Date and Cost
The NSGSO and NSGCB course 2025 will be held in Stourbridge from Saturday 2nd August – Sunday 10th August 2025. The cost for the 2025 course is £695, inclusive of all food and accommodation, tuition, music, social activities and transport during the course, plus support and enquiries prior to the course.
Music Rehearsals
The NSGSO and NSGCB course is made up of of intense rehearsals, workshops, master-classes and sectional tutoring alongside Scouting and Girlguiding activities. Over the week you’ll be working with our team of Scout and Guide leaders, professional tutors and our 2 orchestral conductors to ensure you develop your creative talents and have fun along the way. The course concludes with concerts showcasing the talents of Scouting & Girlguiding in a prestigious concert venue in the Birmingham and local area. Each ensemble will have the opportunity to watch the others in their concerts.
A behind the scenes look at the course and what you will be involved in during the week.
Integration of Courses
Both courses are integrated together for accommodation, food and social activities. Accommodation is at Old Swinford Hospital School; a boarding school in Stourbridge. Members stay in boarding houses with both small dormitory and single rooms. All meals are provided and we can take into account all dietary requirements. During the week social activities are run most afternoons and evenings.
Travel
You will need to make your own travel arrangements; however for participants arriving by public transport we will provide local pick-ups from Birmingham Airport or Stourbridge Junction Station.
Uniform
Members need full formal uniform; concerts are played in uniform or polo tops, not in black as per many school and university ensembles. Please see the FAQ for details of uniform. We provide all new members or those moving ensembles with an NSGSO or NSGCB polo top and necker (blue and white for NSGSO and grape and white for NSGCB).
Prior to the Course
Although the course is a week long we aim to help all members experience it fully by providing you with lots of details prior to the course. The staff team is made up of 16 Scout and Guide leaders who organise and manage the course during the year. We are available to answer any questions that you may have about the application process or the course. We will then be in touch with you in December to let you know if you have been successful. If you haven’t we will let you know what you need to do to be successful a further year.
Payment
Once you have been accepted we ask for a non returnable deposit within 2 weeks. The rest of the course fees are staggered for ease of payment. If you’d prefer different payment options to the ones that we suggest then we are always happy to chat about this. See our FAQ page for information about grants. We then provide you with lots of pre-course detail, the opportunity for members and parents to join our closed Facebook page and detailed information before the course about health, dietary, concerts, social activities, uniform, transport and pastoral care.
