AN Oxford summer school forced to go completely online because of lockdown is celebrating after winning an award.

Oxford Summer Courses has picked up a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category.

The accolade has been awarded for the company’s 'sustained growth and commercial success' in international trade and its 'strong commitment to corporate social responsibility'.

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Part of the Bridgemark Education Group, Oxford Summer Courses delivers programmes designed to give UK and international students aged nine to 24 an authentic educational experience steeped in the teaching traditions of world-class universities, such as Oxford, Cambridge and Stanford in the United States.

The award comes as a morale boost during the lockdown which has been especially testing for schools.

Harry Hortyn, co-founder and CEO of Bridgemark Education, said: “We’re immensely proud to join the impressive roster of past Queen’s Award winners.

“We dedicate this achievement to our indefatigable team whose passion for education and commitment to quality is the foundation of our success.

“We will use our newfound status to help take Oxford Summer Courses online, to open up exceptional education to every knowledge- hungry student.”

Oxford Mail:

Oxford Summer Courses welcomes over 2,500 students from 112 countries every year. Its courses take place during the spring and summer months in Oxford, Cambridge and London, as well as India, Singapore and the USA.

Melio, the company’s new online course programme, which includes subjects such as business and entrepreneurship, offers students who are unable to travel for a residential course the same experience of learning with some of Oxbridge’s most talented tutors online.

Bridgemark’s two co-founders, Harry Hortyn and Robert Phipps, also run Universify Education, a charity which aims to increase the numbers of students from more diverse backgrounds attending highly selective universities.

Robert Phipps, the other co-founder of Bridgemark Education, said: “I am delighted that the quality of the student experiences we offer has been recognised with this award.

“It’s testament to the hard work of our staff, who spend months planning and preparing the courses, and the seasonal staff and tutors who deliver such exceptional educational experiences for the students.”

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The Queen’s Awards are announced annually on April 21, the Queen’s birthday, and awards are valid for five years.

Now in their 54th year, the awards are considered among the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years.

Oxford Summer Courses, meanwhile, says it is the fastest-growing privately owned education company in the UK.

The Bridgemark Education Group features O-Labs, which offers one-to-five-day STEM courses designed to 'develop a young person’s joy of discovery when learning about science, technology, engineering and maths'.

It also includes Melio, offering online courses across the globe based on the Oxford teaching methods.

Oxford Summer Courses was one of 220 organisations nationally to be recognised in this year's Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.

Mr Hortyn and Mr Phipps are both Oxford University gradates.

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Their company is now in its 11th year, and last year was ranked as 191st in the FT 1000, a list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies, making it the 35th highest-ranking UK company on the list and the 'fourth-fastest-growing education company in Europe'.

Prospective students are being advised that they can still book for courses in future.

The website said: “In light of Covid-19 we offer free deferrals and flexible dates.”

It added: “With the recent outbreak of Covid-19, we understand that students and parents may have some concerns or queries regarding student safety and course availability.

“Oxford Summer Courses is still open, running courses and operating as usual.

A spokeswoman for the company said: “Our summer courses are currently planned to run as normal, but we are also running some courses later in the year to give students flexibility around travel restrictions. We also have our online Melio courses which provide access to students across the globe.”

See bridgemarkeducation.com