What to expect
The student experience
Courses at inlingua Cheltenham start every Monday, all year round. On your first morning you are welcomed at reception, take a placement test, are shown around the town, and meet your class. From there it is lessons in the morning, a social programme in the afternoon, and a host or a hotel in the evening. This page explains how the week actually works — the timetable, the levels, the support available and the dates when we are closed.
- Courses start
- Every MondayAll year round
- Class size
- 8–12Maximum 12
- Levels
- Pre-A1 to C2Nine levels
- Emergency line
- 24 / 7Every student
On this page
1. Your first day
All new students start on Monday morning — or Tuesday, when the Monday is a UK bank holiday. It is the day most people are nervous about, so here is exactly what happens.
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Getting here
If you are staying with a host, they will show you how to get to the school on your first morning. If you are not staying with a host, make your own way and arrive by 08:45.
The school is at 9 Rodney Road, Cheltenham GL50 1HX, in the town centre.
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Reception
Our reception team will welcome you and give you a welcome pack, and ask you to fill in a health form. They will also copy your passport, so please bring it with you on your first day if you have not sent it before.
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Orientation at 09:00
The academic team runs orientation. You will learn the school rules and what we expect from you, and be taken on a short tour of the school. This is a good moment to ask anything at all about the school, your course, or life in Cheltenham.
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Testing
You take a test so that we can check your English level. It has three parts: multiple-choice questions, a short writing task, and a one-to-one interview.
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A walk around town
While the teachers mark your test, you are taken on a short tour of central Cheltenham. By the time you get back, we know your level.
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Placement
You are put into the right class and introduced to your teacher and your classmates. That is the first day done.
If the level turns out to be wrong
Your teachers check your progress carefully to make sure you are in the correct class. If a class is too easy or too difficult, your teacher may suggest that you change level. You can also ask to move at any time — speak to a member of the academic team, who will consult your teacher before making a decision.
You can also take our free online placement test before you travel, which gives you an idea of where you will start.
Back to top ↑2. A day at the school
Lessons are 45 minutes. Morning teaching is the same for everyone; afternoons depend on your course. Intensive English 30 students continue through the afternoon, while General English 20 students are free from 12:15.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 09:00 – 10:30 | Morning lessons, part one |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | Break |
| 10:45 – 12:15 | Morning lessons, part two |
| 12:15 – 13:30 | Lunch break |
| 13:30 – 15:00 | Afternoon lessons — Intensive English 30 only |
| 15:00 – 15:15 | Break |
| 15:15 – 17:00 | Self-study and activities |
3. Student levels
We teach nine levels, from complete beginner to proficient. Each is calibrated to the knowledge and skill of the students within it, and our levels follow the proficiency classifications used by international language organisations — so you can see roughly where you sit against CEFR, IELTS, TOEIC and Trinity GESE.
| Level | Placement score | CEFR | IELTS | TOEIC | Trinity GESE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-beginner | 0–20 | Pre-A1 | — | — | 1 |
| Beginner | 21–35 | A1 | 1.0–2.0 | — | 2 |
| Pre-intermediate | 36–50 | A2 | 2.0–4.0 | 15–300 | 3–4 |
| Intermediate | 51–70 | B1 | 4.0–5.0 | 350–500 | 5–6 |
| Upper intermediate | 71–90 | B2 | 5.0–6.0 | 600–750 | 7–8 |
| Established upper intermediate | 71–90 | B2+ | 6.0–7.0 | — | 9 |
| Advanced | 91–100 | C1 | 7.0–7.5 | 800–850 | 10 |
| Established advanced | 91–100 | C1+ | 7.5–8.0 | — | 11 |
| Established proficient | 91–100 | C2 | 9.0 | — | 12 |
The placement score is from our own test. Exam equivalents are approximate guides, not guarantees of a score — your actual result depends on preparation for that particular exam.
Back to top ↑4. Courses
Whatever you study, classes hold 8 to 12 students grouped by level, and every course starts on a Monday.
Intensive English 30
Thirty lessons a week, 09:00 to 15:00. General English in the morning, then skills lessons and IELTS or Cambridge exam preparation in the afternoon.
From £335 per weekGeneral English 20
Twenty lessons a week, 09:00 to 12:15. Afternoons free for the social programme, the town and the Cotswolds.
From £270 per weekOne-to-one and combination
Private lessons alone or added to a group course, built entirely around what you need. Also available online.
From £545 per weekEnglish + and junior courses
Gardens and Culture for students aged 50 and over, volunteering placements, business English, and a full range of junior programmes for ages 11 to 17.
From £75 per weekSee adult group courses · See junior courses · See all prices
Back to top ↑6. Support
You are a long way from home, possibly for the first time. These are the people and arrangements behind you while you are here.
An open door, and a number that always answers
All inlingua Cheltenham staff are available at any time for students under our open door policy. The staffboard in the entrance hall and our Safeguarding Team Posters let you choose who you feel you can trust to speak with — because the person you want to talk to is not always the person an organisation would nominate.
Every student and parent is given a 24-hour emergency telephone number before arrival, answered by a member of our staff at any hour, on any day, including weekends and holidays.
