English + · Ages 50 and over
English + Gardens and Culture
English + Gardens and Culture is a one or two week English course for students aged 50 and over, run by inlingua Cheltenham in the Cotswolds, England. Each week combines 20 English lessons with six guided excursions to Cotswold gardens, manor houses and villages. You arrive on a Sunday and leave on a Sunday, so accommodation covers all seven nights. Classes hold five to ten students and the level is A1 and above. Prices start at £850 for one week without accommodation, or £1,075 including half board with a local host.
- Age
- 50+Exceptions considered
- Class size
- 5–10Small by design
- Each week
- 20 + 6Lessons and excursions
- Stay
- Sunday–Sunday7 nights per week
A course built around the Cotswolds, not just near them
Cheltenham sits on the edge of the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the south-west of England. Most English courses treat that as scenery. This one treats it as the syllabus.
You study English for 20 lessons a week in the morning, then travel out with a guide six times a week — five weekday half-day excursions and a full day on Saturday — to the gardens, villages, churches and historic houses that the language and the culture actually came from. You learn the vocabulary in class and use it the same afternoon, standing in front of the thing it describes.
Prices
Two ways to book: with half board accommodation arranged by the school, or course only if you would rather arrange your own stay. Both include the same lessons, excursions and guide.
| Package | Accommodation | Lessons / week | Excursions / week | 1 week | 2 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homestay package | Half board standard homestay, 7 nights per week | 20 | 6 | £1,075 | £2,040 |
| Course only | You arrange your own | 20 | 6 | £850 | £1,590 |
- Includes
- 20 lessons per week, weekday half-day excursions, Saturday full-day excursions, tour guide, chosen accommodation
- Excludes
- Administrative fees, airport transfers, lunches
The homestay price covers Sunday arrival to Sunday departure — seven nights for a one-week course, fourteen for two weeks. Booking two weeks also lowers the weekly rate: £1,020 a week rather than £1,075 with homestay, or £795 rather than £850 course only.
What two weeks actually costs
| Gardens and Culture, 2 weeks, homestay package Includes 14 nights, Sunday to Sunday | £2,040 |
|---|---|
| Registration fee (one-off) | £60 |
| Accommodation arrangement fee (one-off) | £40 |
| Total | £2,140 |
One week course only comes to £910 including the registration fee. Airport transfers and lunches are extra — a return taxi from Heathrow is £450, and full transfer prices are on the fees page. You can build your own total with the fee calculator.
Where you go
Below is a sample two-week programme. It shows the kind of places the course visits and the rhythm of the week — five half-days out and a full day on Saturday. The actual schedule varies with the season and is subject to change.
| Day | Destination |
|---|---|
| Monday | Snowshill Manor and Garden |
| Tuesday | Batsford Arboretum |
| Wednesday | Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold |
| Thursday | Westbury Court and Ross-on-Wye |
| Friday | Kelmscott Manor |
| Saturday | Bath — full day |
| Day | Destination |
|---|---|
| Monday | Croome Court |
| Tuesday | Bourton House and Chipping Campden |
| Wednesday | Hidcote (National Trust) |
| Thursday | Rococo Garden and Painswick |
| Friday | Sudeley Castle |
| Saturday | Oxford — full day |
This is a sample programme and is subject to change. Entry costs to properties are covered; lunches are not.
Course details
| Age | 50 and over. Exceptions can be made for younger students — please ask. |
|---|---|
| Class size | 5 to 10 students |
| English level | A1 and above. Near-beginners are welcome. |
| Lessons | 20 per week |
| Excursions | 6 per week, with a guide |
| Arrival and departure | Sunday to Sunday. Accommodation covers all seven nights per week. |
| Location | inlingua Cheltenham and the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire |
| Accommodation | Half board standard homestay, or self-arranged |
| Duration | 1 or 2 weeks |
2027 arrival dates
The dates below are arrival dates, all Sundays. Lessons begin on the next teaching day — normally the Monday, or the Tuesday when the Monday is a UK bank holiday. Two-week students arrive on any of these dates and stay for the following week.
May
2, 9, 16, 23, 30
June
6, 13, 20, 27
August
15, 22, 29
September
5
Highlighted dates are followed by a bank holiday Monday — 3 May, 31 May and 30 August 2027. On those courses a full-day excursion replaces the Monday lessons, so nothing is lost from the programme, and classroom teaching begins on the Tuesday.
Who this course suits
It works well if you are returning to English after a long gap, or learning it properly for the first time in retirement, and you would rather be in a small group of people your own age than in a class of eighteen-year-olds. Several students come with a partner or a friend; several come alone and leave having made plans to return together.
It is not an exam course and there is no homework pressure. If you need IELTS or Cambridge preparation, our Intensive English 30 is the better fit. And if you want the gardens without the excursion schedule, General English 20 leaves your afternoons free.
You all have a special spot in my heart. Keep up your awesome unique energy and spirit. You are all doing a great job in what you do. Kim, Gardens and Culture student
Where you stay
The homestay package places you with a local host on half board — breakfast and dinner every day, plus laundry — from Sunday arrival to Sunday departure. Our own accommodation officers find and inspect every home against British Council standards, and most hosts are within a short bus ride of the school.
For mature students this is usually the part people are most unsure about and most pleased by afterwards. Hosts who take Gardens and Culture students tend to be experienced, and evening conversation over dinner is where a surprising amount of the English actually happens.
If you would rather have your own space, take the course-only price and book a hotel — there are several within walking distance of the school. More on accommodation.
Common questions
Is there an English course in England for over 50s?
Yes. inlingua Cheltenham runs English + Gardens and Culture for students aged 50 and over, in the Cotswolds. It combines 20 English lessons a week with six guided excursions a week to gardens, villages and historic houses, in classes of five to ten students. Courses run for one or two weeks in May, June, August and September, from £850 for one week without accommodation.
When do I arrive, and when do lessons start?
You arrive on a Sunday and leave on a Sunday, so the homestay price covers all seven nights of each week. Lessons begin on the next teaching day, normally the Monday. When the Monday is a UK bank holiday — 3 May, 31 May and 30 August in 2027 — a full-day excursion runs instead and classroom teaching starts on the Tuesday.
What English level do I need?
A1 and above, which means you can join as a near-complete beginner. There is a free online placement test before you arrive and a short test on your first morning so that you start in the right group. Because classes hold only five to ten students, the teacher can work at your pace.
Can I come if I am younger than 50?
Usually, yes. The course is designed for mature students, but exceptions can be made — please contact the school and explain what you are looking for.
How much walking is involved?
Excursions involve walking on garden paths, gravel and uneven historic ground, and some properties have steps or slopes. Most students find the pace comfortable, but if you have a mobility concern, tell us when you book. We know these sites well and can advise honestly on which parts of the programme will suit you and what the alternatives are.
Are lunches and entry fees included?
Entry to the properties and the guide are included in the course price. Lunches are not, and neither are administrative fees or airport transfers. Budget for lunch out on excursion days.
Do I need a visa?
It depends on your nationality. A one or two week course usually falls under a Standard Visitor Visa, and some nationalities need only an ETA digital permit. inlingua Cheltenham can issue a visa support letter once a deposit and administrative fees have been received. Check the current rules on the UK government website, as they change.
Ready to price it?
Build your own total — course, accommodation, transfers and fees — or reserve a place in about two minutes without paying anything yet.
Prices valid for courses starting in 2027. Last updated August 2026.