General English Courses (age 16+) English for Travel, Study and your Career

Improve your English language competence and communicative ability in a relaxed and friendly learning environment. Make new friends, discover new places and live the language. Choose from a range of afternoon classes to personalise your course.

Our General English Courses aim to develop your ability to communicate effectively in English. All aspects of language are covered with an emphasis on speaking and listening. These carefully structured and flexible courses give you an opportunity to select from a range of afternoon classes. This enhances and personalises your learning.

Watch the video introduction to our General English courses

Tuition Fees & Online Booking

Course Length Start Date Weeks Tuition per week Book
2 - 4 weeks £300.00
5 - 12 weeks £280.00
13 - 23 weeks £255.00
24 - 35 weeks £230.00
36 + weeks £215.00

Tuition fees include:

  • e-Chester - e-Chester is our online guided learning programme. You can have free, full access to e-Chester from the time of booking, during your course and for 6 months after your course finishes.
  • Self-Access Centre - A teacher is available to help you in our well-equipped centre for an additional 6¼ hours a week.
  • Tutorials - Regular meetings to discuss your progress / study plans.

There is a registration fee of £80.00 for all bookings. For information on deposits, payment of fees and our refund policy including cancellations please see our terms and conditions.

Course Programme (Morning)

All students follow a course-book based morning programme from 09.30 to 13.00 in classes at an appropriate English language level. You will see two teachers; one focussing on general language development and the other on the development of language skills. In all lessons the emphasis is on spoken English.

Course Programme (Afternoon)

Afternoon lessons run from 14.15 to 15.45. There is a lot of choice in the programme. You will discuss your needs with the academic team and choose the most appropriate afternoon classes. Afternoon classes are flexible and you can change your options as your needs change. The range of afternoon classes offered will also change from time to time to reflect the overall composition of students in the school. Options include a range of skills and communication classes preparing you to function more effectively in your everyday life, in the workplace and in your academic studies.

Sample Timetable (Intermediate)

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
09.30 - 11.00: Language Development
Travel: Question forming Uses of ‘like’ Writing: Verb patterns, Gerunds and infinitives Food, Towns and People: Adjectives, Collocations Life Stories: Past simple and present perfect tenses Telephone English: Phrasal verbs and useful expressions
Coffee Break
11.30 - 13.00: Skills
Living in a different country: Listening and speaking Travel and tourism: Reading and speaking Describing people and places: Reading and listening News stories: Writing and speaking Dream jobs: Reading and speaking
Lunch Break
14.15 - 15.45: Option Classes Free Afternoon
  • British Life
  • Vocabulary
  • Conversation Skills
  • Academic Study Skills and Writing
  • Grammar Workshop
  • Pronunciation
  • Reading and Discussion
  • IELTS Introduction
  • Writing Skills
  • Listening and Discussion
  • Everyday Listening and Speaking
  • Focus on the News
  • IELTS Introduction
  • Communication Activities
  • English for Work and Business
  • Film and Literature
 or
  • Supervised self study (13.00-13.45 and 14.15-15.45)
  • Join the writing workshop
  • Job skills
  • Film club
  • Join an activity on the social programme
15.45 - 16.45: Supervised self-study in the self-access centre (optional)
  • Daily homework is set by morning teachers.
  • Students at A1 level have extra General English classes in place of afternoon Option Classes.
  • Extra options available in the summer include English through Drama and Focus on Chester.

Individual Lessons

Students on a General English Course can combine their course with additional individual lessons.

General English Courses
Lessons / hours per week
28 lessons / 21 hours including:
  • 20 core morning lessons
  • 8 afternoon option lessons
Start dates
Any Monday for a minimum of 2 weeks.
Students at Elementary A1 level who want a 12 week+ course are advised to start on 6 January, 14 April, 6 July or 28 September 2020.
Ages
Minimum: 16
Average: 25
Age Range: 16 - 60
Please read the section "Students under the age of 18" in our Terms & Conditions.
Class sizes
Average: 8
Maximum: 12
Levels
Elementary to Advanced (A1 to C1)
Students with a level lower than A1 are only accepted for individual tuition.
Special feature
A flexible, personalised course structure. Inclusive afternoon options ensure that the specific needs of each student are met.

On our General English Courses there will be no lessons on the following public holidays and there is no discount in fees:

  • 10 April 2020
  • 13 April 2020
  • 8 May 2020
  • 25 May 2020
  • 31 August 2020

Student numbers (2018/19)

  • Italy19%
  • Switzerland11%
  • Spain9%
  • France8%
  • Korea6%
  • Oman5%
  • Argentina5%
  • Czech Republic4%
  • Turkey3%
  • Japan3%
  • Other27%