HL Deb 21 April 2004 vol 660 c46WA
Lord Chan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What monitoring takes place to ensure that English language courses provided in private schools and colleges in England maintain standards and user satisfaction, particularly among students from China. [HL2256]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)

The British Council manages and administers the English in Britain accreditation scheme, a voluntary quality assurance scheme for organisations providing English language teaching services in the UK. Membership of the scheme is open to private language schools, home tuition providers, and further and higher education institutions. The aims of the scheme are to protect international students who are studying English in the UK, including those from China. All member institutions must meet quality standards in the areas of management, resources and environment, teaching and learning, and welfare, and are inspected every four years.