Leading with Heart: Ellie Jones on shaping Academic Summer Camps as teacher, HR Head and proud mum

An Interview with Ellie Jones

Al Gibson: It’s great to have Eleanor Cullen Jones with us. Ellie, you are the Head of HR at Academic Summer, but you also have another title. You are Head of Academic as well. Explain your role and what you do exactly.

Ellie Jones: I like to think that I do a bit of everything. I’m not involved in the sales part, but once the students are on board, that’s where my involvement with them starts. Along with Giedre, I’m responsible for designing the academic programmes, the curriculums and feeding that out to the teachers – to let them know what we would like the students learn and how we’d like them to learn it during the summer.

Then my HR hat comes on, and I’m recruiting teachers who will be able to take those curriculums, those plans, and bring their own special experience to create a fantastic learning environment for the students.

Al Gibson: So you have a background in education?

Ellie Jones: Yes, I qualified as a teacher. I have a PGCE in Primary with an Early Years specialism. I’ve worked in various schools and settings with just about every age group, from nursery at three years old up to adult learners. At the moment, I’m also working on a voluntary basis on a literacy programme, and my oldest student there is 78. So quite a range of different ages. I like to think I’ve taught just about every student profile there is over the last few years.

Al Gibson: You’re a graduate of Exeter University, which is part of the Russell Group. Academic Summer can provide a pathway to Oxbridge, or at least give international students a taste of life in British education. Can you speak about that and your university experience?

Ellie Jones: I think especially nowadays, there are so many students applying for a limited number of places at universities, particularly Russell Group and Oxbridge. So, they really need something that makes them stand out from the crowd. It’s not enough just to have a stellar academic profile.

So, a set of fantastic exam grades isn’t sufficient. Students really have to know what they want to do with their education and be able to sell themselves to universities, because these top universities are looking to produce future leaders in industry. As much as they’re selling themselves to the students, the students need to sell themselves to the universities.

I suppose it’s always been the case, but now more than ever, with large communities of young people and access for learners from many countries, that set of university places is getting smaller. One of our main goals at Academic Summer is to allow young people to get a taste of what being in a dynamic and diverse learning environment looks like, so they know what they’re aiming for once they go to university.

And it gives them something that sets them apart, something to talk about, achievements to mention when securing those essential interviews.

Al Gibson: So attending a summer camp can be beneficial to a university application?

Ellie Jones: Absolutely. When it comes to UCAS applications for UK universities, it’s not just about exam grades or in-school achievements. It’s also about the extracurricular, demonstrating that you’ve used your free time, your long summer holidays, to do something to prepare for university.

More and more young people are using that time to align themselves with the universities they hope to apply to and to get some experience in the subjects they want to study not just for the application process, but to be able to talk about it and demonstrate why they’re ready for that subject.

When students can say, “I excelled here, I loved it, I want more,” it really sets them apart. It shows passion and readiness.

CLIL sets Academic Summer apart

Al Gibson: That’s really good to hear. Academic Summer sets students apart. There are many things that make your summer camps unique. They are not just for relaxation, you also focus on academics alongside fun activities. Could you speak about CLIL and the other methodologies you use?

Ellie Jones: Yes, Content and Language Integrated Learning (so CLIL) is becoming a widely recognised methodology, not just for secondary learners of English but for all students.

It means that while students are focused on learning a subject, immersing themselves in a field, communicating, learning, exploring as a subject specialist would, they’re also developing their English language skills, almost without thinking about it.

If it’s done well, the focus isn’t on sitting in a classroom revising grammar until your brain melts. It’s about working on projects with other students, debating theories, taking turns, managing team dynamics and communicating ideas through presentations and practical work.

If you ask students what new words they’ve learned today, they might struggle to answer. But if you ask them, “What are the principles of environmental systems in societies?” suddenly they can tell you all about it, even if they couldn’t a week before.

Cross-curricular, content-rich learning is at the heart of what we do at Academic Summer, and I believe it should be central to all education. It benefits every student.

Al Gibson: Great. One of the things you do at Academic Summer is the Be a Leader programme. How important is it for young people to learn leadership skills and can they be taught?

