Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Top 10 Things To Do In The Royal Borough of Greenwich

Being home to the traditional London base for the Royal Navy, the famous Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and more historic architecture and royal parkland that you can shake a stick at, Greenwich has loads of fantastic things to see and do. Just for a day at least, ditch the sights and excitement of Central London and spend some time exploring the Royal Borough of Greenwich, (we promise you won’t be disappointed).

From our new English school in London Greenwich you will be able to reach famous sights including the National Maritime Museum, the O2 Arena and the stunning Greenwich Park in no time at all by bus or on foot. Check out our list of the top 10 things to do in Greenwich and start discovering this beautiful area!

Go back in time at the National Maritime Museum

Full to the gunwales with ancient nautical objects, swashbuckling tales of sea voyages and interesting galleries, the National Maritime Museum is a must-see during your visit to Greenwich. The museum is home to more nautical themed objects and stories that you can shake a stick at, including 500 years of British naval history, Nelson’s uniform from the Battle of Trafalgar and a huge interactive world map. Art lovers will be in their element here as the museum contains amazing seascapes by William Turner, as well as portraits of famous seamen by Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough.

If you really want to “push the boat out” (excuse the sea-themed pun) during your trip to the museum, then you can also squeeze in a visit to the magnificent Queen’s House and Old Royal Naval College (more about these below), which are located just seconds away.

Opening times: 10am till 5pm every day
Location: Romney Road, Greenwich, London


Be entertained at the O2 Arena
The O2 Arena is one of the world’s most popular entertainment venues – you simply cannot miss it off your list of things to do in Greenwich. Originally called the Millennium Dome in celebration of the year 2000, the O2 Arena has since developed into an incredibly popular entertainment and concert venue. This giant dome structure is home to the world’s busiest concert hall (the O2 Arena), a music club (indigO2), 11 cinema screens, a bowling alley/concert hall (Brooklyn Bowl), exhibition space (the O2 bubble) and cafes and restaurants. If that’s not all enough, then you can also head to the Up at The O2 attraction, where you can embark on a thrilling climb across the top of the dome to see the best views of London Greenwich, Canary Wharf and the Thames.

Location: Peninsula Square, London


Visit the Queen’s House
For architecture and culture at its finest, head to the grand Queen’s House in Greenwich. Located next to the Maritime Museum and Old Royal Naval College, the Queen’s House is a 17th century Palladian mansion famous for being the home of Charles I’s queen, Henrietta Maria, and its outstanding fine art collection. With Greenwich Park as its garden, stunning classical architecture and a rich cultural history, the Queen’s House makes a great day out.

Opening hours: 10am till 5pm every day
Location: Romney Road, Greenwich, London


Fly across the Thames on the Emirates Air Line 
Take to the skies and enjoy the amazing views of the Thames, Greenwich and beyond from the Emirates Air Line. London’s only cable car ride, spanning over one kilometre, allows you to see the city from a new perspective and is also a great way to travel between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks. As you fly you’ll see world-famous sights and attractions including the O2 Arena, Canary Wharf and the Thames River, and now you can choose whether to go on during day or night time. For aviation enthusiasts, there is also an “Aviation Experience” attached to the station which allows you to learn about planes and go on flight simulations.

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs: 7am till 10pm, Fri: 7am till 11pm, Sat: 8am till 11pm & sun: 9am till 10pm
Location: Emirates Greenwich Peninsula, Greenwich, London


Discover the majestic Cutty Sark
Jump on board one of the finest and fastest British ships from the 19th century, and discover what it would have been like to sail around the world! This glorious ship was originally built in 1869 as a tea clipper that sailed between Britain and China, and today is now part of a fantastic museum that allows you to walk under the ship for a fish’s view of its vast hull. At this modern-meets-old museum you can find mementos and tales from intrepid sea explorers, a variety of old ships’ figureheads and plenty of prints and drawings.

Opening hours: 10am till 5pm every day
Location: King William Walk, Greenwich, London


Gaze at the stars from the Royal Observatory
Travel the universe in London’s only planetarium and stand on the world-famous Greenwich Meridian Line, with a foot in both the eastern and western hemispheres of the earth, at the Greenwich Royal Observatory. The Peter Harrison Planetarium has a variety of incredibly interesting shows to watch including “The Sky Tonight” and “Meet The Neighbours”, which take you on a journey to explore the sparkly delights of the night sky. The observatory is also home to Britain’s largest telescope, an astronomy museum and the Meridian courtyard, so there are plenty of things to see and do here.

