STUDENT SERVICES
Accommodation - Welfare - Airport Meeting Service - Passport & Visa - Student Life
Student Guide to English Culture & Customs
ACCOMMODATION
During your stay at the Wessex Academy , we recommend that you live in Homestay Accommodation. Your English Hosts will encourage you to practise your English at all times.
Most of our accommodation is in walking distance of the School. Our accommodation is chosen very carefully and inspected regularly by our Accommodation Officer in accordance with British Council guidelines.
We can arrange homestay accommodation for you in single or twin rooms (a room with two beds sharing with another student). Meals are half board (breakfast and dinner) from Monday to Friday and full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. If you wish, you can pay a supplement for full board all week.
Please check "Fees and Dates" for the accommodation fees.
WELFARE
We offer support and advice to help you enjoy your stay at the Wessex Academy and in England .
If you have any medical or personal problems you can talk to our Accommodation & Welfare Officer or the School Directors. If you need to see a doctor or dentist, this can be arranged through your Homestay Hosts or the School.
If you are from a non-EU country, we strongly recommend that you arrange medical insurance for the period of your stay in England .
The School has a 24-hour emergency telephone service that is provided to all students.
AIRPORT MEETING SERVICE
We can arrange for a private taxi to meet you at the airport on the day you arrive and/or depart. If this is your visit to England or you have a low level of English, we recommend that you request this service for your arrival day. Please see "Fees & Dates" for the taxi fees.
Taxi transfers must be booked at least three weeks before your arrival date. Please note that between June and September, a supplement of £25.00 per journey will be made for late bookings.
If a taxi transfer is booked from the airport on your arrival day, the driver will meet you at the Airport Information Desk with a Wessex Academy sign. The driver will carry an authorisation letter from the school. Under no circumstances should you take an unauthorised taxi from the airport.
PASSPORTS & VISAS
Please check that your passport is valid for the whole period of your course.
If you need to apply for a student visa, please contact the nearest British Embassy or Mission for advice. You can check the following web-sites www.ukvisas.gov.uk or www.ukcosa.org.uk for general advice including the location of the nearest British Embassy or Mission.
STUDENT LIFE
In addition to experiencing English culture, you will meet other students from many different countries. Making new friends and understanding different cultures is a very important part of the Wessex Academy experience.
If you are staying in Homestay Accommodation, you will be living close to other students attending the School and therefore it is easy to meet socially in the evenings and at weekends. You can develop and practise your English language skills during your free time by socialising with other students and your Homestay Hosts (host family). Talking, laughing and having fun is an essential part of your learning programme.
Poole and Bournemouth has a wide choice of entertainment. This includes cinemas, theatres, restaurants, cafés, night-clubs, a wide range of sports facilities, excellent shopping centres, libraries, bowling alleys and internet cafés.
We arrange social events regularly at the School including Film Nights, International Evenings, Ten Pin Bowling, Discos and Games Nights.
During the summer months, we arrange private full day excursions to major towns and cities such as London , Oxford and Bath and local places of interest such as Corfe Castle and the Dorset coastline. Most places are easily reached throughout the year by public transport.
STUDENT GUIDE TO ENGLISH CULTURE & CUSTOMS
This guide is to help you prepare for your stay in England . It contains general information about English customs and practices to introduce you to English life and to help you make the most of the experience.
Observing and learning about the culture of different countries is interesting and exciting but it can be confusing. This guide is intended as an introduction to English life and to help you avoid awkward situations during your first few weeks in England . We do not want to spoil the experience by giving you too much information in advance. However, it is useful to know how other people will expect you to behave and how they will behave towards you. Of course, there is a lot more to learn and observe once you arrive.
We hope that your stay will be interesting and enjoyable and we look forward to welcoming you to the Wessex Academy School of English in the near future.
ALCOHOL
It is illegal for young people under the age of 18 to drink alcohol in public. Some pubs, nightclubs and bars have an age limit of over 21. If you look younger than 21 you may be asked to provide photo identification in the form of a passport or driving licence.
It is acceptable in British culture for men and women to drink as a form of social behaviour.
CLOTHING
The climate in England is very changeable so it is a good idea to bring warm, waterproof clothing if you are arriving during the autumn and winter months. Even in mid-summer it is not unusual to have windy or rainy weather in England .
Students dress casually during the daytime at school. You may wish to bring special clothes for going out in the evening. Some bars and clubs will not allow you to enter if you are wearing jeans or casual trainers.
If you are staying with a host family, you should ensure that you are decently dressed at all times. For example, it may cause offence if you are not dressed before you go to breakfast. It is a good idea to follow the example of the hosts.
CURRENCY/ENGLISH MONEY
The currency in England is £ sterling.
English money is easy to understand. It is made up of pounds and pence.
