Cardiff Language Academy

Cardiff Language Academy is conveniently situated right in the heart of Cardiff City Centre, with the stunning Cardiff Castle, magnificent Millennium Stadium, a wealth of shops, banks, restaurants and clubs all in very close proximity. Cardiff Language Academy accepts students throughout the year for a wide range of long or short English Language courses. Enquiries are quickly answered and bookings are accepted by fax, post, telephone or email. Classes are small with a maximum of 12 students in mixed nationality classes, although the average size is between 8 and 10. We believe our students should receive as much individual attention as possible. All students are looked after with great care and attention to guarantee their stay is enjoyable, cultural and educational. Our professional qualified teachers have considerable knowledge and experience of teaching English to overseas students in the UK and abroad. More than one teacher will teach students so that they can experience different methods of tuition. On the day of arrival at school, students are given an English test in order for us to place them in exactly the right class. The courses are for complete beginners to advanced students, as well as, one-to-one tuition, Academic English, IELTS, Cambridge Certificates, Business English and other courses on request. During the course students are monitored and encouraged to discuss their progress with their class tutors. All students will be awarded a course completion certificate.

Cardiff is a modern city with over 320,000 inhabitants established on the incredible wealth of a vast coal empire which is, through imaginative re-development, fast becoming one of Europe\'s finest maritime cities surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain. Cardiff is recognised for its quality of life featuring amongst the best of British cities. Its residents live in pleasant suburbs yet are only 10 or 15 minutes from the city centre travelling by private or public transport. Many of the suburbs still offer the pleasure of a village atmosphere. Cardiff\'s parks and leisure gardens are world famous - 1,200ha of them. Uniquely Cardiff\'s parks extend to within yards of the city centre shopping area. Bute Park grew out of the grounds of Cardiff Castle and world acclaimed Roath Park and Lake are frequently visited by tourists and residents alike. Fascinating Edwardian arcades and a Victorian covered market intermix with up to date modern shopping precincts in the heart of the city gives Cardiff one of the finest shopping centres in Great Britain. Cardiff\'s world renowned Civic centre, which never fails to impress visitors to the city, houses government offices, law courts, museum and university campus. One of the prime buildings being City Hall which was the venue for the European Council in June 1998. The Welsh capital is a hive of cultural activity with music and drama top of the bill. Cardiff is also a city of festivals including a month long summer street festival, \"Music in the Bay\" events and the well established and respected \"Cardiff Singer of the World\" competition held in St David\'s Hall. Cardiff offers tourists the opportunity to sample Wales, the fabled \"Land of Song\" with its mystic castles, soaring mountains, lush valleys and spectacular coastline all within easy travelling distance. Set in the heart of the city, Cardiff Castle is the jewel in the crown featuring Roman and Norman fortification and the magnificent lodgings that were rebuilt in the 19th century, the castle grounds are also home to The Welsh Regiment Museum and The Queen\'s Dragoon Guards Museum. Cardiff is a sporting city, which in recent years has widened its range of activities and facilities. Famous as a hot bed of rugby, other sports also feature including being home to one of Britain\'s top ice hockey teams. In 1999 Cardiff hosted the Rugby world Cup Final at the impressive Millennium Stadium. The stadium incorporates a sliding roof and is located a stone\'s throw from other city centre attractions such as shops, museum, castle and theatres. Students keep Cardiff buzzing all year round with the majority of them living close to the city\'s vibrant centre. Cardiff University, University of Wales College of Medicine, the University of Wales Institute,Glamorgan University and the Welsh College of Music and Drama make up a student population of over 25,000. Cardiff University was very highly placed in the latest Research Assessment Exercise, the independent nation-wide analysis of research quality in over 100 UK universities, with several subject areas among the leaders in their field. It is equally highly regarded for the quality of its teaching, with 21 subject areas having been independently assessed as “Excellent”. The University boasts some of the Welsh capital\'s most beautiful buildings as well as one of the biggest, best and most active students’ unions in Britain. More and more business meetings, trade fairs, exhibitions, medical and academic congresses and symposia are attracted to Cardiff by the range of facilities on offer. These include the Cardiff International Arena and St. Davids Hall, all within easy walking distance of Cardiff Language Academy, shopping centre, restaurants and other attractions. Cardiff Bay, once known as \"Tiger Bay\", has in recent years undergone substantial redevelopment. A barrage across the joint estuary of the Taff and Ely rivers has been recently completed and has created a large lagoon that will ultimately be fresh water. Much of the heavy industry has gone, to be replaced with new office development and government establishments, including the home of the new Welsh Assembly. Tourism plays an important part in the Bay economy. Places to visit include the popular hands on science museum \"Techniquest\", the Norwegian Church, now a cafe and art gallery, Spice Merchant, Harry Ramsdens restaurant and a host of other fine dining restaurants.

