Babel Fish Language School
Trenance Heritage Cottages, Newquay, England TR7 2HW, United Kingdom
Babel Fish Language School
Our General English courses are for students of all ages and abilities.
At Babel Fish, we encourage students to talk as much as possible. Our lessons are designed to get students to debate, create, discuss and role-play. We work on everyday, practical English as well as pronunciation and phonics.
As teachers with many years experience both in EFL teaching and in mainstream education, we are passionate about bringing language alive and encouraging creativity and debate. Students will also learn some creative writing techniques and how to critically analyse different types of literature.
Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities
You can choose from the following class times:
Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.
Average | 10 students |
Maximum | 15 students |
Age range | 12 years old and older |
Average | 25 years old (16 in the summer) |
We are unique located in the home of British surfing: Newquay. Our school combines outstanding English language teaching with a passion for surfing and exploration.
Located in a Grade ll listed building in the grounds of a beautiful public park, we are only five minutes' walk from the best surfing beaches in the UK.
We believe in doing things differently...follow our adventure @babelfishlanguageschool
#surfandstudy
This course is the cornerstone of our school's identity.
As qualified language teachers and surf instructors we bring a love of learning to both English lessons and to the ocean. We believe in continuing the lessons in the water: you will surf and study with your teacher.
We take all language and surfing abilities on this course, as well as all ages.
English with Arts and Culture
Cornwall is a unique and special county and we are proud to show our students the spectacular scenery and laid back lifestyle. Known for its rugged coastline and rolling fields, we ensure that students are immersed in the traditions, history and atmosphere of the most southerly county in the UK.
You will visit cultural and historical attractions, eat the local seafood and Cornish Pasties and meet like-minded, interesting people. Walking on the coast path, visiting some of the famous gardens and experiencing the spectacular Minack Theatre are some of the ways you can explore the county - with your teacher - and perfect your English. This course is perfect for adult English learners.
General English courses
There is no necessity to add activities to your learning: our classes are innovative and engaging in themselves. We pride ourselves on developing students' skills rapidly, using unique approaches and a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. We can offer 15, 20 or 25 hours of study per week.
School Groups
We can offer bespoke programmes for school groups: including additional evening activities and alternate itineraries.
The nationality and age mix at Babel Fish Language School varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 25. In the summer, the average age is 16.
BFLS teaches students from all over the world, including:
BFLS does not hold classes on the holiday dates below. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.
Babel Fish is based on the rugged North Cornwall coast in Newquay, where spectacular beaches meet rugged moors.
Our school is located at Trenance Heritage Cottages, a Grade 2 listed building noted for its historic beauty. We are surrounded by wonderful gardens and within walking distance of some of the best beaches the UK has to offer. At the opposite end of the cottages students can find The Garden Tea Room. Here students can get tea, coffee and homemade cake during break time and relax in the peaceful surroundings.
The housing was really great, and the rest was too. I can really recommend it if someone is really looking forward to improve the English skills.
Show details » Read more...I was very nervous in the beginning, but my hostfamily welcomed me in a great and very kind way.
The teachers were motivated, and class was diverse, so it was never boring.
Unfortunately, the class was too easy for me. After telling them, I got extra sheets. So we found a solution.
The main school is in a beautiful old cottage next to a nice little coffee. In the break you could go there and buy something to drink and/ or to eat.
Surfing classes were great. We were a nice group of teens and we became friends very fast.
The activities were okay, but not really special. Many times, we met at the wavehouse and we could just do what we want for two hours. That was a little boring. Other activities were: gameevening, fish and chips at the beach and movienight.
My stay in Newquay with the babbelfish language school was amazing. For me the school was perfect and that what i was searching for. I chose the “surf and study” program. That means lessons in the morning and surfing in the afternoon. On top we had activities in the evening and on the weekend i got to now the regions around Newquay with my host family.
I had contact with Alex (one of the school owners) before my stay in England and he chose the perfect host family for me which was also addicted to surfing like me. Hannah and Clyde (the couple where i lived the last 4 weeks) were super friendly and the house was extremely clean and they cooked really good.
The school is very small which means that sometimes we were classes out of 5 students which makes the lessons much more intense. Tobi my teacher there was super open minded and interested in everybody and everybody’s opinion. In his lessons he tries to show you the universe of language and the power of it and how important and beautiful language can be.
In that way he helped me to understand how English people use their language.
When i arrived in England i felt really unsure about and with my English skills, but now i really love the language and i will definitely come back to this school and this beautiful town.
The activities in the evening have been always super funny and by the way without realizing you get to now the language more and more.
I liked the school very much but I expected more of the teaching, because I was in a class with a lot of Italiens, we talked rarely English together.
The teachers are very nice, the building is wonderful, the area is really beautiful. I could have stayed forever. I was sad to go home.
The activities (surfing) were my favorite.
I learned a lot at my host family (Daniel and Caroline Turner), we talked a lot during dinner and in the evenings. I really felt at home. I made friends with the other girls who stayed at their place.
Hope to come back next year 2019.
Thank you very much Alex, Dan and Caroline.
Best regards,
Lara van Rijswijk
Okay, first of all this isn't a "normal" language school. From the first contact on, they gave me a warm pleasant feeling. I felt like visiting friends with upgrading my English skills. The accommodations in the families are super as you have to speak English in your daily environment which will help you a lot. The school facilities are perfectly located for a chilled walked in the morning and are next to a super delicious cafe where you can have your black tea and the best flapjack in Newquay.
