English in Bournemouth

Language programme in Bournemouth

Bournemouth is undoubtedly one of the best student towns on the southern coast of England. Its quaintness, charm and miles of sandy beach alongside the bustling atmosphere of the city have created a centre for tourism, education and business. Complete with an exceedingly well organised public transport system with links all over Britain and Europe, Bournemouth is a hub of activity. Even getting to London is as simple as hopping on an hour and a half train ride.

ETC (Educational Training Centre), is a family-run institution founded in 1989 by Mr. David Jones. The school is located in the centre of Bournemouth, near to the town’s pedestrian area and the beach, some 500m from “the Square” and right next to the Central Gardens.

School facilities include:

44 bright, spacious classrooms in several buildings
IT room
Library
Cafeteria (fresh, healthy, cold and hot meals are cooked from 8 am to 3 pm)
Terrace

Accreditations: British Council and English UK

English language courses: the basics

Lesson length 45 minutes
Class size: maximum 14 students (18 during peak season)
Schedule: morning lessons in most cases (lessons can be held in the afternoon during peak season)
Placement test: first day of classes
Certificate of participation at the end of your stay
CELTA-qualified native English teachers
Monitoring of progress (4 week stays or more)

20 general English lessons per week

4 lessons a day will give you a practical understanding of the English language and take you all the way to fluency. See your confidence improve in all four communication skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Classes are held every morning, Monday to Friday from 8:45 to 10:15 and from 10:35 to 12:05.

Language levels: beginner to advanced

28 lessons per week

In addition to the standard programme, you will have 8 extra lessons, held from Monday to Thursday from 13:15 to 14:45, focusing on oral expression.

Language levels: beginner to advanced

40 lessons per week

You will follow a dual schedule of 8:45 to 12:45 and from 14:00 to 18:00.

Language levels: beginner to advanced

Minimum 12 week stay (see start dates in Dates & Prices)

Exam preparation classes are held throughout the whole year. You will have 20 to 24 lessons per week, Monday to Friday, from 8:45 to 10:15 and from 10:35 to 12:05.

Language level required: intermediate

The school organises sports and cultural activities during the afternoons and evenings. You are more than welcome to participate in these activities, though they are not mandatory. These activities may be free or may require a fee. The variety and availability of the activities changes depending on the time of year.

Some of the many activities include:

Guided tour through Bournemouth
Welcome activity, barbecue, Movie night
Museum visits
Going to a restaurant / bar / pubs
Excursions to London, New Forest, Durdle Door, Corfe Castle, Oxford, Portsmouth, Swanage, Bath, Christchurch, Salisbury and Stonehenge (between £25 – £30)
Bowling (approx. £7)
Pool (approx. £8)
Laser Game (approx. £8)
Surfing Lesson (approx. £ 15/session)
12 km of sandy beaches

Single room, shared bathroom, half board during the week, full board upon weekend.

Distance from school: families usually live in a residential area between 20 – 30 minutes away from the school, or close to a direct bus line (maximum 50 minutes).

Optional extras:

Summer programme: the rooms are shared by default with a student of another nationality. Single rooms are uncommon during the summer but can be reserved for a fee and in relation to availability (students must be 18+)

Practical information:

Bed linen and towels provided
Laundry facilities available (the family will usually let you use their washing machine once a week).
Lunch and dinner can be bought at the school cafeteria or at one of the numerous cafes, sandwich shops and restaurants close to the school

Features

Shared room (Double or large triple rooms available on request and vary depending on availability)
Bathroom and toilet in each room
Bed, wardrobe, radiator and chest of drawers
No meals included
Distance from school: 1 minute (on-site residence)
Location: 500m from the city centre and minutes away from the beach
Capacity: 90 students
Deposit to be paid upon arrival (refundable by the school at the end of your stay if there is no evidence of damage to your room)

Facilities and services available:

Laundry facilities (for a fee)
Study rooms with quiet offices
Bed linen provided (but not bath towels)
Internet connection via WiFi throughout the residence
Guarded access
Reception available 24/7
The cleaning of the residence and room is made once a week. The rooms are nevertheless inspected daily. The rest of the time, as in any apartment-sharing, cleaning is the responsibility of everyone.

