Franchising together. General English Business English English for Specific Purposes

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1 Franchising together General English Business English English for Specific Purposes

2 Franchising together Unparalleled Experience The London School of English (LSE) is the oldest officially accredited private English language school in the world, and has been teaching General English since Well-known for the broad range of our courses, we have been teaching Business English, as well as English for Specific Purposes, since the early 1970s. Over the years, the London School of English has established and maintained an international reputation for the quality of its courses and its teaching. The London School of English Franchise System Our franchise goal is excellence. Excellence in teaching, in student learning, in client care. Excellence delivered in new markets. And the best way to achieve that goal, we believe, is in partnership: combining our experience and know-how, with your ambition and market knowledge. Highlights Our Franchise System is created to bring you the best of the London School of English: step-by-step franchisee support comprehensive franchise manuals courses, training and materials, tailored to your local market syllabuses designed to ensure genuine, lasting progress native-speaker teaching, to the highest London standards the LSE Communicative Method, for students who need to activate their spoken English ongoing quality control access to the LSE Group network As the English teaching industry continues to evolve across the world, we seek partners who want to lead the way. Page 2

3 What We O The award of an LSE franchise entitles a Franchisee to the following: Courses Training programmes Systems and Procedures LSE franchise Branding and Design Support Recruitment of Academic Director Courses Prospective Franchisees may apply for the following course packages: Package A: General English & Examination English A full range of General English courses, from Beginner to Advanced level, together with a selection of the exam preparation courses most required by the Franchisee s local market (such as IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, FCE etc.). Package B: Business English A range of Business English courses from pre-intermediate to Advanced level. Package C: English for Purposes A Franchisee may also apply to purchase certain English for which there is local market need. Purposes courses for All courses o red to Franchisees are based on the materials and teaching methodology used by LSE in London, or those developed in addition for Franchisee use. Systems & Procedures In order to guarantee the quality of its operations, The London School of English has evolved a number of core operating systems and procedures. All of these are detailed in the Manuals which the Franchisee receives. Page 3

4 The London School of English has recently updated its corporate identity to increase its brand awareness. The strength of this identity will be greatly enhanced if all elements of the brand are applied uniformly by all parts of the organisation on all marketing materials. These guidelines are only basic but identify the core elements: The LSE logo Page 3 The clear space rule Page 4 The LSE colour palette Page 5 Tint specifications of logo Page 6 The application of the logo on different Page 7 backgrounds The LSE fonts Page 8 Additional LSE graphics Page 9 Sizing the stepping stones graphic Page 10 Relationship of blue bands Pages Application of additional graphics Pages General points Page 17 The LSE stationery Pages The LSE brochure grid and application Pages The LSE website Page 22 The LSE imagery Page 23 It is hoped that these guidelines will be self-explanatory, but if you have any specific queries regarding any application, please consult with LSE Marketing Director Hauke Tallon who can be contacted on: (Direct) (Switchboard) hauke@londonschool.com and will be on hand to resolve any queries. The primary LSE corporate logotype comprises of the Stepping Stones graphic positioned to the left of the London School of English letterform. The primary logo should be used for all group marketing material but in order to give differentiation between separate group companies a differently coloured stepping stones graphic and personalised letterform can be used. The stepping stones graphic and LSE letterform should always appear together when reproducing the logo. The relationship between the two elements is fixed and neither part may be altered, distorted or modified in any way. A selection of master logos, ie. one, twocolour logos, CMYK and mono versions, will be made available for download from the website or on CD Rom. It is important the the right logo be used for the right application. Your graphic designer/printer will advise which is required depending on the print process employed. Page 2 Page 3 The London School of English 15 Holland Park Gardens London W14 8DZ Tel: Fax: quality@londonschool.com Franchising together Branding & Design Franchisees have the right to trade under the prestigious LSE name and display the LSE logo. Comprehensive information about the required look of the school is also supplied to all Franchisees, along with full branding guidelines and artwork. Corporate style guidelines Support The London School of English International offers a high level of support, advice and guidance. This covers aspects of setting up and running a LSE franchise school, from the design of the school to best-practice marketing initiatives. Corporate style guidelines The LSE logotype Primary logotype LSE Images Holland Park and Westcroft Square As part of the Franchise Agreement, Franchisees are required to receive at least one Quality Assurance Visit from London per year. Individual group company logotypes Training programmes Training is an important part of the franchise package. Key members of the Franchisee team will receive instruction in The London School of English philosophy, methods, and systems. Academic Director Training will be given for a minimum of 4 weeks in London. The training programme will cover central aspects of the academic management and administration of an LSE franchise school, and will include some teaching of LSE courses. Centre Director Training will be given for 2 weeks in London. In certain cases, the Centre Director may also be required to receive pre-opening language training. Teaching staff All teachers will receive a structured programme of either pre- or in-service training. Support staff An induction programme will be delivered onsite. Selected support staff may be required to attend further training in London. Recruitment of the Academic Director LSEI will recruit the Academic Director. What We Look For The London School of English is interested in hearing from potential partners who: are prepared to put quality and the building of a solid long-term business ahead of short-term gains are ready to commercialise a long-established international brand have a track record of achievement possess the capital and the drive to grow a successful language training operation Above all, we look for partners with whom we can establish and maintain a relationship of mutual trust and respect. Good communication will play a central role in this, and it is essential that key members of the Franchisee s team speak good English. Page 4

