Volunteering - frequently asked questions

How do I become a volunteer?

We recruit for teaching volunteers throughout the school year (September-June). If you are interested in finding out more or becoming a volunteer, please email us with your contact details, any experience you've had that you want to share and your availability on Monday and Wednesday evenings. You're welcome to attach your CV if you wish, but it's not necessary.



Can I volunteer without teaching experience?

Yes! Many of our volunteer teachers have no prior teaching experience before joining the school. All you need is a willingness to get involved and help others. Twice a year, we run a bespoke ten-week teacher training programme for our new teaching volunteers to ensure they are supported and feel confident in the classroom. If we can't put you onto one of the programmes, you'll support our teachers and Head of School until the next training programme starts.



I am a qualified teacher/teacher in training/I have a CELTA. How can I support the school?

That's fantastic - your experience will be invaluable to us. All our new volunteer teachers go on our bespoke teacher training programme, even if they are qualified already as we support teachers to teach the different ability levels in our school, to our curriculum and to the students' needs. The programme is flexible to accommodate experienced teachers with more challenging activities and there are additional opportunities to support the school within the teaching, learning and development space.



I'm looking for a teaching job, can you help me?

We have no paid positions at the school - we are entirely run by volunteers. The Head of School is more than happy to provide you with a reference after you have volunteered with us for at least two school terms. We'll also ensure you get as much experience as possible when you volunteer with us and we'll try and support you however we can.



How long do I have to volunteer for?

Our minimum commitment is two school terms - meaning, for example, if you start with us in September, you'd be expected to volunteer with us until at least the start of the Easter holidays. Many of our volunteers, however, have been with us for over five years and we hope you find it somewhere where you'd want to continue long term.



When are the classes?

We run classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings (18:45-21:00) during the school terms, with a slightly longer summer holiday (we finish at the end of June). Occasionally, there are some evenings (enrolment, exam evenings) where we ask if volunteers can arrive slightly earlier - by 18:30 - to support us to make this evenings run as smoothly as possible. Volunteers are only expected to commit to one evening a week, however some of our volunteers come on both evenings.



Do you need any volunteers not for teaching?

Yes! We might not always have something immediately available, but we are always looking for teaching assistants to support our teachers in the classroom. At the moment, we are looking for an administration assistant to support with incoming registrations and management of student data, as well as a digital marketing executive to support us with our social media channels. Please email us if you are interested in supporting the school, but not in a teaching capacity.



What are the benefits of volunteering?

You'll receive: - Full training and support - A suite of print and digital classroom resources to support your lessons - Access to workshops to develop your teaching style* - At least three volunteer socials during the year You'll also get to meet with and support individuals from over 50 nationalities across the west London and wider area to integrate into their local communities and achieve their personal and career aspirations.



Do you still have a question? Contact us.