TOTNES SCHOOL of ENGLISH Gate House, 2 High St, Totnes TQ9 5RZ England Tel / Fax: +44 1803 865722 Email: bctt@totenglish.co.uk    Website: http://www.totenglish.co.uk

THE LOCATION

We are a small friendly school, located in the beautiful Gate House building (pictured above) in the centre of Totnes, an historic market town in South Devon, close to the unspoilt nature of Dartmoor and the South Devon coast. 

H OW TO GET TO TOTNES

Totnes is on the main railway line from London to south-west England. It takes 3 - 3½ hours by train from -London Paddington to Totnes and 4½ - 5 hours by coach from either London Victoria or Heathrow Airport to Totnes or Paignton,a town 6 miles from Totnes. From Paignton you can get the local bus or a taxi to Totnes where you will be met and taken to your accommodation.

THE SCHOOL

• Small classes (maximum 10 all year round for adults, 12 for junior courses)

• Experienced and qualified teachers

• Informal and friendly

• Interesting social and cultural activities

• Minimum age 17 (except for our Teachers’ courses, Intensive Mini Group courses and Courses for Teenagers)

• All levels except absolute beginners*

• Social and cultural activities

• Tandem partnerships with an English person

• All accommodation within walking distance of the school

• Accommodation for vegetarians

• Accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English

• *Absolute beginners must take one-to-one lessons until they can join a group.

THE COURSE

We offer a wide variety of different courses:

• General English Courses in the mornings

• Afternoon options:    1. Intensive English lessons
                               2. One-to-one lessons
                               3. See Devon
                               4. Natural Health

•  Academic year programmes (6 and 9 months)

•  Cambridge Exam Courses

•  Intensive mini group courses for mature adults (25 years plus)- new for 2003!

• IELTS, TOEIC, TOEFL, PET and KET preparation

• One-to-one courses of 15, 20 or 25 hours per week

•  Two week courses: 1. Courses for teachers of English
                                2. General English + Natural Health for Midwives

GENERAL ENGLISH COURSES

All levels+ except absolute beginners
• Pre-course questionnaire before arrival
• Level placement test and school information pack on arrival
• Plenty of speaking, listening & pronunciation practice
• Regular tutorials and reviews
• Interesting Thursday afternoon workshops in natural health, music, art and culture
• Saturday afternoon excursion

+If we do not have a class at the right level for you, we will convert your group lessons into one-to-one lessons.

Timetable for General English courses for 2003

In weeks in which there is a public holiday this timetable will change. For people doing the Intensive or One-to-One lessons or the Special Interest options in Natural Health or See Devon, timetables will be given out individually.

GENERAL ENGLISAFTERNOON OPTIONS

This course offers 15 hours per week tuition during the mornings (09.00-12.30, Monday to Friday) in a group at your level. This is our core course and is the basis of our tuition programme. We give you a test when you come to school, then we put you in a class at the right level for your English.
In the afternoons, you can choose from our Afternoon options:

1. Intensive English option
This offers 4 hours tuition in small groups (maximum 6) in the afternoons and is suitable for you if you want to maximise your study time in England or if you are interested in a more intensive, supervised course of study.
“I have really enjoyed going to this school! The teachers are very good, the lessons are interesting and you meet lots of different people from many countries.” Johanne Langagergaard, Denmark- Intensive English course

2. One-to-one option
You can choose from 1 hour up to 10 hours one-to-one tuition in the afternoons. This option is for you if you want to work with a group in the mornings and concentrate more specifically on your own language interests in the afternoons- this could be improving your grammar, building your listening skills or increasing your vocabulary, either in General or Business English.
“I was in several schools in England (2 to be exact) and the third one was the best in Totnes.”
Massimo Agostinis, Switzerland- Combination course of General English + 10 one-to-one lessons/week.

3. See Devon option
These options are led by one of our experienced teachers/guides and a maximum group size of 4 makes this a great opportunity to explore our beautiful countryside and coast, and to practise your English in a more relaxed atmosphere.

4. Natural Health option
Learn about a range of different alternative therapies through a choice of different natural health workshops run by qualified practitioners (please ask for our list of available therapies). Totnes is the natural health centre of the south-west so there’s lots to choose from!

INTENSIVE MINI-GROUPS COURSES

F or mature adults- new!
This new course is for more mature professional people who want to study in small groups. The course offers 19 hours tuition per week (09.00-12.30, Monday to Friday and 13.30-14.30 Monday-Wednesday & Friday) in small groups (2-4 students)* and requires a good level of English (Intermediate +). Course length is 1-4 weeks and minimum age is 25 years. The course is customised as far as possible to the needs of the individual participants and we do a detailed needs analysis with you on the first day of the course.

*If we do not have a mini group at your level or you are the only student booked for this course, you will receive tuition in our General English class in the mornings, with 4 one-to-one lessons in the afternoons.

