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Effective English 20

Bell Cambridge
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Course description

Gain the language skills and confidence to communicate effectively with native and non-native speakers in a variety of different situations. Throughout the course you will:

•Practise your speaking skills through role-play, debates and presentations on current affairs
•Learn how to write different types of communication such as reports, emails, articles and reviews
•Listen to authentic materials such as TV and radio programmes to develop your comprehension skills
•Read and understand a wide range of articles, stories and other text
•Learn new vocabulary and grammar structures suitable for your level
•Discover how to put your language into action outside the classroom
•Study independently taking advantage of the extensive collection of resources available in our study centre.

Personalise your course by choosing one of the following options for 5 hours/ week;
Skills:
Focus on a specific skill to reach your learning goals faster. Choose from; Exam Skills, Reading and Writing or Speaking and Listening.
Business Studies:
Challenge your language skills by studying business topics in English. Learn to communicate fluently about the world of business as you explore topics such as: entrepreneurship, innovation, negotiations, writing a business plan, the secrets of successful marketing and managing business change.
1:1 Tuition:
Advance your progress with individual classes completely personalised to your learning needs and goals. You will work with a dedicated teacher to identify specific skills to improve and create a bespoke language programme.

Course topics

Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities

Class schedule

Course duration
1-52 weeks
Start dates
Every Monday
Classes per week
20 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 60 min)
Class days
Monday - Friday
School holidays
21 Dec 2025 - 04 Jan 2026

Bell does not hold classes on the holiday dates above. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

All levels, beginner to advanced
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level.

Class size

Average 12 students
Maximum 14 students

Student age

Age range 16 years old and older

Certificate

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course.
Read more...
school

School description

Choose Bell and benefit from 70 years of educational expertise. We only employ the best teachers. Bell experts give talks at industry-leading teaching events, with eight Bell speakers at IALTEFL UK in 2017. Our Head of Teacher Development gives talks for Cambridge English, part of the University of Cambridge.

Our historic school is located in picturesque gardens within easy reach of Cambridge city centre. We have a wide range of impressive facilities from modern learning areas, to social, dining and leisure spaces.

Learning facilities;
30 contemporary air-conditioned classrooms with interactive whiteboards
lecture theatre
science laboratory
learning centre equipped with the latest resources
2 computer rooms

Dining room;
Bright and spacious dining room, with indoor and outdoor seating.
Hot and cold breakfast and lunches, vegetarian and halal options, fruit and sweet treats.
Open from 08.00-17.00 Monday-Friday.

Student common room;
Modern student pavilion featuring table tennis, computer games, pool table and a TV.

Year opened
1955
Number of classrooms
30

Accreditations

Facilities

  • Library
  • Social Activities
  • Cultural Trips
  • TV Room
  • Elevators
  • Wheelchair access
  • Eating Area
  • Free Internet
  • Wireless Internet
  • Computers
  • After-Class Seminars
  • Studying Area
  • Audio Learning
  • Sports Activities

Teacher qualifications

Native English speakers
Over 50%
Teachers with English teaching certification
All
Teachers with college degrees
All

Nationality and age mix

The nationality and age mix at Bell Cambridge varies over different time periods, courses and levels.

School holidays

Bell does not hold classes on the holiday dates below. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.

Open dates
Year round
School holidays
21 Dec 2025 - 04 Jan 2026

School location

Bell Cambridge was established in 1955, has a worldwide reputation for academic excellence and is the perfect location for students wishing to improve their English for educational purposes. The school campus features impressive study, social and leisure facilities including a large contemporary learning centre, student games room and indoor and outdoor dining areas.

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Photos

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reviews

Reviews

100% recommend

based on 1 review
5 stars
1
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"It was an amazing experience at Bell School Cambridge"

Margot Bender-Säbelkampf, student from Austria

My first challenge was to manage the difficulty with transport due to the industrial actions between Stansted and Cambridge on the day of my arrival.

I was heartily welcomed at Bell School next day. Lessons and teachers met all my expectations to the utmost. Teachers were competent, helpful and very friendly. I was impressed by the modern facilities at Bell School.
At the first week there were 14 students in the group, the following week 9 what was a big difference and I felt much better.

The City-centre-tour on the very first day was really useful and also other activities I enjoyed highly.

With my host family I wasn't lucky as I had hoped. My room was well equipped and nice, but we never had any meal together
and unfortunately the landlady wasn't really interested in talking with me. TV was always running so there were very few opportunities to hold a conversation.

Read more...

