What our students say

Since 2012 the Trust has sent out feedback forms to students after their courses, asking them to assess their experiences in five categories, and evaluate them. The categories are: tuition; accommodation; and contact with a Trust representative. Students are also asked to suggest how improvements could be made.

The two language schools used by the Trust are CES-Wimbledon and CES-Oxford, in Wheatley.

Among the positive comments – especially if the young person has come from a remote, rural area and is making his or her first trip abroad – is that it has been a great opportunity to mature and become independent, and to savour British culture.

The following messages, taken at random, give a flavour of how the students look back on their month in England:

“Learning English was essential as I’ve worked in several places abroad. A bursary enabled me to start this process of internationalisation that is really important, especially in small villages such as mine.” – Eleonora Diamanti, 2001.

“Our son Michele had “a precious experience at Oxford House and with the Francis family… we will tell everybody in our community how pleased we are about the opportunity you gave him.” – Carla and Dante Ronchíni, 2006.

“I enriched my vocabulary, improved my pronunciation and learnt some grammatical rules I had never met before.” – Gualtiero Ciabocco, 2008. (He was also struck by the British precision in time-keeping, compared with the more “elastici” Italians, and by the fact that cars immediately stopped for him at zebra crossings.

“Mrs Lydon [in London] was so friendly and kind, she cooked me good dinners and breakfasts… and she was conversing with me all the time, and that’s so good to learn English. I loved this experience and I loved London too.” Riccardo Antonel, 2009.

“What I remember best are the many trips at weekends organised by the school [in Wheatley, Oxford] and meeting young people from all over the world.” Chiara Poletti, 2010.

“It was a great experience for me and I hope it could be the same for others in the future. I’m going to Belgium now for my first job as journalist but out of Italy. I’m going to use English, so I hope for the best.”

Marta Scocco, 2012