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Training Camps

Training Camps are 3 day residential bootcamps for the best 12 competitors in Round 2, and has so far taken place at the end of April (though the date is open to negotiation). Each is hosted by a university which volunteers to cover the costs and all the local arrangements in return for the publicity generated among hundreds of UKLO schools.

The UKLO community is very grateful to these universities which have made training camps ( and in the past round 2 hosting) possible:

Training Camps

Round 2 Hosting (Past)

The following are some notes on what is involved in training camps:

  • Guests: 12 teenagers (mostly 16-18 years old, both male and female, but including a scattering of younger pupils) plus three experienced tutors.
  • Timing: from Thursday evening (about 5 pm) to Sunday afternoon (about 2 pm)
  • Accommodation and domestic arrangements:
    • separate bedrooms for teenagers if possible, and certainly for the tutors.
      • In the event of twin rooms, a boy and a girl should not be assigned to the same twin room. if there are an odd number of boys and girls when sorting twin rooms, one boy and one girl should be assigned to have a single room each ( e.g. 13 boys and 3 girls: 6 twin rooms for boys, 1 twin room for girls, 1 single for 1 boy and 1 single for 1 girl). If there are an even number of boys and girls, single rooms won’t be necessary.
      • when reserving rooms, please allow for an extra (17th) competitor, whose expenses UKLO will cover.
      • final numbers will be confirmed in late March.
    • a meeting room for 15, with separable tables and chairs – i.e. not a lecture room – ideally within a few minutes walk from the bedrooms.
    • meals ideally within a few minutes walk:
      • Thursday, Friday, Saturday dinner
      • Friday, Saturday, Sunday breakfast and lunch.
  • Finances:
    • The package typically costs between £3,000 and £5,000, depending on the host institution’s financial arrangements (e.g. whether it charges full commercial rates for accommodation).
    • The host institution meets the costs.
    • Guests pay nothing.
  • Services provided for guests:
    • Student volunteers to meet the guests at the local railway station.
    • A talk from a local linguist for the Friday evening.
    • Transport (typically taxis) to and from the station.
    • Light refreshments for the middle of Saturday morning and afternoon.
  • Timetable:
    • Thursday: 5-6 arrivals and settling in before supper, followed by a lecture and general discussion.
    • Friday and Saturday: intensive all-day training sessions till bedtime, with breaks just for meals and refreshments.
    • Sunday: a training session, then lunch and farewells.