My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
20 Mar 2023 - 31 Mar 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
housing

Housing

Bell offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast and dinner

£ 270
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: Homestay - daily bed and breakfast, dinner and weekend lunches
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, 3 meals on weekends (16 meals per week)
Facilities: Kitchen, laundry, wireless internet, free internet, and heating
Distance to school: 5 - 25 minutes by bus
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 270
Homestay with a local family is a great way to experience British life, and provide an opportunity to practice your English outside the classroom. In Homestay accommodation, students have their own single bedroom (twin rooms may also be available on request) and are treated as a member of the family. All homestays are carefully selected and visited regularly to ensure consistently high standards. Many of our host families have been working with us for a number of years.

Facilities
- Single bedrooms (twin rooms may also be available on request)
- Variety of meal options
- Weekly laundry
- Weekly room cleaning
- Bed linen and towels provided
- Free wi-fi internet access
- Welcoming and safe family environment

Local facilities
- All homestays are located within easy reach of public transport to Bell and the city centre
- Host families can provide information on local shopping facilities and attractions
student-residence

Student residence (off-campus) - Single-person room - Breakfast included

£ 330
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Address: Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge
Location: Sorrento
Housing type: Student residence (off-campus)
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, wireless internet, free internet, and heating
Distance to school: 10 - 20 minutes by bus
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 330
Sorrento Residence is part of the friendly family-run hotel complex located conveniently between Bell and the city centre. There are three residences with 14 rooms in total. This comfortable accommodation is particularly suitable for mature students and has access to the facilities of the hotel next door and the advantage of a shared kitchen where students can prepare meals if they wish.

Student residence (on-campus) - Single-person room - No meals - Shared bathroom

£ 350
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Address: Red Cross Lane, Cambridge, UK
Location: Bell Garden House
Housing type: Student residence (on-campus)
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, free internet, and garden
Distance to school: 2 - 5 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 350
Located within the Bell grounds, in view of Bell Cambridge,
the Garden House is a newly-refurbished, student residence,
ideal for mature students looking for a peaceful home where
they can relax and study.

Facilities
- Single bedrooms with bed, desk, chair, lamps and wardrobe
- A mixture of private and shared bathrooms with sink,
shower and toilet
- Large communal living room and dining area
- Free wi-fi internet access
- Well-equipped shared kitchen
- Free use of washing machine and tumble dryer
- Bedroom cleaner weekly
- Bed linen provided weekly
- Extensive gardens

Local facilities
- Bell dining room open for breakfast and lunch (weekdays)
providing a wide range of food including Halal meals and
vegetarian options
- A range of shops, cafés and fast food outlets
a short walk away
- Frequent local buses to the city centre
- Muslim prayer room available every day on the Bell site

Student residence (on-campus) - Single-person room - No meals - Private bathroom

£ 380
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Address: Red Cross Lane, Cambridge, UK
Location: Frank Bell Residence
Housing type: Student residence (on-campus)
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, free internet, and garden
Distance to school: 2 - 5 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 380
Located within the Bell grounds, in view of Bell Cambridge,
the Frank Bell s a newly-refurbished, student residence,
ideal for mature students looking for a peaceful home where
they can relax and study.

Facilities
- Single bedrooms with bed, desk, chair, lamps and wardrobe
- private bathrooms with sink, shower and toilet
- Large communal living room and dining area
- Free wi-fi internet access
- Well-equipped shared kitchen
- Free use of washing machine and tumble dryer
- Bedroom cleaner weekly
- Bed linen provided weekly
- Extensive gardens

Local facilities
- Bell dining room open for breakfast and lunch (weekdays)
providing a wide range of food including Halal meals and
vegetarian options
- A range of shops, cafés and fast food outlets
a short walk away
- Frequent local buses to the city centre
- Muslim prayer room available every day on the Bell site
visa

Visa support

We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.

If you are studying in the UK for over 11 months, you will receive a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that you need to submit to the UK embassy along with your General Student Visa application. Students who have successfully booked a language course and have paid their fees will receive a CAS from Bell. Please note that UK law states that a CAS can only be issued to students who intend to pursue English language studies for over 11 months.

If you are studying in the UK for 11 months or less, you have to apply for a special visitor visa called a Student Visitor Visa. As a student visitor, you will not be able to work part-time while studying. If you plan to study in the UK for 11 months or less, a letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you.

Learn more about how to get a UK visa »

Flights and airport transfer

Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Cambridge based on your budget, schedule and preferences.

Travel insurance

Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.

Learn more about our insurance plan »

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questions

Questions and answers

Have questions? Get answers from Bell Cambridge staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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