The Royal Observatory itself is well worth a visit, but it also has some fantastic views to offer of the London skyline, from its high position in Greenwich Park. From the viewing platform you’ll be able to see all of Greenwich Park (including the Queen’s House and Old Royal Naval College), the O2 Arena and the magnificent skyscrapers in Canary Wharf.

Opening hours: 10am till 5pm every day, see the website for Planetarium show viewing times
Location: Blackheath Avenue, Greenwich, London


Wander around the Royal Greenwich Park
This 183-acre green park is the oldest of London’s eight Royal Parks, dating all the way back to Roman times in 1427. This famous park is home to four of Greenwich’s most popular attractions (Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and Old Royal Naval College), is a part of the Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site and hosted the equestrian events for the 2012 Olympics. The best time to visit this park is in the summer months, particularly at dusk, when you can watch the sunset fall among the famous Canary Wharf skyline.

Opening hours: 6am till 9:30pm every day
Location: Greenwich, London


Cruise along the River Thames
Explore London in the best way – by boat down the River Thames! Hop on a boat from Greenwich Pier and sail past all of London’s best river-side attractions, including Greenwich Park, Canary Wharf, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye. You can enjoy the views from the open air upper deck, the comfy indoor saloon, or you can even sail at night time with a glass of bubbly in your hand.

Location: Greenwich Pier, Greenwich, London


Explore the Old Royal Naval College
Located next to Greenwich Park, the Queen’s House and the Maritime Museum, the Old Royal Naval College is definitely worth a visit during your trip to Greenwich. The College is famous for its magnificent painted hall, regarded as the greatest decorative painting in England, and the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul, which is one of the finest eighteenth century interiors in the world. At the College you will be able to discover gorgeous architecture, intricate artwork and rich history.

Opening hours: 10am till 5pm every day
Location: Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London


Shop till you drop at the Greenwich Market
If you’re looking for a memoir or something special to remind you of your time in London, then look no further than the Greenwich Market. This market dates back to the 1830s, and even though it only used to sell produce, you can now find a variety of arts, crafts, antiques, collectables and food stalls here. Greenwich Market is renowned across London for its vibrant goods, and is also very close to lots of cafes and restaurants.

Opening hours: Tues till Sun, 10am till 5:30pm
Location: 11A Greenwich Market, Greenwich, London


Will you be visiting our new school in Greenwich? Which of these attractions do you want to explore? Let us know in the comments below or contact us on Facebook or Twitter!


Written by Alissa Johnson

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Twin’s New English School in London Greenwich

Introducing our brand new, shiny English school in the Royal Borough of Greenwich!




We are proud to announce that on the 29th June 2015 we will be relocating to a newly built school in Greenwich Square.

Custom-fitted with state-of-the-art learning and social facilities, our new school offers our students so much more than just English lessons. From 20 bright, large classrooms, to a comfy social area with student PCs and free Wi-Fi, we have packed our centre with fantastic features designed to give our students every opportunity to gain life-enriching education and experiences.


Not just English lessons...



Our school is also co-located with a modern leisure centre including a swimming pool, gym and dance studio, so our students can get active in-between English classes, (after all, swimming is better than homework). Though, if they’d rather get stuck into a good book than a dance routine, our students can access an on-site library where they can take out books related to their studies or just for leisure. There are also on-site cafes, restaurants and bars which are all perfect places for students to unwind with their new friends.

Not forgetting our gorgeous new location…



Everyone knows how beautiful Greenwich is and we can’t wait to relocate here! Our centre will be just a short journey away from some of Greenwich’s best historical attractions and most beautiful green spaces, including the world-famous O2 Arena, the magnificent Cutty Sark and the “out of this world” Royal Observatory. Our centre is just minutes away from excellent rail and bus transport links, so students will be able to easily travel around and explore this popular location.

Our students will also be able to reach Central London in just 15 minutes by National Rail from Maze Hill train station, and can spend their free time discovering why London is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. They could go shopping on Oxford street, discover popular royal attractions or relax in one of the many beautiful green spaces – London will be their oyster.

