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Mini-Stays

Programme Introduction

Do you want to study abroad and enjoy the unique Irish culture while improving your English?

Our year-round Mini-stay programmes (also known as school tours) are a great way to explore Ireland with your school friends and teachers. Future Learning mini-stay programmes are the perfect way to learn English in a fun and innovative environment. Visiting school groups take part in project based morning lessons which can be linked to afternoon activities. Each group has the option to add additional evening activities and weekend excursions where they can explore the beauty of Ireland.

Our accommodation choice for school groups is staying with a friendly Irish host family. You’ll get to benefit from your family’s knowledge, gain a unique insight into local Irish culture and discover the true heart of Ireland. You’ll enjoy home cooking, fresh linens, great conversation and an amazing cultural experience. 

We understand that every group of students visiting Ireland has different requirements. Some groups want five days of lessons, some want three, some groups want afternoon and evening activities, some groups are comfortable organising their own. With this in mind, FL can prepare your mini-stay programme to suit your requirements while making sure to meet our high standards and your budget. We will help you along every step of the way and our staff will provide your group with expert recommendations.

Project based learning with technology

FL mini-stay lessons are based around multimedia projects. Through ‘learning by doing’ our project based lessons aim to develop student language skills and promote cultural awareness while enhancing teamwork, leadership and the use of technology. These project topics are designed to focus on the aspects of Irish life, culture and society which are of most interest to our students. Over the course of the stay students are usually inspired by experiences of living with an Irish host family, Irish culture or the activities, tours and excursions. Lessons are 3 hours per day and take place in the morning or afternoon, Monday to Friday. 

Integrate with local Students

Our strong connection with second level Irish schools allow us to offer groups the unique experience of integrating with local students for lessons. International students will work in groups with local students to create multimedia projects through English.

These projects bring together visiting students and transition year students (15/16 years of age) to collaborate on a cultural discovery project. The aim of the project is for the visiting students to use their language skills to find out about the life and culture of the local students. They then use what they learn to develop a multimedia product designed by experienced FL teachers.

Projects:

Digital European Citizenship:

  • Project 1: Our Digital Footprint
  • Project 2 Society and Media

Environment and Sustainability

  • Project 1: The Irish Landscape Young Learners 12-16
  • Project 2: Exploring Sustainable Development

Identity and Culture

  • Project 1: Irish Life and Culture
  • Project 2: Irish History and Identity

Stories and Drama

  • Project 1: Irish Legends
  • Project 2: Irish Drama and Film

Future Work

  • Project 1: Future Work and Creativity
  • Project 2: Future Work and Career

Email us to learn more about these projects: info@flireland.com.

The FL Basic Mini-Stay Programme includes the following:

  • 3 hours of lessons each day
  • Airport transfers with private coach on arrival and departure
  • Detailed schedule in advance of arrival 
  • Detailed group leader briefing on the first day of lessons

Mini-Stay Locations

For 2022-2023 we are delighted to offer two amazing locations for FL Mini-stay programmes. 

Our Dublin location is our modern year round school in the heart of Dublin city centre just a short walk from all the main attractions. Students attending any of these locations will stay with local host families from the beautiful areas within the northside of Dublin.

Our second location for Mini-stay programmes is our year-round school in Athlone – a historical and important commercial town situated in the heart of Ireland on the River Shannon. Athlone is just a 1.5 hour drive from Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Kilkenny cities which makes it a very attractive location when coupled with high quality host families.

Mini-Stay Dates

Our Mini-Stay Programme is offered from the 27th of August 2022 to the 4th of June 2023. 

Afternoon & evening activities

Afternoon Activities | (approximately 14:00 to 17:00)

To get the full mini-stay experience we recommend selecting from our range of afternoon activities which offers a combination of paid entrances and free entrances based on your group’s budget.
If you are not sure of which activities to choose for your afternoon then let us help you make the decision, there is something to suit each group’s needs.
Upon request we can provide you with a list of our most commonly requested and recommended afternoon activities. Our prices are per student and activities usually take place from 14:00 to 17:30. We recommend choosing only one activity per afternoon.

Evening Activities | (approximately 20:00 to 22:00)

Depending on your location your group may like to take part in some additional fun evening activities such as Irish dancing or professional Gaelic sports. We do not recommend choosing more than two evening activities during a five to seven night stay as days are already long and action packed.

Of course our FL staff are always on hand to provide your group with recommendations for selecting the best evening activity schedule.

Full Day Excursion | (approximately 09:00 to 17:30)

One of the highlights of taking part in our mini-stay programme is experiencing a full day excursion to one of the many scenic and interesting tourist attractions about Ireland. We can arrange your full day itinerary including your private coach hire which will be available to your group for the full day and beyond if required.

As with every element of your schedule we are delighted to provide your group with recommendations for selecting the best full day excursion for your group.

We understand you may or may not require an FL staff member to accompany you on all your activities or excursions. If you would like us to provide a friendly member of staff we can gladly do so with advance notice, ideally at the time of booking.

Sample mini-stay schedule

The schedule below is a sample of a typical 7 night host family stay.

In advance of arrival our team will work with you to develop the perfect schedule for your group. There are a variety of combinations which we can work with and our aim is to ensure that your group have an unforgettable experience while they partake in a Future Learning mini-stay programme.

Mini-Stay Schedule

Students on our mini-stay programmes work with experienced project leaders who are qualified in a variety of social and cultural areas relevant to the projects, including languages, literature, drama, history, geography and sociology to name a few. All of our project leaders are experienced in working with groups of international students.

Booking & Fees

Please get in touch with us if you would like to get a quote for your group. We strongly advise that you book in advance to avoid disappointment. 

If you would like further information and pricing, please contact us at info@flireland.com.

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