How to find us Repertory Theatre treet Sheepcote S l ona Nati oor Ind na Are ICC Brindley Place Central Library Council House nary Cente re Squa Town Hall New l et l Rd A38 N ay Victoria Square Stre risto To B et re St t6 Jnc ( 38 A To te o ov d oa Br Mi dd lew M6 l Cana N ley Rd A456 Hag orway ot to M5 M & M) Birmingham City Centre Birmingham Five Ways Rail Station More information? If you would like more information about Brasshouse English courses and Homestay accommodation, please contact us by phone, fax or email. Telephone: 0121 303 0114 Fax: 0121 464 5375 Email: brasshouse@birmingham.gov.uk We will be happy to answer your questions and advise you on the best options for you. Brasshouse Language Centre, 50 Sheepcote Street, Birmingham B16 8AJ, England. Website: http://brasshouse.birmingham.gov.uk/brasshouse-english For further information about Birmingham, please visit www.visitbirmingham.com New Street Rail Station English Course Guide Selfridges Bullring Brindleyplace Brindleyplace Mailbox Birmingham, UK In partnership with Rotunda Canal Side What students say about Brasshouse Language Centre “I would recommend Brasshouse because here, you will find your international family.” Vesela from Bulgaria “It’s a school with so much life! You can improve your English while you have a great time!” Baldo from Spain 94% of students said that “Our teachers are really friendly, more professional than anywhere else and so patient!” Marina from Latvia the Brasshouse English course met their needs. 98% of students said “If you choose Brasshouse, you will have no regrets! Come on!” Minwoo from South Korea that they were happy with the quality of teaching at Brasshouse. “After only 3 months at Brasshouse and with the help of a superlative teacher, I have had the opportunity to improve my English skills a lot.” Farbrizio from Italy Page one (Source: Autumn term 2012 End of course survey) “The teachers are full of energy!” Maryam from Iran “I found it very useful . The teachers are very friendly and helpful! I really enjoyed my time here!” Aziza from Saudi Arabia St Phillip's Come to Birmingham! Birmingham is a modern, vibrant city in the heart of the UK. It is the ideal location to learn English giving you the chance to live and study in a truly multicultural environment with a wide range of leisure facilities. Birmingham is the second biggest city in the UK and while it offers services, amenities and cultural opportunities equal to any large European city, you will find living expenses much cheaper than in London. There is a wide variety of museums, theatres and music venues as well as thriving nightlife, world-class sports events and facilities and excellent shopping facilities. Birmingham has unrivalled transport links with the rest of the UK. London is 90 minutes away by train and major tourist destinations like Stratfordupon-Avon (the birthplace of William Shakespeare) and Warwick Castle are less that 1 hour away. Birmingham International Airport with flights to destinations all over Europe is a ten-minute train journey from the city centre. Study at Brasshouse Language Centre! Brasshouse Language Centre is the largest Adult Education Centre in the UK specialising in language courses and language services. It is situated in the city centre in the Brindleyplace leisure and business area. The staff and students from all over the world bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the centre and create a dynamic, truly international atmosphere. Brasshouse is an authorised Cambridge Examinations centre offering examinations for KET (Key English Test), PET (Preliminary English Test), FCE (First Certificate in English), CAE (Certificate in Advanced English) and CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English). Our English classes cover a wide range of language skills and will help you to use English more confidently and effectively. Our highly qualified and experienced teachers and the relaxed and friendly atmosphere in class guarantee that you learn and have fun at the same time. We have classes at all levels from Beginners (CEFR A1) to Proficiency (CEFR C2). You can study General English or prepare for international exams like PET (Preliminary English Test), FCE (First Certificate in English), CAE (Certificate in Advanced English) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Page two Full-time Courses 21 hours a week General English (Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate or Advanced) Academic English (IELTS**) or Exam Preparation Classes (First Certificate* or CAE*) Monday to Friday 09.30 -13.00 PLUS 2 OF THE FOLLOWING Monday & Wednesday 13.45 -15.15 OR Listening & Speaking Tuesday & Thursday 13.45 -15.15 OR Reading & Writing Monday & Wednesday 13.45 -15.15 OR Tuesday & Thursday 13.45 -15.15 OR Wednesday 13.45 -17.00 IELTS** Grammar Skills English for Job Hunting Students on our full-time 21 hour a week programme study General English (Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate or Advanced), Academic English (for the IELTS exam**) or prepare for Cambridge English Language Assessment exams at First Certificate or CAE levels in the mornings from 09.30 to 13.00. See More Information about Morning Classes on page 4. In the afternoon, students can choose two of the following classes: Listening and Speaking, Reading and Writing, English for Job Hunting, Grammar Skills or IELTS preparation**. 