English Courses - Schools in England: Learn English in England

Course Prices Accommodation Prices School Facilities Course Details Accommodation Details

English Courses in London

England's capital city has long been a magnet for international visitors, with a top class tourist infrastructure, abundant historical attractions and endless shopping, London is considered to be one of the world's great cities. Central London is a vibrant and cosmopolitan area, surrounded on all sides by more than enough attractions and places of interest to fill a dozen holidays. At the heart of the city you will find the lively tourist centres of Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, the restaurants and theatres of Soho and the West End, as well as Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. All of the main London landmarks can be visited using the popular ‘hop-on hop-off' bus service that's available throughout the city centre, jump on and visit St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and many more.

London is also world renowned for the quality of its museums and art galleries, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, War Cabinet Rooms, Tate Galleries and the National Gallery are just a few that are highly recommended. One of the most popular attractions for visitors to London is to take a ride on the world's largest Ferris wheel, located on the south bank of the River Thames; the London Eye provides a breathtaking 360 degree view of the city.

The surrounding areas of London also offer a rich reward for those wanting to get away from the hectic centre. Hire a car or jump on a bus or train and head west to Windsor Castle, the views of the town and Eton College are stunning. Close by you will find Hampton Court Palace; this former home to past Kings of England has acres of grounds to explore as well as the beautiful palace itself.

English Courses in London - Fees

Accommodation Fees

Our English School in London

Our English school in London is located in a quiet residential area of Fulham, only 15 minutes from central London's tourist, cultural and business districts and close to extensive shopping, restaurants and recreational facilities. The school is housed in a private three storey detached building just a short stroll from the River Thames and Parsons Green Underground station. The school building is not only very attractive but is also superbly equipped with pleasant classrooms, a student lounge, an extensive library, a self study area, great dining facilities and free internet access.

Our English school in London has a coffee bar on site which is a popular meeting point for students, with hot and cold food and drinks on sale throughout the day from Monday to Friday and at certain times at weekends. Students can choose between various dishes including starters, main courses, snacks and other sweet and savoury dishes which are freshly prepared by the School's chef. There is always a vegetarian option and we are pleased to cater for any special dietary requirements. Prices for food and drinks are kept low and represent excellent value for money, with meals able to be purchased directly or in advance from the School's office.

Our London English school's main aim is to provide excellent quality English language instruction to its students, with a high importance placed on the quality of teaching staff and the creation of an effective learning environment. Our teachers are selected on the basis of their qualifications, experience and personal qualities, while all are university graduates with either the Royal Society of Arts Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, the Trinity College TESOL Certificate, the RSA Diploma, a PGCE in TEFL or an MA in a relevant subject. All our teachers have many years experience teaching English courses in London and England.

The School organises a range of afternoon and evening activities accompanied by staff members. Activities include: pub nights, video evenings and parties, all of which encourage students to socialise in English. Various other events provide unique opportunities for students to learn about other cultures, while trips to London's West End shows keep students in touch with the British way of life. Our leisure program changes on a monthly basis to cater for students' interests and requirements.

The School also offers day trips to popular destinations in London including Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and The Victoria and Albert Museum. Further away, students can visit locations such as Oxford, Cambridge, Stonehenge and Brighton. Weekend trips abroad may also be arranged from time to time to places such as Amsterdam and Paris. All excursions are accompanied to provide language support and to guide the students around places of interest.

Our English Courses in London

Our School offers English courses in London that focus on the four key language skill areas of speaking, listening, reading and writing, while considerable attention is also placed on pronunciation, oral communication and the appropriate usage of language in daily situations. All our new students are tested on their first day at school in order to assign each to his or her appropriate class level, with students assigned to one of eight levels: beginner, elementary, lower intermediate, mid intermediate, upper intermediate, first certificate, advanced and proficiency.

Our teachers ensure that course work is relevant to students' interests and goals by utilizing a wide range of techniques and materials to vary the pace and variety of the classes. All our teachers are experienced in both the theory of effective instruction and its practical application, while our teaching plans and syllabuses are carefully developed and monitored with the objective of achieving a balance between the introduction of new concepts, vocabulary and usage.

Our General English Courses are for students who wish to improve their English language abilities in the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. The School's General English courses in London represent an excellent choice for long term students wanting to achieve significant English language progress in the shortest period of time. These courses are available to students aged 16 years and older and are offered all year round. There are four different variations characterised by the number of lessons per week, and also by the nature of the instruction.

Standard Group English Courses (15hrs)

Our Standard Group English Language Courses are the schools most popular option and consists of 15 hours of lessons per week excluding breaks, with classes running from Monday to Friday. On this course the emphasis is placed on all four language skill development areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing, with a balance of language structure (grammar) and practical usage. The course aims to increase the learners' confidence in communicating effectively in English, while ensuring that classes are fun and interesting as well as educationally stimulating.

Standard Group English Course with Workshops (20hrs)

This English program comprises of approximately 15 hours per week of General English, plus 5 hours of fluency or grammar workshops both in smaller group sessions. The extra fluency classes focus predominantly on the skills of listening and speaking and cover the following areas: pronunciation, functional English, discussion skills, vocabulary extension, problem-solving, idiomatic expressions, colloquialisms and communication strategies.

The extra grammar course aims to improve the learners' understanding of the English language by analysing grammatical structures and their uses. Close attention is also paid to the control of grammatical forms through a range of activity types including: substitution tables and drills, transformation exercises and presentations of grammatical forms. In addition, free practice activities allow learners to experiment with language points in a more creative manner, involving role play and simulation, information gap and communicative tasks, and problem solving activities.

