Choosing the correct summer teenage programme in the U.K

What should you look for when booking an English summer programme for your teenager?

Here are some questions to ask yourself before booking:

• What part of the U.K is best for my child?
• What do they want to do while they are here?
• How good is the school?
• How will this programme benefit them?
• How much will this cost?

First of all, what is the best location for them? Throughout the U.K there are courses to suit every age group & level. For the younger teen, who is visiting the U.K for the first time, maybe a school located in the British countryside is the best option. They have a chance to learn in a quieter environment without having to deal with navigating around a busy city, which can be daunting for a first timer in the U.K. For the slightly older teen, who has a good level of English, a mid-size town or city would be next natural step. They can improve their English and experience the busier side of British culture. For the teen that has been to the U.K before, they may crave what the biggest cities such as London have to offer.

Every teenager is different. Some teenagers may want to learn English and do as many sports as possible, others may want focus on art and being creative. Some just want a little bit of everything. Here at Excel English, our Summer Teenage Programme has a very unique university skills theme. It offers a mixture of all language skills and also university skills suitable for studying anywhere in the world. The 18 hours of tuition include public speaking, debating, presentations, how to take notes, essay planning, time management, summary writing, some academic English and the opportunity to speak to recent graduates and university lecturers about what studying at university is really like. Students improve their English, and also to learn skills useful for their future lives. People can spend a fortune on going to University abroad and when they arrive they realise that a U.K university is not for them. Unfortunately at this stage their parents have spent a lot of time, money and effort figuring out they want to pursue something completely different. Our course gives students a first-hand look at what it is like to attend a university here in the U.K. We want to give students the information they need to make a more informed decision when that time comes. It could be a costly decision otherwise!

When it comes to choosing the school, how do you know it is good quality? The answer is simple, accreditation. The best schools are inspected regularly by accrediting bodies so it guarantees the school meets their standards. Each school will advertise which organisations they are accredited by, then you can do a search online to check what the accreditation means. The main accreditation scheme in the U.K is run by the British Council. Look at the reports on the British Council’s website here to see how well the school has passed its recent inspection. Memberships of quality associations are also important. Look at IALC, Quality English, and The English Network (TEN) for example. For more information on accreditations and on how to choose the right language school for you, read this article here.

So, you know what part of the U.K you want your teenager to go to and you have found some quality schools in that area, how do you know which teenage programme is the right one? This could simply come down to what activities they offer or how much the whole thing costs. When you are looking at the programme outline and the activities planned for the course, make sure you know what is included in the price. Some schools may advertise wonderful excursions and activities around the U.K, but are they included? You do not want your teenager to be in the U.K and suddenly find out that they need to pay extra for all the trips they were really looking forward to beforehand. Make sure the school information is clear about what is included in the package. Our programme is very transparent in this regard. You will know what is included before you pay.

Our Summer Teenage Programme runs from July 1^st till August 12^th 2018.

If you have any questions or would like more information about our course, have a look at our Summer Teenage Programme here. Or, you can get in touch with someone here at Excel English either by phone or by email. We are always happy to help with your questions.

Apply Now

P: +442083652485

E: info@excelenglish.co.uk

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How to choose the correct language school

If you’re considering taking an English language course abroad, here’s what you need to think about before making any decisions:

It is a question that we are sure that many of you have considered:

“Where  should I go to learn English, and which English school is the best one for me?”

As with many of the most important questions in life, there are different correct answers for different people.  So here at Excel English, we have prepared the following guide to help you choose the right English school for you.  There are a number of different considerations –

1. Which country / city do I want to go to?
2. How do I know this school is a good quality one?
3. Does this school offer the services I need?

Which country / city do I want to go to?

Deciding on the location for your studies is the most important factor in choosing your language school.  Every English-speaking country has English language schools, all with different strengths and weaknesses.  Which country you choose may depend on how far you want to travel, how expensive that country is compared to your home country, and how much you want to visit that country.

Here in the UK, we are proud to be the home of the English language, with centuries of history and culture, ancient buildings and museums. We’re also a very modern country with cutting edge architecture and exciting new businesses.

