About us

Message from the founders

We established Bayswater Education because we know that education and travel are life’s greatest adventures. Our mission to inspire and educate begins in our beautiful, modern classrooms and extends to communities and cultures across the globe.

We provide a platform to effective learning through travel, accommodation, classes and activity programs and we offer structured guidance throughout your journey. We also want to extend our mission beyond our borders, so when you enrol with us we offer the same education to a disadvantaged person.

James Herbertson and Stephan Roussounis

Eurocentres was born in 1948 as a way to transform learning into an enriching, personal experience. Since then, we have evolved into a market leader in international language teaching.

Our promise

We are your home away from home

Facilities

A Warm Reception

Support
We make it easy for you

We want to make sure you have the best time possible with us. With the range of choices available, choosing the perfect school can seem like a huge task. This is why we offer help and advice in 10 different languages, from expert consultants who will use their own industry experiences to guide you.
We are a student-powered community

Student of the Month

Student Ambassadors

Feedback and Surveys
We make significant contributions to the field of language teaching

In 1990, the Council of Europe Language Policy Unit commended Eurocentres for aiding in the development of the CEFR, a crucial framework for language learning and assessment.

When you arrive at the school, you will be placed in a class according to your CEFR level (the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). This is the most accurate way to make sure you learn at the right pace for you and that you study materials that are appropriate for your language level.
We focus on your goals

Meeting your needs

We give you the tools to succeed

We communicate your progress
We provide learning opportunities inside and outside of the classroom

Specialised social programmes are offered to help students to make new friends and explore their new environment safely, under the guidance of local teachers or dedicated travel guides.

Ask the staff at your destination school for help and advice on booking trips and joining weekly activities.
We develop global citizens

#ForeverConnected

Social Awareness

Initiatives and Fundraising
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We believe in partnership and collaboration

Through decades of international collaboration, Eurocentres schools have created long-lasting partnerships together across Europe, North America, and the South Pacific.

We believe in partnership and collaboration

Whether your dream is to work abroad, study in a different country, or simply to improve your language skills, the Eurocentres model makes it easy to achieve your aims. We facilitate your transition process, from the initial booking and inquiry stages, all the way through to the end of your stay.

Bayswater is

For Global Citizens
We look beyond our borders; we embrace new cultures and are richer for it. We give access to education from the heart of London to the rest of the world. You are all welcome.
For Guidance
We take care of the little things at every step of your journey. From enrolment to graduation, we want you to know there’s always someone here to help.
For Students
Everything we do is geared toward student success and safety. We know that confidence is an essential tool in learning and are here to encourage that confidence. Our focus is on the good you are doing.
For Serious Fun
Your overall experience is important to us and we know fun is a large part of adventure. We aim to introduce you to like-minded people so that your friendships are our legacy.
Business for good
We provide the skills to change people’s lives. For every student we teach, we will teach another from a disadvantaged background. We provide classes beyond our borders and extend our commitment to education to regions where they are most needed.

2022

2022:

Bayswater expands to Canada by the acquisition of 2 Stafford House centres in Toronto and Calgary

2020:

Bayswater acquires Eurocentres and Language Study Centres, a leading Summer Camp provider (now called Bayswater Summer)

2017

Bayswater Education is founded by Stephan Roussounis and James Herbertson

1973

Bayswater Paris opens (as Eurocentres Paris)

1960 - 1999

1960: Collaboration with France, Spain, and the USA begins

1968: Eurocentres receives the "Statut Consultatif de la Catégorie 1" - advisory status in the field of language teaching and learning - from the Council of Europe

1970: Bayswater London and Brighton open (as Eurocentres)

1974: Bayswater Toronto opens (Stafford House Toronto)

1975: The number of students exceeds 20,000 per year

1978: Pioneer works on “CALL” (Computer Assisted Language Learning) and self-access learning in multi-media learning centres

1984: Introduction of Scale of Language Proficiency

1986: The first purpose-built school for teaching German opens in Cologne

1988: New centres are opened in countries outside of Europe, including the USA and Japan

