Anglo-Continental and AFC Bournemouth Partnership

Football is renowned for its ability to cross barriers and bring people together to celebrate their love of the game. The idea to combine this passion with the opportunity to learn new English skills and practice English in England led to the creation of Anglo-Continental’s English + Football Course in partnership with AFC Bournemouth.

The elation when AFC Bournemouth were promoted to the Premier League was felt throughout the town with parades along the prom and a roaring trade on Cherries memorabilia. Currently coming to the end of their second season playing within the Premier League, “The Cherries” have impressed many with their performance, determination and loyal fan base.  AFC Bournemouth remains a family focused club with links throughout the local community which was an integral reason for seeking a partnership with the Club.

Steve Cuss, Head of AFC Bournemouth’s Community  Sports Trust, “We are delighted to be partnering with Anglo-Continental for a second successive year, providing young international students with the opportunity to play football alongside their studies.”

It was particularly important to ensure that the programme was suitable for both boys and girls of all abilities. A balanced programme of English lessons, football coaching, activities and excursions was designed to ensure that whether they play for a team or prefer to enjoy a kick about with their friends each student would head home having felt that they experienced a flavour of English football along with making friends from around the world.

“It was a fantastic experience that everyone who practises football on a regular basis should try. The coaches were very nice and gave me a lot of advice and techniques to improve my game. It was also a very good way to improve my English with students from different cultures.” Thibault, France.

“This was the best experience of my life. I improved my football and English and made friends from around the world.” Giacomo, Italy.

10 Ways to Learn English Outside of the Classroom

  1. Read books in English. Choose books you have already read in your native language or those that have been made into films which you have seen.  This will make it easier for you to understand the plot and the content.
  2. When you listen to songs in English, pay attention to the lyrics.  Look up the lyrics on the internet to better understand the words.
  3. Choose an English language magazine, a blog, or a newspaper that interests you and read it frequently.
  4. Watch English language movies on DVD either with subtitles in English or without any subtitles.
  5. Attend plays or other events (talks, presentations) in English.
  6. Make friends with native speakers and ask them to help you practice.
  7. Practise your pronunciation by reading out loud.  It is a good idea to read together with a native English speaker so that they can correct you.
  8. Write down new words you learn in a special notebook. Remember to review them on a regular basis.
  9. Listen to other people, you might not understand everything, but you might learn some new phrases and get real listening practice from native speakers.
  10. Use English learning apps on your mobile phone or tablet.  This can be a fun, interactive way of learning a new language.

Parent and Child English Language Success Story – Alexandre from Brazil

My story with Anglo-Continental started back in September 1982 when I enrolled and stayed there studying for some months. I was only 19 years old at that time and was following my dad’s steps who had studied at Interlink (part of Anglo-Continental Educational Group) in 1974 also in Bournemouth. I really enjoyed my experience there. I learnt English and got the FCE – Cambridge First Certificate in English – a year after my time in Bournemouth.

To me this school is the best English school in England and maybe in the world. The structure is excellent, the teachers are excellent and also the tuition, there is a friendly and international atmosphere, in summary, this is a fantastic school and this is why now in the year of 2017, 35 years after my time at Anglo-Continental I had no doubt to send my son to study English at the same school where I was so happy.

I am so grateful as the English I learnt at Anglo-Continental helped me to become a very successful professional in the business field. I work as a Global Account Manager for an IT/mining multinational company based in USA and need to speak English every day.  Surely Anglo-Continental played an important part on my achievement.

Here is the Certificate of Studies I received in 1982!

 

Another Successful Raters Course

Anglo-Continental Aviation English Division is pleased to announce another successful Raters Course attended by professionals from around the world in March 2017. Thank you to all our trainees for your valuable contribution to the course.

Anglo-Continental received the following feedback from candidates on the course:

“It’s my fourth time in five years at Anglo-Continental and I’ve always observed noticeable improvement in the course content. The most impressive fact about the improvement is the ability to keep the focus of the content material consistent yet improve on the delivery and presentation. Thumbs up to the team involved in the course content preparation, arrangement and presentation.” Daniel, Nigeria

“This course was very useful for me. I refreshed my knowledge in assessment of pilots and ATC controllers according to ICAO standards and got a lot of new materials.” – Valentina, Azerbaijan

The next Raters Course will be held on 5 June 2017.