£1.00 (1 pound) = 100p (pence). Below is a list of our notes and coins:
COINS |
COLOUR |
PAPER MONEY |
COLOUR |
1p (pence), 2p (pence), 5p (pence) |
Copper (brown) |
£5 (pounds) |
Blue |
10p (pence), 20p (pence), 50p (pence) |
Silver |
£10 (pounds) |
Brown |
£1 (pound), £2 (pounds), £5 (pounds) |
Gold |
£20 (pounds) |
Purple |
|
|
£50 (pounds) |
Red |
Banks and Bank Accounts
Monday to Friday - 9:30 am to 4.30pm
If you are a non-EEC student it can be quite difficult to open a bank account in England . Generally banks will only open an account for you if you are enrolled at a school in the U.K. for a minimum of 6 months. The School will be able to help you with the application forms and provide you with the required documents.
Currency Exchange:
Currency can be exchanged in England at banks, travel agents, post offices and bureaux de change. It is not necessary for you to change all of your money before you leave for the U.K. Some places in the U.K. will allow you to exchange money free of charge when you show your student identity card.
DRUGS
Buying and selling illicit drugs is illegal in the UK . The police are very strict about enforcing these laws and if you are found carrying drugs either in school or in public, you may face a custodial sentence and/or a large fine. Cannabis is illegal in England
EATING
British Table Manners and Customs
In the U.K. it is considered very bad manners to put your elbows on the table and to speak with your mouth full. It is also not polite to make a lot of noise when you eat; chewing noisily and slurping drinks are very bad manners!
If you put your knife and fork on your plate in a restaurant, a waiter will think that you have finished eating. If you want to take a break but have not yet finished, place your knife and fork by the side of your plate.
Meals
Most English people eat three meals per day.
Breakfast: Usually eaten between 7.00am and 8.30am on weekdays and at weekends between 8.00am and 10.00am.
Generally it is a small meal on weekdays of cereal, toast or fruit and yoghurt. At weekends a more substantial cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, beans and tomatoes can be eaten.
Lunch: Usually eaten between 12.00pm and 2.00pm
Most people in England eat a light lunch of sandwiches, salad or soup during the week, and their main meal is eaten in the evening. At weekends however it can be the opposite with the main meal eaten at lunchtime, this generally consists of fish or meat with vegetables, rice or potatoes.
Dinner: Usually eaten between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.
Some families in England also call this meal 'supper' or 'tea'. Weekdays this meal is normally a large cooked meal consisting of meat or fish with vegetables and potatoes or a dish of pasta, eggs, pizza or pastry.
In Public: In England it is acceptable to eat, drink and chew gum in public places such as in the street and on public transport, however it is not acceptable in shops, banks, post offices or offices.
Restaurants: English people are very polite to waiters in restaurants. If you want a waiter to come to your table, you should raise your hand - but do not snap your fingers! To attract their attention when they are close by you should say "excuse me". Also in restaurants it is customary to leave a service change or a 'tip' of 10% of the bill at the end of the meal. Some restaurants include this on the bill though so remember to check first!
ELECTRICITY
Standard voltage in the UK is 240volts. All of our plugs have three pins, therefore please remember to bring adaptors with you if you wish to use electronic equipment from your country.
EYE CONTACT
In public, and particularly on public transport, people avoid making eye contact with strangers. Most people either read or look towards the ground slightly or out of windows rather than at peoples' faces. People in England find it uncomfortable if they feel as though someone is watching them.
INTERNET
Internet is available free of charge in public libraries. Internet Cafés are common place in England . Some homes have internet access but it is not usual for this to be the case.
OPENING AND CLOSING TIMES
Pubs
Closing Times: Monday to Saturday 11.00pm, Sundays 10:30pm
Ten or fifteen minutes before these times, the barman will call "last orders!". Drinks will stop being served when the barman says "Time at the bar!" and then you will be given a further 20 minutes to drink your drinks before you are asked to leave.
Although these times are standard closing times, a lot of pubs and bars in England now have a licence to stay open later. This will usually be clearly advertised inside the bar.
Shops
Opening & Closing Times: Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 10.00am, Sundays 10.00am to 11.00am
Shops in England are open all day and do not close for lunch, they generally close between 5.30pm and 6.00pm. On Sundays shops are allowed to open for a maximum of 6 hours, so opening and closing times vary. Supermarkets close at 4.00pm on Sundays.
Restaurants and Cafés
Opening & Closing Times: Monday to Sunday 12.00pm to 3.00pm & 6.00pm to 11.00pm
Most restaurants open for lunch and dinner and most cafés are open all day for drinks and snacks.
PERSONAL HYGIENE
Tissues
It is custom to blow your nose with a tissue, some people keep tissues or handkerchiefs in their bags or up their sleeves, it is not polite to sniff!
Toilets
It is customary to flush the toilet after use and to dispose of toilet paper in the toilet, you do not need to put it in a bin. Ladies' sanitary towels should however be placed in the bin and must not be put into the toilet. At school there are special grey bins provided.
Washing
It is usual to take a shower or a bath every day in England . It is also usual to change and wash clothes regularly.
Water
The water in the taps is clean enough to drink and brush your teeth with. Very few people drink bottled water in England but some people filter water in a jug before they drink it.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Buying Tickets
If you are catching a train you should always buy your ticket at the ticket office or from ticket machines on the station before you board. If you are not able to do this, you can normally buy your ticket from the train conductor on the train. To catch a bus you can either buy a bus pass from the school to travel around the local area or you can buy a ticket from the bus driver each time you take the bus. It is cheaper to buy a return ticket.