Host Families Accommodation provided by Cardiff Language Academy is with local host families. Students live with an English speaking family. This is a great opportunity to practise your English and get to know the British way of life. Host families are carefully selected to suit individual needs, and we inform them about things such as: food allergies, religion, halal food, medication and anything else you feel they need to know. The host family provide the student with bed, breakfast, packed lunch and an evening meal seven days a week. Some host families accommodate several students, and offer the students the ideal opportunity to practise their English and discuss daily events and topics of interest in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Host family accommodation costs £95 per week during the summer, and £90 during the spring, autumn and winter seasons. Self-Catered Rooms in Cardiff Language Academy\'s Communal Houses If you prefer an alternative to host families and would like CHEAPER accommodation we can arrange a SELF-CATERED ROOM for you in one of CARDIFF LANGUAGE ACADEMY\'S STUDENT COMMUNAL HOUSES, which cost £70 - £75 per week including bills. You will be sharing this house with other students who are also studying at Cardiff Language Academy. All students come from different countries of the world, therefore you can practise your English and socialise together. Many of our students enjoy this form of accommodation as they can come and go as they please, and all the Cardiff Language Academy Communal houses are very close to the city centre.

GLAMORGAN HERITAGE COUNTRYSIDE Cardiff Orientation Circuit;Cowbridge St Quentin\'s Castle; Coed Hills Rural Artspace; Tinkinswood; Burial Chamber; Local Walk; Drive around Cardiff City landmarks;Elegant countryside market town dating from Roman times;Traditional high street lined with fashionable Boutiques, Cafes and Traditional Inns. See the Medieval Gateway and the school attended by Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins of \'Silence of the Lambs\'; 14-Century Gatehouse & Keep built by Gilbert de Clare; Rural Art set in forest with interesting and bizarre sculpture/art hidden within; Vast Burial Chamber with 50-ton capstone. Around 4500 years old and believed to be largest in Britain;Short stroll around the Cowbridge Countryside. Riverside, meadow and woodland setting;CARDIFF BAY Cardiff Bay Waterfront;Bay Promenade;Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre;Norwegian Church;Pierhead Building;National Assembly for Wales; Millennium Centre Opera House;Once known as \'Tiger Bay\' and the busiest port in the world, now an exciting Waterfront around a freshwater lake;Waterside stroll with cafes, bars, restaurants & sculpture; Dynamic Exhibition showing the development of Cardiff Bay set in an award winning \'Tube\' structure; Distinctive old Seaman\'s Church with regular Exhibitions Roald Dahl, children\'s\' writer was christened here; Red brick Gothic structure once owned by the Bute Dock Company. Hosts exhibition on the Welsh Assembly Government; Currently housed in a modern building. New state of the art home under construction. Stunning Arts & Opera House. Tour of the building and \'behind the scenes\' areas;MUSEUM OF WELSH LIFE in St Fagans One of Europe\'s largest open-air \'living history\' museum set in 100 acres of beautiful parkland. Discover the social and cultural heritage of Wales; Walk through centuries of Welsh buildings, rescued and reconstructed in the grounds. St Fagan\'s Castle Manor House and Gardens; WELSH NATIONAL MUSEUM & CIVIC CENTRE;Welsh National Museum Civic Centre;Edwardian Arcades; Sport/Leisure; Visit elegant art galleries housing world-famous works of art, or take a journey back in time to explore a land of dinosaurs and woolly mammoths. Uncover the secrets of the Celtic, Roman and Viking ancestors, or discover the story of the amazing natural history of Wales;Impressive gleaming white Edwardian buildings housing the City Hall, Law Courts and Museum;Elegant Victorian shopping with boutiques;Visit to Swimming Pool; Bute Park;Football; Cardiff Castle; Arboretum, Parkland, Gardens on the River Taff;Informal football at Bute Park;Cardiff Castle is an impressively grandiose 19-Century structure with ornately decorated rooms that we will visit on a Guided Tour. Other historical elements include Roman foundations to a Norman Castle; GOWER - SWANSEA, SURF & BEACH City of Swansea;Swansea Maritime Quarter;Dylan Thomas Centre;Mumbles;Visit Wales second City set on the coast;Wander over the \'Sail Bridge\' around the docks and yachts;Discover the poetry and writing of our literary genius;Seaside village and promenade overlooking Swansea Bay with excellent ice cream. Learn why it is called \'Mumbles\'; Rhossili Bay and many more attractions.