The Lifeline School of English opened its doors in 1998. It is a small, friendly school situated in Hanwell, West London. The area is lively and cosmopolitan, and is a short distance from some beautiful parks, great places to eat and places of general interest. It is also within very easy reach of Ealing, with all the facilities that are available there. The school is well-equipped, with a computer suite, Internet access, self-access study resources, communal areas where students can socialise – and a garden where we have parties and barbecues in the summer. We do our very best to provide friendly, high-quality teaching, good teaching facilities, employment advice/links to possible future employers as well as excellent support for all our students.

The Teachers

At Lifeline we are very proud of our reputation for caring. Our teachers are friendly and enthusiastic and keen to help their students improve and achieve their aims. They are experienced at working within a multi-national environment and many of the teachers have travelled widely and speak several languages, although in the class-room of course they speak English! The teachers’ aim is to promote a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in their classes where students can feel safe to practise without feeling pressurised and where the emphasis is on student participation.

Attendance/Punctuality

Regular attendance is a requirement for all students as it is not easy to make progress if you only attend occasionally, and it is also much more difficult for the teachers to plan relevant lessons and build a friendly and supportive atmosphere in the class if they don’t know when their students are going to come!

For any student who is in England on a student visa, or for students following a government-funded ESOL programme, it is also a requirement for their visa or funding that they should attend AT LEAST 80% of their course. Please note that attendance does not mean being present for a few minutes while the register is taken! It means being present for the full duration of the class. Attendance is monitored carefully, and information regarding this will be made available to the Home Office or funding council whenever it is required. Of course there are occasions when students cannot come to class, for example because of illness, but in this case students must inform the school of the reason for their absence – and where necessary provide evidence such as a certificate.

Exams

At Lifeline we specialize in exam courses leading to Cambridge, Trinity and OCR exams. We are a Trinity and OCR Examinations Centre and a satellite centre for ECDL, which means that you can take most of your exams actually at the school.

Visa and Attendance letters

We can assist with visa-applications and proof-of-attendance letters for students on full-time courses (i.e. students studying for a minimum of 15 hours per week day-time) but please read the above section on attendance requirements. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES will we falsify attendance records.

Bank Account Reference

We recommend that students obtain advice and a bank reference from their bank prior to departure to the UK, as opening a bank account in London can be a frustrating experience. We do provide a basic administrative service to students which includes letters of introduction to the UK High Street banks, to help students open a UK bank account.

Facilities and Social Programmes

The school has a modern computer suite with free internet access for full-time students. There is a varied social programme including boat trips, sightseeing tours around London and to other parts of the country and many other social events and activities.