Ideal for students looking for an affordable school with a family dynamic.
Not ideal for students looking for an upscale school with an extensive social programme.
The good
- Community, laid-back atmosphere, the director knows every student by name.
- Spacious classrooms with ample natural light.
- The most affordable school, the best value for money for learning English.
The bad
- The school has not been open as long as many other schools in London and is thus under-developed.
- It is a small school with very few facilities.
- Further travel to the centre of London.
Date of my inspection visit at West London English School: April 15, 2024
My overall take
West London English School (West London School) is for a targeted group of people. Firstly, they have a strong identity based on community and a natural family dynamic, with teachers knowing all the students by name and vice versa. They do not operate as a corporation, and there is genuine care for the students, their stories, and their goals and an emphasis is put on putting their education above the money.
The social programme is limited; one student mentioned that the school has a social programme activity at least once a week, whereas, at another school, this number would be at least 5. Different from some other schools, like Kaplan, Twin School or Burlington, for example, there was no dedicated social programme team or department. Therefore, this school is not really for the students who want to spend most of their time exploring London, but rather for the students studying English to further their academic or professional progress.
The school does not have a cafeteria but an intimate kitchen with access to water, hot drinks and a microwave. West London School is located 15 minutes from Ealing Broadway station. Compared to other schools, it is not the best location for exploring central London, but it is only a 30-minute commute into the centre. Also, the area is jam-packed with restaurants serving food from more countries than the many restaurants in central London, including Caribbean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, etc.
This school would be perfect if you want a quieter, simpler trip to London, exploring at your own pace and without breaking the bank. This school is ideal for students in their late 20s (27+) or locals who live in London and want to improve their English professionally.
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West London English School
| Rating of former students | 4.8 (8 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 14 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Excellent diversity No nationality more than 12% Top nationality: Japanese |
| Learning intensity | 1-2 hours of homework per week |
| Number of students | 200 adults and 100 juniors in July 200 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 12 years for specific Junior courses |
| Accreditations | British Council, Ofsted, English UK |
| Course range | General English Standard, Junior course, Business English, Medical English , IELTS, OET Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 27 lessons/week: 60min/lesson | 1 week: £250 3 weeks: £750 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: none Course material fee: £60 |
| Price level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | £10.00 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Student voices
Unfiltered comments from random students I met at the school and asked about their experience.
“I really feel like I’m with my real family at this school, they make me feel really comfortable. They are so helpful and they even helped me with my visa before I came here, it was so stressful but they helped me!“
Amal
from Egypt
“When I came here, I didn’t speak English, but now I can speak English because the teachers are really helpful and kind“
Yuki
from Japan
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Asif Musa, director and founder of West London English School.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Asif Musa: “The individual attention and care that the student get is one of our strong points here, me being the director I get to know all our students, why they’re here, what their goals are, how they’re progressing.”
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Asif Musa: “Students who trust the team here. We have the whole team behind each student, and a student who trusts the school with their academic progression is the student who benefits the most whilst they’re here with us”
School inspection report
Classrooms
Spacious, colourful classrooms, large tables, padded chairs and ample natural light. The furniture is a little dated but does the job perfectly. There is also full heating in all the classrooms and portable air conditioning for the hotter summer months.
Facilities
There are only a few noteworthy facilities, such as a small student kitchen with access to a microwave, fridge, and hot drinks. Additionally, there is a bookshelf with extracurricular books for students to use in self-study. Note that no designated self-study areas or larger seating/communal areas exist.
Surrounding area
15-minute walk to Ealing Broadway station.
It is on a busy high street with many restaurants serving many different cuisines.
Also, the school is directly beside different universities, which may be helpful if students want to study long term or pursue further qualifications after finishing their English course.
Social activities
The social programme is limited, and activities happen only once a week rather than daily, like in many other schools.
Trusted student ratings of West London English School
| Total | 4.8 (8 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.8 (8 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.
