English UK has had something to celebrate this month - and so has one of its newest members.

The world's largest language teaching association became even bigger, signing up its 400th school, English for Everyone in Aberdeen.

And staff at the Scottish school are particularly delighted, because they only started it three years ago.

"There were a few of us working together, and we decided to give it a go on our own," says owner June Johnstone. "We felt fairly confident. We started in one room, and there are 20 of us now.

"And we're really enjoying it. We're able to respond very quickly to whatever things are out there, and getting accreditation has happened fast as well. "

English for Everyone is one of only a handful of language schools which offers specialist courses aimed at the oil and gas industry.

"Aberdeen is the oil capital of Europe - we're the Houston of the UK," says Mrs Johnstone, who used to work in the industry herself before retraining as a language teacher.

"A lot of the oil and gas industry send students to us for more general English for things like health and safety issues. We have done big courses but we also do one-to-one tailor made courses for specific clients. We get people wanting to do academic English with oil and gas vocabulary."

Students on specialist energy courses at the local universities also come to English for Everyone for help with their language skills - and often their partners come as well, says Mrs Johnstone.

The school's target market is the oil-producing countries of South America, but like the city of Aberdeen it has a very cosmopolitan mix of students from all over the world.

English for Everyone has one other unusual feature: there is no other accredited language school in the UK which is further north. Or not yet, anyway.

English for Everyone is at www.englishforeveryone.co.uk      

Another English UK member offering oil and gas courses is Anglo Continental in Bournemouth (http://www.anglo-continental.com)

Is there something interesting about your school, or your students? Contact Susan Young at susan@englishuk.com