Why Take a Trinity GESE Exam at a UK Summer School?

1. An introduction to the Trinity GESE Exam

A great exam for children and teens at an English summer school

Attending an English language camp at Discovery Summer is a wonderful opportunity to spend a few weeks at a top boarding school in the UK whilst learning about British culture and making international friends. Apart from being a fun way to spend the holidays, it’s also an ideal time for children and teens to focus on their studies by taking an internationally recognised English exam. 

On many Discovery Summer residential courses we offer the Trinity GESE (Graded Examinations in Spoken English) – an oral exam for students of beginner level and upwards. 

Our international students (aged 8-16) are prepared for the exam in a supportive, immersive environment – it is the ideal way to boost their English skills.

2. What is the Trinity GESE?

Trinity GESE: A Focus on Spoken English

• Tests speaking and listening only
• Offered at 12 levels from pre-A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficiency)
• Students are prepared for the exam that corresponds to their level
• It’s a live, one-to-one conversation with an external Trinity examiner
• The exam itself takes between 5 and 25 minutes, depending on your level
• Trinity GESE exams use real-life language, tasks and topics
• It involves real, interactive communication – students talk about prepared and spontaneous topics
• At Discovery Summer we offer the exam to students aged 8-16 although we recommend that only teenagers aged 14 or above take the higher levels due to their content
• It’s a great way to demonstrate practical fluency and confidence

3. Benefits of Taking an English Exam at Summer School

A Clear, Motivating Goal

Enrolling your child in a UK summer school is a big investment. Many parents comment that their children already understand a lot of English and can chat with their friends – they’re looking for an English language summer course with a focus to really boost their skills.    

Choosing an exam course can provide the structure students need to master new vocabulary and improve accuracy.

Immersive Environment for Fast Improvement

Taking an exam whilst studying in the UK naturally boosts confidence, comprehension and fluency. Students have the opportunity to practise with English speakers of their own age, our English Student Hosts – so preparation is also fun.

Internationally Recognised Certification

It’s a real benefit to end the summer with an internationally recognised English language qualification. 

The Trinity GESE can be used as proof of spoken English level for entry to school, university and – in later life – for certain professions.

5. How Discovery Summer Supports Trinity Students

The Trinity GESE is usually taken at the end of a student’s second week at  Discovery Summer. This allows them to gain overall confidence in spoken English during the first week so they can fully focus on their exam preparation the week after.

What does the Trinity GESE exam consist of and how do we prepare students?

The preparation classes cover all aspects of the exam regardless of the level. 

• Topic development
  • Starting from the A2 level (Trinity grade 4 and above), students work on the topic they’ll discuss with the examiner. They choose a topic close to their hearts – something they are familiar with and passionate. In the past, our students have developed topics like Minecraft, the city of Rome, swimming, ballet dancing, etc.

• Conversation practice
  • Each exam grade has a set of topics the examiner discusses with the candidate. These range from family, friends, holidays, or food for the lower grades to education, pollution and recycling, or technology for those taking grades 7 or 9. Students receive ample practice in class discussing various questions related to the conversation topics set for their exam grade.

• Interactive phase
  • From Grade 7 and up, this additional part of the exam is introduced. The examiner presents a situation and the candidate drives the conversation forward by asking further questions and then giving suggestions. This part focuses on testing functional language which our Trinity students practise extensively with our English Student Hosts.

• Listening phase
  • This phase is part of the advanced stages of the Trinity GESE exam (Grades 10-12). Our students practise their listening skills at all times during our immersive summer courses with specific exam targeted practice done in lessons too.
    
• Pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary work
  • Our teachers give targeted help to students with their grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation so they can produce intelligible English and deal with each part of the exam confidently
    
• Mock interviews to build confidence
  • Our students are always extremely well prepared as our experienced English teachers provide individual support and full mock exams. This means they are as relaxed as possible on the day of the official exam and can perform at their best. 

 6. What our teachers say about the Trinity GESE

Our Academic Consultant, Prem, has spent many summers at our residential centres preparing children and teens for the Trinity Exam so we asked him a few questions about his experience:

How is the exam carried out? Does an examiner visit the school?

“The exams are conducted online via Zoom call with a Trinity examiner. The students have the support from their teacher and friends until the last moment before going into the exam room.”

What do students say about the exam?

“Most of our students say:  ‘The examiner is really nice’ and ‘That was easy!’ It’s nice to see that they are relaxed and positive about the experience.”

6. Practical Information

Which summer schools offer the Trinity Graded Exam in Spoken English?

Discovery Summer is one of very few UK English language summer schools to offer the Trinity GESE for young learners and teens. 

We offer preparation courses at the following residential summer schools:

Benenden (8-12, 13-16 year olds) – exam available on 23 July or 6 August 2026

Shrewsbury (11-16 year olds) – exam available on 14 and 28 July 2026

Winchester English Plus+ (13-16 year olds) – exam available on 16 and 30 July 2026

The exam is open to all ages but as preparation time at Discovery Summer is limited and topics in higher-level exams are more complex, we strongly recommend that younger learners (e.g. 8-13 year olds) do not take exams at grade 8 or above. 

The Director of Studies will advise students about which grade to take.

Extra Trinity GESE fees and how to book

The fee for the Trinity GESE exam is £130. The exam is optional but we recommend you add it to your booking when you enrol your child on a Discovery Summer course. Preparation classes are offered at no extra costs as part of the English course.

7. Next steps

So this summer, make sure your child’s summer school experience includes great activities and excursions, interactive lessons and a recognised exam qualification. 

Check our website for information about the Trinity GESE to help you decide if this speaking and listening exam is right for your child. 

You can also find out more about what makes Discovery Summer special.

If you have any more questions, check our FAQs or contact us today. Call us on +44 20 7937 1199, email info@discoverysummer.com or WhatsApp

Ready to book a summer school for your child? Book now, as spaces are limited on exam preparation programmes