“Language is an equaliser… language skills are fundamental in order to contribute to host communities, while language instruction also provides a bridge between communities”
(Amin Awad, Director of the UNHCR)
About
Who we are and what we do
Why We Exist
We exist to see refugees and those seeking asylum set free from the isolation that comes from not being able to speak the language of the culture they are in.
We believe that there is a future and a hope for them and that language plays a key role in providing them with opportunities and helping them to integrate.
Hope English School was set up in 2016 to respond to the challenges being faced by refugees, people seeking asylum and the organisations who work with them. These challenges include: Government funding cuts, long waiting lists, gender barriers and long travel distances to classes.
In 2020, in light of the growing digital inequalities, we decided to launch our digital skills training course specifically designed for speakers of other languages.
What We Do
We offer three services, depending on the needs of our students, these are one-to-one ESOL, community ESOL classes and Digital Skills training.
All our classes are prepared and delivered by CELTA qualified and highly experienced teachers, who have a passion seeing our students grow in their English and digital abilities, as well as in their hope, aspirations and opportunities for their future.
Our small class sizes, creche facilities and women-only class options make us easy for all to access and help us to maintain a high quality of service.
How We Work
Learn with us
We aim to provide a tailored service to all our students, whether they require ESOL or Digital skills classes. All our classes take place in the community, with creche facilities where required, so that all our students are able to access them.
Partner with us
We work with charities and organisations across and around Sheffield to provide ESOL and digital skills provision for those who need it most. Find out how you can partner with us on the “partner” section of our website.
Support us
Whether it’s through regular giving, making a one off donation, sponsoring a class or taking part in one of our events, there are so many ways you can support our work.
Additional Services
Childcare
We understand that a lack of childcare can make it difficult for many learners to attend classes. To help overcome this, we offer a mobile crèche that runs alongside selected sessions where the need is greatest.
Our childcare coordinator and team of dedicated volunteers provide a safe, welcoming, and engaging environment for babies and pre-school aged children, allowing parents to focus on their learning. By removing this barrier, we hope to make it easier for more people to access opportunities and participate fully in our classes.
All our childcare workers and volunteers are:
Enhanced DBS checked
Complete child safeguarding and childcare training
Are over the age of 18
Have a love for working with children from all backgrounds and nationalities.
British Sign Language and ESOL
We offer a bespoke class for Deaf refugees that combines British Sign Language (BSL) with ESOL, supporting learners to develop the communication skills they need to integrate and fully participate in their new communities. For many, traditional ESOL classes are not accessible, making this tailored approach essential.
Through this course, learners build BSL skills for everyday communication in areas such as healthcare, education, and daily life, alongside English literacy skills to help them read letters, complete forms, support their children’s learning, and engage more confidently with wider society.
As the only course of its kind outside of London, we are proud to provide this unique and vital service.
Testimonials
We love getting feedback, it always makes us smile when we see how far our students have come.
“before when my children would come to me with their technical questions and their homework I would feel scared, now I can help them I feel proud”
“I like the way they (the teachers) explain to us in very easy, good communication, a lot of new things that we learn everyday and lots of games”
“Our client seemed so excited and told us today that she learnt how to type and delete things.”
“One of my students could hardly read individual words, but now volunteers to read in front of the class”
“My student (who only joined the class this term) now asks questions and sends whatsapp messages, having struggled to understand simple questions at the beginning!”