18 hours a week General English (Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate or Advanced) Academic English (IELTS**) or Exam Preparation Classes (First Certificate* or CAE*) Monday to Friday 09.30 -13.00 PLUS 1 OF THE FOLLOWING Monday & Wednesday 13.45 -15.15 Listening & Speaking OR Tuesday & Thursday 13.45 -15.15 Reading & Writing OR Monday & Wednesday 13.45 -15.15 OR English for Job Hunting Students on our full-time 18 hour a week programme study General English (Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate), Academic English (for the IELTS exam**) or prepare for Cambridge English Language Assessment exams at First Certificate or Advanced levels in the mornings from 09.30 to 13.00. See More Information about Morning Classes on page 4. In the afternoon, students can choose one of the following classes: Listening and Speaking, Reading and Writing, English for Job Hunting, Grammar Skills or IELTS preparation**. * You can only join an exam preparation class if you have the appropriate level of English. **IELTS is only available to students at Upper Intermediate level or above. Page three Bullring Tuesday & Thursday 13.45 -15.15 Grammar Skills OR Wednesday 13.45 -17.00 IELTS** Full-time Courses The Ikon Gallery 15 hours a week General English (Beginners, Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate or Advanced) Academic English (IELTS**) or Exam Preparation Classes (First Certificate* or CAE*) Monday to Friday 09.30 -13.00 Students on our full-time 15 hour a week programme study General English (Beginners, Elementary, Preintermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate), Academic English (for the IELTS exam**) or prepare for Cambridge English Language Assessment exams at First Certificate or Advanced levels in the mornings from 09.30 to 13.00. See More Information about Morning Classes below. *You can only join an exam preparation class if you have the appropriate level of English. **IELTS is only available to students at Upper Intermediate level or above. More Information about Morning Classes General English In Brasshouse morning classes you will improve your everyday English and learn the language that you need for the world of work and further education. Your experienced and highly qualified teacher(s) will evaluate and address your individual needs and help you to identify and achieve your learning goals. You will develop your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in fun and engaging activities as well as developing your knowledge of English grammar and increasing your vocabulary. Participating in group and pair work will help you to develop your fluency, improve your pronunciation and to use English more confidently. In your morning class, you will follow a course book which you have to buy at the start of the course. At the end of each term, your teachers will assess your progress and decide if you can move to the next level. Most students need at least 2 terms on a full-time course before they can move up to the next level. Exam Preparation Classes (First Certificate, CAE & IELTS) Our full-time morning Exam Preparation courses allow you to improve your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills while focusing on the language necessary for you to pass the exam. You will learn about the format of each part of the exam and carry out extensive practice of each section. Our Exam Preparation tutors have considerable experience of teaching at these levels and will guide you through your studies, assessing and advising you along the way. You will expand your grammatical skills, extend your range of vocabulary and take part in lively and motivating activities while developing the techniques that will help you to be successful in the exam. In your morning class, you will follow a course book which you have to buy at the start of the course. Page four Part-time Courses 3 or 6 hours a week - Skills Classes Speaking & Listening (Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate & Advanced) Monday & Wednesday 13.45 - 15.15 Reading & Writing Tuesday & Thursday 13.45 - 15.15 (Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate & Advanced) Students at Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced level can choose to study Speaking and Listening on Mondays and Wednesdays from 13.45 to 15.15 and/or Reading and Writing on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 13.45 to 15.15. 3 hours a week - Afternoon Classes English for Job Hunting (suitable for students at Intermediate level) Monday and Wednesday afternoons 13.45-15.15 The course will cover all the main areas and skills you will need for the whole process of job hunting, everything from reading adverts to applying for jobs, the interview process and even negotiating your salary when you have been offered the job! It will also give you the confidence to find the job you deserve. We will cover all four skills including Reading recruitment websites and researching specific posts. Writing cover letters and CVs after analysing authentic examples. Listening to advice from experts and assessing sample interviews, also work on active listening. Speaking: Role plays to practise interview skills, negotiating and networking, etc. This course is suitable for any students at Intermediate level or above who would like to learn and practise the language needed when you are looking for a job. Grammar Skills (suitable for students at Pre-intermediate and Intermediate levels) Tuesday and Thursday afternoons 13.45-15.15 English grammar is fun! In this class you will learn and practise grammar by playing games and taking part in a variety of pair and group activities. The lively sessions will help you to develop your speaking and listening skills and to communicate more clearly and effectively. At the end of the course, you will have a much better understanding of how the most useful parts of English grammar work! The course is suitable for students at Pre-intermediate and Intermediate level. IELTS** Wednesday 13.45 - 17.00 Students on our Wednesday afternoon 3 hour programme can prepare for the IELTS** exam. ** IELTS is only available to students at Upper Intermediate level or above. Page five Part-time Courses 2 hours a week Natural Everyday English (suitable for students at Intermediate level and above) Tuesday 14.00 - 16.00 Do you ever wonder why the language you speak in class sometimes sounds different from the language you hear outside the classroom? Do you wish you could sound more like a native speaker? Do you want to feel more comfortable in English conversations? This course will help you to • understand what sounds ‘natural’ to a native speaker. • sound more natural yourself. • practise different kinds of everyday dialogues. • improve your pronunciation. • become more confident when speaking in English. 