The Burlington Schools

What The Burlington Schools does

The Burlington School of English London (Burlington School Limited, company number 05725732) is an independently owned English language school founded in 1990 and headquartered in Balham, South London, at 146A Bedford Hill. The school serves international adult learners (16+) and young learners aged 11–17, plus organised school groups from overseas, with curriculum centred on a communicative approach covering General English, IELTS and Cambridge exam preparation, specialist professional English, and one-to-one tuition. Class sizes are capped at 18 (averaging 12), and delivery is in-person at the campus, which uses interactive classroom technology installed during a September 2019 move to a multimillion-pound, 80+ bed residential site.

The business is structured around five recurring revenue streams: adult tuition (from £215/week), Young Learner packages (day programmes from £525/week, residential summer packages up to £1,150/week), school-group programmes brokered through Educational Travel Operators (ETOs), accommodation (on-site residence, homestay, and Wandsworth self-catering apartments), and ancillary social/excursion fees. Pricing is subscription-weekly for tuition and accommodation, with transaction-based add-ons for trips. The school is accredited by the British Council under Accreditation UK, an essential regulatory licence enabling visa sponsorship for Short-Term Study Visa students. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer online application with an international B2B agent channel spanning 25+ source countries across Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

Operations are run by a 20–25 person team led by Proprietor/CEO Isabella Anders and Managing Director George Barnbrooke, supported by a Director of Studies, Operations Manager, and an on-site Designated Safeguarding Lead covering adult and young learner programmes. The school is privately held with no disclosed investors, subsidiaries, or parent entities, and operates as a single-site business without geographic diversification outside the Balham campus (the enquiry form references Cheltenham as a possible second destination, but no second site is in operation).

Name

The Burlington Schools

Legal name

Burlington School Limited

Website

https://burlingtonschool.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Burlington School of English is a London-based independent English language school founded in 1990, serving international adult and young learner students (ages 11–17) and school groups from 25+ countries through tuition, residential and homestay accommodation, and cultural immersion programmes on a single Balham campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

English Language Education

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Language Schools (61163), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Language Schools (Multi-Language) (EDAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC), Language School Accommodation & Student Services (School-Provided) (EDAIAEAO), General Language Schools & Institutes (EDAMAFAA)

Keywords

• English language courses
• Young learner programs
• Exam preparation courses
• Language school accommodation
• International school groups

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Weekly tuition fees for General English, IELTS, Cambridge exam preparation, Specialist courses, and one-to-one tuition. Prices range from £215 per week for General English to £70 per hour for one-to-one lessons.
2. Accommodation Services: Revenue from on-site residence, homestay, and apartment accommodation. Includes meal plans (half board, full board). Prices from £185/week for dorm accommodation to £450/week for deluxe single rooms.
3. Young Learner Programme Packages: All-inclusive packages combining tuition, accommodation (residential or homestay), meals, and social programme for students aged 11-17. Prices from £525/week (day programme) to £1,150/week (residential summer programme).
4. School Group Programmes: Tailored packages for international school groups including course only or all-inclusive options with accommodation, meals, activities, airport transfers, and excursions.
5. Social Programme and Excursions: Additional revenue from social activities, full-day trips (Oxford, Cambridge, Bath/Stonehenge, Harry Potter Studio Tour), and weekend trips (Scotland, Paris, Amsterdam). Prices from £25-£249 per activity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Burlington Schools delivers English language education to international students at a residential campus in Balham, London. The school sells adult courses (General English, IELTS and Cambridge exam preparation, Specialist Courses, One-to-One tuition), Young Learner Programmes for ages 11-17 across four seasonal intakes, and tailored all-inclusive programmes for international school groups. Course sales are bundled with on-site residence, homestay, and apartment accommodation services.

Product overview

The Burlington School of English is an English language education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of courses and accommodation services. The core educational offerings include General English (available in four intensity levels from Basic to Super Intensive), IELTS Test Preparation, Cambridge English Exam Preparation, Specialist Courses for specific professional purposes, and One-to-One Tuition for individualised learning. The school also operates dedicated Young Learner Programmes for students aged 11-17 across four seasonal intakes (Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer), plus group programmes for international school groups. Accommodation services complement the courses through onsite residence, homestay (Standard and Executive tiers), and Wandsworth Apartment options. The school moved to a new purpose-built campus in September 2019 featuring over 80 residential beds and interactive classroom technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General English Communicative English language course for adults covering grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, speaking, listening, reading and writing; available in four intensity levels (Basic, Standard, Intensive, Super Intensive) with class sizes up to 18 students, priced from £215 per week.
• IELTS Test Preparation
• Cambridge English Exam Preparation
• Specialist Courses
• One-to-One Tuition
• Young Learner Programme
• Courses for Groups
• Onsite School Residence On-site residential accommodation at the school in Balham with multiple room types and bathroom configurations and half-board meal plans; priced from £185/week (Dorm 3-6) to £450/week (Deluxe Single).
• Homestay Accommodation
• Wandsworth Apartment

Quantifiable outcome

• Students become more confident in their use of English and can understand people in a range of situations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Third-party Weekend Trip AgenciesminorOthersThe school works with partner agencies to offer weekend trips to destinations including Scotland (Edinburgh with Highland tours), Liverpool/Manchester, Paris, and Amsterdam/Bruges. These partnerships allow the school to offer expanded travel experiences beyond their core language programmes.
• Third-party Accommodation AgenciesminorOthersHomestay accommodation providers may be organized by the school directly or by third-party accommodation agencies. These partnerships help expand accommodation capacity for students.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• St Giles International: London-based language school with multiple UK/US centres offering General English, IELTS/Cambridge prep, and junior summer programmes. Closely comparable in target segments (international adult + young learner), British Council accreditation and central London positioning.
• Bell English: UK-based language school with centres in London, Cambridge and elsewhere offering English courses, teacher training and Young Learner programmes. Comparable in British Council accreditation and Young Learner residential offerings.
• Frances King School of English: London-based language school offering General English, IELTS/Cambridge preparation and Young Learner summer programmes to international students. Comparable in product mix, family-run independent positioning and ETO channel strategy.
• Wimbledon School of English: Independent London language school with a long operating history (since 1964) offering General English, exam prep and Young Learner programmes. Closely comparable as a similarly-sized British Council-accredited independent school serving international students in London.
• Anglo-Continental: UK-based English language school in Bournemouth offering General English, exam prep and Young Learner programmes. Comparable in product mix and ETO-driven school group channel, though operating from a different UK city.
• Regent Language Training: London and Edinburgh-based English language school offering General English, exam preparation and Young Learner programmes. Comparable as an independent, British Council-accredited competitor with similar customer base and integrated accommodation offerings.
• International House London: Part of the International House global network, with a central London school offering General English, teacher training and Young Learner programmes. Comparable in international student focus, accreditation profile and product breadth.
• EC English Language Centres: Global English-language school operator with a London centre delivering General English, exam preparation and Young Learner courses to international students. Comparable product portfolio, customer base and channel mix (direct + agents).
• Kaplan International Languages: One of the largest English-language school operators globally, with a central London centre offering General English, exam preparation and Young Learner programmes. Highly comparable in product mix, target customer (international students) and London geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: Global language education giant with London campuses offering General English, exam prep and intensive courses. Much larger scale than Burlington but overlaps significantly on product, customer base and international recruitment model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BurlingtonSch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiF4ULUt0X9D7k6_obrknlQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/BurlingtonSchoolOfEnglishInLondon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-burlington-school-of-english
• Instagraminstagram.com/burlingtonschool

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 The Burlington Schools