Ideal for students who are looking for a tight-knit community at school, this school is small and doesn’t take on many students, so rapport is easier to build.
Not ideal for students looking for a high-spec, newly renovated or modern building.
The good
- The staff are all very energetic and know the students on a personal level.
- They have a spacious communal area and a well-equipped student kitchen.
- Inclusive areas, i.e. gender neutral toilets and a prayer room.
- Several courses for different age groups, including General English courses, Business English courses, FCE, CAE and IELTS Exam Preparation.
The bad
- Does not cater to immobility, there are no lifts but there are 4 floors within the building.
- The classrooms are less spacious than many other schools.
- There are no exclusive areas/floors for Business English students.
Date of my inspection visit at Bayswater College London: April 9, 2024
My overall take
In my opinion, Bayswater College London (Bayswater) is a great school for students seeking a community vibe and are passionate about social causes.
The communal areas are well-maintained, vibrant, and suited for the student intake. These communal areas encourage the bonding of students outside the specific class groups/courses. Food is served on-site, but the school is located on the high street and directly above a supermarket.
My only con is that many of the classrooms are outdated and a little smaller than the average classroom size in other schools that I have visited. As far as the education is concerned, I believe the systems set in place transparently show the progress of students with their weekly and monthly tests.
I recommend this school to students in their mid-20s who want to avoid the hustle and bustle of London but are still within a close enough distance to explore.
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Bayswater College London at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.7 (33 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 15 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Excellent diversity No nationality more than 15% Top nationality: Brazilian |
| Learning intensity | 2-3 hours of homework a week |
| Number of students | 250-300 combined adults and juniors in July 150-170 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 12 years for specific Junior Summer courses 16 years for General English courses |
| Accreditations | British Council, English UK, Young Learners English UK, British Accreditation Council, ALTO |
| Course range | General English, Business English for specific professions, FCE, CAE and IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay and Residence |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 45min/lesson | 1 week: £366 3 weeks: £1098 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: £95 Course material fee: £30 |
| Price level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | £27.10 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Student voices
Comments from randomly selected students I met at the school and asked about their experience.
“I fell in love when I came to this college. The people are so nice and friendly. I think the only thing this school needs is to open more locations“
Will
40 years from Brazil
“I chose this school because of the special ability to communicate, not just in English. I think confident students will fit this college”
Yao
26 years from South Korea
“I love this school because there are many students here close to my age. I recommend this school for many students my age, because the social activities are good and we take trips to explore the city of London“
Pierre
25 years from Italy
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Yeliz Hussein, Global Sales Director at Bayswater College.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Yeliz Hussein: “Our mission is to inspire and educate the next generation of young people… we go beyond just languages and focus on upskilling students for the future”
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Yeliz Hussein: “Students who are thinking about university, or students who have been to university and are trying to figure what their career choices or life options are“
School inspection report
Classrooms
Every classroom is clean and well-lit, with interactive whiteboards, but some classrooms are small.
Facilities
The communal areas are inclusive (prayer room and gender-neutral toilets), vibrant and well-kept.
There are many communal areas for the number of students in the building. However, there is no library or designated study areas, meaning students would have to use classrooms as they become available.
Surrounding area
There is no cafe on-site, but the school is next door to a local supermarket (Sainsbury’s), which is an easy way to get lunch daily for a reasonable price.
The school is also on the high street, and different cuisines exist in restaurants in the surrounding area.
The journey to the centre of London is only 20 minutes long.
Social activities
There is a less extensive range of free social activities; you will likely find a few more at different schools. However, the culture in the school encourages students to suggest new activity options.
They also have a great initiative, the Bayswater Foundation, allowing students in other countries, i.e. Colombia, Jordan and Brazil, to study English. This is a thoughtful initiative, emphasising their social awareness and community-driven values.
Lastly, they have a student ambassador programme for long-term students, which allows students to get involved and have a say in their time at Bayswater.
Residence
Modern residence by the historic canals was a 20-minute bus journey from Bayswater.
Large communal areas, pool table, high-spec gym, free coffee machine, dance studio, and courtyard.
Generous guest policy: guests can stay up to 2 weeks with residents of this accommodation.
Please note I could not view a room at this student residence, but I was told that it is the typical size of most student accommodation rooms in London.
Trusted student ratings of Bayswater College London on the web
| Total | 4.7 (33 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.5 (29 reviews) |
| Boa Llingua | 4.8 (3 reviews) |
Ratings as of June 19, 2024
Why no Google or Facebook ratings? Schools may have requested Facebook, Google or Trustpilot reviews only from those students that previously gave positive after-course evaluations. I only trust ratings from independent booking platforms/agencies, that allow exclusively clients who booked via their platform to rate the schools. I have checked each of these sites above and they have no disproportional number of positive vs negative reviews.
