Deliver impactful English education for students and teachers

 

The British Council partners with schools to strengthen English education worldwide. With more than 90 years of experience across over 200 countries, we help create inclusive, high-quality and future-ready learning environments.

Our programmes help students and teachers build the confidence and communication skills needed to succeed in a global world. We help learners to:

  • achieve academic success and progress to higher education
  • build employability and career readiness
  • communicate confidently across cultures and communities
  • access internationally recognised qualifications and pathways.

English programmes for students aged 2-17

Help students build confidence and succeed academically with internationally recognised English courses designed for young learners.

  • Early years to upper secondary:  Age-appropriate programmes from play-based learning through to academic exam preparation
  • English for international students: In-person and online courses that prepare learners for global study and future careers
  • Flexible delivery: Learning delivered at your school, in our centres or online
  • Future-ready skills: Courses develop communication, critical thinking, creativity and cultural awareness
  • Expert teachers: Lessons taught by qualified British Council educators experienced in working with young learners

Teacher training and Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

Support your teachers with practical training that builds confidence, English proficiency and effective classroom practice.

  • Professional skills for educators: Improve classroom communication and language confidence with speaking, writing and leadership development courses.
  • Practical teaching skills: Develop strategies for learner engagement, feedback and critical thinking.
  • Flexible formats: Online, in-person and blended training options to suit your school’s needs.

English assessment and exams

Provide students with access to trusted, internationally recognised English assessments and qualifications.

  • CEFR-aligned assessments: Adaptive testing for primary, secondary and upper-secondary learners.
  • Progress tracking: Detailed reporting aligned to CEFR and Lexile frameworks.
  • UK qualifications: Delivery of IGCSEs, A Levels and other UK-accredited exams through secure exam services.

Scalable English learning programmes for schools through strategic partnerships

We work with ministries of education, school networks and exam boards to deliver scalable English language programmes that create measurable impact.  Our support includes:

  • policy and curriculum alignment
  • teacher training and certification systems
  • scalable assessment frameworks
  • monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance.

End-to-end exam delivery of international qualifications

We are the world's most trusted exam partner, delivering over 850,000 UK school exams worldwide each year in collaboration with UK awarding bodies. Among the recognised UK qualifications we administer globally include International O levels, IGCSEs, International AS levels and International A levels.

Partner Schools network benefit from:

  • dedicated account management and local consultancy
  • access to our Online Support for Schools hub with CPD resources and teaching materials
  • invitations to global networking events, webinars and professional learning communities
  • alignment with internationally recognised British Council English education standards.

Why choose us?

  • Global reach, local expertise: We partner with over 2,500 schools in more than 200 countries, combining international standards with local understanding.
  • Proven impact in strengthening English learning in schools: More than 2,500 schools trust us to deliver over 2 million English tests and 850,000 school exams each year.
  • Measurable results: 80% of parents report improvement in their child's English, while 90% highly rate the quality of our teachers.
  • UK exam and education services: supporting schools worldwide with secure, compliant and consistent exam administration and delivery.  We delivery UK school and professional qualifications globally in collaboration with UK leading award bodies.

Frequently asked questions

Our English programmes help students develop the academic and communication skills needed for university study and global career opportunities. Learners build confidence through practical language development, supported by measurable assessments and guidance from expert teachers.

We provide flexible CPD programmes designed to scale across schools and education networks. Training combines digital learning, live online sessions and in-person workshops, making professional development accessible for teachers across multiple locations and time zones.

Our English programmes are fully adaptable to your curriculum and school structure. We work closely with school leaders and educators to align learning with local priorities, timetables and assessment frameworks, ensuring smooth implementation with minimal disruption.

Learners follow CEFR-aligned pathways and receive detailed progress reporting throughout their studies. We also support internationally recognised qualifications, including International GCSEs and A Levels, providing trusted validation of English proficiency for parents, schools and regulators.

We provide long-term partnership support to ensure sustainable impact and continuous improvement. This includes:

  • Ongoing CPD for teachers and school leaders
  • Access to updated teaching resources and digital platforms
  • Regular monitoring and evaluation of learner progress
  • Data-driven insights and assessments
  • Global networking and professional learning opportunities