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French and English Language Lessons
- Contact us
05 46 92 01 91
References
Zia Mylne, UVI at Downe House School, Berkshire
May 2023.
I just want to thank you so so much for your help these past two years! You have been such an amazing tutor and I have learnt so much ?? I truly mean it!"
Izzy Wilson, Oundle School.
June 2022
I have been lucky enough to have been tutored by Vanessa for the last couple of years to help with my French A level. Over this time, my confidence, fluency and understanding of grammar in French have greatly improved thanks to Vanessa's patience and her encouraging teaching. I always looked forward to our lessons and the many conversations we would have in French. I enjoyed improving every lesson, and this progress was noticed by my teachers at school. I thoroughly enjoyed my week in France with Vanessa, which involved a cinema trip, cultural outings, much conversation over the dinner table as well as lots of time in her classroom, going over specific grammar points as well as helping me with certain topics.
Vanessa is hugely encouraging and motivating and goes above and beyond to help her pupils. It is clear she wants to see them do well.
Vanessa has instilled in me a great love for languages and she has inspired me to take my French further, as I now look forward to studying French & Spanish at Durham University. I couldn't recommend anyone better!Eloise Stonebridge
June 2022
I would highly recommend Madame Westacott as a French tutor. Since getting in touch with her to aid me with my French A-level, she has greatly improved my knowledge of the subject. She is always on time for our sessions and well prepared, providing interactive lessons on whatever topics I need to improve on. It is also very evident that she cares greatly about her pupils, sending me good luck texts for my exam and constantly asking what I needed from her in order to improve. I would not hesitate to recommend Madame Westacott to anyone looking to improve their French skills at any level and feel privileged to have had such a wise, kind, caring tutor to help me.
Rosie Young
April 2020 - April 2021.
I had originally booked an A Level French residential course at the Papillon Ecole de Langues in Spring 2020 but when travel was not possible due to COVID 19, Vanessa offered me several intensive Skype sessions instead. These were so helpful and engaging that I continued to do virtual French conversation and writing lessons over the last year. Vanessa has helped me to improve my speaking skills and also demystified any queries I had with grammar or writing. She helped to keep me motivated during a difficult year and as I embark on studying French at university, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to study with Vanessa
Marisa Waldis (of Swiss nationality)
July 2020
Extraordinary language training at Vanessa’s
For professional reasons, my husband and I lived in Cognac (FR) for a while. So, I was looking for a suitable language school in the region and came across the Papillon Language School on the Internet. The website is very user-friendly and welcoming. So, after making an appointment with Vanessa to check on my goals, I started my training.
With Vanessa Westacott, I spent a year preparing for the Delf B1 exam. I was a beginner at the start of the course. The lessons were always very well organised and structured. In addition to the teaching material, she also made additional exercise sheets available. It was always very welcoming and in addition there were breaks (during a two-hour class) with tea.The language school is beautifully located in a typical village in the Charente department. There is a beautiful garden around the house and not far from there you can see vineyards. Despite the Coronavirus crisis, I was able to continue classes with Vanessa via Skype and thus prepare as well as possible for the exam. In June this year, I passed the Delf B1 exam.
Now we are living in Switzerland again and I will continue to study French with Vanessa via Skype so as not to forget the language. Besides, I'm also going to start a course in English with her. I would like to thank Vanessa for her tireless commitment to the benefit of her students.
Martin S.
(after helping him to take the French Nationality test)
"I want to thank you again for all your efforts. It made a hurculian task so much easier. As an experienced teacher, I recognise a good one when I see one - and you are amazing, so patient and understanding." January 2020
The Roest family
(Annabel – A level at Downe House & Edward – IGCSE level at Radley)
We have been regulars at Vanessa Westacott’s “Papillon École de Langue” for the last three years and keep on coming back as her ability, teaching and fluency is ‘second to none’ and we fondly describe her now as our French language emergency provider! She has the great gift of bringing the French language alive and all her lessons are focused, fun and student-centred. Our two children have both followed their school syllabuses with her, which she is totally up-to-date on, in order to revise (written, spoken, reading and listening) for their IGCSE and A’ level exams and the improvement in their performance is hugely noticeable and long-lasting after each visit.
