About Us

Background of IH Bristol - by Val Hennessy, Director and Principal

Hi, my name is Val Hennessy. When I started the Language Project in April 1987, I wanted to create a student-centred environment for the teaching of English as a foreign language which was a place of excellence for learning but did not cost the earth. I wanted to put students first and to create an environment where staff felt supported and valued.

The Language Project had always striven to be creative and innovative without compromising standards. We pride ourselves on preparing students for international exams and have been rewarded with excellent English exam results over the years.

We began EFL teacher training in the early 1990s. Immediately, as a result of this, we began incorporating the latest methods and techniques into our teaching and began to develop our own materials to teach English and to train those who wished to teach English. By sticking to our own guidelines on class sizes and levels, we tried to ensure that every student was put in the correct class, at the correct level. We developed a social programme designed to enhance learning by offering students fun opportunities to use their English in a variety of contexts. At every point in the process, we wanted to give students maximum exposure to the language and maximum value for money.

Our reputation grew and we expanded into teaching English to juniors on short summer courses, as well as offering the following:

 

• Specialised English for exams
• Teacher training
• DVD-making
• Journalism
• Banking and Finance
• ..........and many more

 

Through the years, we have improved our facilities and the learning packages on offer to students and we continue to look for new ways to help our students to learn English more effectively.

That is why we decided to join the International House World Organisation. In my opinion, IHWO standards represent the best benchmark of excellence in both English language teaching and teacher training worldwide. By becoming part of such a prestigious group, International House Bristol has taken a major step forward. We are proud of all we have achieved so far and are delighted that we have become part of the IH family.

Bristol 1st September 2009