The Be A Leader Programme at Academic Summer

Ellie Jones: Yes, definitely. It’s such an interesting question because I’ve delivered several of the leadership workshops for the Be a Leader programme, and over time my topic has evolved from “I’m not a leader” to “Here’s the type of leader I am.”

That’s come from speaking with the students on the course and really aligning myself with what we’re delivering in the sessions. Above all, I would say it’s about exposing young people to a broad understanding of what leadership is. We often tend to label ourselves as either leaders or followers.

In fact, one of the questions we ask applicants for our camp counsellor roles at Academic Summer is: “What type of leader are you?” It’s fascinating to hear the variety of leadership styles young people describe. The Be a Leader programme isn’t about producing an army of future MPs or world leaders, although if that happens, great! It’s about helping each student understand what leadership means to them.

We explore a different theme each day – things like integrity, communication and articulation. These core ideas are tied into the broader concept of leadership. The goal is for young people to develop confidence in their leadership abilities and understand which style suits them best.

That’s so important as they move into the world on their own. They need to be able to express their values and opinions, lead themselves and work effectively with others whether in a leadership role or as a valuable team player.

Ellie Jones at David Game College, London

A mum’s perspective on Academic Summer Camps

Al Gibson: And that’s what it’s all about. Now, you’re an educator at Academic Summer, but you’re also a mum of three children? And your children have attended Academic Summer camps. So tell us, from a mother’s point of view, how has Academic Summer impacted your children?

Ellie Jones: Massively. In fact, it’s quite handy as a bribery tool at home! If I want my kids to focus on something or knuckle down with their studies, I can offer the carrot of an extra week at Academic Summer. It works very well. I’ll mention a teacher they really like who’s coming back, or one of the exciting trips they’ll be going on.

But honestly, my children love it – and I’m not just saying that. If you asked them, you’d find they’re probably Academic Summer’s biggest fans. They’ve grown up with it. My eldest, who’s 13 now, celebrated his first birthday at Sidcot School, which is one of our flagship locations. Every year, they really look forward to attending.

That’s quite something, especially considering their enthusiasm for school during the rest of the year varies! But I think it’s because of the community. They feel a strong sense of belonging. Even if their friends from the previous year aren’t there the next time, they’re excited to meet new people, to connect with returning staff and to be part of the whole experience.

From my perspective, it’s fantastic because they start the school year in September feeling enthusiastic. They see it as a bit of a head start, like a secret advantage, because they’ve reignited their love of learning, explored new ideas, and gained confidence in different subjects. It gives them a real boost going into the term.

That September period can be quite nerve-racking. After six, eight, or even ten weeks off, children can lose their routines and their confidence. A couple of strategic weeks at Academic Summer is a great way to ease that transition. My kids also love the cross-curricular style, the hands-on learning, and the international friendships they make. Each of them is very different, but the camp works for all of them which is brilliant.

Safeguarding at Academic Summer Camps

Al Gibson: It’s interesting that they feel it gives them a head start at the beginning of the academic term. I imagine it’s a big decision for parents to send their children abroad for summer school. How do you reassure them, especially when it comes to safety?

Ellie Jones: It’s a great question. People who know me as a parent would probably say I’m a little too cautious! My instinct is always to keep my children close. It’s a scary world out there. But they don’t feel the same – they’re keen to explore, probably because they’ve been attending summer school since they were young.

So I completely understand those concerns. One of the things I love about Academic Summer is how child-focused it is. Safeguarding is a top priority, not just in theory, but in practice. We take that responsibility very seriously. Our aim isn’t only to give young people a memorable, fun, and academically enriching summer. It’s also to make sure their parents and guardians can feel completely confident that they’re safe and well looked after.

Often, once children settle in, they’re having so much fun they don’t message home quite as often, but when parents do hear from them, they’re hearing all about the brilliant time they’re having. That’s such a reassurance.

It’s also about giving young people those first steps towards independence in a secure way. They feel grown-up, even the youngest ones. They’re in a new country, making choices for themselves, deciding what to eat at lunch, managing their free time. What they may not fully realise is how closely our camp staff, course directors and managers are supporting them every step of the way.

