Page 15 - ELG2410 October Issue 492

UK RANKINGS 2024-25
The Olympics of UK language centres

It’s that time of year again! We take a look at the top UK accredited

centres for 2024-25.

elcome to the 2024 EL Gazette Rankings! Contents
Flicking through the pages, regular rankings readers
will notice two main differences: there are fewer
Wpages of rankings than normal and fewer new Centres WHAT NEW?
of Excellence. This year’s rankings have changed.
In fact, there are just six new names appearing in our rankings 16 ake a look to see how it affects
T
this year, two of whom are former CoEs, so a warm welcome back to
University of Plymouth Marjon and Severnvale Academy. the scoring...
We also have two Young Learners operations entering for the first
time: Bell St Albans and Peartree English Language Experience and
Activity, a joint venture between a Cardiff language centre and the 18
READING SKILLS
prestigious boarding school, UW Atlantic College. How to read the rankings
Last but not least, we have two longstanding year round language
schools: Kent School of English and Kensington Academy.
Why are there so few new CoEs? Well, the short answer is that, since
2021, most centres have opted for Compliance Inspections, where no
THE RANKINGS
new areas of strength are given—therefore, no new CoEs emerge. For 19
more information on this, check out the analysis over on page 22. The 2024-25 language centre rankings
From the beginning of this year, however, all centres must undergo
a Full Inspection. The torrent of work this entails has taken its toll on
the British Council team, with the normal monthly publication of the
summary statements slowing—none were issued for August, and there
was at least one case where we have two vastly different Full Reports BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
issued for the same school within a ten month period. This is why we’ve Beyond the numbers, what do the
r
had to delay ranking them this year, until we were able to find out what 22 esults really mean?
on earth was going on!
What readers may not notice in a quick flick through, however, is that,
for the first time in a decade or more, we have added a new algorithm SPOTLIGHT ON… YOUNG LEARNERS
to the rankings in an attempt to even out the differences between the
new criteria for the area of ‘Academic staff profile’ introduced this year, How have summer schools and junior
compared to old reports. For more on why we did this, and how we did 23 specialists got on this year?
it, you can read more on pages16 and 17.
Finally for those who may be fed up with the Gazette going on about
teachers and teaching, Director of Bridge Mill’s Galway Language WHAT MAKES A CENTRE OF
Centre, Patrick Creed’s piece on page 25 delves deep into the secrets of
excellence in management. EXCELLENCE?
So, without further ado, read on for this year’s UK Language Centre 25 The role of good governance in
Rankings! promoting the development of CoEs.

Where in the UK will you find a Centre of Excellence?
editorial@elgazette.com 15