3 hours a week - Morning Classes General English (Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced) Friday 09.30 - 13.00 Exam Preparation (First Certificate) Friday 09.30 - 13.00 Students on our Friday 3 hour programme can study General English at Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced level or prepare for the Cambridge English Language Assessment First Certificate exam. 3 hours a week - Evening Classes Exam Preparation (First Certificate, CAE or Proficiency) Monday 17.45 - 21.00 General English (Pre-intermediate, Intermediate & Upper Intermediate) Tuesday 17.45 - 21.00 General English (Elementary) Exam Preparation (First Certificate, CAE or IELTS**) Thursday 17.45 - 21.00 Students on our evening courses can study General English at Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate or Upper Intermediate level. We also have exam preparation courses for Cambridge English Language Assessment First Certificate, CAE, Proficiency or IELTS** exams. ** IELTS is only available to students at Upper Intermediate level or above. Page six English Summer Programme On our English Summer Programme, you can spend one or two months improving your English and making friends from all over the world. As well as 21 hours of classes per week, you can enjoy our varied social programme. Summer Programme Classes Classes on the Summer Programme cover a wide range of English language skills and will help you to use English more confidently and effectively. Our experienced teachers and the relaxed and friendly atmosphere in class guarantee that you learn and have fun at the same time. Morning Classes In the mornings, you will study General English or prepare for the Cambridge First Certificate (FCE) exam or for the IELTS exam. Morning classes start at 09.30 and finish at 13.00 from Monday to Friday. Social Programme You can also take part in the wide range of activities and excursions on our Social Programme. This includes weekly day trips to places of interest like London, Oxford and Bath. We also organise trips to museums and historical houses in Birmingham and evenings out at local pubs and theatres. Afternoon Classes On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (14.00 to 16.00), you will attend one of a range of afternoon classes. You will choose your afternoon class at the start of the course. The classes include Speaking & Listening, Reading & Writing, Natural Everyday English, Art & Culture, Grammar Skills and Magazine Production. On the Brasshouse Summer Programme, you will enjoy learning English, make friends and get a taste of living and studying in the UK. Outside the classes, you will use your English skills in everyday life, through film and television, newspapers and books, shopping and entertainment. General English (Beginners, Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate & Advanced) Academic English (IELTS**) Exam Preparation (First Certificate) Monday to Friday 09.30 - 13.00 PLUS A choice of afternoon classes Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 14.00 - 16.00 ** IELTS is only available to students at Upper Intermediate level and above. Students must be over 18 years old to attend the English Summer Programme. Brindleyplace Aston Hall Refund Policy Once fees have been paid for any Brasshouse English course, your money will ONLY be refunded if you can give us a medical certificate or an official Visa Refusal letter. Page seven General Information Studying The Custard Factory Open Learning Social Programme What is Open Learning? Our Social Programme will help you to enjoy your free time and make friends. There are regular day trips to places of interest like London, Oxford, Cambridge, Oxford, Bath and Cardiff. The cost of each day trip is between £15 and £30. It is our Language Library and Study Centre. What can I do there? • Use dictionaries, grammar, vocabulary and course books. • Have access to exam practice materials. • Practise listening, reading, writing and pronunciation. • Use computers and surf the Internet. • Borrow films, books and CDs. • Organise your studies. • Find out about useful websites. Who can help me? • English tutors are available to give you advice and support. You can book an appointment to talk to them. • Other Open Learning staff can also help you to find the resources that you need. How can I join? • Fill in an application form in the Open Learning centre. • Pay the Open Learning fee (£10.00 per term) at the Fees desk in reception. • For the English Summer Programme, the fee is £2.50 per month. We also organise evening activities including bowling and ice skating, afternoon trips to museums and historical houses in Birmingham and evenings out at local pubs. This type of activity and trip costs between £5 and £15. At Brasshouse, you can watch and discuss movies at our Film Club and practise your spoken English outside class at our regular Conversation Club meetings. We also organise Quiz afternoons and have End of Course parties at the end of each term. These events at Brasshouse are free of charge. Student Counsellor Free counselling support is available for all students who experience any type of difficulty in their personal life. Our counsellor is there to • listen to students without criticizing • talk through problems sympathetically • access external support wherever necessary. You can make an appointment to see the Student Counsellor at Information