Sitting Down
If you get onto a bus or a train, it is acceptable to sit down next to someone, you don't need to ask! If you arrive at a spare double seat, you should sit next to the window and leave a spare seat for someone else to use. It is considered impolite to sit in the aisle and expect other passengers to climb over you in order to sit down. If someone is sat next to you and you want to get off the bus, just say, "excuse me" and the person will move so that you can stand up. There are special seats on most buses reserved for the elderly, the disabled, pregnant women or people with small children and pushchairs. You can sit on these seats but you should get up and offer your place if any one of these people get on the bus.
Standing up
You are allowed to stand up on public transport. Usually there is a limit to the number of people who are allowed to stand and the conductor will not let you board if the bus is full. You must not stand upstairs on a Double Decker bus!
PLEASE & THANK YOU
Children in England are often told to 'mind their P's and Q's'.
P is for P lease and Q is for Thank you .
Whenever you ask someone to do something, you should always say please. When someone does something for you, you should always say thank you. Below are a few examples:
• You should say please when you ask a taxi driver to take you somewhere, "I'd like to go to Buckingham Palace please".
• When you get out of a taxi, you should always say "thank you" to the driver.
• When you are offered something you want the answer should never just be "yes" it should always be "yes please".
• When you are offered something you don't want you should say "no thank you".
QUEUES
The English are famous for being very polite. English people stand in a queue to wait their turn when buying tickets, waiting in a bank, post office, shop or for a bus or train. Always join the back of the queue! If there is any confusion about whether there is one queue or more for several different cashiers, you should still wait your turn and stay behind everyone who arrived before you. English people do not try to get to the front first; they are very fair. You will often hear people saying 'who's next?', the general rule is that you are next if you were the first person to have arrived in the queue!
ROADS
In England we drive on the left hand side on the road! If you are accustomed to driving on the right hand side of the road, remember to look to the right before you cross the road.
Speed Limits
These are measured in miles per hour (mph) not kilometres - 1km = 5/8ths of a mile. In residential areas and main roads the speed limit is usually 30mph or 40mph (unless indicated otherwise). Motorways and dual carriageways are generally 60mph or 70mph. The maximum speed limit on any road in this country is 70mph!
Zebra Crossings/Pelican Crossings
If there is a black and white lined crossing on the road, this is called a "zebra crossing" and cars are obliged to stop and let you cross the road. You should be cautious though, sometimes drivers don't see you waiting by the side of the road! If you cannot see a 'zebra' crossing, try to cross the road at a "pelican crossing" where there are traffic lights.
SMOKING
Although you are generally allowed to smoke in public, many places that serve food and drink do not allow smoking or they have an allocated non-smoking area. It is always important to check if it is all right to smoke. If there is an ashtray on the table it usually means that you can, but if not it is always a good idea to ask a member of staff. Inside banks, offices, post offices, schools, shops and supermarkets and sports centres it is ALWAYS forbidden to smoke.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Meeting and Greeting
Most people shake hands when they meet for the first time or in a formal situation. When people are good friends, they will sometimes kiss each other on the cheek or hug to say hello, goodbye or thank you.
Personal Space
You should not stand too close to people when you speak to them. English people find this uncomfortable.
'SORRY'
The word 'sorry' in England is almost a reflex reaction. 'Sorry' is not necessarily used to indicate an admission of guilt and English people say it a lot so don't be surprised by it! We use sorry in a number of situations - here are just a few:
- If you bump into someone, or if someone bumps into you - both people say 'sorry'.
- We say 'sorry?' When we haven't heard someone clearly.
- 'Sorry' precedes any intrusive question. e.g. 'Sorry, do you know if this bus stops at Bournemouth Square ? 'Sorry, do you know what the time is?'
- We say 'sorry but' before we complain about something e.g. 'Sorry, but I didn't have a towel in my hotel room', 'Sorry, but I bought this shirt and it's got a rip in it'.
- We sometimes say 'sorry' instead of 'excuse me' when we want to attract someone's attention or we want them to move.
TIMEKEEPING
In England it is important to be on time. It is considered to be very rude if you are late for classes, meals, an appointment or a meeting with a friend. For example, if you are late for classes, you will not be allowed to enter the classroom. If you are late for a doctor's appointment, the doctor will cancel your appointment. If you are late for dinner, the family will start the meal without you.
WEATHER
In the U.K. there are four seasons Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.
Winter - December to February
Spring - March to May
Summer - June to August
Autumn - September to November
The weather can be very changeable. For example, sunny in the morning and raining in the afternoon, and you will notice English people talk about the weather quite a lot! Therefore, it is important to be prepared and carry a jacket and umbrella. Autumn and Winter can be very cold and rainy; you will need warm, waterproof clothing, a coat, gloves and a scarf. Spring and Summer are mostly warm, sometimes hot. However it is not unusual for it to rain even in the summer!