They’re encouraged to be independent, but they’re never on their own. They have a soft landing space, so to speak. For a cautious parent like me, that peace of mind is priceless. We care for them as if they were our own and ensure they’re learning, growing and having fun in the safest possible environment.

It seems you have a huge staff each summer. You know, teachers, camp counselors.

HR at Academic Summer Camps

Al Gibson:  It seems you have a huge staff each summer. Tell us a bit about your staff and also what you’re looking for in, teachers and camp counselors.

Ellie Jones: As you say, we have quite a large team that we recruit, train, and work with every summer, which is a significant undertaking.

We benefit enormously from our returning team members who know and love Academic Summer. They bring enthusiasm and the success of previous years into each new summer, which is a huge advantage. It’s difficult to describe a single profile of what we’re looking for in a teacher or a camp counsellor, but there are certainly common themes.

Our camp counsellors are very much on the front line with our young people. They act as mentors, guides, almost like big brothers, sisters or aunts. We’re looking for individuals our students can look up to and aspire to emulate. That doesn’t mean they have to be good at everything.

Some of our camp counsellors are incredible mini-Olympic organisers, brilliant five-a-side football coaches, or can lead a fantastic basketball game with the students. But if you ask them to run karaoke night, they might run and hide in the sports centre and that’s absolutely fine. Our camp counsellors are a wonderfully diverse group.

This diversity reflects the students we work with. Not every student will love karaoke or football – at least not until they’ve tried it under the encouragement of a counsellor. Our aim is to build a team that reflects a range of interests and personality types, just like our student body.

We’ve got camp counsellors who are always active, whether that’s crocheting in the boarding house during a cosy night in, running an escape room, watching a film with students, or organising a water polo tournament at the pool. There’s always something going on. That diversity helps ensure that every student can connect with someone who matches their interests and energy.

However, all our camp counsellors must also be highly mindful of health and safety, safeguarding, and the motivations of both students and their parents. They are always working to ensure that every student has the best experience possible.

Our teachers, likewise, form a diverse group. What they all have in common is that they’re subject specialists – people who are genuinely passionate about both their subject and about teaching. You can really feel that in the classroom. I might walk into an applied mathematics class and expect not to enjoy it – maths isn’t my strong suit – but I’ll often find myself getting interested, maybe even understanding things I never thought I would. And that’s a bit of a miracle!

Those are the teachers we’re looking for, people who can make their subject engaging even for the most reluctant learners. Teachers who can help students who lack confidence realise, “Maybe it wasn’t me, it just hadn’t been taught in the right way before.”

We’re recruiting teachers across a range of subject specialisms, but they must all be willing to teach in a cross-curricular way. We value creative, hands-on learning. We want students to stay awake and engaged, even after a full and busy day. The goal is to create lessons that are dynamic, relevant and above all, memorable.

Alistair Gibson: Wow, that’s a lot of staff and a lot of people to recruit. Do you find the HR part of the job challenging?

Ellie Jones: Definitely. Just from the sheer volume of people I’m meeting, the number of applications I’m going through, and the task of putting together a team that will click and work together right from the start to provide a seamless experience for the students.

So yes, it’s a challenge, but I’m always up for a challenge. And there’s also the reward of seeing those CVs come to life as student role models. The people that students write to us about five years down the line, saying things like, “I just wanted to say they completely changed the way I felt about the subject,” or “I went on to study medicine because of how inspiring they were and how they showed me it was something I could actually achieve.”

Or the student who says, “That camp counsellor brought out so much confidence in me. Maybe they didn’t realise it, but it took a lot for me to go away from home, to travel somewhere new and they made me feel part of the Academic Summer family.” They might think they’ve been forgotten, but we definitely do remember.

So when things feel a bit overwhelming, when it’s hectic meeting so many new people, I remind myself, this is why it’s worth it. This is what makes the challenge meaningful.

Al Gibson: That leads me to a question. You’ve had many young people, from ages 7 to 17, attend Academic Summer. Is there a story of a particular student who stands out – someone you felt was truly impacted in a dynamic way?

There are so many, it’s really hard to pick just one, but one student does come to mind, Nikta Piazenko.

He started as a very sweet, shy and quiet young man on our Adventurers course, more years ago than I’d like to admit, because it makes me feel rather old! But quite a while back. He’s now an integral part of the Academic Summer senior management team at our London City camp.