And having decided on the UK, you will need to think about whether you prefer a large city, the seaside, a university town or somewhere in the countryside. Many parts of the UK are wonderful, with welcoming people and stunning attractions, but we think that London is at the top.  With more theatres, museums, restaurants, concert venues, sports stadiums, historic buildings and shopping malls than anywhere else in the UK, you will never be bored in  London. What’s more, the rest of the UK – and Europe – is just a train ride away when you want to spend a weekend in a different place!

If you are worried that London is too big, remember that there are many different residential parts of London (including our home – Muswell Hill), where you can relax in a peaceful area with its own shops and restaurants.  In these areas, you’ll also find that your accommodation will usually be much closer to the school than if you study in the centre. From many of these residential areas, it takes less than 30 minutes by public transport to travel to the centre of London and its visitor attractions – so you still won’t miss out on the best that London offers.

How do I know this school is a good quality one?

When you are considering a school, how do you know it is as good as its website says it is?  Our answer is just one word – accreditation.

The best schools are regularly inspected by accrediting bodies, which check the quality of their teaching, student care, administration and management, to make sure that you will learn English in a safe environment, that your booking will be handled efficiently and you will get the course you have been promised.

Each school will advertise on its website which organisations it has been accredited by, so make sure you do a Google search to check what the accrediting body stands for and what their accreditation means. It also helps to look at what organisations the school belongs to as these can also help indicate quality.

The British Council established the first accreditation scheme in the world for English language schools and it is still the biggest and most intensive inspection scheme and sets the standards that UK English language schools must maintain.  There are now over 500 accredited organisations in the UK.  To find out how well an organisation did in their latest inspection, read their inspection report on the British Council website, and look at how many strengths they’ve received, and if they have any areas for development.

English UK is the professional organisation representing English language teaching organisations in the UK.  Check if the school you’re interested in belongs to the association.

IALC is the International Association of Language Centres and its members include schools worldwide teaching the language of their country including English schools in the UK, French schools in France and German schools in Germany. Before schools are accepted for membership, they must be accredited by their local accreditation scheme and they also have a further IALC inspection.

Quality English is an international organisation that invites member schools to join once they have been recommended by past students and Educational Travel Organisers.  There are Quality English schools in every English-speaking country in the world.

The English Network  (TEN) is a group of independent English schools in the UK, who are all English UK and IALC members.  These schools work together to achieve the highest standards of service for their students.

Does this school offer the services I need?

At Excel English, we believe that coming to London to learn English is about more than just the lessons.  Of course we offer quality teaching by experienced professional teachers, but what happens when your lesson has finished?

• Do you want to do some extra study in our Self-Access Centre, where you can use the Excel English App or borrow a book or DVD from our library?
• Do you want to take part in our regular social programme and join your classmates on a guided walk, visiting a museum or having fun playing Laserquest?
• Would you like to sit in our comfortable Student Room to talk with your friends, or relax in the garden?
• Will you go home each night to quality, local accommodation that we have found for you?
• If you have a problem will there be someone to listen to you and help you with your difficulties?

While these things are secondary to your main objective of learning English, they all help you to succeed in your task, because they will help you to relax, have fun, make friends and enjoy London – all while practising your English!

We hope that this information has been helpful to you, so you can choose the right school for your studies.

If Excel English sounds like the perfect school for you, click on one of the links to find your perfect course:

• English courses for Adults
• English courses for Teenagers
• English courses for Teachers

We look forward to meeting you in London soon!

Free Excel English App

           Introducing a fun FREE way to learn English while you’re out and about!   

Our learning app features videos, speaking activities, pronunciation practice and much more.  And it’s FREE for you, your friends and family.  So now everyone can improve their English anywhere and any time.

Get it now from the App Store or Google Play by searching Excel English

Free London Travelcard

A FREE LONDON TRAVELCARD
SUMMER & AUTUMN 2016!

 A great added value opportunity for all students wishing to study English in London in 2016!