10 Reasons to Study English in Bournemouth

  1. Large Student Population
    Bournemouth has a large student population from all over the world. Anglo-Continental welcomed students from 68 different countries in 2016.
  1. Most Popular Destination outside London
    Bournemouth is the most popular destination in the UK to study English outside of London. Providing easy access to London and the rest of Europe. Bournemouth is just 2½ hours by car from London. There is no regional accent in Bournemouth making it very appealing to those wanting to learn English.
  1. A World Class Centre for Excellence in International Education
    “I have been Chairman of the International Education Forum, Bournemouth and Poole, England for the last 3 years. The International Education Forum (IEF) promotes the Bournemouth and Poole area as a world-class centre for excellence in international education. In 2016 IEF, in collaboration with Bournemouth Council, helped coordinate the promotion of international education and tourism in the South West of England with funding of £473,300 from the South West Tourism Growth Fund.  The International Education Forum promotes an English Education as a major stepping stone towards a successful career.  England has a world-wide reputation for the quality and range of education that is available to international students.  It also offers a welcoming environment with enormous opportunities for personal development.  England is renowned for its internationally recognised qualifications and the expertise of its teaching staff.”
    Guido Schillig – Managing Director Anglo-ContinentalFor further information about the International Education Forum visit: http://www.studybournemouthpoole.co.uk/ South West Tourism Growth Fund
  1. A Major Tourist Resort
    Bournemouth is a major international tourist resort on the South Coast of England. Bournemouth has been named best UK Coastal Resort at the British Travel Awards for the second year in a row: http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/11630391.Bournemouth_voted_Best_UK_Coastal_Resort_by_public___for_second_year_in_a_row/ Bournemouth boasts award winning beaches, the mildest climate in Britain and excellent lifestyle facilities such as shopping, entertainment, nightlife, clubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels and sports centres.
  1. Low Cost of Living
    Cost of living is much lower in Bournemouth compared to other larger cities such as London, Cambridge and Oxford. Homestay fees in Bournemouth are just £120 per week as opposed to £230 per week in London.
  1. Safe, Secure Environment
    Bournemouth is a safe, secure environment to learn English. Bournemouth is proud to be accredited the purple flag for Night Time Economy.  This prestigious award demonstrates the town’s ambitions to develop and improve the night time economy, encouraging a broad outlook on how the town is presented at night and tackling all aspects from cleanliness to access and transport, street lighting to signage, entertainment variety and choice of styles in bars, clubs and restaurants. http://bournemouth.co.uk/nightclubs-pubs-bars/
  1. Multicultural Community
    Learn English in a multicultural community. Charminster is Bournemouth’s foreign student hub bringing students from around the world together into one community.  This place is great for students to live, meet, socialise and make friends in a close knit community. http://www.charminster.net/ 
  2. English Authors
    Bournemouth was home to and has links to many famous English authors including Mary Shelley (Frankenstein), Robert Lewis Stevenson (Treasure Island), Thomas Hardy (Tess of the D’Urbervilles), D.H. Lawrence (Lady Chatterley’s Lover), J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings). Thomas Hardy described Bournemouth as a ‘Mediterranean lounging place on the English Channel’.
  1. Festivals and Events
    Bournemouth hosts some of the biggest and best events in the UK such as the famous Bournemouth Air Festival, Bournemouth 7’s Festival “The World’s Largest Sport and Music Festival”, Bournemouth Arts by the Sea Festival, Bournemouth Marathon Festival and the new International Festival. http://bournemouth.co.uk/whats-on/  
        
  2. A World Heritage Site
    Bournemouth is on the doorstep to a World Heritage Site – The Jurassic Coast. http://www.visit-dorset.com/about-the-area/jurassic-coast 

 

In Memory of Mr. Fritz Schillig 1929 – 2017

Mr. Fritz Schillig passed away peacefully at home on the afternoon of Wednesday, 11 January 2017, aged 87 years.