Vanessa has a fully equipped, modern classroom – with all the necessary material, and as she lives in France, she is fully up to speed with current affairs and topical issues, which are relevant for oral topics and general conversation – depending on your needs. Not only does she cater for students following a syllabus, but she also teaches mature students – who may just want to improve their conversational French or need to brush up their grammar for a trip or work. I have also enjoyed a number of lessons with Vanessa over the years and look forward to more in the future!
On a more personal note, Vanessa has a kind and patient manner and is both encouraging and motivating.
Our recommendation is tried and tested – Je vous encourage à essayer l'école vous-même !Ella
UVI Pupil, Downe House
Feb 2018
Dear Mme Westacott,
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay with you and feel that the experience was hugely beneficial in preparation for my forthcoming French A Level exams. The varied programme from cinema outings to one-on-one résumé writing sessions gave me a greater sense of perspective for the language. Also, with your encouragement, I feel that I have gained more confidence when speaking in French. Upon my return to school after half term, my Language Teacher commented upon this, which was very pleasing to hear! With your tuition I feel that I made great progress in a short space of time and consequently would highly recommend your course.
Kind regards,
Mrs Emma McKendrick
Headmistress, Downe House School
21st April 2015“Vanessa Westacott is an outstanding teacher of French whose enthusiasm for and knowledge of the French language are first class. Her record of success in teaching students and supporting them to achieve their maximum potential is enviable and in large part attributable to the positive relationships that she builds up, the well-structured and tailored planning that lies behind her teaching and of course the fun that her students have with her too. I would have no hesitation in recommending any student to learn under Vanessa's tutelage.”
Mrs Jane BasnettHead of Modern Languages at Downe House School
23 April 2015“I have been very lucky to work alongside Vanessa Westacott. She is a passionate linguist and Francophile and she delights in sharing this passion with her colleagues and her pupils. She is the consummate professional who works hard preparing resources that will enthuse and inspire. She cares deeply about her pupils and focuses on their needs to ensure that they work to fulfil their potential and more. Her love of speaking French and her ability to unpick grammatical issues for her pupils make her an excellent teacher and the person to go to for anyone who wishes to develop and perfect their French.”
Livia Russell
Lower VI Pupil, Downe House School 2014 – 15
“Madame Westacott has been my French teacher for four years and I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done for me. She inspires confidence in all her students, is approachable, enthusiastic and has an incredible wealth of knowledge on all vocabulary and grammar. Most importantly her lessons have encouraged me to apply to read French at University.
I will really miss her lessons but wish her the best of luck starting this amazing venture.”
Emily HillLower VI Pupil, Downe House School 2014 – 15
“Madame Westacott is a really good teacher and my French has definitely improved so much since she started teaching me. She always explains grammar really clearly and makes really useful notes for us. We speak a lot of French in class which has really built up my confidence and I am very grateful for all the help Madame Westacott has given me over the past year.”
Emma Peddie
LVI Pupil. June 2015
“Mme Westacott has been my best French teacher since I started learning the language. She is really encouraging and she has given me so much more confidence in every aspect of my French. I would especially recommend her for grammar and speaking, although she is amazing at teaching every part of the language.”
Emilia Hewlett
(Upper Sixth at Downe House 2014-2015. Gained a D2 in French at pre-U level)
Dear Mme Westacott,
Thank you so much for all that you have done for me these past two years. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning French with you and you have been an excellent teacher. Our lessons were both interesting and rewarding and you have been so helpful with everything. I wish you all the very best of luck with your new French school and life beyond Downe.
Alison Atkinson
Mother of two daughters who were both coached by Vanessa. Penny gained an A in French at A Level in summer 2014 and younger sister Kate gained an A at GCSE level in summer 2014)
Dear Vanessa,
I'm writing to thank you for being such a wonderful tutor to Penny and Kate over the past two years. It has been a huge comfort knowing that the girls couldn't have been in more caring and capable hands. You helped to build their confidence enormously by being so patient and supportive. Your enthusiasm has inspired them to embrace the language and all things French. In fact, your enthusiasm has even rubbed off on me!
We especially appreciated all the occasions when you were 'on call' to give the girls encouragement and reassurance before the daunting exams.
The girls and I will really miss your weekly visits as you have become such a good friend to us. We wish you every happiness and success in your exciting new venture.
Love and best wishes,
Alison x
SIRET :
815 234 737 00014
Let your language take flight!
papillonecole@gmail.com - Téléphone: 00 33 (0)5 46 92 01 91