1990: Eurocentres aids in the development of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and is commended by the Council of Europe Language Policy Unit for its contributions

1991: With the completion of a new purpose-built school in La Rochelle, there are now 3 year-round schools in France – Paris, Amboise, and La Rochelle

1993: The "Eurocentres Scale of Language Proficiency" is put into practice. It is followed by the development of a computerised language testing system which enables teachers to generate reliable tests according to students' individual needs

1995: The first consultancy agreements take shape in in Switzerland, Spain, and Brazil

1997: Bayswater Calgary opens (Stafford House Calgary)

1998: Bayswater Cape Town opens (as Eurocentres Cape Town)

1999: International collaboration leads to partnerships in Canada and Malta.

2007: Bayswater Cyprus opens (as English in Cyprus)

2008: Introduction of Eurocentres Success System

2013: Bayswater Liverpool opens (as The Language House)

1948

The first Bayswater school opens in Bournemouth (as Eurocentres Bournemouth), founded by Erhard Waespi

Our team

Stephan Roussounis

Managing Director

Stephan has over 15 years experience in the sector, initially starting out as a English language teacher in Ecuador and Argentina, he moved on to marketing and then sales and business development roles for Malvern House, a pioneering low-cost high-volume operator in central London.

He then moved to Cambridge Education Group, a private-equity backed international education business. His role was to develop a network of adult language schools under the Stafford House brand. Starting with one school in Canterbury in 2010 the business was grown organically and via 3 acquisitions to 10 schools, in 3 countries (UK, USA and Canada).

Stephan also launched Cyprus as an English language destination in 2007, and currently is a co-director in English in Cyprus, the leading language school in Cyprus.

James Herbertson

Director

James Herbertson previously co-founded an accommodation agency, London Nest, in 2010. In the past 7 years London Nest has provided flat shares and residences to over 10,000 students. Prior to London Nest, James started and later sold language travel agency Answer English, and studied Spanish at Malaca Instituto where he formed his passion for learning languages.

James is also Secretary of charity Zimbabwe Rural Schools Development Programme (ZRSDP) that builds schools and communities in rural Zimbabwe.

ZRSDP was started in 2001 and has raised over £350,000 to build an AIDS education centre, classroom blocks, teacher’s accommodation and drill bore holes in 8 Zimbabwean schools. In 2011 James formed a relay team and together they swam the English Channel to raise funds raising more than £50,000 for a classroom block at Makowe Primary School.

Yeliz Hussein

Global Sales Director

Yeliz will lead the recruitment for Bayswater College’s Digital Marketing, Fashion and English language programmes, as well as English in Cyprus, a partner school of Bayswater.

Yeliz has been in the industry for nearly 15 years, starting in operational roles then moving into sales with LAL Language Centres in 2010, most recently as a Head of Regional Business Development.

Lucinda Hickey

Academic Director

Lucinda oversees the development and quality assurance of all English courses as well as growing the portfolio of professional courses, currently Digital Marketing and Fashion.

Lucinda has an extensive and varied career in international education, from teaching primary and secondary in Asia and Latin America to university level courses in the UK, before going into management and development. Most recently Lucinda was Academic Director for ELT at Cambridge Education Group, setting up a teacher training function at Stafford House and improving the delivery of English and language development through academic content at CATS and CSVPA colleges.

Accreditations

Brochure

For detailed advice and information on what's available at any Bayswater Eurocentres school, access our 2022 brochure now.

Download

Success stories

Yuki Nakamoto

"Thanks to Eurocentres' help, I had the opportunity to work at a local primary school as a volunteer."
Andressa Rodriguez

"The course material is excellent and the teachers are fabulous! I love all of them."
Fusako Ishikawa

"I didn't learn only French but also learned about the French culture, way of life, food and wine."

About us

Message from the founders

Our promise

We are your home away from home

We are a student-powered community

We focus on your goals

We develop global citizens