2025: A Year in Review
What a year it has been! From January’s snowy school visits to November’s community woodland investment, 2025 has been a year of growth, connection, and transformation—both for English With An Expert and for the students we’ve had the privilege to support.
This year-in-review brings together the highlights from eleven months of teaching, travelling, creating, and celebrating success stories from around the world. Whether you’ve been following our journey all year or you’re just discovering us now, we hope this retrospective inspires you to pursue your own IELTS goals with confidence.
Where We’ve Been
A New Home Base
February marked a significant milestone: we officially moved into our new office. This transition allowed us to create fresh backdrops for lessons, develop new products, and establish a more professional teaching environment. Throughout the year, we’ve been installing new setups for current and future webinars, lesson series, and other exciting offerings.
School Visits and Industry Events
January kicked off with a memorable visit to Repton School, where we experienced a unique blend of 11th-century architecture and cutting-edge digital education tools. The school’s commitment to academic excellence and international inclusivity left a lasting impression on our approach to supporting students preparing for UK education.
We also attended an education event led by Sarah Capewell, gaining deep insights into Chinese education trends and market differentiation strategies. The perspectives from industry professionals like Joakim Paurell and Susan Fang helped shape our approach to reaching more international students.
In July, we visited Moreton Hall, a leading UK boarding school where IELTS support is woven into daily routines and long-term academic goals. Their thoughtful parent–child summer programme demonstrated how the right school can make a tremendous difference in a student’s transition to UK education.
Visiting Moreton Hall in July 2025
August took us to York, where we worked with international students preparing for university. Their biggest challenge was balancing academic pressure with developing spoken fluency—a reminder that IELTS success is about more than test technique.
Community Investment
November brought exciting news: we became co-owners of Long Lands Common, a 30-acre community woodland project near Harrogate and Knaresborough. This site will be transformed into a diverse habitat featuring native tree planting, wildflower meadows, and a ‘Tree Cathedral’ pathway. It’s a long-term investment in local conservation that will benefit the community for generations to come.
Meeting Online Connections in Person
October reminded us that while digital connections are brilliant, nothing quite beats face-to-face conversation. We finally met an online contact in person after years of knowing her online—braving a chilly Sunday morning outside York Minster. We’ve met several international students online and plan to meet more. Could you be one of them?
Meeting Sophie Lechner near York Minster – October 2025
Student Success Stories
Every month, we celebrate the achievements of students who have transformed their IELTS scores through focused preparation and determination. Here are just some of the remarkable journeys from 2025:
Alla (January) – Ukraine to Canada
Alla needed a 7.0 in Writing to immigrate to Canada. Despite scoring 8-9 in other skills, she was consistently receiving 6.5 in Writing. After just four lessons, Alla achieved the 7.0 Writing score she needed and is now pursuing her Canadian dream.
Lucas (February) – Doctor from Brazil
Lucas needed a high score to register with the GMC in the UK. He had strong speaking and listening skills but struggled with Writing Task 1. After targeted coaching, Lucas quickly improved his ability to analyse data and structure his responses effectively, achieving the score he needed to continue his medical career in the UK.
Yomna (March & May) – From 5.5 to 7 in 11 Lessons
Yomna needed Band 7 for her Master’s programme, but her writing score had stuck at 5.5 despite all her efforts. In just 11 targeted lessons, she improved her writing to a solid 7.0, achieved an overall Band 7, and submitted a successful university application. As Yomna said: “I think what Andy did was a miracle. I was so down and didn’t believe I could do it—but I did.”
Francesca (June) – Turnaround in Under Two Weeks
Francesca had taken the IELTS Academic exam three times, with her Writing score stuck between 5.5 and 6.0. With limited time and rising pressure, we focused on targeted writing corrections and fast turnaround. In just six essay feedback sessions, Francesca achieved Band 6.5 in Writing—in under two weeks.
Manzy (July) – The Power of the Right Method
Manzy had attempted IELTS GT twice before approaching us, consistently scoring 7 in Writing. Through step-by-step dissection and live correction of essays, Manzy learned to identify and fix his own mistakes. His final scores: L: 9, R: 9, W: 7.5, S: 8.5.
Bushra (August) – First-Time Success
Unlike many students who face IELTS multiple times, Bushra invested in focused preparation before booking her test. With just 10 lessons, she walked into her first IELTS exam and achieved Band 7.5 overall. Her journey is a reminder that the right guidance from the start can save months of frustration.
Ahmed (September) – From Band 5 to Band 8
For Ahmed, IELTS was the gateway to starting a new life in Canada. When he began lessons, his score sat at Band 5. With targeted coaching focused on identifying repeated mistakes and building vocabulary, he raised it to Band 8—opening the door to immigration and a new career.
