School Organisation

1. The school year operates on a continual enrolment basis but as most students are long-stay students the classes are stable.
2. The school is closed for one week at Christmas.
3. Every eight weeks, the tutors are rotated as it is beneficial for the students to have a tutor for a significant time and then to experience a different teaching style, different focus and exposure to a different accent, although most of our teachers have ‘Received Pronunciation’ – ‘BBC English’
4. Courses which prepare for the Cambridge Examinations (First Certificate, Certificate in Advanced English and Proficiency) run twice a year for three months.
5. Classes take place every day from Monday to Friday, and consist of two eighty minute sessions. Students are expected to attend at least eighty per cent of their classes. Classes have a maximum nineteen students. The average numbers are twelve.
6. Before starting a course, students are given a placement test and are put into an appropriate class based on the results of that test. Testing also takes place during the course. Students who pass the test move up to the next level. A student can discuss their placement with their teacher or the Director of Studies at any time
7. A student who attends the college for six months can therefore expect to study at two levels, for example, Beginner and Elementary, providing that his attendance record is satisfactory and he passes the test at the end of the first three-month session. 8. Students are given a certificate at the end of their course.
9. Students who enrol for courses for longer than one month are expected to buy a course-book (these can be bought from the school at cost price of £18). If staying for less than a month, photocopies can be provided for £5

Course-books

All classes are based around course-books appropriate to the level. Students are expected to buy a copy of the course book if they study for more than one month. (they can be obtained from the school and cost about £18 – the same price as in the shops). The course-book acts as a ‘skeleton’ for the course to which the teacher may add and extend activities to ensure that each student in a particular class receives all the help they need for their particular needs. A course-book is also important for the students because it is a tangible record of how much progress they have made.

Levels focus

At lower levels there is a focus on speaking and oral comprehension, with an emphasis on using English in social and work situations. There is a balance between accuracy and fluency – students are obviously expected to use correct English, but they are also encouraged to take risks and produce utterances which may be beyond their current capabilities. Attention is also paid to good pronunciation. Reading and writing are introduced gradually, and obviously take up more class time at higher levels, particularly in exam classes.

Outside the class

Students are encouraged to maintain their contact with English outside the classroom by watching television, listening to the radio, reading the newspaper on a regular basis and making Englishspeaking friends. The school also organises social activities which allow students of different nationalities to mix and speak English, and to practise their English with school staff.

Enrolment & Tuition Fees

1. Students must be 16 years of age or over
2. All fees due to the School must be paid, in full, prior to the commencement of the courses. In exceptional circumstances the school may agree an alternative mode of payment although full payment must be received in advance.
3. Tuition fees do not include: Travel, accommodation, social programmes, external examination fees, personal and health insurance, bank charges on international money transfers or course books.
4. There is no reduction or refund in fees where a course includes a public holiday or school holiday. For public holiday dates see www.bankholidaydates.co.uk If a student is on a short course of less than 10 weeks then courses can be extended to cover the Easter and Christmas breaks.
5. An enrolment fee of £35 applies to each booking.
6. Home Office regulations require that those applying for a student visa pay £10 for a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
7. There is a £35 accommodation arrangement fee.

Course Bookings

1. Start dates can be altered prior to the commencement of the course booked. A postponement fee of £25 will apply for each change. This is based on the assumption that a visa has not been refused.
2. No extension to courses will be allowed by payment of additional fees. Any such additional fees paid will be treated as a new course booking.
3. Courses will not be extended due to any unauthorized absences and / or uncertified illness.
4. All students must book holidays at least 1 week in advance, and for a full week commencing on a Monday. Holidays cannot be taken mid-week or carried forward from one course booking to another. The maximum authorised holidays are: 8-11 weeks – 1 week / 12-23 weeks – 2 weeks / 24-35 weeks – 4 weeks / 36 weeks+ - 6 weeks. This applies to students from “visa countries” only.
5. Please note that you can only change class if there is a space in the class into which you wish to transfer.
6. If a student fails to start on the commencement date or leaves the course prior to the completion of the course, the student’s name will be removed from the class register without any refund or replacement in another class.
7. The School reserves the right to change any teacher, class time and / or room and to combine classes if necessary
8. It is the responsibility of the student to book a course sufficiently in advance, in order to complete all visa requirements, if necessary. No extension to course bookings will be given if formalities are not completed in time unless we are informed before the commencement of the course and the postponement fee is paid.

Course Cancellation

Cooling off Period: (valid only for courses booked via Post, Fax, Internet) You have 7 days from date of booking a course to cancel provided that: (a) The course has not commenced or is due to commence within 7 days. (b) No documents have been issued by the School except for the receipt of monies paid. Should you wish to cancel within 7 days of booking, the School must be notified by either fax, e-mail or in writing only. After the Cooling off Period all monies are forfeited in the case of a cancellation.

Alternations and Amendments

ELSE makes every attempt to keep to arrangements outlined in the course brochure. However, we reserve the right to alter the programme as may be necessary for reasons of safety, weather, travel arrangements or other factors arising beyond our control. We also reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient bookings. In the event of our having to cancel a course, clients will be given the option of either attending a different course or receiving a full refund. When all monies are repaid our liability shall wholly cease. If the full payment for the course is made less than 30 days before the start date the booking is not secured and ELSE reserves the right to cancel the booking.

Refunds & Visa Refusals

1. Fees are not refundable under any circumstances except when visas to enter or remain in the UK are refused. If the immigration authorities refuse a visa to enter the UK no refund will be given under any circumstances, unless the Fees have been paid in full. All original documents must be submitted until UK BA procedures with respect to Tier 4 visa applications are fully standardised for a refund to be considered. No refund will be given if visa is refused on insufficient points being granted due to providing incorrect or inadequate information to the School. No refund will also be given if the visa is refused due to:
a) providing incorrect information to the immigration authorities.
b) working without a work permit.
The maximum refund for the tuition fees is 75% of the fees paid. The enrolment fee is not refundable. For refund of accommodation fees please see Accommodation Fees above.
2.
a) If leave to remain in the UK is refused, no refund will be given unless the Fees have been paid in full and all other terms & conditions have been adhered to.
b) Even if the Fees have been paid and the immigration authorities refuse leave to remain in the UK due to one or more of the reasons in point 1., no refund will be given.
c) If leave to remain in the UK to continue studying at the School is refused, as long as the Fees have been paid a full refund ( less an administrative charge of £90 on 6 month and one year courses, £68 on 3 month courses or less and £25 on one month courses or less) and less any fees applicable to lessons already provided up to and including the week in which the School is notified will be made, provided the School is notified in writing and original documents issued by the School and immigration authorities are received by the School within 5 days of any such refusal. 3. Whenever a visa of any type is granted no refund is payable.
4. If a student is dismissed for poor attendance or misconduct, no refund will be given.
5. Refunds will only be made to the person who paid for the course unless an authorisation in writing is presented to the School that the fees should be refunded to a third party. Refunds will only be made by cheque or bank transfer. Any bank charges must be paid by the student.
6. All refunds will take approximately 8 weeks from the date all original documents required by the School are received by the School.