Extras (for a fee):

Half board (at the school cafeteria)
Mini fridge to rent, available at reception
Towels for rent, available at reception

Features

Apartments each with 6-8 single rooms, a kitchen and a lounge.
Room with large bed, desk and leather chair
Toilet and bathroom in each room
No meals included
Travel time to the school: 12 minutes by bike, 15 minutes by bus, 30 minutes on foot
Location: right next to Bournemouth railway station and a hypermarket
Deposit to be paid on site (see price table), reimbursed by the school at end of the stay if no evidence of damage has been found

Facilities and services available:

Shared kitchen, modern and equipped (microwave, cooker and hob, fridge)
Laundry facilities (for a fee)
Bed linens and towels provided
Internet access via Wi-Fi throughout the building
Bike garage
The cleaning of the residence and the rooms is done once per week. The rooms are nevertheless inspected daily. The rest of the time, as in any apartment-sharing, cleaning is the responsibility of everyone.

General measures

Frequent cleaning of all school infrastructure
Stockpiling of all hygiene equipment
Classrooms with the best ventilation will be used
Doors will be left open where this does not compromise fire safety.

Hygiene

Staff and students will be reminded to wash their hands for 20 seconds
Antibacterial hand sanitiser and cleaning stations will be provided throughout the school
Staff will clear workspaces and remove waste at the end of a shift

Entrances & Exit

Arrival / departure times will be staggered to reduce crowding in and out
Lunch times/break times will be staggered to reduce contact between students within the school
One-way flow routes will be implemented throughout the school
Separate entry and exit points will be implemented, where possible
Hand cleaning facilities will be provided at entry and exit points

Reception

A ‘Virtual Reception’ will be implemented – homestay change requests, level change requests etc. will be done via, Zoom
Clear guidance will be provided to students on arrival

Dining & halls / Canteen

Seating and tables will be reconfigured to maintain spacing and reduce face-to-face interactions
Contactless card payments will be used.

Classrooms

Teachers will wear masks / visors in class and when moving around site
Students will wear masks / visors in class and when moving around site
Class sizes will be reduced
Break times will be staggered to reduce pressure on the break rooms,
Students will be kept in the same small groups
Classrooms in use will be spread across site
A reduced number of teachers will be assigned to each class
Classes will be allocated to a specific classroom
Students will be assigned a specific table
Sitting positions will be 2m apart, wherever possible
Some lessons will be held outdoors (where weather conditions allow)
Antibacterial gel will be available in class

Homestays

Hosts in high risk groups will be identified will not be used until transmission rate reduces
Students who may be in higher risk groups will be identified at booking stage and will be allocated accommodation accordingly
Single room options only in the short term – unless students are related or from the same household.
Hosts will be provided with additional funds for antibacterial cleaning products

Residences

Hand sanitiser will be provided in rooms
Guidelines will be provided for students – eg, kitchen rotation
Crowded reception areas will be managed – stagger check-in and check-out times, maintain 2m distance through tape/barriers
Hand sanitiser will be provided in reception areas and at lifts.

Excursions

Venue risk assessments and social distancing measures will be acquired prior to a visit – these will be factored in to our own risk assessment and guidance for staff and students
Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers will be used to guide activity staff leading excursions on public transport
Students will be advised to clean hands after using public transport
Travel will be scheduled to limit exposure to large crowds and rush hours
Pick-up and drop-off will be reviewed to reduce crowding at one point

Using the technology available in ETC’s classrooms, students can connect to the lesson from their room in the residence.

This means that they can :

See the interactive board on their computer screen or telephone and follow the lesson in real time.
Listen to the teacher
Asking questions
Participate in pronunciation exercises
Receiving homework
This way, when they can return to class after the 2 weeks of quarantine, they will not have missed any classes.

