Speak Up London

What Speak Up London does

Speak Up London is a British Council-accredited English language school headquartered at 139 Oxford Street in central London, delivering face-to-face and online English language instruction to international students and working professionals. The school offers General English, Business English, IELTS and Trinity SELT exam preparation, Individual Lessons, Evening and Saturday courses, and Junior/Young Learner programmes (ages 8-17), with class sizes averaging 10 and capped at 14-16. Since founding (2010 per firmographics), the school has served over 20,000 students and operates a multicultural student body sourced from 40+ countries, with named testimonials from learners in Spain, Brazil, Italy, Ukraine, and Russia.

The school's underlying technology stack is operational rather than proprietary: a CRM/student database, HubSpot enquiry forms, an online booking engine, a student-facing app, and WhatsApp-based adviser communication. Instruction uses the Communicative Approach with licensed materials from Pearson, Macmillan, Oxford University Press, and National Geographic; no proprietary AI, adaptive learning system, or in-house content platform is documented. A Social Programme (conversation clubs, day trips, weekend excursions to Oxford, Cambridge, and Brighton), a Student Ambassador scheme paying £20 per video, and a tiered referral programme (£30-£200 cash or 1-4 weeks of free classes) wrap the core teaching product.

Revenue is tuition-led across six streams: adult English courses billed weekly or in package bundles (1-week minimum to year-long programmes), Junior Summer/Winter programmes at £265-£599 per week, Trinity SELT private lessons at £75 per session, accommodation referral via British Council-registered partner agencies, GuardMe insurance affiliate commissions, and bespoke Enterprise/B2B corporate training. Distribution blends direct sales (Oxford Street walk-ins, website, phone, WhatsApp, enquiry form) with an Education Travel Organisation partner network across 40+ countries, a dedicated Enterprise sales function, and Youth Mobility Scheme-specific landing pages targeting South Korean, Japanese, Hong Kong, Taiwanese, and Uruguayan visa holders.

Name

Speak Up London

Legal name

Speak Up London

Website

https://speakuplondon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Speak Up London is a British Council-accredited English language school on Oxford Street in central London, delivering in-person and online General English, Business English, IELTS/Trinity SELT, and Junior programmes to international students and working professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Education

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

English Language Schools (ESL/EFL) (EDAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

English Test Preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo English Test, etc.) (EDAAACAJ), General Language Schools & Institutes (EDAMAFAA)

Keywords

• English language training
• IELTS exam preparation
• Business English courses
• Young learner programmes
• Corporate English training

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. English Language Courses (Adults): Core revenue from tuition fees for General English, Business English, IELTS Preparation, Individual Lessons, Evening English, and Saturday courses. Billed per week or as package bundles. A £45 non-refundable materials fee applies to first-time bookings, with additional £35 materials charges on class/level changes. Short courses (1 week minimum) to year-long programmes.
2. Junior / Youth Programme: Summer and Winter Junior Programmes for ages 8-17, offered as lessons-only (£265/person/week) or lessons + activities (£599/person/week). These are booked in weekly blocks for 1-6 weeks (summer) or 1-4 weeks (winter). Family programmes allow adults to study simultaneously.
3. Trinity SELT Exam Preparation: Individual private lessons tailored for Trinity Secure English Language Tests (GESE and ISE). Priced as packages: 1 lesson £75, 3 lessons £215, 5 lessons £350, 10 lessons £650. The actual Trinity exam fee is paid separately by students to Trinity College London.
4. Accommodation Services: Speak Up London arranges accommodation (homestays, student residences, house shares, private lets) through partner agencies registered with the British Council or members of English UK. Revenue is generated through booking facilitation, with accommodation costs passed through to third-party providers.
5. Travel Insurance (GuardMe): The school partners with GuardMe Insurance to offer Multirisk (£1.50/day) and Multirisk Plus Cancellation (£2/day) policies. Commission or referral revenue from policy sales is earned on top of course fees.
6. Enterprise / B2B Corporate Training: Bespoke English training programmes for business clients, delivered online or on-site at client premises. Tailored curriculum based on corporate client needs. Revenue earned as contracted training fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Speak Up London is a British Council-accredited English language school operating face-to-face on Oxford Street in central London and online. It sells tuition-based English courses for adults (General English, Business English, IELTS preparation, Individual Lessons, Evening, Saturday, and Online), young learner and junior summer/winter programmes, and Trinity SELT exam preparation, supplemented by accommodation booking, a social programme, and corporate English training.

