Program

• English

  General English Course Students can begin any General English course on Monday in any week, if the course is available that week. The average class size is 8 students. The maximum number of students in a class is 16. The school is open all year, except for Public Holidays. Before arrival at Rotorua English Language Academy, students will be sent an online assessment test to find their level of English. All students receive either a leaving report or a leaving certificate on completion of their programme. General English Course Mornings – 3 hours each morning (15 hours per week) Our General English course will help you improve your English as quickly as possible, whether you need English for your work or for your personal use. You will be in a multi-national class with other students of the same level, using the most modern course books and materials, such as the latest versions of Empower, Global, Face to Face and English File. All our regular teachers have the University of Cambridge CELTA or Trinity Cert TESOL, and bring a wide range of teaching experience to their classes. We emphasise the importance of helping students to communicate fluently and confidently in English, and will work with you to improve your grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. The course allows you either to study just General English, or to combine this with other specialised courses in the afternoon. Afternoons – 2 hours each afternoon (Monday – Thursday) The integrated skills afternoon programme is designed to develop all four major skills – reading and writing, listening and speaking – and the various sub-skills that they involve. We aim to integrate (connect together) these skills so that you achieve the right balance between understanding (receptive skills) and using (productive skills) in real contexts and for real purposes. The tasks you undertake in class will develop your vocabulary in various topic areas, increase your fluency and confidence and provide plenty of opportunities for feedback on your accuracy. On Friday afternoons, students have the choice of joining the Friday afternoon activity with a RELA staff member, or you can choose to have some free time to pursue your own interests.

• English

  IELTS Class Study for the IELTS examination in New Zealand Students at RELA can prepare for the IELTS exam (Academic or General IELTS) in our afternoon exam training class. Most students combine this with our General English course in the morning. IELTS is a very important qualification for anyone who wants to study at an English-language university. The qualification is recognised by more than 6,000 institutions worldwide. There are tests of your speaking, writing, listening and reading. For more information click here At RELA, our IELTS preparation class runs all through the year, so you can join it at any time. Your teachers have a very good understanding of the requirements of the test, and will help you develop your language skills in the most important areas. Our IELTS classes are usually quite small (average 6 per class; with a maximum of 16 students in every class) and you will be in a very focused class. RELA offers IELTS exam training to students at Upper Intermediate to Advanced level. Entry to class depends on a student’s current level of English. After a student enrols at RELA, he/she will take a test and be placed in the appropriate classes. The full time programme (23 hours per week) is: Mornings: Monday-Friday 8.30-12.00pm – a language development class at your level, teaching grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, speaking and pronunciation Afternoons: Monday-Thursday 1.00-3.00pm – an IELTS preparation class designed to teach you exam taking strategies and familiarise you with all aspects of the exam A part-time programme would be IELTS training only, in the afternoons (8 hours a week) if your level is high enough to enter one of those classes; or a language development class in the mornings (15 hours) if your current English level is not yet high enough to do the IELTS training. The reason for IELTS only being taught in the afternoons is that it is not a teaching programme. It is an exam training programme. By combining IELTS in the afternoon with a morning General English course teaching language development at a student’s exact level, we expect to see students gain the required IELTS score more quickly than if they were doing only IELTS training. The morning classes will focus on the language skills needed to help students gain the IELTS score they need, while the afternoons will focus on exam techniques and strategies. Self Study: For all exam classes we offer you after school specialised self-study hours at these times: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3.15 ~ 5.00pm

• English

  High School Preparation Our General English with High School Preparation is for students planning to go to a New Zealand High School for the first time. Why do General English with High School Preparation? It will help students to understand and adapt to New Zealand High Schools. Students will find it easier to cope with the language and customs of a high school. The Aims of the Programme We have designed the programme with the following aims in mind To increase the level of students’ general English, so they are better able to cope with everyday situations both in and out of the classroom. To increase students’ range of basic vocabulary and school/subject-related vocabulary. To introduce students to a variety of everyday school situations. To introduce students to common and useful classroom language. To teach a variety of study and language skills. In the morning, students join a General English class at the appropriate level. It is very important that students get this experience in the General English classes. These classes give students a sound base on which to build their English. They not only learn grammar, but also do a lot of speaking, listening, reading and writing. It is also in these General English classes, that students learn a lot about New Zealand life and customs. As well, students have the chance to build friendships with people from all around the world. In the afternoons if there are enough students who have not already started at High School in New Zealand, then students may study High School Preparation. Class content and structure are organised according to the needs of the students at the time. They may learn vocabulary and skills associated with a number of different subjects studied at high school. Students will also be taught about life at high schools, some of the rules and routines they will encounter and how to mix and make friends more easily. We also have ex-students come in to talk about their experiences and to answer any questions. If appropriate, we can visit a local high school. Each programme is designed to meet the needs of the students who are taking it, and requests for other topics can be considered as well.

• English

  English with Activities Our English with Activities programme is for people wanting to see more of Rotorua, try new experiences and learn English at the same time. It is an ideal holiday! You will have classes in the morning with our friendly teachers and then you can enjoy trying new things and seeing some of Rotorua’s great sights and thermal activity in the afternoons. Activity Programme Dates 2026 05 January – 06 February 23 March – 10 April* 06 July – 07 August 12 – 23 October Public holidays on Friday 3 and Monday 6 April (Easter)

• English

  Cambridge C1 Advanced – Exam Preparation Class Study for the Cambridge Advanced (C1 Advanced) exam in New Zealand The C1 Advanced exam is an advanced test of general English language. The qualification is recognised worldwide: employers in Europe, Asia and South America will see a pass at C1 Advanced level as a sign that you have reached an advanced level of English and can communicate easily with people from all over the world in English. The exam is for Advanced (C1) students. Cambridge Advanced is recognised by a large number of universities, educational institutes and employers in Europe, and by a rapidly increasing number of organisations worldwide. You can check where Cambridge Advanced is recognised here. At RELA, our Cambridge Advanced exam preparation class will take you through all the skills you need to do well in the exam. You will be in a small and very focused class, with a teacher who understands how to help you with the key requirements of the test. It’s not all hard work, though! There is also time for fun and communicative tasks, and of course there is the unique RELA social programme to enjoy in your spare time.

• English

  Cambridge B2 First Class Cambridge B2 First – Preparation Class RELA’s Cambridge B2 First class will help you prepare for the Cambridge First exam. This exam is a test of your general English. The qualification is recognised worldwide: employers in Europe, Asia and South America will see a pass at B2 First (formerly FCE) level as a sign that you can communicate with people from all over the world in English. It is the most popular of the Cambridge exams, and is taken by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world each year. For more information about the class have a look at the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations website For more information on educational institutes worldwide who recognise the Cambridge exams click here At RELA, our Cambridge B2 First class will take you through all the skills you will need to do well in the exam. You will be in a small and very focused class, with a teacher who understands how to help you with the key requirements of the test. It’s not all hard work, though! There is also time for fun and communicative tasks, and of course there is the unique RELA social programme to enjoy in your spare time. Dates: Please contact the school for information on our next class. Self Study: For all exam classes we offer you after-school specialised self-study at these times: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3.30 ~ 5.00