Book a minimum of 2 weeks English tuition at Excel English and get a FREE London travelcard (Oyster card worth £5) + travel money loaded onto the card to spend at any time on the London transport system.  For more information about this exciting deal – see details of the offer below.  And the more hours per week you study, the more travel money you get.

BOOK 2-4 WEEKS

• Super Intensive (22.5h/week) – receive a free Oyster card with £60 travel money
• Intensive (15h/week) – receive a free Oyster card with £40 travel money

BOOK 5-12 WEEKS

• Super Intensive (22.5h/week) – receive a free Oyster card with £120 travel money
• Intensive (15h/week) – receive a free Oyster card with £80 travel money

BOOK 13 WEEKS & MORE

• Get the same offer as 5-12 weeks + a FREE one way Heathrow airport transferworth £80!

To benefit from this offer quote the word TRAVEL at booking stage.

Note: This offer is not to be used in conjunction with any other offer and is valid on courses started before 31st December 2016 and booked on or after June 24 2016

How to choose the right English language school

If you’re considering taking an English language course abroad, here’s what you need to think about before making any decisions:

It is a question that we are sure that many of you have considered:

“Where  should I go to learn English, and which English school is the best one for me?”

As with many of the most important questions in life, there are different correct answers for different people.  So here at Excel English, we have prepared the following guide to help you choose the right English school for you.  There are a number of different considerations –

1. Which country / city do I want to go to?
2. How do I know this school is a good quality one?
3. Does this school offer the services I need?

Which country / city do I want to go to?

Deciding on the location for your studies is the most important factor in choosing your language school.  Every English-speaking country has English language schools, all with different strengths and weaknesses.  Which country you choose may depend on how far you want to travel, how expensive that country is compared to your home country, and how much you want to visit that country.

Here in the UK, we are proud to be the home of the English language, with centuries of history and culture, ancient buildings and museums. We’re also a very modern country with cutting edge architecture and exciting new businesses.

And having decided on the UK, you will need to think about whether you prefer a large city, the seaside, a university town or somewhere in the countryside. Many parts of the UK are wonderful, with welcoming people and stunning attractions, but we think that London is at the top.  With more theatres, museums, restaurants, concert venues, sports stadiums, historic buildings and shopping malls than anywhere else in the UK, you will never be bored in  London. What’s more, the rest of the UK – and Europe – is just a train ride away when you want to spend a weekend in a different place!

If you are worried that London is too big, remember that there are many different residential parts of London (including our home – Muswell Hill), where you can relax in a peaceful area with its own shops and restaurants.  In these areas, you’ll also find that your accommodation will usually be much closer to the school than if you study in the centre. From many of these residential areas, it takes less than 30 minutes by public transport to travel to the centre of London and its visitor attractions – so you still won’t miss out on the best that London offers.

How do I know this school is a good quality one?

When you are considering a school, how do you know it is as good as its website says it is?  Our answer is just one word – accreditation.

The best schools are regularly inspected by accrediting bodies, which check the quality of their teaching, student care, administration and management, to make sure that you will learn English in a safe environment, that your booking will be handled efficiently and you will get the course you have been promised.

Each school will advertise on its website which organisations it has been accredited by, so make sure you do a Google search to check what the accrediting body stands for and what their accreditation means. It also helps to look at what organisations the school belongs to as these can also help indicate quality.

The British Council established the first accreditation scheme in the world for English language schools and it is still the biggest and most intensive inspection scheme and sets the standards that UK English language schools must maintain.  There are now over 500 accredited organisations in the UK.  To find out how well an organisation did in their latest inspection, read their inspection report on the British Council website, and look at how many strengths they’ve received, and if they have any areas for development.

English UK is the professional organisation representing English language teaching organisations in the UK.  Check if the school you’re interested in belongs to the association.

IALC is the International Association of Language Centres and its members include schools worldwide teaching the language of their country including English schools in the UK, French schools in France and German schools in Germany. Before schools are accepted for membership, they must be accredited by their local accreditation scheme and they also have a further IALC inspection.

