Ideal for all students who want the convenience of a UK boarding school-style education.
Not ideal for junior summer programme students looking for a rigorous academic programme, Burlington focuses mainly on building confidence with speaking and presenting in this programme.
The good
- Boarding school design: they have residences on-site for younger students and offer full breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
- They have a varied social programme that is open to direct suggestions from students.
- The diversity of students is vast, with the highest percentage of any ethnic background being 5%.
- One of the best value for money for General English courses in London.
- Several varied courses for different age groups, including General English courses, Business English courses, FCE, CAE and IELTS Exam Preparation.
The bad
- It is located in the suburbs so there are not many shops near the school.
- A very young demographic, which may be a nuisance to mature learners.
- The rooms on-site, whilst convenient, are very small.
Date of my inspection visit at Burlington School of English London: April 12, 2024
My overall take
In my opinion, Burlington School of English (Burlington) London is a school for students of all ages who are seeking a boarding school experience, small in size and with an intimate teaching environment.
The school is definitely similar to a typical traditional UK secondary school, and is uniquely set in a converted church. Therefore, although it is modern, there is a rustic homey ambience.
The teachers utilise a range of different methods, including teacher’s lessons, smart TVs, out-of-class field trips, and an online platform for homework. The combination of techniques ensures classes remain engaging.
Their student intake is small, meaning the teachers know their students personally, and student suggestions heavily influence the social clubs. The range of social activities and the team that runs the social club is one of the most developed I’ve observed. Their social programme is also the most diverse I’ve seen in a class of its own.
Burlington is one of the more affordable schools in London; for the all-inclusive package they offer, it’s one of the best value-for-money language schools in London. I recommend this school to students in their late teens to early twenties, students who prefer the convenience of living and studying in the same place but do not mind the communal living experience.
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Burlington School of English London at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.6 (33 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 15 students in Standard English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Excellent diversity Top nationalities: 5% Brazilian, French, Saudi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Turkish and Thai |
| Learning intensity | 1-2 hours of homework per week |
| Number of students | 100 adults and 100 juniors in July 70 adults and 30 juniors in January |
| Minimum student age | 16 years for General English courses 11-17 years for seasonal short-term courses |
| Accreditations | British Council, English UK, English UK Young Learners, Trinity Registered Exam Centre |
| Course range | General English, Intensive English, One on One, Business English for specific professions, Junior and Teen courses, CPE, CAE, FCE and IELTS Exam Preparation. |
| Accommodation types | On-site residence, Homestay, Summer Residences and Apartments |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 55min/lesson | 1 week: £255 3 weeks: £765 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: £50 Course material fee: £35 |
| Price level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | £18.90 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with George Barnbrooke, Managing Director at Burlington School of English.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
George Barnbrooke: “Our all inclusive care for students. Those are the courses here at the school, we offer on-site accommodation, a canteen that offers breakfast lunch and dinner, and to top it all off we have a fantastic social programme.”
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
George Barnbrooke: “We are looking for students who want to get involved and be part of the Burlington school community, and make the most of their time here in London. Whether that is with the classes, making friends, attending our social programme…”
School inspection report
Classrooms
The classrooms are modern and well-furnished with interactive whiteboards; the school has an industrial chic vibe with exposed brick walls, pipes and wooden ceilings. You can feel the history of the building but with a 21st-century touch.
Facilities
The communal areas are inclusive, vibrant and well-kept. There is a large canteen on the ground floor, an open living space with sofas, study areas and even a piano on the ground floor. Lastly, on the first floor, there is a lounge area with a TV and ping pong table accessible to all the students.
Surrounding area
The school is located in a suburban area; there are no restaurants or many shops nearby. These are however accessible and within a 10-minute radius of the school walking.
The Balham train station is a 10-minute walk from the school, with excellent transport links into central London. The journey to the centre of London is approximately 20 minutes away.
Social activities
The range of social activities is extensive, with a four-week notice of every activity available for the month. This is perfect for those who are staying for a short time and want to plan their time in London accordingly.
This is one of the most diverse social programmes I have seen amongst all the schools. There is a clear emphasis on doing out-of-the-box things, i.e., digital dart throwing, tequila workshop, and axe throwing. Most other social programmes I’ve seen are either pub, museum or theatre-related.
The social programme team here really do care and put in the time to make the activities once in a lifetime; they also host social programme meetings to brief the students about all the upcoming activities and are open to suggestions on what the students want to do, not many schools do this!
Residence
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served on-site to people who have booked a room at the school. Meal packages are also available to buy for students who do not stay on-site. The food, communal areas and shared bathrooms are great.
My only complaint is the size and layout of the rooms; they are similar to very small hostel rooms (multi-bunkbed style). The option is between twin bunk rooms or 6-bunkbed rooms. As you can imagine, the six-bunkbed rooms can be extremely claustrophobic.
The rooms are suited to students under 25, as the lack of personal space and privacy would be a little more jarring for more mature students.
Trusted student ratings of Burlington School of English London on the web
| Total | 4.6 (33 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.6 (33 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.