Mr. Schillig was the founder of Anglo-Continental School of English in Bournemouth. After the war, as a young man in Switzerland, he started his career in an import/export company. He soon realised that the future of global economies would lie in the ability to communicate effectively in English in order to trade with rapidly growing markets, such as the United States. He therefore resigned from his job and travelled to England to attend an English language course in Christchurch, England.  It was here that he saw the potential to create a well-run and professional English language school, where only the highest quality of service in every aspect of the students’ experience would be good enough.

Mr. Schillig founded his own school in Christchurch in 1950 with 80 Swiss Francs lent to him by his father to advertise for students in Switzerland. His father never expected to see his loan repaid. Mr. Schillig borrowed 4 tables and chairs and a blackboard from St. Mary’s Gate School (which were returned) in order to launch the new language school.

Anglo-Continental expanded rapidly and the school’s current site in Wimborne Road was settled in 1955. Anglo-Continental has since grown to become one of the largest and leading English language schools in the UK. It has always prided itself on promoting the highest standards in teaching. Mr. Schillig encouraged teachers to develop their own curricula prior to textbooks being readily available to English language students. As a result, many well-known EFL authors started their careers at Anglo-Continental.

Anglo-Continental has taught over 400,000 students from 120 different countries and continues to thrive today. Anglo-Continental has a loyal base of staff, some of whom have worked at the school for many years (and even decades!), including his wife, Jane Gorman, and his son, Guido Schillig.

The visionary founder of Anglo-Continental, Mr. Fritz Schillig, will be very much missed. Everyone at Anglo-Continental will continue to do their utmost to honour his vision and to continue to promote the high standards and professionalism which Mr. Schillig instilled in all who worked for him.

Save

Anglo-Continental and Bournemouth the perfect combination to learn English in England

Bournemouth wins Blue Flag status and Seaside Awards for 2016

On 19 May 2016, Keep Britain Tidy announced that four Bournemouth beaches have been awarded 2016 Blue Flag status – Alum Chine, Durley Chine, Fisherman’s Walk and Southbourne Beach; alongside this, Bournemouth and Boscombe Beaches gained Seaside Awards.

Both the Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are the quality marks for UK beaches and mean those visiting them can be sure that they are clean and safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well the tough bathing water quality standards.

Councillor Lawrence Williams, Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Leisure and The Arts said, “We are delighted to have achieved Blue Flag status for four beaches once again and the two Seaside Awards. Everyone takes great pride in our beaches and the seafront team work all year round to ensure visitors have the best experience when visiting our golden coastline.”

The Blue Flag beaches and the Seaside Award beaches have seen a lot of regeneration in the past year and there’s more to come this year and next:

  • Alum Chine has seen the addition of the Superhuts being installed
  • Durley Chine now boasts a very popular contemporary look café called Chineside
  • Boscombe beach will be the first Bournemouth beach to offer exclusive overnight luxury beach huts in 2017.
  • Southbourne Beach will have new Superhuts installed this year.
  • Bournemouth Beach has had a significant facelift over the last year
  • Boscombe Beach has a new American style ‘Prom Diner’ and the UK’s first eco-friendly Mini Golf on Boscombe Pier opens end of May – where the balls feed the fish!

Source: Bournemouth Tourism

 

 

Prime Ministerial commitment to grow tourism across the UK during South West visit

Guido Schillig, Chair of Bournemouth & Poole International Education Forum/Managing Director of Anglo-Continental and Mark Smith, Director of Tourism in Bournemouth, met with the Prime Minister David Cameron today as he announced a five point plan to support tourism growth across the UK, during a visit to Cornwall.

Prime Minister, David Cameron, emphasised his commitment saying; “This Prime Minister is for Tourism.”

As part of a £5m South West Tourism Growth Fund announced by Government, a range of activity will take place to grow tourism; deliver economic growth and boost export earnings in the South West of England. Bournemouth Tourism will lead on the International Education aspect of the South West Growth Fund project, working with the South West region to deliver the campaign to this key tourism market.