The groups of students are very carefully chosen and fit perfect. Everyone gets the attention he/she needs for his level. They will show you their fun to improve your English in every class. The communication is super friendly and nobody is afraid to make mistakes to get the correction immediately and understandable. The overall working atmosphere is awesome.
Beside of the class, you will get at Babel Fish Language School a full range of activities. The important one - surfing. Whatever your skill level in surfing is Alex will improve your skills in your daily surf sessions. Cornwall is the perfect spot to catch some sweet beach breaks. If you are not into surfing the rest of activities like exploring the region, bike tours, hiking, Bowling...... the list is too long. So your stay will never be boring - this is an environment where learning feels not like typical learning.
In my daily Job in an agency as a project-manager for a big sports brand, I have to talk English all the time. This isn't a problem anymore as Babel Fish Language School improve my skills and gave me the confidence to talk.
Babel Fish Language School is your teacher and your best friend.. :) Check them out - you will not regret it.
Bebel Fish is as a family. I had a wonderful time in this school. Alex is a great teacher, who has acquired the best teaching tactics to teach students a real English. The classes are very practical, fun, interesting which I have improved a lot my English. The facilities where is the school are great and the school is in a nice place of Newquay. The activities are really engaging which I visited nice place of Cornwall. The family was incredible. They were my English family in Newquay and I had a excellent time with them. They helped me with everything in Newquay and I am really grateful to them. For me, It had been the best way to improve my English.
Show details » Read more...Babel Fish Language School isn’t a normal language school. Loris, the son of my godfather, told me about this fascinating School and immediately I got fascinated about their idea of “study in the morning and surf in the afternoon”. I always wanted to try surfing but I never truly believed I could.
Located in the heart of Newquay within a beautifully local park the school focus on talking. I’ve almost never done grammar stuff and barely written something. Most times we discussed about topics like the school systems, community gardens, Blackfish and shows with whales and dolphins, political problems, fast and low food, food in general and many more interesting topics. To get information about these things we watched movies, read texts or articles in newspapers or in the internet. The lessons were different every day and I learned a lot – not only English. Once we made short movie by ourselves, another day we watched a movie or we went to town. Unfortunately, although this variety I sometimes got bored – we were talking all the time and I couldn’t really see my own progress. Several times I yearned to do a bit grammar stuff or do some writing, but we never did. I wanted to be aware of my progress but when you do oral work this is difficult. I think when you do grammar it’s easier to see the steps you’ve taken.
The size of the class depends on the quantity of students. During my stay, there was a large Italian group and in addition they had to make two classes and our class was bigger than usual – we were about twelve people. There were two teachers and every day they changed the class so we I had both.
They always encouraged me to just talk and not think about all the mistakes I could probably make. They didn’t care if I said something wrong. Unfortunately, they just let me talk but, in my opinion, they should have corrected me more. Sometimes I said something and I was sure it wasn’t correct, but they didn’t correct me. Simply Alex corrected me every time he realized a mistake. I liked this because of this I could be secure that all the other things I said were correct.
From Monday to Friday we had class from 9am to 12am. Then we had lunch at school and in the afternoon, we had different activities. Most times we went surfing but once we were coast steering, we visited a water park, played beach games and had a trip to Truro, a nearby town. In connection, we usually had dinner with our host families and at seven o’clock we met again for the evening program. There was a big variety; we went bowling and mini golfing, played at school and we even had Beach BBQs and Fish and Chips evenings at the beach where we watched the changing of the tide and the sunset. It was a huge program and we had barely time for ourselves – and when we had I often was sleeping because I was really exhausted of all these impressions.
I can’t really explain how breathtakingly amazing surfing is! I love the feeling of being alone with my surfboard and the endless ocean. Sometimes the sea was just perfect and the waves were pretty clear. But there were also days, when the sea was flat as a mirror and there were no moves at all - or the sea was in such a mess and so unclear that it was hard to even sit get out to the ocean. But all this is a part of the sea and I always enjoyed my surf. Especially when I could catch a wave, I was just stunned! It’s amazing!
Homestays are carefully selected and offer students the opportunity to learn more about the local culture in a comfortable setting while studying English in Newquay. These homes are often between 2 - 25 minutes away from the school by public transport. Families usually offer affordable meal plans that allow you to sample the local cuisine. If you have special requests or diet restrictions (because of religion or health reasons), please let us know in advance. Your housing starts on the Sunday before your first day of class and ends on the Saturday after your last day of class, unless otherwise noted. Learn more about homestay housing
We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.
If you are studying in the UK for over 11 months, you will receive a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that you need to submit to the UK embassy along with your General Student Visa application. Students who have successfully booked a language course and have paid their fees will receive a CAS from BFLS. Please note that UK law states that a CAS can only be issued to students who intend to pursue English language studies for over 11 months.
If you are studying in the UK for 11 months or less, you have to apply for a special visitor visa called a Student Visitor Visa. As a student visitor, you will not be able to work part-time while studying. If you plan to study in the UK for 11 months or less, a letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you.
Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Newquay based on your budget, schedule and preferences.
Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.
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