Product overview

Speak Up London is a British Council-accredited English language school located on Oxford Street in central London, offering a diverse portfolio of language courses and educational services. The core offerings include General English, Business English, IELTS Exam Preparation, Individual Lessons, and specialized programs for young learners. The school provides flexible learning formats including morning, afternoon, and evening classes, Saturday courses, and online instruction, alongside supplementary add-on modules for Grammar, Pronunciation, and Business English skills. The institution also offers corporate enterprise training, accommodation assistance, a social programme, travel insurance partnerships, and Trinity SELT exam preparation for visa purposes. With small class sizes averaging 10-16 students and courses ranging from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1) levels, the school serves international students through various learning pathways tailored to professional, academic, and personal English improvement goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General English Face-to-face English language course for adults at all levels (A1 Elementary and above), available morning, afternoon, or evening, full-time or part-time, with an average class size of 10 students and a maximum of 16.
• Business English Professional English course for working adults focusing on workplace communication skills including meetings, presentations, phone calls, emails, and business socialising, held 3 evenings per week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday) from 7:10 to 9:10 PM.
• IELTS Exam Preparation Preparation course for the IELTS exam at upper intermediate to advanced level, with regular practice tests, mock papers, and personalised teacher feedback. Exam fee (~£180-£210) is paid separately by the student.
• Individual Lessons One-to-one private English lessons fully customised to student goals, available face-to-face at the school or online, with flexible scheduling Monday-Friday 8:30am-7:30pm or Saturday 12:00pm-4:30pm.
• Evening English Part-time evening English classes for working professionals or those with daytime commitments, meeting 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday) at 7:10pm for 2 hours, covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
• Saturday English Course Weekend English classes for busy professionals, held Saturdays from 12-4pm in two 2-hour sessions, with General English (A2-B2) and Business English (C1) options focused on grammar, vocabulary, speaking, and listening.
• Online Course Live online English classes with small groups (max 8-10 students), 3 lessons per week, available at beginner (A1) to advanced (C1) levels, with morning (10:00-12:00 UK time) and evening (18:00-20:00 UK time) options.
• Young Learners Courses English language programmes for young people including closed groups year-round (ages 8-15 or 16-17 with parental consent) and individual lessons for under-18s, featuring project-based activities and social excursions in London.
• Winter and Summer Junior Programme Seasonal programme for young learners aged 8-11 and 12-17 combining English lessons with sightseeing activities, with options for lessons only (£265/week) or lessons with activities (£599/week) including breakfast club, trips, and cooked lunch.
• Trinity SELT Exam Preparation Preparation for Trinity College London's Secure English Language Tests (SELT), including GESE Grade 5 (B1) for citizenship/ILR and ISE I (B1) and ISE II (B2) for visa purposes, delivered as individual lessons tailored to student needs.
• Enterprise Corporate Training Customised English training solutions for businesses, including tailored curriculum, online and on-site courses, and flexible scheduling, targeting corporate teams needing to overcome language barriers and enhance global market participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ students served over 10+ years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GuardMe InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGuardMe Insurance is a travel insurance provider partnered with Speak Up London to offer students peace of mind during their stay. Two policies are available: Multirisk (£1.50/day) and Multirisk Plus Cancellation (£2/day). The school earns referral/affiliate revenue from policy sales and presents GuardMe as a recommended add-on during booking.
• Trinity College LondoncoreTechnology or IntegrationSpeak Up London is an authorised Trinity SELT (Secure English Language Test) service provider. Students preparing for visa or settlement purposes can book Trinity exams through the school. The school provides exam preparation lessons (GESE and ISE formats) while Trinity administers the actual SELT exams. Speak Up London receives a referral relationship and uses Trinity's official booking links on its website.
• British Council-Registered Accommodation AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpeak Up London works exclusively with accommodation providers that are registered with the British Council or are members of English UK. These partners include agencies managing homestays, student residences (e.g., Paddington Citi View, King's Cross, White City, Islington, Highbury II, Old Street, Mannequin House), house shares, and private lets. All accommodation is regularly inspected and meets strict quality standards.
• Official Immigration AdvisorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpeak Up London partners with official immigration advisors who deliver immigration advice directly to students. A mandatory immigration advice fee is added to every course of 24 weeks or more. The advisors assist with visa applications for international students studying longer than 6 months. The school promotes these partners as part of its comprehensive student support package.
• Education Travel Organisation (ETO) PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpeak Up London works with education travel organisations and partners from 40+ countries who recruit international students. Partner benefits include exclusive commissions, free tuition weeks, and registration fee waivers. Partners manage group bookings for closed groups (especially junior programmes) and individual student referrals. Key partner logos include Linguista, Gapyear, Endless Abroad, EazyCity, and others.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• London School of English: Long-established, British Council-accredited English language school in central London serving adult professionals with General English, Business English, and IELTS preparation. Directly comparable to Speak Up London on customer base (international adults in central London), product mix, and accreditation-driven positioning.
• St Giles International: British Council-accredited English language school with a flagship London location offering adult and junior programmes, exam preparation, and teacher training. Directly comparable to Speak Up London in course mix, central London delivery model, and international student focus.
• International House London: Accredited London English language school with adult general and exam preparation courses plus a global IH network reputation. Comparable to Speak Up London on accreditation, product breadth (IELTS, Cambridge, General English), and central London adult learner base.
• Wimbledon School of English: British Council-accredited London English language school offering adult general English, exam preparation, and junior summer programmes. Directly comparable to Speak Up London on course portfolio and the international learner audience, with a similar boutique, single-location positioning.
• Frances King School of English: London-based English language school with adult courses, exam preparation, and family programmes. Directly comparable to Speak Up London on central London delivery, family-programme offering, and international recruitment via agents.
• British Study Centres: British Council-accredited English language school in London with adult general English, exam prep, and junior programmes. Comparable to Speak Up London on customer profile (international learners), accreditation, and product portfolio.
• Regent Language Training: British Council-accredited English language school operating adult and junior programmes, including London delivery. Directly comparable to Speak Up London on accredited product mix, international learner base, and central London presence.

Broad incumbents

• Kaplan International Languages: Large global chain operating accredited English language schools in London and dozens of other cities. Overlaps with Speak Up London on adult and junior courses in central London, but is materially larger and broader-geography, putting it in incumbent territory.
• EC English Language Centres: Global chain of accredited English language schools with a London campus. Overlaps with Speak Up London on adult general English, exam prep, and junior programmes, but at a significantly larger scale across multiple geographies.
• Oxford International Education Group: International education provider operating English language schools in London and elsewhere, alongside pathway programmes. Comparable on adult ESL delivery in London but with broader portfolio (pathways, summer centres) and multi-site presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAQmuag-NpFXaEKBCMASxzA
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpeakUpLondonSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/speakuplondon
• Instagraminstagram.com/speakuplondon/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@speakuplondon
• Xx.com/speakuplondon

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Speak Up London