Frequently asked questions

St Brelade’s College is the only English language school in the Channel Islands accredited by the British Council. This means we are regularly inspected across a wide range of criteria to ensure we meet the high standards required.

The main study centre has 12 classrooms, separate student lounges for adults & juniors, and a large outdoor area with picnic tables. Free WiFi is available throughout. The nearby village of St Aubin has a supermarket, cash machine, post office, cafes, bars & restaurants. Please note that during busier periods we sometimes use extra classrooms of a similar standard to our own in the village of St Aubin.

Jersey is a beautiful island with a diverse landscape and miles of clean, sandy beaches. It also has a unique and interesting history with many cultural sites such Mont Orgueil Castle and the Jersey War Tunnels. Finally, Jersey has some excellent restaurants where you can sample the local cuisine – including the fresh seafood.

The busiest time of year – both at the school and in Jersey – is from May to September. At this time of year, you will be able to take advantage of the better weather and outdoor activities. If you prefer a quieter environment, you should consider coming in April or October.

The majority of our students are from Western Europe (Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain etc.) however, we also have students from all over the world, including Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America.

In the spring & autumn, both adults & juniors study at the school. In the summer, adults and teenagers (16 & 17 years) on semi intensive & intensive courses study in the main building. Adults have their own student lounge, located in the adjacent log cabin.

We have students of all ages but if you are aged over 50 years old and want to be sure of being in class of other similarly aged students, we recommend you book our 50+ programme.

We take all levels from elementary to advanced. For beginners and proficiency level students we recommend private lessons.

Lessons take place every morning, Monday to Friday on all adult English courses, with lessons some afternoons on the more intensive English courses.

Morning classes take place at:

• 9:00 – 10:30
• 11:00 – 12:30

Afternoon lessons for those studying 22.5 hour per week take place on 4 afternoons:

• 13:30 – 15:40 (Tues, Wed & Thurs) – 2 hours of lessons with 10 minutes break
• 13:00 – 14:30 (Friday)

No. We believe a variety of teaching styles can be beneficial, especially on short courses. Students will have two different teachers in the morning and for subsequent weeks may find they have new teachers. Our teachers work closely together to ensure continuity of the classes.

If you are staying in homestay your host will tell you where to wait for the public bus. When you arrive at the study centre on the first morning you will be given a short multiple choice test to assess your English level, and an orientation session to explain everything you need to know about your stay. Your first class will begin at 11:00.

If you are staying in the Peterborough House student residence or a guest house you should make your own way to the centre for 9:00 on your first day.

Once you have completed your course, you will be given a certificate of achievement. This will list your course, study duration, English level, progress & feedback.

Simply complete our online application form and in 1 to 2 days we will send you a booking confirmation with payment details. You can pay online, by telephone or by bank transfer.

Jersey is an ideal destination for families and we have designed our programmes to take families into account.

During the summer, parents with teenagers on semi intensive and intensive courses (16 & 17 years) all come to our main school in St Aubin.

Pre-teens (12 years) study at Highlands College in the summer, and a private minibus can bring them to St Brelade’s College in St Aubin to meet parents at the end of the school day. Teenagers (13 – 16 years) at Highlands College, who are staying in homestay are provided with a free public bus pass (if not within walking distance) so they can travel independently to meet parents.

Outside of summer, all students study together at the main school.

At our adult student residence, a number of twin rooms are available for single parents sharing with one child and there is the option to add a temporary bed to our superior inland room for couples with a younger child (under 14 years).

Please note that we cannot guarantee a homestay near the study centre, nor with private bathroom, therefore if you need either of these you should choose our student residence or one of our recommended guest houses & hotels.

Unless specifically requested, all adults have a single room, but there may be other students staying with the hosts. However, we never place students of the same nationality in the same house.

Unfortunately we do not have many homestay providers with homes large enough to accept families. For this reason we generally recommend the adult student residence for students travelling with younger children or private accommodation for families. There are a number of hotels near the school which makes it ideal for families.

Our hosts can cater for basic diet requirements such as a vegetarian diet at no extra cost. Specific dietary requirements, catering for intolerances & allergies may incur an additional charge of £27.50 per week if staying in homestay. Please give as much information as possible to the office in order for the hosts to prepare for this.

If you have chosen homestay accommodation, you should try to organise your travel to arrive on Sunday and depart on Saturday. If a Sunday arrival is not possible, you can arrive on Saturday, but we regret that Sunday departures are normally not possible. If you are unable to depart on a Saturday, you may have to spend a night in a guest house or consider a Friday departure.

If you have booked homestay accommodation, the host will meet you at the harbour or airport. It is therefore important that you provide us with your arrival details at least four weeks before your start your course. Your host will be holding a St Brelade’s College arrival card with your name on so that you easily recognise them. If you are staying in a hotel, guest house or residence then you need to find your own transport. A taxi to St Aubin or St Helier should cost around £15 – £20.