Excel English in Muswell Hill, one of London’s top-ranking schools and a member of the prestigious TEN association, has closed its doors after over 30 years. Also in London, One English in Covent Garden has also gone, and a closure in the South East of the city is on the cards.
Signs of a new Brexit bust? London took some of the biggest hits in the academic year 2015-2016, when there was a flurry of school closures (see graph).
However, looking at the list of newly-accredited centres, you will spot two new London schools, and others in the traditional destinations of Oxford, Brighton, Bristol and newly-fashionable Cardiff.
Across the North, centres in Manchester, Huddersfield, Fleetwood and Ormskirk have all passed inspection. Less-traditional locations also make the list, with a residential school in Newbury, a University in Chichester and private language schools in two exclusive locations in Surrey: Godalming and Weybridge.
In fact, Brexit is likely to bring a flurry of centres choosing be inspected, as the small local language schools and summer programmes which now cater exclusively to EU citizens will need to seek accreditation.
Meanwhile there is some good news for the members of TEN, with the not-for-profit group ELC Bristol taking ownership of English in Chester.
Newly accredited schools
Echo Language School, Brighton
Express English College, Manchester
Language Vision, London
Oxford Business College, Oxford
TEG English, Cardif
Edgehill University, Ormskirk
Hunter Language School, Bristol
Newbury Hall, Berkshire
Rossall School, Fleetwood
UK2learn, Godalming
Queens English Language School, Kingston-upon-Thames
