Wimbledon School of English London
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Wimbledon School of English London quality education perfect location Over 45 years Welcome to our brochure - we are looking forward to of excellence seeing you here very soon. We are sure that if you come here you will be very happy with your choice. We are one of the oldest English language schools in the UK and we have a reputation for quality and excellence in everything we do. We started in 1964 in Wimbledon Village and in the mid 1970s moved down the hill to our current location in Wimbledon Town Centre. We are still a family business and we have spent the years since 1964 developing our good reputation. We are proud of our school and really enjoy working here - I started here as a teacher in 1989 and many of our staff have been with us for years. We are bigger than we look and, depending on the time of year, have about 180 to 350 students here from over 60 different countries, so coming here will give you a wonderful opportunity to make new friends, speak English together and learn about each other’s cultures. We are serious about study as we want all our students to make good progress as quickly as possible but we also want you to enjoy yourselves. Everyone here is dedicated to making sure that you are more than happy with all that we provide - courses, accommodation, social programme and study and leisure facilities. Wimbledon is a wonderful place as it has everything within walking distance of the school, and is the ideal location for you if you want to enjoy the benefits of London without the stress of commuting to the city centre every day. I am sure you will find the atmosphere warm and welcoming and enjoy the individual attention that is an important part of our school, and I look forward to welcoming you here very soon. I hope you will enjoy looking through our brochure. You should find the answers to all your questions in the brochure and Information Booklet but if you need more information, have a look at our website www.wimbledon-school.ac.uk, or send us an email: [email protected] I hope to see you here very soon Jane Dancaster Principal 2 quality education | perfect location What makes us one of the best schools in the UK: Intensive full-time classes (minimum 20 hours per week) and a serious study programme A team of highly-qualified and experienced teachers A centre for the Cambridge and IELTS examinations A lovely building with a large and beautiful garden A wonderful location in one of the best parts of London, only 20 minutes from the Centre Good local transport (train, underground, buses, trams, taxis) Excellent accommodation situated near the school Good facilities including free internet access, WiFi and a multi-media self-access centre Free sports (including tennis!) and social activities A free University Placement Service for all UK universities Accredited by the British Council, member of EnglishUK, member of Business EnglishUK, member of Quality English The care and attention provided by an independent school The teaching was excellent. The teachers were very approachable and they gave students confidence. This is a very pretty school with brilliant teachers and a friendly atmosphere. Vlastimil Brantal, Czech Republic quality education | perfect location 3 Our school Our school has a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, thanks to the warmth and dedication of our staff and our attractive premises. We are situated right in the centre of Wimbledon in a spacious, typically English Victorian building – and we are one of the only schools in London with a garden where you can sit outside and enjoy the summer sun. Facilities We have WiFi throughout the ground floor and free internet access from our computers. For students who want to do extra study we have a multimedia self-access centre with a teacher there to help you with your individual study programme. If you prefer, you can relax with a newspaper or magazine in our large common room, have a game of table tennis, practise the piano, watch a film from our large film library, or join one of our sports and social activities. Refreshments You can buy drinks and snacks in our snack-bar, or choose from a wider selection of salads, light meals and sandwiches from the cafes, shops and fast food outlets which are just a one-minute walk from the school. Our students Our students come from over 60 different countries. Between September and June most of the students are between 20 and 30 years old, but we have no upper age limit and about a quarter of our students are older – and we run dedicated courses for older students at certain times of year. In July and August we have a lot of older teenagers on summer vacation courses. Our minimum age is 16. The school is very well organised, friendly and effective with a good balance of school and free time and staff who really do care. Laura Siegel, Germany 4 quality education | perfect location Our facilities at a glance: 21 classrooms in the main building 4 classrooms in the annexe Interactive whiteboards in several classrooms Large common room Snack bar Fully equipped multimedia self-access study centre with a teacher there to help every afternoon DVD library Book library Internet lounge WiFi Table tennis Piano Large garden Our students: Average: 200 Maximum: 350 (July & August) Low season (November - February) 160-180 Average age September-June: 25 Average age July-August: 18 Age of oldest student to date 73 Minimum age: 16 % of students aged 30+ 25% Number of nationalities 60-70 This is one of the best schools I have been to in England. The quality of the teaching is remarkable as well as the environment of the school. Maria Castro Fernandez, Spain quality education | perfect location 5 Quality Choosing the right course We have a wide range of courses whether you need to improve education your English for study, work or just pleasure. You can study for as long as you want – just one week or a whole year We test your grammar, written and spoken English on your first morning Our Directors of Studies and teachers can help you choose the best course for you You will have regular tutorials with your teacher You will have regular tests and an exam at the end of every level When you leave you will get the Wimbledon School of English Certificate Teachers are one of the most important parts of any school, and our teachers are central to our success. They all are qualified professionals – graduates of Universities and Colleges with a teaching Certificate or Diploma. They combine experience with enthusiasm and will ensure that your study is useful and enjoyable. All our teachers undergo regular training to gain new ideas and update their skills. Our academic staff work closely together as a team to share ideas and materials and monitor the progress of individual students. All our staff – academic and administration - communicate on a daily basis to ensure we are doing everything we can for our students both inside and outside the classroom. The Directors of Studies are available to help if you have any questions about your lessons or courses, or need advice on exams or study. The teachers are very funny and kind so the class is very fantastic! It was fun to learn English. All parts of the lesson were useful for me especially speaking. This school is the best school to study English – I want to return someday! Meika Ueno, Japan 6 quality education | perfect location Your first day On your first day you will have: A grammar, writing and speaking test A welcome from the Principal A tour of the school with an introduction to the staff Class from 11.15 am An afternoon drinks party or social evening Levels We have eight levels from Beginner to Proficiency. These correspond to the Common European Framework of levels. You can find a full description of our levels in our Information Booklet Class sizes Our average class size is 12, with a maximum of 14 for most courses. Summer vacation courses have a maximum of 16 & some classes have a maximum of 10. The Information Booklet gives details of all class sizes. Your Progress We expect all our students to attend all their classes, study hard and do regular homework. Your teachers keep a careful check on your progress through tests, individual tutorials, and the end of level exam. If you pass this exam you receive a certificate and can progress to the next level. Teaching Methods Lessons are based on a combination of the latest textbooks and a wide range of supplementary resources. We use the best possible teaching methods to help you build your language skills and ensure that you can both understand and use the language, so that whatever your reasons for learning English, you will be able to communicate in a variety of situations and use your English for study, business or pleasure. Your lessons cover all aspects of grammar, vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension, writing and pronunciation. What I liked most was the personal attitude towards each student and I felt really warmly welcomed in the lessons. Anastasia Berezkina, Russia quality education | perfect location 7 Quality Courses education We offer a wide range courses including: General English Examination Preparation Academic English Business and Professional English Courses for Teachers Speciality Courses Our Standard Classes are 24x50 minute lessons per week. On this programme you study every morning and on two afternoons per week.