PURLEY LANGUAGE COLLEGE

Teaching English in London since 1928

Frequently asked questions

Q. When can I start my course?
A. Any Monday.

Q. Will I be able to understand if I join in the middle of the course?
A. Our teachers are trained to help you integrate into your class.

Q. Can children study at Purley Language College?
A. We accept children age 8 and up.

Q. Are the teachers native speakers?
A. All our teachers speak English to native level.

Q. Do you have wireless internet (WiFi) in the College?
A. Yes. It is free for students.

Q. Does the College organise trips and activities?
A. Yes. These cost between 5 pounds (for example, sports in the park) and 60 pounds (full day trips to Stonehenge and Bath). If you want to do lots of activities you must book a Holiday Course

Q . Does the College organise a summer camp?
A. Yes. We have a kids summer camp and a teenagers summer camp. Kids and teenagers stay in local host families and can be dropped off to school in the morning by their family and picked up by car at the end of the day. Our kids summer camp and our teenagers summer camp are not on a campus. See Holidays page for more information.

Q. Where is the school?
A. In Purley, South London, England

Q. When are you open?
A. All year round except two or three weeks at Christmas. We are open 9 to 5 Monday to Friday.

Q. How far are you from London?
A. About 20 minutes on the train from Central London.

Q. When does the College do trips and activities?
A. All year round, with many more in summer and in the Easter period.

Q. Does the College teach exam classes?
A. Yes. We usually have FCE and IELTS classes. Please contact us for further details.

Q. Does the College have open days?
A. No, but you can arrange to visit us.

Q. Have you got a brochure?
A. Yes, you can download it here.

Q. Can I bring a group?
A. Yes. Please contact us in advance. We can accept groups of up to 100.

Q. Does the College teach other languages?
A. Yes. We don't have regular classes running currently, but many of our teachers are fluent in European languages. Please contact us for further details, and we will be happy to discuss tuition options for you or your children.

Q. Can I have 1:1 lessons at Purley Language College?
A. Yes. Please contact us to arrange your lesson.

Q. Can the College arrange a tutor to teach me at home?
A. Yes but there will be an additional charge for this.

Q. What is your course completion rate?
A. From January 2013 to July 2013 the course completion rate was 97%

Q. How fast can students learn at Purley Language College?
A. You can see how fast students improve by clicking here.

Q. Do I need a visa to study at Purley Language College?
A. Some countries need visas. Please check on : ukvisas.gov.uk website

Q. Can the school give me the letter of acceptance to get a visa?
A. Yes, but we must be satisfied that you are a genuine student and so we will usually interview you over the internet with a webcam.

Q. Will the school send me my letter of acceptance?
A. For General Student Visas, we confirm your acceptance online with the UK Border Agency and send you a reference number. This is called a CAS Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.

Q. Does the College have a written policy statement?
A. Yes. Please click here.

Q. Does the College have terms and conditions?
A. Yes. Please click here.

Q. Can you teach me on Skype?
A. Yes. Please contact us.

Q. Do you have any testimonials?
A. Yes. Purley Language College testimonials

Q. What are Purley Language College's exam results?
A. Purley Language College has a 100 per cent pass rate in English Language Examinations. See table

Q. What is the lesson timetable?
A. Our usual timetable is:
Monday to Friday
9.00am to 10.30 Lessons
Break
10.45 to 12.15 Lessons
Lunch Break
1.15 to 2.15 Lessons
Break
2.25 to 3.25 Lessons
(Or afternoon trips 1.15 to 6.00pm if on programme)
Weekends
School closed (or full-day excursions if on programme)

Q. What should I bring to the UK
A. Read a list of what to bring

Q. How does the College care for students under the age of 18?
The College follows all relevant UK legislation on child protection and safeguarding and has rigorous internal procedures for dealing with any concerns regarding a child's welfare.
The College may need to report concerns that are serious to the UK authorities.
Care of students under 18

Q. Do you have a policy for safeguarding children?
Purley Language College Policies PDF file

Q. How can I make a complaint?
A. We take all complaints very seriously. If you have a complaint you should take the following steps:
1. Speak to someone in school who can if necessary pass on the complaint to the right person.
2. If the complaint cannot be resolved in this way, you can write to the Principal at jan@purleyschool.co.uk or fill in our complaints form at http://www.purleycollege.co.uk/complaintform or call him on his mobile phone number +447773450961
3. We aim to respond within 48 hours. Some complaints may take much longer to resolve, especially if they are very serious and require investigation
4. If you are still not happy with the response from the College, you can follow the English UK complaints procedure detailed in a document on their website here

Q. What is the history of Purley Language College?
A. Purley Language College was founded Purley School of Commerce and Languages in 1928 by Miss Elizabeth Attwater. The school, then named Purley Secretarial and Language College, was owned by Miss Patricia Kent and her mother and from 2002 by Jennifer Allen and Susan McCallum. Jan and Nova Fossgard took over in 2007. The school is well known in the Purley area and has occupied sites in Banstead Road, Purley High Street, and 14 Brighton Road, Purley. The present address is 34 Brighton Road, Purley.