On the Private English course, participants will:
• Increase their ability to communicate in everyday situations in English.
• Learn new vocabulary.
• Improve understanding of English grammar and tenses.
• Get lots of practice by using everyday 'functional' English.
• Develop the core language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Receive regular assessments to ensure improvement throughout the course.
• Meet people from other countries and cultures.
• Make real progress and have a lot of fun!
Expected benefits:
• Learn English from qualified, experienced teachers.
• Practise listening to and speaking with native English speakers.
• Increase ability to understand and be understood.
• Use real English in everyday situations with confidence and improve language fluency.
• Develop an individual learning plan (ILP) to match specific needs.
• Get a certificate showing the level of language achieved and overall ability.
I appreciate everything Meridian School gave me, like English skill, England’s culture and friendly teachers and classmates. This is the best choice I had done!
I had been to Meridian School of English for General English lessons for 3 months. It was really great to spend time in such a good atmosphere.
As a computer engineer, English is one of the most important parts of my occupation. My English has improved a lot in Meridian School. I work at a bank now. Receiving English education in Meridian School of English has played an important role in my career.
From the first day of school, all the teachers helped, motivated, and gave courage about learning English to all the students. I really appreciate the teachers’ professional approach and the quality of the teaching. They teach and communicate positively. I’m really lucky that I took lessons from knowledgeable, effective, and friendly teachers.
I enjoyed studying a lot at this school. The classes were well-structured, well-organised and the class sizes were small so I could ask a question anytime.
The school staff was very friendly, funny, and helpful as well. There was always someone to answer questions. They were always ready to help.
The school offered many activities and facilities. Every week, new activities were arranged: international dinners, movie nights, bowling, pool evenings, and so on. I've visited new places during the weekend with the school. We had guides who were very cheerful and reliable, and introduced the places. It was amazing to see England’s natural and historical places.
I've met a lot of people from other countries and different cultures so I've learned many things about them. We had such a nice time talking to each other. I still keep in touch with them.
My experience in Portsmouth was an enjoyable combination of studying and entertainment in a safe and lively place. There were many possibilities to encounter there. People who live in Portsmouth are helpful and kind as well.
Before this trip, I was very excited because I didn't know anybody there and I had no idea what would happen, but when I met with my host lady on the first day, all fears were gone. The lady who hosted me was very polite and friendly. I felt like I was at my home.
To sum up, this experience is one of the best things I've ever done. I was really relaxed throughout my stay. I've had many beautiful and unforgettable memories. I've met great people. After taking courses in Meridian School, my English has improved immensely. I participated in the upper-intermediate class after the exam I took. I use English proficiently. It’s been a real pleasure to study at the Meridian School of English. I would recommend Meridian School to everyone!
"A wonderful, effective language course at a warm, welcoming school"
Jutta Lasner
(Translated by Google Translate)
I went to Meridian School of English in Portsmouth in the summer of 2012 as part of my university course back in Germany. I stayed six weeks in total and visited the school for 15 hours each week.
I massively enjoyed my stay because every single teacher made us feel absolutely welcome. They always took an interest as to how we were doing whether we get along with our host families (even though I didn't book mine through Meridian, they still made sure I was okay!) and what we wanted to do in class. Gemma Davies, who taught me in my six weeks at Meridian, was a fabulous teacher and helped me improve my English a lot by always varying tasks and making us talk in English at all times.
Meridian School of English is located in the beautiful Guildhall. When I was there the school had just moved so there were still a few things to improve, but overall the facilities were very appropriate for small study groups. Guildhall Square is in the very centre of the city, with the City Centre bus stops only a few minutes walk away.
The social activities varied from trips to Brighton and London to movie nights once a week. Although I didn't really participate as I was there with friends from Germany and we mostly spend time amongst ourselves, everyone made sure we were always up to date so that we could join if we wanted to, which made us feel very welcome and appreciated.
As mentioned above, I didn't book my accommodation through Meridian; nevertheless I've heard lots of positive things about it from other students. Meridian takes a great interest in its pupils feeling as good as possible in their homes, and ask repeatedly if everything is alright. Also, a member of staff is always available for you to talk to if there are any problems at all.
All in all, I absolutely loved attending Meridian School and would come back anytime. What could also be interesting for you is that Meridian is affiliated with Tellus Group, so they offer a range of work experiences which you can do in combination with the language course. I did an internship via Tellus and Meridian in 2013 and it was as great an experience as my time spent at the school.
On top of that, Portsmouth is a very beautiful maritime city with lots of historic places to explore and the impressive Spinnaker Tower to be visited. By the way, if you ask a member of staff about student cards, they will give you one so that you get discounts on museums, the cinema, the Spinnaker etc. during your stay. All you need is a passport photo :)
You should be aware that living in the UK can be quite costly, and I found attending Meridian also quite expensive; if you have the opportunity to do a language course with them though, be assured that the experience is definitely worth its money.
Basically, Meridian School of English is a wonderful school with lots of brilliant teachers and I would thoroughly recommend everyone who wants to improve their English to go there. :)
Homestays are carefully selected and offer students the opportunity to learn more about the local culture in a comfortable setting while studying English in Portsmouth. These homes are often between 20-35 minutes away from the school by foot.
Families usually offer affordable meal plans that allow you to sample the local cuisine. If you have special requests or diet restrictions (because of religion or health reasons), please let us know in advance. Students must be 16 years old and older.
All homestays have criminal record checks and are inspected annually in line with British Council requirements.
It is company policy that students of the same nationality are not housed together in the same homestay.
Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to ポーツマス based on your budget, schedule and preferences.
