Scheduled Classes

For the majority of people our small group day and evening classes are the ideal way to learn French. We take great care to ensure that groups are formed of people with the same level of French so that no one need feel awkard, left out, or any of the other things that can make you nervous about joining a class. (See ::levels )The groups are just people like you wanting to learn French and once the initial nerves settle an esprit de corps soon develops. Take the plunge. It is fun and you won't regret it. The only thing to regret later is not doing it!

Every new student who is not a complete beginner is assessed as they join (a free and friendly meeting with a tutor) to establish their level so that they are assigned to the right class.

Classes are built around 30 hour modules which run over 12 weeks organised into four terms (see below) and each term you can choose from once a week or twice a week day and evening classes, or a Saturday morning course. Also each term we run two week intensive courses. These run fortnightly six times during the 12 week terms and three time over the six week summer term.

The fee for your class includes a course book with accompanying CD. We use the four volume Alter Ego series, which takes you from complete beginner to advanced level, and the cover of volume 1 is shown in the picture on the right. The book was written by Alliance française teachers in Paris and is the ideal text for the Alliance francaise method which follows the recommendations of the Common European Framework for Languages.

Our course administrators - Elodie and Olivier - look forward to meeting you. Your authentic French experience begins the moment you walk through the door.

Our Classes

Class fees are inclusive of a course book with CD. There is no VAT.

Levels

We divide our syllabus into 14 levels labelled 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 2a, 2b and so on to 3d, then 4 and 5.

Each of the levels 1a through to 3d is 30 hours of tuition in a group class. Levels 4 and 5 are more open ended and organised in themes such as poltics and current affairs, literature etc.

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is used increasingly to report levels of attainment in language study. The CEFR levels are broad, too broad for grouping learners into classes. Equivalences with our teaching levels are shown in this table.