Mark Smith, Director of Tourism in Bournemouth, said; “I’m proud to be working with VisitEngland, VisitBritain and colleagues across the South West to maximise the return on this valuable new international marketing investment.

“Being involved in this high profile regional campaign will be a significant boost to the local economy. Especially to the important international education business which already brings in a quarter of £1 billion per annum in export earnings to Bournemouth and Poole.”

Guido Schillig, Chair of Bournemouth & Poole International Education Forum, said; “I am absolutely delighted with this new funding. It will allow new partnerships to be formed across the South West and together we will be looking to generate a significant number of extra jobs in this fast-growing world-wide industry, through raising our profile around the world.”

VisitEngland’s Chief Executive James Berresford said; “Our ambition for the South West Tourism Growth Fund is to work closely with VisitBritain and partner destinations to create an additional visitor spend of £60m, supporting the creation of 1,000 jobs to boost the South West visitor economy.”

The South West Tourism Growth Fund
The South West Tourism Growth Fund for tourism investment was announced by Government on the 5th March 2015 to grow tourism, deliver economic growth and boost export earnings in the South West of England. The total programme expenditure will be £10m, consisting of the core £5m funding from Central Government and £5m estimated match funding from partners in the public and private sectors. Match funding will be both cash funding and in-kind. This fund will be managed by VisitEngland, working closely with international delivery partner VisitBritain and partner organisations from across the South West of England.

About Bournemouth

  • With seven miles of golden sands and frequently warmer than average temperatures, the vibrant, cosmopolitan town of Bournemouth has it all. As well as a vast array of shops, restaurants, cliff-top hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation, the UK’s premier destination boasts historic gardens, an award-winning seafront and a buzzing nightlife.
  • Voted the UK’s Best Coastal Resort in the British Travel Awards 2014, Bournemouth’s excellent transport links, including an airport and trains direct from London Waterloo, make it the perfect base for exploring the history, heritage and picture-perfect scenery of Dorset.
  • Surrounded by rolling countryside, Bournemouth enjoys 2,000 acres of parks and gardens located in the centre of the resort. The Lower, Central and Upper Gardens are Grade II listed and date back to the Victorian era. Bournemouth seafront features four Blue Flag beaches, two iconic piers and almost 2,000 beach huts, as well as the resort’s distinctive land trains and cliff lifts.
  • A sublime mix of evocative Victorian history alongside modern living, Bournemouth is a bustling yet picturesque destination with a wealth of accommodation and activities to suit all tastes and budgets. www.bournemouth.co.uk

About VisitEngland

  • VisitEngland is the country’s national tourist board. We work in partnership with the industry to develop the visitor experience across England, plan national tourism strategy, grow the value of tourism in England and provide advocacy for the industry and our visitors.  Our work is underpinned by robust research and customer insights.
  • Over the last five years VisitEngland has invested over £57m of Government funding in English tourism. These investments have generated over £1.5 billion growth in visitor spending and to date have created over 28,000 jobs.
  • England is a unique destination and a real powerhouse in global tourism. It represents 84 per cent of the total UK visitor economy, is worth £106 billion, and supports 2.6 million jobs.
  • For further information and to access the latest in-depth market intelligence and statistics visit www.visitengland.com/biz  or www.visitengland.com  for consumer information.

Anglo-Continental Celebrates 65th Birthday

Anglo-Continental celebrated its 65th birthday on Friday, 7 August 2015. The school first opened its doors in 1950 and has provided English language tuition to over 400,000 students from 120 different countries across the world.

Anglo-Continental celebrated its 65th anniversary by sharing a huge birthday cake with students and staff and by showing a slide show of photographs depicting the school in different eras, from the 1950s to the present day. Anglo-Continental is a family-run school. Mr. Fritz Schillig founded the school in 1950 and his son, Mr. Guido Schillig, is the current Managing Director. Mr. Fritz Schillig, Mr. Guido Schillig and Mrs. Jane Gorman are members of the school’s Board.

Everyone at Anglo-Continental was very excited to celebrate this landmark anniversary and it was a fantastic opportunity to share some of the school’s history (and birthday cake!) with its current staff and students.