International House London

International House London is a language school on Stukeley Street, a quiet turning just off Drury Lane in Covent Garden, that has been teaching for more than 65 years. It describes itself as the number one language school in central London on the basis of the latest British Council inspections and has also been named best value school in London. The organisation operates as both a company and a registered charity and is a member of English UK, the national association for English language teaching.

The school belongs to the wider International House network and is known as much for teacher training as for its student courses. It runs a range of professional development programmes for educators alongside a free online Teacher Portal, and its exam centre, IHTA, administers IELTS, OET, Cambridge and other qualifications on site. The building on Stukeley Street was named Haycraft House in 2026 in honour of the founders, John and Brita Haycraft.

English language school in Covent Garden

General English courses start every week, supported by a Professional English Centre offering bespoke career-focused study and exam preparation classes for IELTS, OET and Cambridge. Low-cost evening and afternoon group lessons run from £35, with free places for those who qualify, and Young Learner summer schools take students aged 8 to 17. Beyond English, the school teaches foreign language courses in 17 languages, both in person and online, which makes it one of the broader language providers in the West End.

What to expect on a visit

Students can arrange accommodation through the school, either in modern residences at Kings Cross, Islington and Tufnell Park or with a host family on half-board or bed and breakfast terms. A Social Programme team runs daily events, day trips around London and visits to cities such as Oxford and Cambridge, and the school provides visa guidance and welfare support for under-18s. Course advisors can be reached by phone, in person or through a booked consultation. It is one of the longer-established schools and education providers in Covent Garden, a few streets from The Royal Ballet School on Floral Street.