Back then, he was a fairly reserved student, but I saw first-hand how the camp counsellors and teachers helped him feel seen and valued. They created an environment where he could truly shine, and that was incredibly rewarding to witness.

Later, he applied to work with us, first as a camp counsellor, because he wanted to return to the environment that had been so instrumental in shaping his path in life. That was really special. Since then, he’s grown in his role and has become such a well-loved member of the team, particularly by our youngest boys. They really look up to him as a positive male role model.

It’s a very proud feeling. So yes, he’s probably the one who stands out most at the moment. But honestly, there are so many students who have made a lasting impression. Each one has a special place in my memory.

Al Gibson: Tell me about the Academic Summer team. It’s really quite international and spread across different countries, isn’t it?

Ellie Jones: Yes, it’s really exciting to be part of such a global team. If you’re looking for an international team, Academic Summer absolutely has it.

Our permanent team has grown over the last few years, from a small core group of about four of us to, I think, around 10 or 11 now. It’s fantastic to work with people from so many different countries and walks of life. It really brings a global, diverse range of opinions and perspectives to everything we do.

Sometimes, it’s easy to get stuck in our own ways of thinking. But when we have people contributing different viewpoints and life experiences, it adds so much richness. I find it incredibly helpful.

It also means we get to celebrate a variety of holidays that wouldn’t normally be on the calendar! I’ve added about five different national holidays to my own diary, which is brilliant.

Within the wider Academic Summer team, we have staff of many different nationalities too. We’re still hoping to find someone from Antarctica one day, just so we can tick off all the continents! But I think that might be a bit of a pipe dream.

Al Gibson: Can you tell me offhand how many staff you employ in the summer and how many countries are represented by the students?

Ellie Jones: Oh, gosh—testing my memory now! I’d say we have around 70 staff working with us across our different schools and courses each summer.

As for the students, I believe we’re currently seeing representation from nearly 60 different countries. That international mix is such an enriching part of the Academic Summer experience.

Al Gibson: So, creativity in education is quite topical right now… How can we learn through creativity?

Ellie Jones: I think all of us learn through creativity. Some people might not think they do, they’re used to a more traditional, one-dimensional model of teaching. Some might even say that creativity isn’t an integral part of the classroom.

But when you break it down, it really is. Creativity is at the heart of everything we do in education. If we’re just accepting what we read or hear as fact, writing it down and internalising it, it doesn’t always have much personal relevance.

But if we experience the material in a creative and interactive way, it stays with us much more effectively.

For hands-on learners especially, having a creative task that allows them to test out different principles and theories for themselves leads to lasting learning. And as humans, most of us don’t want to be bored, we’re drawn to things that are new, interesting, and interactive.

So creativity is essential, not just to make learning engaging, but to ensure it’s meaningful and fully absorbed, not just surface level.

Al Gibson: Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview, Ellie. Just before we go, could you sum up why parents should send their children to Academic Summer and perhaps touch on why children would want to come?

Why send your child to an Academic Summer Camp

Ellie Jones: From the parents’ point of view, it’s about finding a safe but exciting environment, somewhere children can have the best of both worlds. They can take part in academic programmes that are exciting, engaging and really resonate with them. And even in a short space of time, that can have a massive impact on their learning.

That’s obviously a huge plus. Then there’s all the fun packed into the summer. Instead of staying at home on devices –which I know is what my own children would do if I let them – they’re building rafts to cross rivers with classmates, taking part in sports competitions, going on amazing trips, and trying all sorts of new things. That’s incredibly appealing to parents.

As for the young people, well, my kids are always trying to recruit their friends to come to Academic Summer. They’ll say, “It’s not really like school – I promise!” The trips and activities are super fun. They love the boarding side of it and feel like they’re living in a Harry Potter movie. They love the late-night toast in the kitchen with the camp counsellors, the campfires, and all the adventures they go on.

And they love the classes too. It’s really the whole package, with young people at the heart of it. It’s designed around them, with their interests and needs in mind. So it stands to reason it’s going to be an amazing experience.

Al Gibson: Thank you very much, Ellie.

Ellie Jones: Thank you, Al.