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General English & Cambridge 20

Spinnaker School of English

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Course description

.Combine your exam preparation with our General English course for a balanced all-round course to boost your English ability while preparing you for your exam.

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

Class times

Morning session
09:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Afternoon session
01:30 PM - 04:15 PM

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

Elementary
Pre-intermediate
Intermediate
High intermediate
Advanced
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level. You may also take this test before your arrival in Portsmouth.

Class size

Average 5 students
Maximum 10 students

Student age

Age range 16 years old and older
Average 25 years old
(10 in the summer)

Certificate

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

School description

Spinnaker School of English has a caring family approach, where all students are taught and cared for as individuals. Our dedicated and friendly staff will provide and create the right environment for you to learn and live in. Our teachers will focus on your language needs and deliver lessons to suit your learning preferences.
We have some different English language course options for you, whether it’s General English or focusing on language skills such as reading, writing, listening or speaking. We also offer exam preparation courses e.g. IELTS, Cambridge, and Trinity. If you prefer, you can have one-to-one tuition so you can focus on a very specific area of language, such as pronunciation or writing skills, etc.
We believe in providing a service that goes outside of the classroom. Your welfare and general well-being are very important to us. To achieve this, we will provide you with accommodation, (if requested); airport transfers (when requested); a free tutorial system where you can meet with your teacher or a member of the academic team to discuss your progress, as well as any other welfare needs you may have.
In addition to this, we also offer varied student-led social programmes such as sports and visits to local sites of interest and day trips e.g. Brighton, Bath, etc...

Year opened
2012
Number of classrooms
8

Accreditations

Facilities

  • Library
  • Social Activities
  • TV Room
  • Free Internet
  • Wireless Internet
  • Computers

Teacher qualifications

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

Nationality and age mix

The nationality and age mix at Spinnaker School of English varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 25. In the summer, the average age is 10.

School holidays

Open dates
Year round
School holidays
None

School location

Located in the vibrant university district in the center of Portsmouth, UK, Spinnaker School of English provides a variety of affordable English language courses for adult international students and younger learners throughout the year.

All our teachers have qualifications in English language teaching. They make lessons enjoyable and exciting by adopting a communicative, learner-centered, task-based approach that focuses on the students’ needs. This encourages you, the learner, to involve yourself in challenging, rewarding and stimulating activities.

We currently offer the following courses:

- General English/Intensive General English
- Exam Preparation
- English Language Skills (Part-time course)
- One to One General English

Take a video tour

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photos

Photos

  • Building of Spinnaker School of English 1/8
  • Reception of Spinnaker School of English 2/8
  • Common room at Spinnaker School of English 3/8
  • Kitchen 4/8
  • Play area 5/8
  • Entrance to Spinnaker School of English 6/8
  • Building of Spinnaker School of English 7/8
  • Building of Spinnaker School of English 8/8
housing

Housing

SSOE offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay Self-Catering

£ 150
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: Anywhere within Portsmouth
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Saturday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 150
All the benefits of a host family, but with the flexibility to arrange your own meals. You will have access to the host's kitchen to prepare food.

You will be treated as a member of the family with opportunities to hold conversation and practice your English.

Homestay Half Board, Special Diet

£ 185
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: Anywhere within Portsmouth
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, 3 meals on weekends (16 meals per week)
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Saturday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 185
Experience life in an English household with a stay in a host family.

You will be treated as a member of the family and have many opportunities to practice your English.

Breakfast and evening meal are provided, and you are encouraged to eat with your host family.

Special diets (Halal, gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, vegan) catered for with this option.

Homestay Half Board

£ 200
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: Anywhere within Portsmouth
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, 3 meals on weekends (16 meals per week)
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Saturday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 200
Experience life in an English household with a stay in a host family.

You will be treated as a member of the family and have many opportunities to practice your English.

Breakfast and evening meal are provided, and you are encouraged to eat with your host family.

Homestay Half Board, Under-18, Special Diet

£ 240
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: Anywhere within Portsmouth
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, 3 meals on weekends (16 meals per week)
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Saturday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 240
Experience life in an English household with a stay in a host family.

You will be treated as a member of the family and have many opportunities to practice your English.

Breakfast and evening meal are provided, and you are encouraged to eat with your host family.

Special diets (Halal, gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, vegan) catered for with this option.

Hosts for under-18 students have been DBS checked and have safeguarding experience.

Homestay Half Board, Under-18

£ 250
weekly
Age range: 7 - 17 years old
Location: Anywhere within Portsmouth
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, 3 meals on weekends (16 meals per week)
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Saturday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
£ 250
Experience life in an English household with a stay in a host family.

You will be treated as a member of the family and have many opportunities to practice your English.

Breakfast and evening meal are provided, and you are encouraged to eat with your host family.

Hosts for under-18 students have been DBS checked and have safeguarding experience.
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 SSOE. 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 Portsmouth 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 Spinnaker School of English staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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