WSE is one of the oldest English language schools in the UK and we consider ourselves very lucky to be located here in the centre of Wimbledon. We feel very much part of the Wimbledon community and being in this beautiful and lively town is one of the factors that has helped us to be the Top UK English Language School (out of 570 British Council Accredited Schools) for the 5th year running. Of course, our fantastic staff, our wonderful welcoming host families and our classic building all play a major role in our success too.

The school was started in 1964 by Mrs Marjorie Housden who ran English language classes for au pairs in her house in Wimbledon Village. We moved to 41 Worple Road in the mid-1970s and have been here ever since – sharing the premises with a friendly ghost who some say lives on the top floor. Before we came here the building housed a nursery school which was run by a group of nuns who lived under the eaves. Their bedroom is now a classroom called ‘the flat’.

We have seen many changes over the years in our clients’ needs and demands. We now live in a global community and we all benefit from the fact the English is the language of international communication. Each year we welcome about 2,000 students from over 80 different countries, ranging in age from 16 to 80, with the majority in their 20s. General English is still important, but there has been an increase in demand for examination courses such as IELTS preparation and more specialised courses such as English for Business, English for Law, English for Academic Purposes and English for Medicine.

UK English language teaching today

We are one of very few independent schools in the UK. It is rare to find a school such as ours which is still a family business, passed down through the generations. Most of our competitors are part of global chains and it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to compete with their aggressive marketing and discounting policies. We still believe strongly in education and pride ourselves in offering a top quality service in everything we do.

The London Exam Centre

Our public examination centre – the London Exam Centre – is an important part of what we do. We started the centre 40 years ago, offering the University of Cambridge English language exams, and over the years have added IELTS, Pearson, Trinity and OET.

Wimbledon School of English
41 Worple Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4JZ
020 8947 1921
www.wimbledon-school.ac.uk