Our General English course is designed to give you a solid foundation in your English language skills.
We base our curricula at all levels on a carefully selected modern coursebook that is supplemented by additional materials which are appropriate to the needs and interests of the class. You will work on all four skills; reading, writing, speaking and listening, while also studying grammar and we place a heavy emphasis on the use of natural English and developing communication skills. Our courses will help you to feel more confident day by day when activating the language that you have learned inside the class in the outside world and in the future long after your course has finished.
After your initial assessment your teacher will be sent a copy of your Academic Profile, which contains information on your specific learning goals. This will allow your teacher to develop differentiated lessons, meaning that while a group objective is given to each lesson according to the curriculum, individual student needs are considered and incorporated into every class. You will be set regular homework, short progress tests / quizzes and longer tests when you are ready to move to the next level. You may be required to develop presentations as part of your lessons. We will encourage you to participate in the social programme and you will have opportunities to discuss and monitor your progress, as explained on the courses overview page.
English for lunch
Once a week you can participate in the very popular English for Lunch tutorial, taught by our Academic Manager or a Senior Teacher. This class focuses on pronunciation, sounds and eliminating common errors. Students can also suggest topics or points to be covered in the lesson and this is a relaxed and informal way to work on your language skills. Full-time, intensive and super-intensive students have this one hour class included as part of the course and other students can pay a one off fee to join the session, depending on availability. Each week we write and publish a blog post on Peartree Life with information from the previous week’s lesson, make sure you subscribe to never miss a post.
We promise you will leave English for Lunch smiling!
| General English Overview | |
| Standard hours per week | 3, 6, 9, 16 |
| Intensive hours per week | Students who choose intensive (22 hours) or super-intensive (26 hours) study options will study General English in the mornings and optional classes in the afternoons, focussed on identified study objectives |
| English for lunch | Full-time, intensive and super-intensive students will have a one hour tutorial per week (English for lunch) as part of the timetable |
| Days per week | Monday to Friday, from one to five days per week depending on timetable |
| Timetable | Mornings from 9am – 12.15pm
Afternoons from 1pm – 4.15pm Your timetable will depend on your level and availability will be given on application |
| Class length | Each class is 1.5 taught hours, lessons are given in blocks of 3 hours with a 15 minute break (break is not counted in the total number of hours per week) |
| Age range | Mainly 18+, occasionally 16+
We require students aged 16+17, enrolled on an adult course to complete a junior application form, to be signed by parents / guardians. |
| Maximum class size | 12 |
| Average class size | 6-8 |
| Start date | Any day that the school is open (see continuous enrolment section on courses overview) |
| Levels | Elementary (A2) – Advanced (C1) |
| More levels | Students with other levels of English, or objectives that are not covered in group classes will be offered private classes |
| Minimum enrolment period |
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| Maximum enrolment period | Any |
Please visit our prices for all information on courses fees.
We want to make it possible for busy people to study! Choose between 3 and 9 hours of classes per week and combine improving your English language skills while working or balancing family commitments.
This is a totally flexible option and we will work with you to find the best timetable for your life. Many students benefit from this very popular course to study flexibly or part-time at an accredited school. You must pay for a minimum of four weeks of lessons in advance but you can choose the days you attend and even change your classes with one week’s notice. Students on flexible and part-time courses will still need to have an assessment test, pay the administration fee and buy a course book*; your teacher will show you to access self-study materials so that you do not feel behind the rest of the group. You can also join our ‘English for Lunch’ classes as an extra by paying a small fee.
We recommend this course if you:
- Want to combine studying and working
- Have many family commitments to balance, but still need to improve your language skills
- Study at university full time but still have gaps in your language skills
- Would like to have the flexibility to learn at your own pace
- Work as an au-pair
- Have a changing work / shift pattern and can’t commit to a course on the same day every week
- Would like to study on a budget
Pay per day
For students who can never commit to at least one day per week for personal reasons can take the pay per day study option. You do not need to buy a book but you do need to have an initial assessment test and pay the administration fee to join the school. Please contact us to check availability in the lessons on the day you would like to attend.
*course books are priced between £25 and £30 each, we will advise you of the exact price on application and all book fees are clearly identified on your booking form / receipt.
A full-time (16 hours per week) General English course is the ‘classic’ study option for people who would like to mainly improve their language skills while in the UK, but would also like to have some free time to enjoy the experience outside the classroom, or to also have a part-time job to help to fund their studies.
On a full-time programme you will study 15 hours per week in your class group and one hour per week in an English for Lunch session, which is included automatically. You can study from just one week if you are on a holiday course or break from work, up to several months, depending on your objectives. The lessons will be in the morning of the afternoon depending on your level and the availability in the classes. You will have a progress meeting as standard with the Academic Manager every 4 to 6 weeks to check you are on the correct language learning path.
As part of the course you will need to buy one course book* approximately every 6 weeks or when you change levels or course objectives, for example if you change to an exam course. If you would like to apply for a student short-term study visa through Peartree, we require you to study at least full-time. Students on full-time courses can still take holidays or make changes to their timetable by telling us the days you will be absent when you pay for your set of classes. If you give us the required notice, you will not lose your classes or your space in the class as we will reserve your place for up to two months.
*course books are priced between £25 and £30 each, we will advise you of the exact price on application and all book fees are clearly identified on your booking form / receipt.
We recommend this course if you:
- Want to study in a focussed way but have time to visit the UK at the same time
- Want to improve your language quickly
- Have at least three hours each day to devote to attending English classes
An Intensive (22 hours per week) or Super-Intensive course (26 hours per week) is the best way to make a significant improvement to you English language skills.
On an intensive programme you will take General English classes every morning and then group tutorials in the afternoons based on your established learning objectives. The afternoon classes could include foundation level examination preparation, such as IELTS, English for specific purposes (ESP), academic skills training or other language training as per requirements. You will also study in our English for Lunch group tutorial, which is included automatically as part of your course. You can study for a minimum of one month, with no maximum study period. We will advise you when you contact us of the availability of intensive options, or suitable alternatives if you have a specific learning objective to achieve during your course. In case there is not a core number of students at your level to form a group of afternoon tutorials, we will offer you a course of private classes in the afternoons until additional students enrol into the course.
Intensive courses are usually most popular with students who have a low level of English (elementary) and would like to improve quickly, perhaps to attend a further education course or university. Our intensive courses are also suitable for students who are sponsored by their Embassy or Company.
As part of the course you will need to buy two course books* approximately every 6 weeks or when you change levels or course objectives, for example if you change to an exam course. If you would like to apply for a student short-term study visa through Peartree, we require you to study at least full-time or on an intensive course. Students on intensive courses can still take holidays or make changes to the timetable by telling us the days you will be absent when you pay for your set of classes. If you give us the required notice, you will not lose your classes or your space in the class as we will reserve your place for up to two months.
*course books are priced between £25 and £30 each, we will advise you of the exact price on application and all book fees are clearly identified on your booking form / receipt.
We recommend this course if you:
- Need to make a significant improvement to your language level
- Want to improve your language very quickly
- Can devote all of your day (Monday to Friday) to the study of English
- Can spend a significant part of your free time studying English outside the course, completing homework or assignments
- Are a serious and dedicated student committed to an intensive course