Quality English is an international organisation that invites member schools to join once they have been recommended by past students and Educational Travel Organisers.  There are Quality English schools in every English-speaking country in the world.

The English Network  (TEN) is a group of independent English schools in the UK, who are all English UK and IALC members.  These schools work together to achieve the highest standards of service for their students.

Does this school offer the services I need?

At Excel English, we believe that coming to London to learn English is about more than just the lessons.  Of course we offer quality teaching by experienced professional teachers, but what happens when your lesson has finished?

• Do you want to do some extra study in our Self-Access Centre, where you can use the Excel English App or borrow a book or DVD from our library?
• Do you want to take part in our regular social programme and join your classmates on a guided walk, visiting a museum or having fun playing Laserquest?
• Would you like to sit in our comfortable Student Room to talk with your friends, or relax in the garden?
• Will you go home each night to quality, local accommodation that we have found for you?
• If you have a problem will there be someone to listen to you and help you with your difficulties?

While these things are secondary to your main objective of learning English, they all help you to succeed in your task, because they will help you to relax, have fun, make friends and enjoy London – all while practising your English!

We hope that this information has been helpful to you, so you can choose the right school for your studies.

If Excel English sounds like the perfect school for you, click on one of the links to find your perfect course:

• English courses for Adults
• English courses for Teenagers
• English courses for Teachers

We look forward to meeting you in London soon!

Thinking of preparing for an English language exam? Read this first!

Excel English students succeed thanks to our highly trained teachers and specialised courses.

Preparing for an exam, whether it’s to help you get into a university, qualify for a job, or as a personal challenge you’ve set for yourself, can seem like a daunting task. In our many years of experience of preparing students for various exams, there are a few tips that will help make the process easier and slightly less stressful!

Before you even start preparing for an exam, any kind of exam, you should really make sure that your level of General English corresponds to the score you’re hoping to achieve on the exam. If you want to pass the Cambridge FCE exam with an A grade, for example, you’ll have to be quite a strong B2 to do so. Once you’ve got your level of English up and you’re comfortable using the grammar and vocabulary that is expected of that level, the actual preparation for the exam isn’t as difficult as you may think.

One key strategy we’ve come across in our years of teaching is knowing how to say the same thing in different ways. The wording of questions will almost never be the same as what comes up in the answers – whether it’s Listening, Reading, or Use of English. Remember this when doing the exam – look for synonyms, phrases with similar meanings, collocations, and of course everyone’s favourite: phrasal verbs!

Read as much as you can. Read broadsheet newspapers, magazines, books; anything aside from your textbook. Familiarizing yourself with language beyond what you’re exposed to in your textbooks will definitely be an advantage and help you along in your exam preparation: you’ll read faster, understand more, expand your vocabulary, and feel more comfortable when faced with words you haven’t come across before.

Practice, practice, practice! The more familiar you are with the exam and know the ins and outs of each section, the more likely you are to feel relaxed on the exam day, and know how to manage your time while writing. Time yourself at home. Practice the speaking tasks with a friend. Write as much and in as many different styles as you can.
Most importantly, remember this age-old bit of advice: get a good nights’ sleep the night before and eat a healthy breakfast on the day of the exam!

Excel English offers exam preparation courses for FCE, CAE, and IELTS.
Contact us today to sign up! info@excelenglish.co.uk or +44 20 8365 2485

Updates to UK visa requirements for students

On 24 April 2015 changes were made regarding visa requirements for students wishing to come to the UK to study, whether short term or long term.
These changes affect only non-EU/EEA nationals or visa nationals. If you are unsure about whether or not you need a visa to enter the UK, you may find this link useful to help you find out.

Short-Term Study Visas have replaced Student Visitor Visas and Extended Student Visitor Visas and are available for periods up to 6 months, and up to 11 months for students studying on an English Language course.

