Due to new regulations from Transport for London (TFL) all UK-based taxi drivers will now have to take an English language exam. The International English Language Testing System, more commonly known as IELTS, tests candidates reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Taxi drivers will be required to score a 4.0 in this exam, equivalent to an intermediate level of English or B1 in the CEFR.
The London Exam Centre
The London Exam Centre - part of Wimbledon School of English, will be organising Academic and General IELTS exams for taxi drivers based in London and the South East. The exam will take place at South Thames College in Merton, just a short distance from Wimbledon, meaning you don’t need to make the trip into Central London to take the exam. The venue has free parking, is easily accessible by the Northern Line or by taking bus 93 from Wimbledon.
The IELTS Exam
The first exam will be held at South Thames College on Saturday 10th December 2016, and every month thereafter; please visit www.londonexams.co.uk for further dates. You also have the choice to take the Academic or the General exam. The writing, listening and reading part of the exam is held on a Saturday morning and the speaking part is held on the Thursday or Friday beforehand.
IELTS Preparation Course
We will also be offering a part-time IELTS Preparation course which will help to prepare you for the exam and you can start this course from Monday 5th December. If you can’t start on this date, you can still join the course on any Monday throughout the year. Lessons will be held on two afternoons each week – either Tuesday and Thursday, or Monday and Wednesday. The course covers all four language skill areas; speaking, writing, listening and reading.
Taster Lesson
If you’re still unsure and want to find out what the Preparation course involves, or the format of the exam, come along to a Practice/Taster session on Wed 30th November 2016 or Wed 7th December 2016 from 13:55 – 16:45. The cost of this is only £30.00 and you can pay on the day.
Why Wimbledon School of English?
We have been established for over 50 years and are named Top-Performing Centre of Excellence based on British Council inspection results. We not only have a team of qualified and experienced teachers, we are also located in a wonderful area of London just 20 minutes from the city centre. We also have our very own exam centre which specialises in a large variety of language based exams so we can guarantee you the highest of quality.
To register for the IELTS exam, please contact 020 8971 9348 or email IELTS@wimbledon-school.ac.uk