Combined Intensive Group English Course (20+5+5hrs)

Our Combined Intensive Group Course combines a Standard English sessions (20hrs) with fluency workshops (5hrs) plus extra grammar instruction (5hrs) each week. This is a challenging schedule and provides an opportunity for the very serious student to obtain approximately five hours per day of the highest quality English language instruction at a very reasonable price. This course aims to improve the learners' fluency, along with increasing their awareness of the mechanics of the English language.

Individual Lessons

Our One to One General English Courses are for students requiring intensive tuition over a short period. Students can also arrange Special Topic One to One courses suited to their own professional or academic requirements.

• Beginner
• Elementary
• Lower Intermediate
• Intermediate
• Upper Intermediate
• Advanced
• Proficiency

Cambridge Examination Courses

Our preparation courses are a popular option for students wanting to sit internationally-recognized examinations, either to support their academic goals or simply to expand their knowledge of English at these levels without actually taking an examination. There is a variety of examination preparation courses on offer as detailed below. Courses take place in either mornings or afternoons.

Hours per week including breaks: 15

Minimum enrolment period: 2 weeks

Cambridge Examination Preparation: First Certificate

Required language level: upper intermediate

The First Certificate in English (FCE) is the most widely-taken Cambridge University English language examination. FCE is an upper-intermediate plus level examination which has gained substantial recognition as an indicator of English language competency and is recognized by many educational and commercial institutions in Britain and other parts of the English-speaking world. The School's FCE Preparation Course is designed to introduce test-taking strategies, as well as providing a thorough review of all skills necessary for those students taking the exam. The course is suitable for students who simply want to improve their English at this level and those who want to sit the examination itself.

Cambridge Examination Preparation: Advanced

Required language level: advanced

The content of the Cambridge Advanced examination course this course is similar to that of the FCE above. It focuses on specific areas of emphasis expected to be covered in this examination. Classes feature rigorous classroom exercises plus frequent review of questions in simulated test conditions.

Cambridge Examination Preparation: Proficiency

Required language level: post-advanced

The Cambridge Proficiency Examination is recognized by British universities and businesses as well as international institutions as an important indication of competence in the English language. This Burlington course concentrates on the specific requirements for this test, and includes intensive class and homework exercises in all necessary skills.

IELTS

IELTS Examination

Hours per week including breaks: 15

Minimum enrolment period: 4 weeks

Required language level: mid-intermediate or above

Our school's International English Language Testing System (IELTS) course is an examination preparation program raising awareness of, and providing practice in, the IELTS exam. Students study in groups where they are guided towards improved test-taking strategies. Practice tests feature regularly throughout the course, as does homework. The IELTS examination is required for entry into British universities.

It is also possible to study IELTS for five hours a week (one hour a day). Please contact us for further details.

TOEFL & TOEIC Examination Courses

Hours per week: 5

Minimum enrolment period: 2 weeks

Required language level: mid-intermediate or above

Our school's TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) courses are exam-preparation programs, like the IELTS above, which raise students' awareness of, and provide practice in, these two international exams. Students study in small groups where they are guided towards improved test-taking strategies. Practice tests feature regularly throughout both courses, as does homework. The TOEFL examination is required for entry into universities in the United States. The TOEIC exam prepares students for proficiency in English in the international workplace.

English Courses in London - Accommodation

Our English School in London can arrange a variety accommodation for its students, with a Home Stay Program, onsite residential accommodation and independent shared accommodation all available. Our school also operates its own accommodation desk for the exclusive use of students attending the school. Before arriving in London, each student receives a short description of the type of accommodation they have booked, with details of the various interests of the family and information about the house and its location. We recommend that students complete their accommodation arrangements several weeks before arrival to ensure you receive your first choice, particularly during the busy months of July and August.

Home Stay Program

Our most popular accommodation option is our Home Stay with a local family program. Students enrolling on the program are placed with a English speaking family who live close to the school, with the term ‘English speaking family' usually meaning a husband and wife, or a husband and wife with children living in the same house. However, there are many families which have one adult and child or just an adult (usually a landlady) living alone. Some of our Home Stay families provide accommodation of an exceptionally high standard, and for these homes the category of Home Stay Plus applies.

Students enrolling on our Home Stay and Home Stay Plus Programs have a choice of meal options, with Half Board (breakfast and dinner 7 days a week), Breakfast Only (7 days a week) and Self Catering (no meals) all available. No matter which option you choose students should remember that meal times with your host family are valuable opportunities for you to practice your speaking and listening skills in English. Students who require a special diet such as vegetarian or wheat free etc, should contact us at least four weeks in advance of your arrival in England to ensure we can accommodate your request.

School Residence

For students who would prefer more economical and convenient accommodation, we can arrange lodging in our school residence. The school residence occupies the whole of the second floor of the school building and has a variety of shared rooms, with shared shower facilities, plenty of storage space and an area for making tea and coffee with a small fridge.

Independent Accommodation

Students who prefer more independence can choose to stay in shared student accommodation. This type of self catering accommodation is referred to as Independent Accommodation and involves sharing a house and amenities without the landlord living on the premises. Some of the available rooms are single but there is the possibility to share a room with a number of other independent students to keep the cost as low as possible.

Please note: All prices are quoted in Pounds Sterling. For the equivalent in your currency, please visit www.xe.com/ucc.