We will be moving to our new Greenwich location on the 29th June 2015, with half of the school still remaining in Lewisham until the end of August. If you have any questions related to the move then you can contact us in the comments section below, or message us on Facebook or Twitter.


Written by Alissa Johnson

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Top 6 Free Mobile Apps for English Language Learners

Learning English (or any language for that matter) can be challenging, however we have found six of the best apps which can help to make this learning process so much easier. In between your English language lessons with us, you can enhance your learning and gain a greater understanding of the language with these fun and engaging apps. With these free iOS and Android apps you can put your smartphone to good use and improve your English language skills on the go, whenever or wherever you are.

Learn English with busuu

Rated as a “must-have app for 2014”, busuu is a fun and interactive way to learn English. There is a great range of English levels to choose from which means that your learning will be perfectly suited to you, and will allow you to start with the very basics if you are a beginner. With interactive tests, audio dialogues and grammar and vocabulary lessons, there is no chance of you getting bored easily, and there’s even a feature which allows you to submit practice exercises for native speakers of English to explain. The best thing about this app is that it doesn’t need an internet connection to work, so you won’t be cut off in the middle of an exercise and you will be able to access all of the learning materials whenever you need them.

Learn English Grammar 
By the British Council

The British Council have helpfully created a whole range of free apps to assist you in learning English, and this one in particular focuses on grammar. This app is great if you want to develop your grammar, as it gives you the chance to practice and then test your skills across a range of areas, including present perfect, past perfect and phrasal verbs. The app will give you a series of simple exercises like sentence re-ordering and multiple choice questions, which is a great way to help you remember grammar and learn new skills. 

There are study packs for learners of elementary, intermediate and advanced English levels so this app is great for learners of most abilities, however you will need at least a basic understanding of English to understand how to use it, (though if you can understand this, you’ll be fine). The other issue with this app is that you only get a few free lessons to study, so you’ll have to pay for the rest if you wish to continue developing your skills.

Johnny Grammar’s Word Challenge

By the British Council

This 60-second quiz app by the British Council adds an element of excitement to practising English grammar. The aim of the game is to beat the clock and answer as many spelling, vocabulary and grammar questions as you can in 60 seconds related to 10 common questions, including food, travel and hobbies. As you go through the levels easy, medium and hard you will gain badges that you can share with others on a leader board, and will give your learning a competitive edge and boost your skills. The only down side to this app is that it is limited in the amount of questions it asks you, so after using this app for a while, you will begin to test your memory rather than your grammar skills.

Word Power – Learn British English

By Innovative Language Learning

Containing 100 (2,000 if you pay) of the most frequently used words and phrases in the British language, Word Power app will help you to learn essential and relevant vocabulary so you can use English in everyday situations. You will learn vocabulary related to travel, going to restaurants, shopping and many more, and the app doubles up as a mini-travel guide that is packed with cultural insights and practical British English phrases. There are audio recordings of a native English speaker saying the words, so you will be able to perfect your pronunciation anywhere and at any time.

My Word Book

By the British Council

Bring your learning to life with My Word Book app created by the British Council. This incredibly resourceful app is an interactive vocabulary notebook, which will help you to learn essential words in the English language through sets of flashcards containing pictures, sounds, example sentences, translations and notes. The word data comes from Cambridge University Press’ learner dictionaries, which is assuring as you can trust the app to provide you with correct and relevant vocabulary to use in everyday situations. Once you’ve learnt a word the app will place it into the review section, so you won’t keep getting flashcards with the same words. If you’re feeling a bit more creative you can even create your own flashcards containing the vocabulary that you want to focus on learning.

Dictionary

By Dictionary.com

When learning a new language, you will find a dictionary to be an invaluable resource, as it will help you to learn new words and expand your vocabulary. Instead of hauling around a heavy dictionary, just download this handy app, where you can search and discover the meaning of any word in the English dictionary. The Dictionary.com app is very similar to the actual website – it will provide you with the meaning, an audio pronunciation, a sentence example and relevant synonyms of your word, which is a great way to help you enrich your vocabulary and expand your English language knowledge.

Are you learning English? Can you think of any other great apps that can help you learn English? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!

Written by Alissa Johnson