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Wonderwall · Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:19 pm Post subject: Avoid English School Plus!

English School Sunny Plus is a small school based in the Aeroport area of Moscow and overseen by Elena P whom is basically a money-grabbing lying semi-babushka who preys on people who have left one of the bog standard schools such as BKC, Language Link et al and offers them much more money... Very Happy

There is only one problem... It never arrives! She will pay you late, and think that she is doing you a favour. Also, there is no teacher support and often you are asked to teach cover classes at five minutes notice! Mad

The school is a scam based in a real 7-17 year-old-school. It pretends to be professional - like that's something new, doh! - but at the end of the day is just a front... Crying or Very sad

I mention this now because she is just about to launch a major recruitment campaign on TEFL.com; a Canadian website; the Moscow Times; and perhaps even on this website... Be warned... She's a gorgon in disguise! Evil or Very Mad

Avoid this school like your life depends on it... trust me it will! Better to stay at BKC or go independent, but never sign your soul away to that she-devil Twisted Evil

You have been warned...

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

I never worked for them because after this woman arranged for her assistant( Mark, who seemed a decent guy from Yorkshire) to observe a trial lesson I did back in January,she told me I wasn't up to her 'very high standards!!'I agree the building is a dump and this is a pity as it is in one of the better suburban areas of Moscow which is quite' up-and-coming'.
However, to be fair she did recommend me to several other firms who she said would offer me hourly work, one of which is supposedly very hard to get into and I passed there and was offered a job immediately which I eventually turned down because one of the others offered me even more!
It was just as well because I couldn't have seen myself working at Sunny Plus anyway, although the other ex-pat teachers I met seemed very friendly etc.
She was also right about Oxford Crown who I worked for previously and have posted about before, saying this is a firm to'avoid!'

Jack-1 · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 10

Hi,
I was offered a job with them and I have been contemplating if I should take it or not. They were very eager to hire me. Your post has helped tipped the scales in the direction away from taking it though, despite their flashy website and big offers of high salary I don't think it is really how they bill it. It's a little too good to true actually. I think I will save myself a nightmere! Thanks a lot! Smile

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

Your intuition is right my friend!This woman told me outright she could'not afford ' to pay me $20 per academic hour, which was normally the MINIMUM I would accept work for, but then tried to persuade me I could earn $2000 per month if she decided to give me a job!In any case, the appearance of the place had already put me off and I'm really glad I didn't get offered a job there at the end or I would have turned down other firms who were much better and then realised my mistake too late!
By the way,Oxford Crown are advertising again on tefl.com-this is another firm to avoid and anyone who would like full details of my personal experiences with them can p.m. me.In any case,if you know Moscow their address should be enough to warn you!
Anyone who advertises frequently AND seems to offer relatively high wages and good conditions in comparison to other firms obviously needs to be considered with caution!