We have updated the corresponding sections of our websites, and you can read more about the changes by clicking any of these links:

Short-Term Study Visa (formerly Student Visitor Visa or Extended Student Visitor Visa)

Short-Term Study Visa (child) (formerly Child Visitor Visa)

Tier 4 (General) Student Visa

Please note that this information is to be used as guidelines only.
Excel English has been given Tier 4 Sponsor (formerly Highly Trusted Sponsor) status by the UK Border Agency.  Our sponsorship number is AMVYA5Y78.  We can provide information and the correct documentation to support your visa application to study at our school, but we are not licensed to give visa advice.
For more information please visit the UK Border Agency website.

Christmas in London

The weeks before Christmas are absolutely magical in London – the city is full of energy, there are beautiful lights everywhere, warm pubs to have a drink with friends in, and all kinds of markets and shows to attend! Here is a brief overview of things to do in December in London!

Shopping

Of course with the holidays coming up, everyone is thinking about shopping! You could go to one of London’s big department stores such as Selfridge’s, John Fraser, Harrod’s, Liberty, or Harvey Nichols. They decorate their stores so beautifully, don’t forget to look in the windows before going inside!

If you don’t feel that the big department store experience is for you, why not shop at a traditional Christmas market? There’s a huge one at Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park, and another one at the Southbank Centre. They’re both free and sure to be serving mulled wine and hot cider to warm you up while you shop!

Shows

Have you ever heard of a Pantomime? Informally people call it a “panto” and it’s a type of musical comedy stage production, designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is generally performed during the Christmas and New Year season. There are dozens of different performances to choose from, and you can even find “adults only” pantos! Grab a friend and head to your nearest theatre!

Ice Skating

The London Eye, Somerset House, Hampton Court Palace, Natural History Museum, Canary Wharf, and Westfield London. These are just a few of the places around London which have outdoor skating rinks. Show off your skating skills, or perhaps try it for the first time! Either way, make sure to have a hot mug of hot chocolate afterwards! It’s the perfect treat to warm you up!

See the bright lights

London is lit up during the month of December, and here are a few of the best places to appreciate the luminous decorations: Trafalgar Square, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, Oxford Street, Regent Street, and  St. Christopher’s Place.

10 reasons why summer is the best season to visit London

We’ve created a list of the top ten reasons why summertime is the best time to visit Britain’s number one destination… And it was not easy keeping it down to only ten. What would you add to the list?

1. On a budget? No problem.

There are many things to do and see in London that are absolutely free. From museums to galleries, theatres and open-air concerts, festivals and markets. You can fill your days with endless exciting activities and you won’t spend all your money doing it.

2. Take a walk down the streets of a magical outdoor street market.

Columbia Road Flower Market, Camden Lock Market, Brick Lane Market, just to name a few. Enjoy the sights, smells, flavours, street musicians, friendly vendors and tempting bargains. You never know what you might find! Why not check out Muswell Hill’s very own farmer’s market? It takes place every Sunday at Alexandra Palace.

3. Attend one of the many outdoor concerts and festivals right in the heart of the city.

Music, dance, art, dance, culture, comedy, food. What more could you want? London Wonderground, the Coronation Festival, the City of London Festival, the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Lovebox, British Summer Time, Kew The Music. The list is endless and there’s something for everyone! Continue reading →

New Security Rules on UK Flights

You may be aware that the security rules on flights departing from the UK have now changed.  The main difference is that security officers will now inspect your electronic devices more closely.

How will this affect you?

If you have any electronic devices in your hand luggage, security officers will ask you to switch on the device to prove that it is genuine.  If you cannot switch on the device (for example because the battery has no power remaining), they will not allow you to take your device onto the flight.

UK airport officials claim that the new security measures will not affect the length of time you will spend passing through the security checks.

How can you ensure that you will be able to take your device onto your flight?

Make sure that your device has enough power left in the battery, in case security officers ask you to switch it on – charge up your electronic devices before leaving for the airport.

Which electronic devices will be inspected?

These new inspections apply to any electronic device you are carrying in your hand luggage, including laptops, tablet computers, mp3 players, cameras, electronic book readers and mobile phones.

Do you have more questions?

If you do not understand this information, or you have other questions about security procedures at UK airports, please come and speak to our staff in Reception, who will be happy to give you the information you need before you leave the UK.