Jennifer (October) – Teaching in Australia
Jennifer, a teacher from Nigeria, needed Band 7.5 to register for teaching in Australia. After taking the test twice with the same score, we worked together on time management, fluency, and targeted strategies for each section. The breakthrough came when she stopped trying to use complex vocabulary and instead focused on accuracy and clear communication. Result: Band 7.5 and a new teaching position in Australia.
Abdul Baset (November) – A Full Band Improvement
Abdul came to us stuck at Band 6. Over about 20 lessons, our teachers identified patterns in his mistakes and built systematic approaches to fix them. The result: Band 7—a full band improvement that can mean the difference between rejection and acceptance for visa applications, university admissions, or professional registration.
Where Our Students Come From
Our students join us from every corner of the globe and from every background imaginable. In a single month, we might work with native speakers in London, school pupils in Shanghai, or professionals in Johannesburg. Among them are future doctors, engineers, teachers, and university applicants—each with a different story, but the same determination to succeed.
Throughout 2025, our students have come from:
- Taiwan (New Taipei, Kaohsiung)
- Hong Kong
- Shanghai, China
- Manila and Hanoi, the Philippines
- Vietnam
- Bombay, India
- Darwin, Australia
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Harare, Zimbabwe
- Cairo, Egypt
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Paris, France
- Moscow, Russia
- London, England (yes, we teach native speakers too!)
Some are preparing for university. Others are applying for immigration or professional registration. A few are native speakers who need help passing the test. Wherever you’re from, whatever your reason, you’re in good company.
New Initiatives and Developments
Speaking Fluency Boot Camp
In May, we kicked off the first stage of our Speaking Fluency Boot Camp—a structured programme supporting international students already studying in the UK. Designed to boost spoken English and help students express themselves more confidently in both social and academic settings, this programme addresses what we see as a critical gap in many students’ preparation.
GCSE-to-Sixth-Form Transition Support
We’ve been refining our approach to transition support throughout the year, designing new materials for students moving from GCSE to sixth form and university. We ran trial sessions focusing on the speaking demands students will face, and we’re preparing course structures to be trialled further.
Educational Agent Partnerships
April saw productive planning calls that helped us expand our IELTS support services and develop stronger links with educational agents. These partnerships are helping us reach more students, particularly those planning to study in the UK.
Content and Social Media Highlights
Throughout 2025, we’ve been consistently publishing helpful content for IELTS test takers. Our blog has featured new model essays, Speaking test transcripts, Writing Task 1 and Task 2 guides, and the latest IELTS and OET news including updates on digital testing and immigration requirements.
LinkedIn Themes That Resonated
- Teaching, Not Selling – focusing on building momentum, not dependency
- Why Watching IELTS Videos Isn’t Enough – addressing the trap of passive learning
- IELTS Scores as Academic Signals – how IELTS scores predict long-term success
- High Stakes IELTS – real cases where passing meant the difference between deportation and a secure future
- IELTS Myths Debunked – tackling misconceptions about vocabulary, British vs American English, and memorised responses
- Why I Don’t Work With Everyone – over 500 impressions and 21 comments about navigating client relationships
Twitter/X: Mini Lessons in Disguise
Our Twitter feed has featured curated reading material connecting real-world topics to IELTS themes:
- AI vs. IELTS – risks of using AI tools for shortcuts
- Sleep and Study – how rest beats cramming for sharper thinking
- Reading Fiction = Better IELTS – building long-form thinking and resilience
- TfL & Public Behaviour – perfect Speaking Part 3 scenarios
- Vocabulary-rich articles on container gardening, health and wellness, sustainable travel, family dynamics, technology, and friendship
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we close out 2025, we’re excited about what’s to come. With our new office fully established, partnerships with educational agents growing, and new programmes like the Speaking Fluency Boot Camp taking shape, we’re better positioned than ever to help students achieve their IELTS goals.
We’ll continue developing comprehensive lesson materials, creating valuable blog content, and most importantly, working one-to-one with students who need targeted, expert guidance to unlock their potential.
Is Your Dream Our Next Success Story?
Whether you’re aiming for a university place, a visa approval, professional registration, or simply want to improve your English skills, we’re here to help. Our lessons run from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm London time, and we remain flexible across time zones.
Please contact us early—don’t leave it too late. It takes time to master new skills, and contacting us a few days before your exam is leaving it too late! We’re also in high demand, and our schedule can sometimes be filled weeks in advance.
Take a look at our coaching options and get in touch. Your success story could be next.
Thank you for being part of our journey in 2025.
Here’s to your success in 2026!