Academic support
Your teacher monitors your progress and will suggest a level change if the class is wrong for you. You can ask to move at any time by speaking to the academic team.
Accommodation
Our own accommodation officers find and inspect every homestay. If something is not right where you are staying, tell any member of staff and we will deal with it — including moving you if it comes to that.
Welfare and safeguarding
A named Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy, a Welfare Team of four trained staff, and DBS checks on every member of staff and every adult over 18 in a host household.
Practical help
Reception can help with bus passes, festival tickets, travel questions and anything else about living in Cheltenham. We also issue visa support letters where they are needed.
Our policies apply to all students, whatever their age or vulnerability — not only to younger learners. Read our safeguarding page, including how to raise a concern and independent organisations you can contact.
Back to top ↑7. School calendar
Courses run all year and start every Monday, but the school closes on UK bank holidays and over Christmas. These are the dates still ahead.
Remaining in 2026
| Date | Day | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2026 | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday — school closed |
| 18 December 2026 | Friday | Last day of teaching before the school closes for Christmas |
2027
| Date | Day | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 4 January 2027 | Monday | School term starts |
| 26 March 2027 | Friday | Good Friday — school closed |
| 29 March 2027 | Monday | Easter Monday — school closed |
| 3 May 2027 | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday — school closed |
| 31 May 2027 | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday — school closed |
| 30 August 2027 | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday — school closed |
| 17 December 2027 | Friday | Last day of teaching before the school closes for Christmas |
What a bank holiday means for your course
There are no lessons on these dates and the school is closed, but you will not simply lose the time. Students on short courses of one, two or three weeks are offered extra lessons to compensate, and students on English + Gardens and Culture have a full-day excursion in place of the missed lessons.
If your course starts on a Monday that is a bank holiday, lessons begin on the Tuesday instead. Arrival is still on the Sunday and your accommodation covers the whole week as normal.
Taking a holiday during a long course
If you have booked a course of 12 weeks or more, you may take a holiday during it — normally a maximum of one week for every 12 weeks at the school. You must request the holiday weeks at the time you book, and give us four weeks' notice in writing once you are here.
Holidays arranged after booking, or beyond what was pre-booked, are treated as absences and those weeks of tuition are lost. To keep your room while you are away there is a £50 per week retainer to your host, or your luggage can be stored securely at the school for £50 per week.
Any other school closures will be announced in advance, and compensatory classes offered where appropriate. Full details are in our terms and conditions. Calendar last updated August 2026.
Back to top ↑Common questions
What happens on my first day?
Arrive by 08:45 if you are not with a host, or follow your host's directions. Reception welcomes you, gives you a welcome pack and a health form, and copies your passport — so bring it. Orientation starts at 09:00, followed by a placement test in three parts: multiple choice, a short piece of writing, and a one-to-one interview. While it is marked you are taken on a walking tour of central Cheltenham, and when you return you meet your class.
What should I bring on the first day?
Your passport, above all — we need to take a copy. Otherwise something to write with and comfortable shoes for the town tour.
What if I am in the wrong class?
Tell us. Your teacher watches your progress and may suggest a change themselves, and you can ask to move at any point by speaking to the academic team, who will consult your teacher first.
How do I know what level I am?
Take our free online placement test before you travel for an indication, then the full test on your first morning decides your class. Our nine levels run from pre-beginner to established proficient, mapped against CEFR, IELTS, TOEIC and Trinity GESE in the table above.
Is the social programme included in my course fee?
No, activities and excursions are optional extras. Most activities cost £5 to £20 and some are free; Saturday day trips cost £30 to £60. Everything is offered at cost price.
What happens if there is a bank holiday during my course?
The school closes and there are no lessons that day. Students on courses of one, two or three weeks are offered extra lessons to compensate. If your course would start on a bank holiday Monday, lessons begin on the Tuesday instead.
Who do I talk to if something is wrong?
Anyone. Our open door policy means you can approach any member of staff, and the staffboard and Safeguarding Team Posters help you choose someone you feel comfortable with. Outside office hours, every student is given a 24-hour emergency number before arrival.
Start on any Monday
Reserve a place in about two minutes without paying anything yet, or take the free placement test first to see where you would start.
inlingua Cheltenham, Rodney Lodge, 9 Rodney Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1HX · +44 (0)1242 250 493 · info@inlingua-cheltenham.co.uk · Last updated August 2026.
5. Social programme
Lessons finish at lunchtime or mid-afternoon. What you do next is where a great deal of the English actually happens — and where most of the friendships start.
Activities run after class from 15:30 to 17:00 on weekdays: bowling, karaoke, afternoon tea, quiz and chess nights, summer barbecues, sports and team games. Most cost between £5 and £20, and some are free.
On most Saturdays there are day trips to London, Oxford, Bath, Cardiff, Birmingham and the Cotswolds, at £30 to £60 per trip including travel and entry — comfortably the cheapest way to see the country.
The social programme
Everything we run on site and off site, what it costs, and where the Saturday trips go.
See the social programme → Back to top ↑