16 – 20 November 2015 is International Education Week and we want to say thank you to everyone who has chosen Wimbledon School of English to improve their English language skills. International students are such an important part of our local community and in this blog we will look at just some of the positive contributions they make to Wimbledon!
Financial Contributions
Last year, Wimbledon School of English paid out over £1.5 million to local homestay providers who hosted our international students. This is an enormous contribution to the local economy which is taking place at a grassroots level. Our students also spend their money in local business which is a great support to the residents of Wimbledon, Raynes Park, Merton Park, Morden, Southfields and other parts of south west London.
Cultural Exchange
Hosting an international student can be a wonderful experience for everyone involved and it allows both host and student to see the world through someone else's eyes. For our students, this can be a truly life-changing experience, especially for long term students who develop lifelong friendships with their host families. It is also a great way for students to improve their English quickly and experience a British way of life. Our students become ambassadors for the UK and according to a report by PWC, “60 per cent of international students including alumni said they are more likely to do business with the UK as a result of studying here”.
Local Jobs
Wimbledon School of English and the London Exam Centre employ around 40 permanent staff, as well as seasonal staff during the busy summer period. With many of our employees living in and around Wimbledon, the school is an important source of local jobs.
So far in this year, we have provided English language courses for 2033 people from 90 different countries and we are lucky to host such a variety of learners. Whether it's our teenage groups from Argentina, our Swiss bankers from UBS or our teachers of English from Georgia, they have all chosen Wimbledon as the perfect place to improve their English.
So on behalf of our school and the entire community, we want to thank these international students for choosing Wimbledon!
If you're local to Wimbledon and would like to get involved in the school, please get in touch. We are always looking for friendly host families that would like to host an international student. Local business are also welcome to contact us with special offers for our students. Get in touch using info@wimbledon-school.ac.uk or give us a call on 0208 947 1921.
Photo by @jellyfatfish
https://www.facebook.com/WSE.London
https://twitter.com/WSE_London