of robotics
Basic website design
The use of web services - Google robots, search indexing and spiders

Sample Daily Timetable

	Week 1	Week 2
Monday	Lesson 1 : Introduction to Computer Science Lesson 2: Programming Languages Lab 1 (Python)	Lesson 11: HTML 5 Links, Images, Tables and Colours Cascading Style Sheets
Tuesday	Lesson 3: Introduction to Object Oriented Programming Lesson 4: Introduction to Programming in Python + Programming Methods and If Decision Statements Lesson 5: Object Oriented Programming – Loops + Computer Algorithms	Presentations
Wednesday	No lessons- Excursions	No lessons- Excursions
Thursday	Lesson 6: Software Testing Lesson 7: Software Evolution and Maintenance Lab 2	Lesson 12: Designing Responsive Websites Lesson 13: Collecting User Imput Lesson 14: HTML Forms
Friday	Lesson 8: Introduction to the Internet Lesson 9: Introduction to Web Development Lab 3 Lesson 10: HTLM 5 introduction	Lesson 15: Handling User Input Lesson 16: Introduction to JavaScript Lab 4

Take this course if...

Take this course if you enjoy working with computer systems, programming and data input and want to find out more about what a career in Computer Science is like.

Welcome to the City of Oxford - your home this summer

Oxford is a city like no other, combining startlingly beautiful architecture with a buzzing, modern city centre, with superb shopping, restaurants, cafés and more. With the colleges of Oxford University at its heart, some almost 800 years old, it is a city steeped in history and academia.

Students on Oxford Royale's Oxford summer courses will have the chance to live, dine and study in this stunning city, exploring all of its major sites and discovering its hidden secrets. Through both organised trips to key landmarks and free time in the evenings, students will become acquainted with all that Oxford has to offer.

As students walk the cobbled streets and gaze up at the spires, gargoyles and honey-coloured stone buildings, they will be walking in the footsteps of some of the most influential figures in history, including prime ministers, presidents, Nobel prize-winning scientists, authors and more.

Top reasons to choose ORA's Oxford Summer School 2020

Sample Timetable

Click to view Interactive Timetable

Useful information for students & parents

Accommodation

Students will be accommodated in comfortable single or twin rooms depending on their allocated college (please contact our registrations team if you would like more information on this). Twin rooms are strictly shared by students of the same gender, and males/females are separated by corridor and/or staircase. Accommodation is the standard for undergraduates studying at the university, so students are able to get a taste of what being an undergraduate student might be like at Oxford or Cambridge. Bathrooms are typically shared between students of the same gender, however in some cases en-suite facilities are available.

Pastoral care & student welfare

The programme is overseen by the Programme Director, who implements the day-to-day running of the programme. The Director is assisted by a team of Counsellors who very often are current members of the University of Oxford or University of Cambridge. The Counsellors ensure that students are looked after pastorally, culturally and socially during their programme. Students are able to talk informally and frankly to the Counsellors in order to raise concerns or to discuss their course. Each campus has members of staff who are residential throughout the programme and are able to assist students at any time of the day or night.

Eligibility & pre-requisites

Students on this course:

Must conform to our age policy.
Must be fluent or near-fluent English language speakers – if you are unsure whether your English level is suitable for this programme, please contact our Registrations Team on [email protected] and they will be able to assist you.
Must be able to fulfil the basic requirements of the programme, in terms of attendance at lessons, meals and events. Please contact our Registrations Team for more detailed information.

Our Teaching Faculty

At Oxford Royale Academy we are committed to providing our students with the most qualified and high-calibre teaching faculty available. All Oxford Royale Academy teachers are passionate about their subjects, and are looking forward to passing their knowledge on to their students this summer! For full details of last summer’s teaching faculty, please click here.

Guest Lectures & Debates

At ORA, we go the extra mile to enhance the study abroad experience of our students. As part of this, every year our dedicated Events Team organises a series of fascinating guest lectures. Guest speakers come from a wide range of backgrounds and specialisms, including the worlds of online media, television and academia. Our students also have the opportunity to watch and participate in a number of debates, which take place on campus. These range from formal Panel Debates, involving teaching faculty and other staff, to informal discussions about current “hot topics” led by Counsellors.

Coach Excursions

The United Kingdom has a rich cultural heritage, and a course with Oxford Royale Academy is the perfect way for a young learner to explore this. All ORA courses include at least one coach excursion to places of historical and social significance in the UK.

Extracurricular Activities

At ORA, we never forget that our students are on holiday! Included with every ORA course is an extra-curricular timetable, carefully designed by our dedicated Events Team to ensure our students have fun, make friends and get the most out of their time with us.