ACADEMIC YEAR PROGRAMMES (6 and 9 months)

These courses are aimed at students wishing to study English for a longer period of time or for students planning to go on to Higher Education in England. The lower tuition fees reflect your commitment to the school for a longer period of time and are a real bargain!
Students follow our General English programme, but exam preparation for IELTS and Cambridge exams is encouraged where appropriate. Students can transfer to the Cambridge First Certificate course at no extra cost (other than the entry fees). Students wanting to do IELTS take our Intensive Option and students interested in Cambridge KET or Cambridge PET exams take our Exam Preparation Option.
 

E XAMINATION COURSES

Examination courses are for students who want or need a formal qualification in English, and we offer a wide range of different programmes depending on your needs. We give you an examination entry test so that we can advise you on the most appropriate examination for your level of English.

Cambridge KET and PET Exams
We offer preparation for these exams through our Exam Preparation Option.

Cambridge First Certificate Courses (FCE)
These courses are available three times a year and offer 15 hours per week exam preparation and practice in a group in the mornings (from 09.00-12.30, Mondays to Fridays). Students are expected to set aside extra time after school for homework and revision.
This mid-level exam course is for you if you have studied 6-8 years of English at school. It is widely recognised by schools, colleges and employers. You need a good intermediate or higher level of English.
Please allow an extra week’s accommodation if you are going to do the exam in the UK since the last exam finishes in the week following the end of the course.
Minimum 4 participants.

Cambridge Advanced English Courses (CAE)
These courses are available twice a year and offer 15 hours per week exam preparation and practice in a group in the mornings (from 09.00-12.30, Mondays to Fridays). Students are expected to set aside extra time after school for homework and revision.
This exam course is for you if you have a high level of English and need to use it for practical purposes in the working world. If you want to study in Britain, many universities recognise this exam. You need an advanced level of English.
Please allow an extra week’s accommodation if you are going to do the exam in the UK since the last exam finishes in the week following the end of the course.
Minimum 4 participants.
Cambridge Proficiency Exam (CPE)
This exam is very advanced and is suitable for you if you want to study English for academic purposes. Most British universities recognise this exam. You can take the exam twice a year.
Since the demand for this exam is not high, we offer preparation for this on a Private tuition basis of 15 hours one-to-one tuition per week. Course length varies according to the student’s needs and ability.

IELTS C OURSES

IELTS is a test which you can take once a month at a local university. It tests the range of English language skills which you will need if you go on to study further in English.

We offer preparation for this test as an Intensive option on demand (for 4 or more students) or as a One-to-one option and we recommend that students have an upper intermediate level of English before attempting the test. Please note that if you want to do the test while you are in Totnes, you should inform us as soon as possible as it is very popular and demand for places is high.

Exam Preparation Option
Students who are interested in doing exam preparation on their own at the same time as doing a General English course can do our exam preparation afternoon option. This option offers 1 hour per week exam preparation in which the teacher sets students a course of private study to do in their own time. Exam practice will be set, homework checked and advice given on the various papers. Suitable for KET, PET, TOEIC and TOEFL. Exam fees extra.

T WO WEEK COURSES IN ENGLISH + NATURAL HEALTH FOR MIDWIVES

This programme is for midwives who are interested in learning more about holistic approaches to pregnancy and childbirth. There are English lessons in the mornings and workshops run by natural health practitioners offering a wide range of therapies and techniques in the afternoons. We also include a visit to a local hospital, together with the opportunity for informal discussion with local midwives.

SUMMER VACATION COURSES FOR ADULTS AND TEENAGERS 2003

Bring your family with you and combine learning English with a varied programme of workshops, sightseeing trips and activities in and around Totnes. Adults learn English at the Gate House and teenagers learn English at our summer school premises nearbye. Social programmes separate!
Please ask for more information.

THE ACCOMMODATION

• Friendly, comfortable accommodation with English people - half-board
• Reductions for long-term bookings
• All rooms are single unless otherwise requested.
• Hotel, B&B, shared and self-catering accommodation is available if requested.
• All accommodation is inspected by the school and is often within walking distance of the school.

SPARE TIME ACTIVITIES

Many exciting possibilities - for example:
* Alexander Technique * Basic Massage * Bach Flower Remedies * Aromatherapy * Conga Drumming * Guitar lessons * Woodcarving/Wood turning * Shoemaking * Canoeing *Horseriding * Tennis * Tandem Partnerships * Golf
The cost of these activities is extra. Other activities may be available on request.

"I don't think there's another school which offers so many great interesting things as you do. (Irish dance, singing evening, tarot cards,massage, culture lectures ...). I think even a short stay in Totnes can change your life." Anouk Frech Switzerland.

"The special interest activities are exactly what I was looking for." Gabriele Ghielmini Switzerland.

R EGULAR SOCIAL PROGRAMME –included in the price!

"Most I enjoyed the trips to the coast where I could see the beautiful country."
 Regula Zehnder, Switzerland.

"The stories on the Dartmoor moonwalk were very good - many thanks!"
Dirk Schiebel Germany