5 The Franchise Agreement A prospective Franchisee who wishes to join the LSE Group will be obliged to o a very high level of quality and service. To this end, the Franchise Agreement will stipulate a number of minimum requirements. Here are some examples: Premises The location, décor, and furniture etc should be in keeping with those of an upmarket training operation. Conditions of service Sta should have attractive conditions of service (salaries, contact hours). Teacher nationality and Teachers are expected to hold an appropriate English teaching Ideally all teachers should be native-speakers. School image There must be clear LSE branding. The school may or may not be strongly branded as a UK-focused operation (this is for discussion) but is likely to r LSE's British roots. However, by 'British' we wish to suggest a modern image of a vibrant, multicultural and multiethnic society, not just the traditional image of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Other clauses will cover: The role of the Centre Director The Centre Director s role will include: overall responsibility for the performance of the school responsibility for marketing and business development ensuring the school is run in accordance with LSE operating requirements, as described in the Franchise Manual The role of the Academic Director The Academic Director s role will include: ensuring the overall quality of the courses delivered guaranteeing the correct allocation of students to classes producing a monthly academic report which is sent to London Scope The Agreement will grant the Franchisee the right to open one (or more) schools in an agreed territory. Financial arrangements An LSE franchise will require successful applicants to pay a: Franchise Fee paid once only, on signature of the Agreement Royalty Fee paid monthly, and calculated as a percentage of turnover In addition, Franchisees will pay for things such as new materials, branded publications and. The Agreement is normally renewable, on payment of a supplementary fee. Further details of all fees will be supplied after application. Page 5

6 Franchising together Frequently Asked Questions Do you award Master Franchises? We will only award Master Franchises if we are satisfied that you (or your organisation) have the resources necessary to develop the LSE franchise to its full potential within the territory in question. What is the difference between the Centre Director and the Academic Director? The Centre Director is responsible for the overall management of the business. This includes the recruitment of non-teaching staff; the pricing and marketing of courses. The Academic Director is responsible for the academic management of the school. This includes overseeing the recruitment of teachers, allocating students to classes, and monitoring the quality of the courses delivered. Who recruits the Academic Director? The London School of English International (LSEI) will recruit the Academic Director. Who recruits the Centre Director? The Centre Director, who is more likely to be local, will be recruited by the Franchisee although this appointment is subject to the final approval of LSEI. Can I re-brand my existing language training business? We welcome enquiries from existing language schools which believe our franchise would facilitate the further successful development of their organisation. Does LSEI provide teachers? We provide the Academic Director. For a fee, we may agree to provide teachers. In some territories, it is more practical to recruit locally. What is the length of the Agreement? The agreement length for a single school is 6 years. This is renewable subject to the satisfactory completion of the Franchise Agreement and the payment of a renewal fee. How much support can I expect? We expect to provide you with the support you need to establish and run the school successfully. It is in our interest to make sure that your business is established as effectively as possible from the start. Do I need to have experience of the English Language industry? If you do not have personal experience of this industry, it will be important to recruit team members who have an appropriate understanding of the quality service sector. Do you offer children s courses? Our expertise lies in serious courses for those over 18. However, to a partner who is principally interested in our courses for adults, we are ready to offer a range of children s courses too. Can I see examples of courseware? If your application is successful in the first stage, you will be given password-protected access to further information about our franchise package and system. This will include examples of courseware. Can I see the Franchise Manual? You will be able to look through selected sections of the Franchise Manual once we are in more detailed discussions. The full Manual will only become available after signature of the Franchise Agreement. Page 6

7 Becoming a Franchisee We always invest time in getting to know prospective Franchisees, to make sure the relationship will work for both sides. Key stages of the process are shown below: Preparing & planning for Opening Signature of Franchise Agreement Signature of MoU OPENING OF NEW SCHOOL LSEI visit to prospective Franchisee Submission of business plan On-line application Prospective Franchisee visit to London Opening a school Once the Franchise Agreement has been signed, a number of major steps remain to be taken before the new school can open: Location, design and of the new school LSEI approval of location, and design work Recruitment of the Centre Director, Academic Director; all teaching and non-teaching sta Training of Academic Director and Centre Director in London In total, a successful application to become an LSE franchise school is expected to take not less than 6 months. The phase from signature of the agreement to opening, is expected to take at least 4 months. For all further information, please international@londonschool.com Page 7

8 15 Holland Park Gardens London W14 8DZ Tel: Fax: