English Courses for International Students in England

Taunton School International, Somerset:
Taunton School International in Somerset in the South-West of England, prepares international students aged between 14 and 17 for entry into British boarding schools. We provide high quality tuition for speakers of English as a first or second language which is appropriate to our students' ages, abilities and their proposed entry point into the British education system. Students study a range of academic subjects following the British National Curriculum leading to the GCSE qualification. All students also follow an intensive course in English for Academic Purposes, taking IELTS, the university entrance examination.

English Language Lessons for international Students ages 7-17:

Programs for International Students 7 - 12:
Students aged between 7 -12 apply to enter directly into Taunton Preparatory School, where they live with British students but have their own special lessons with a qualified EAL (English as an additional language) teacher in the Junior International Group (JIG) until their English is good enough for them to fully integrate into normal classes. This is a highly successful programme which builds confidence quickly and allows outstanding achievement.

One Year & Two Year GCSE Programmes (age 14-17)
GCSEs (General Certificate in Secondary Education) are the examinations that British students take at the end of Year 11, when they are 16. It normally takes 2 years to study the GCSE course and students take between 5 and 8 subjects. Good UK schools require 5 GCSE passes at grade C or above to study A levels or the IB Diploma in the 6th Form (years 12-13).

Our One Year GCSE Programme is an intensive course which allows students to take up to 8 GCSEs in half the time of a normal school course. It is the best possible preparation for Sixth Form study in a UK School.   

Students who are not able to join our One Year GCSE Programme because of their level of English and/or their age can take the Two Year GCSE Programme.   Students on our two-year programme will take some GCSEs in their first year and some in their second year, leaving with up to 10 GCSEs.

One-year Pre-IB course (age 15-17)
This is an intensive course which includes the One Year GCSE Programme and adds to it the distinctive approach to learning of the IB. Students take up to 8 GCSEs but also take a Theory of Knowledge (ToK) course. This focuses on the essay writing skills that students will need to write the 4,000 word essay and also develops the unifying approach to learning and appreciation of other cultural perspectives which is necessary for the ToK element of IB. It is the best possible preparation for the IB course.

Summer English School:
The Senior Summer courses in July and August are for students between the ages of 14 and 17, and combine intensive English tuition with other academic subjects. Our Senior Summer School is excellent preparation for GCSEs, A levels and the IB Diploma. Students take a City and Guilds International ESOL examination at the end of their course. Lessons are complemented by a full leisure programme including sports as well as a varied programme of activities and excursions to local cities and towns.

Our Junior Summer School is for students aged 7-13. This course is based in our Preparatory School using all their excellent facilities. The teachers are qualified primary school teachers who have an understanding of the way that younger children learn and play. Students study a range of subjects and will take a Cambridge Young Learners Exam at the end of their course. There are trips as part of their lessons and a full programme of sports, activities and excursions.

Course features:
- Specialist teaching from qualified and experienced teachers
- Small class sizes (maximum 10 students)
- A disciplined and supportive environment
- 44 lessons of study per week plus supervised homework
- Study Skills, Theory of Knowledge, PSHE and Sport as part of the academic programmes
- Excellent facilities including an ICT Room, language laboratory and two recreational halls