IELTS

IELTS is an internationally recognised assessment system jointly managed by Cambridge University in the UK and the British Council. The purpose of IELTS is to enable students to gain entry into universities across the world. An IELTS score is seen as proof of a student's language ability needed to study in English at a tertiary level.

Milner's IELTS preparation course is run as a 15 hour morning class. Students must pass a pre-entry test before gaining a place in the IELTS course. IELTS is an ongoing course, which means there is no official start or finish date. Students can start on any Monday they choose.

Our IELTS preparation course is suitable for Intermediate to Advanced level students. The course covers all four language areas - reading, writing, speaking and listening but focuses particularly on academic writing and reading skills.

IELTS examinations are not held at Milner school, but a local University in London. The IELTS exam tests proficiency in listening, reading, writing and speaking and is mostly taken by students who intend to go to university. These four skills are tested in four separate papers:

• Listening - 30 minutes
• Reading - 1 hour
• Writing - 1 hour
• Speaking interviews - 11 - 15 minutes

There is no "pass" or "fail" on the IELTS exam. Results are expressed in "Bands", from Band 1 (non-user) to Band 9 (expert user). Different university courses have varying IELTS requirements, depending on the level of English required to cope adequately with a specific course.