Arrivals: Sunday (from 16.00 in residence)

Departures: Saturday (before 12.00 in residence)

Arrival airports/railway stations (with approx. travel time to Bournemouth):

Bournemouth International Airport offers daily and weekly flights to and from numerous British and European destinations. Poole also offers daily ferry cruises to and from France.

Bournemouth Airport-Bournemouth: 15 minutes (taxi)
Southampton Airport-Bournemouth: 30 minutes (taxi), 38 minutes (train)
London Heathrow-Bournemouth: 1h30 (taxi), 2h25 (express bus)
London Gatwick-Bournemouth: 2h (taxi), 3h30 minutes (express bus)
London Stansted-Bournemouth: 2h30 minutes (taxi), 4h (express bus)

Airport transfers available on request (fees apply, see price list)

Please note: Do not make travel arrangements until we have confirmed your enrolment in your chosen course (about 4 days after deposit payment).

Visa

Brexit information : in the absence of an agreement, the UK government has made it clear that national identity cards issued by EU member states to their nationals will remain valid up to and including 31 December 2020 for travel in the UK. As a result, EU nationals will be able to continue to travel with their passports or ID cards only until that date.

You might need a visa for this course. For more information please visit our Visa Information page.

Do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email if you require any additional information.

Dates & Prices 2020 – 2021

Dates 2020

Start of the sessions: The majority of courses start every Monday, throughout the year, unless otherwise stated below. If Monday is a public holiday, the session starts on Tuesday.

Beginners must start on the following dates only: 06/01, 30/03, 22/06

Public holidays: 01 to 03/01; 10/04; 13/04; 08/05; 25/05; 31/08

Christmas holidays : 21/12/20 to 01/01/21

Cambridge exam preparation dates: contact us

Prices 2020

No Peak-Season supplement applicable for the summer 2020

Course & homestay, single room, half board or (optional) in a residence, double room, no meals
Duration	20L	28L	40L
1 week	€ 460	€ 540	€ 660
2 weeks	€ 775	€ 910	€ 1.130
3 weeks	€ 1.095	€ 1.270	€ 1.600
4 weeks	€ 1.410	€ 1.645	€ 2.070
8 weeks	€ 2.490	€ 2.985
12 weeks	€ 3.670	€ 4.420
18 weeks	€ 5.430	€ 6.490
24 weeks	€ 7.195	€ 8.605
32 weeks	€ 9.545	€ 11.425
* Shared room in summer
High season supplement (June, July, August)
Classes	€ 20
ETC residence options (per week)
Breakfast	€ 25
Half pension	€ 60
Special diet (vegetarian, glucose-free)	€ 25
High Season supplement 05/31 - 08/31	€ 35
Dorchester House Residence, single room, no meals - summer only
Supplement per week	€ 75
Homestay supplement (per week)
Special diet (vegetarian, glucose-free)	€ 25
Summer (05/31 - 08/29/20), shared room	€ 40
Summer (05/31 - 08/29/20), single room.	€ 60
Christmas holidays (12/21/20 - 8/01/21)	€ 60
Preparation for exams, host family, half board included
12 week session	20L	24L
FCE, CAE, IELTS	€ 4.185	€ 4.465
Airport-accommodation transfer (per trip)
Bournemouth	€ 55
Southampton	€ 95
Heathrow	€ 175
Gatwick	€ 210
Central London (Eurostar)	€ 260
Suppl. from 30 pounds / h for any wait of more than an hour and more at the airport
Supplements to be provided on site
Residence deposit	€ 235
Teaching material / level (standard course)	€ 80
Teaching material / level (intensive course)	preté par l'école

Prices include:

Your chosen course and accommodation
Homestay accommodation in a single room (excluding summer) or shared room in residence
Homestay: full board at the weekends and half board on class days
All taxes and enrolment fees

Prices do not include:

Travel, transfers and local transportation
Homestay: lunch from Monday to Friday
Residence deposit (to pay on site, credit cards accepted)
Optional exam or insurance fees

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