Desk. Page eight General Information Classes at Brasshouse Cambridge English Exams The average number of students per class is 16 and the maximum is 20. Brasshouse is an authorised Cambridge English Language Assessment exams centre. The following exams are held at regular intervals during the year: KET (Key English Test), PET (Preliminary English Test), FCE (First Certificate in English), CAE (Certificate in Advanced English) and CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English). Exam fees range from £50 to £130 according to the exam. The minimum class size is 8. If the number falls below this, we may need to close your class and offer you an alternative. Term Dates September to June From September to June, Brasshouse courses are divided into terms. The Autumn term is from September to December, the Spring term is from January to April and the Summer term from April to June. Between the Autumn and Spring terms, there is a break which covers the Christmas and New Year period. Between the Spring and Summer terms there is a break of approximately two weeks. In line with other UK educational establishments there are also week-long breaks in the middle of each term (these are called half term). The first Monday in May is a national holiday in the UK. There are no classes on this day. July and August In July and August, there are two courses of 4 weeks each. There is a week long break at the end of August. For more information about prices and exam dates, please see http://brasshouse.birmingham.gov.uk/ brasshouse-english/cambridge-examinations/ or go to our Information Desk. IELTS Exam The IELTS exam can be taken at Aston University. For more information, please visit http://www1.aston.ac.uk/ielts/ Council Tax Council tax is a local tax payable to the British Government. Students are currently required to pay Council Tax unless they study full-time for more than 6 months. For more information about this, contact our Information Desk. Adults Only Please see the attached Course Calendar for the exact term and holiday dates for this year. Brasshouse is an ADULT Education Centre and we cannot accept students under the age of 18. Course Books Comments, Compliments and Complaints Most classes follow a set course book. You will be required to buy the book at the start of the course. Books cost between £20 and £35. Speak to your teacher before buying the course book and make sure that you buy the right one. We cannot exchange books or refund any money paid for books. Certificates At the end of each course, you will receive a certificate of attendance. You are required to attend AT LEAST 80% of classes to obtain the certificate. Page nine We welcome feedback from learners before, during and after your course. For any comments, compliments or complaints, please contact Pauline Desch, Head of English Tel: 0121 303 2523 Email: Pauline_Desch@birmingham.gov.uk Paul Henderson, Deputy Head of English Tel: 0121 303 1649 Email: Paul_J_Henderson@birmingham.gov.uk If you prefer, there is a more formal procedure for complaints. To make a formal complaint, please collect the leaflet 'Your views are good news' from Information Desk. Homestay Accommodation Your accommodation is one of the most important aspects of your stay in the UK. Homestay accommodation combines quality, friendliness and value for money. It is suitable for those who want a lot of contact with their Homestay provider and those who prefer to be independent. Homestay accommodation provides you with a first-hand experience of English life and is also the place where you can learn the most English outside the classroom. All Homestay accommodation is carefully selected and most hosts have worked with Brasshouse for many years. The Accommodation Officer works closely with our Homestay providers to arrange appropriate placements and to ensure that they meet the quality and safety guidelines set by English UK and the British Council. Not all Homestay accommodation consists of 2 parents with children. We have many experienced and friendly Homestay providers who have different living arrangements – some are couples with no children, some are single parents with children and some are single adults. Our Homestay providers are accustomed to having visitors stay in their home. “When I needed help, the family was always ready to help me. Marzia from Italy “Home from home.” Mohamed from Saudi Arabia “It was a positive experience because I came to study English and when you live with an English family it helps you to improve your English.” Pavel from Russia They will want to make sure that you are happy and comfortable in their home. All Homestay providers live within a travelling distance of approximately 60 minutes from Brasshouse. We offer 4 types of Homestay Accommodation • Room Only • Half-board (breakfast and evening meal) • Mixed (Monday to Friday: breakfast and evening and Saturday and Sunday: breakfast, lunch and evening meal) • Full-board (breakfast, lunch and evening meal) All accommodation includes transport from Birmingham International Airport, Digbeth Coach Station or New Street Station. To book Homestay accommodation, please complete the Homestay Application Form with as many details as possible. This will help us to find you suitable accommodation and ensure that you are happy during your stay. Accommodation cannot be arranged without payment. Please book early to avoid disappointment. “They are like my family and I don’t feel lonely I would like to recommend this homestay to other students.” Ga Yeon from South Korea What students say about Homestay Accommodation “They made me feel part of the family and introduced me to their friends.” Fatimata from France “It is one of the most positive experiences that I have had. The family is great and they are always helping me.” Victor from Spain “I absolutely love my host family!” Marina, Ukraine Page ten