Are you deciding between learning English at the British Council or with us at English Express in Singapore?
Both can work. What’s the best fit for you depends on what you value more: contact time, schedule, price, and learning style. How to work out what works best for you?
In this article, we will examine the differences and similarities between these two English learning institutions point by point.
1) Teacher quality and credentials
The teacher is the single most determining factor of how well you learn. When you’re joining an English class, you’re joining the teacher’s class first, and the institution second.
Partially, it’s a matter of finding an English language trainer who fits your learning style. That’s something only you can decide when you take part in the class – and it’s one of the reasons why at English Express, we offer newly joining students the opportunity to try a class first with no obligation. Only you can decide whether a teacher is a good match for you.
But on the other hand, teaching is a learnable skill, and serious teachers have attained certifications. Both the British Council and English Express take teacher selection very seriously and apply only CELTA certified teachers.
CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is awarded by Cambridge English and is the most widely recognised qualification for teaching English to adults worldwide. CELTA courses include observed and assessed teaching practice with real learners, guided lesson planning, and ongoing trainer feedback. (https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/teaching-qualifications/celta/)
Any CELTA certified English teacher will have had:
- A minimum of 120 contact hours with trainers (plus significant reading/prep time).
- At least 6 hours of assessed teaching practice with adult learners, plus observations of experienced teachers.
- Continuous assessment of classroom performance and four written assignments focused on language awareness and learners’ needs.
So while British Council is a household name for learning English in Singapore and worldwide, English Express holds its teachers to the same strict standards.
2) Class size and speaking time
How fast you can improve your English depends to a large extent on how much you talk and how quickly and often you get feedback. We started English Express based on this intuition, but it has also been proven time and time again by scientific research.
- English Express caps group classes at max 8 (online or in-person), so you’ll get lots of opportunities to speak and get feedback during any lesson.
- British Council typically runs larger cohorts.
If you want the highest speaking ratio per hour, a small-group class is a clear advantage. If you want a big-campus feel with more learners around, the British Council may be a better fit for you.
3) Schedules, joining and flexibility
Now, let’s turn to the practical side of things. How do English Express and British Council run their schedules?
- British Council runs by terms and centre timetables; you can enroll after placement and have to wait for specific class start dates. The advantage of this is stability – once a class starts, it’s fully locked in with no further students joining during the term.
- English Express offers rolling starts with a quick oral assessment and the option to trial a class first, which helps if you want to begin this week rather than wait for the next intake. Besides being more convenient to join, our approach also offers flexibility during the term: if you find out that your English lessons are too easy (or too hard), you will have the option of moving to a different class.
Moreover, at English Express we believe that learning is a two-way street. So if you’re not 100% sure of your choice, you are welcome to join a lesson on a trial basis without any obligation. That will give you the opportunity to find out if it’s a fit for you before committing.
4) Prices
Improving your English is a long-term commitment and life in Singapore is expensive, so cost matters. To keep improving, you have to be able to afford not only the initial class you join, but also the next level.
- British Council – General English
At the time of writing, many 2‑hour, twice‑weekly courses for 36 hours in total are listed at around S$1,800 per term (find current fees here: - English Express – adult group classes
Learning English at English Express is significantly cheaper, especially when you make use of multi-term discounts. For example if you sign up for 3 terms, for a total of 48 teaching hours, it will cost S$1255.68. If you prefer to sign up for a single term first (16 hours) you can get started for S$ 507.94.
5) Social proof and reviews
Before enrolling or taking a trial class, it is wise to take a good look at reviews on independent, third-party websites. Not only will that allow you to spot serious issues (is this school even real?) – you will also get a feel for what students appreciate and don’t like about the school – and that helps when you try to find out whether the school is a good fit for you.
- British Council operates three centres at Napier, Toa Payoh and Paya Lebar. The average review scores for these centres, at the time of writing, range from 3.0 to 4.2 out of 5 stars on Google Maps.
- English Express shows a steady stream of public reviews and third‑party snapshots reporting (at the time of writing) an average review score of 4.9 out of 5 stars. Skim a few and you will see that English learners at English Express often mention small classes, practical focus and friendly teachers.
In short…
There are a lot of “best” lists around on the internet, but your best English language class is the one that fits with your learning goals and schedule. Run this checklist with any provider:
- CELTA‑level teachers — credible baseline for practical teaching.
- Small groups — more speaking, more feedback, better role‑plays (meetings, presentations, negotiations).
- Clear outcomes – present better, write clearer, sound more confident with customers: is it clear what you will learn in your English class of choice?
- Placement that includes a short oral assessment (so you get placed at the right level from day one) and a trial class if possible.
- Transparent pricing & term length – compare the cost per hour, because some providers offer longer terms, and they will naturally have a higher headline price.
- Timetable fit – Improving your English is a long-term effort so you need to be able to keep it up. Do you prefer to learn in the evenings, or during the weekend? Do you want to start as soon as possible or are you OK to wait for a term intake?
Of course, at English Express, we believe in what we offer. Otherwise, we wouldn’t even be in this business. But even if you end up deciding to study with us, take some time to consider the options out there, and pick the option that works best for you.
FAQ
Truth be told, you could end up lucky in a school that doesn’t require CELTA certification for its teachers, but it’s the most widely recognised entry qualification and proves teachers have been thoroughly trained. For most adult learners, CELTA is a strong baseline to look for and both English Express and the British Council insist on this qualification for their teaching staff.
Because you’re paying for chances to speak and be corrected. Small groups raise your talk‑time per hour — simple as that.
As of today’s listings, many British Council General English terms are around S$1.8k, while English Express group terms are around S$508 (with multi‑term discounts available). Always check your exact level and slot, but that’s the general ballpark.
At English Express and other Crystal Learning language schools, we see language, first of all, as a tool. It is a tool to understand courses you plan to take or to communicate with your colleagues well.
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