We are located in the heart of the elegant Salamanca district, next to Colón (Columbus) Square, in the centre of Madrid. The school was founded in 1985 by David Garner, who has been working in language teaching in Spain since 1972, and was Director and Associate of the International House World Organisation from 1983 to 2003.

Hyland Language Centre is at the cutting edge of language teaching methodology - members of our staff and ex-staff having written some of the best-known course books and materials - and only employs native, highly qualified, experienced teachers who undergo continual in-service training.

Although we teach some 2,000 students a year and some 50 teachers work for us, we have managed to remain true to our philosophy of "big but little" and a friendly, personal atmosphere reigns at all levels.

Apart from the courses in the school, we teach in companies and public authorities, offer extracurricular classes in primary, junior and secondary schools, and organise language courses abroad.

David Garner - Principal
After graduating in Social Sciences at York University, David began teaching English in Madrid where he obtained the RSA DELTA. He worked at the British Embassy in Madrid and the British Consulate in Alicante from 1977 to 1983. In 1983 he was appointed Director General of International House Madrid in calle Zurbano and founded two further International House schools in Madrid - Chaminade in 1984 and Serrano in 1985. He has been Director of the latter school, known from May 2003 as Hyland Language Centre, since 1989.
David was a Member of the International House World Organisation governing body, the Affiliate Network Board, from 1998 and 2002. He has been an official International House World Organisation visitor/inspector of affiliated schools since 1994.
David is a Founder-Director of International House Dublin which was inaugurated in 1998.

Amanda Ingram - Director
After completing her BSc at Warwick University and working in sales and marketing for 5 years, Amanda trained to be a teacher at International House Palma de Mallorca in 1994. She spent 7 years as a full time teacher in Mallorca, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico before coming to Hyland (then International House Serrano) in 2001. At Hyland she completed the RSA DELTA and became a Young Learners coordinator and AdoS. In 2004 she became Director of Studies and in 2007 she was appointed Director. Amanda continues her involvement in teacher training and is also an oral examiner for Cambridge University KET, PET, FCE and CAE examinations.

Andrea Sweeney - Director of Studies
Andrea completed her BA in French and Spanish at Cambridge University  and trained to be a teacher in the UK in 1996.  After teaching in  Indonesia , France and Italy she came to Hyland (then International House Serrano) in 1998, where she completed the RSA DELTA. She then worked for the British Council in Mexico as Senior Teacher responsible for academic development and later for the British Council in Portugal . She returned to Hyland in September 2006 as Director of Studies. Andrea has been heavily involved in teacher training for over six years and is particularly interested in maintaining the excellent academic standards in the school.

Andrea Littlewood - Young Learners
Andrea started teaching in Madrid in 1985 after completing her BA degree in Spanish and French at Nottingham University. She has been working at Hyland Language Centre since 1988 and became Assistant Director of Studies after taking the RSA DELTA in 1992. Andrea is currently the Head of the Young Learners Department and continues to take an active part in the school's teacher development programme. From 1995 until 2007 she trained oral examiners as part of her work as a Cambridge Examination Team Leader and continues her work as an oral examiner for Cambridge University PET, FCE CAE and CPE examinations. Andrea is particulary interested in teacher support and materials writing. She is co author of the Primary course Twister 1 and 2 (Richmond ELT/Santillana)

Philip Harvey - Executive Department
After several years working as a Research Consultant, Philip trained to be a teacher at International House London in 1989. He moved to Madrid the same year and from 1990 worked as a teacher for both International House in calle Zurbano and for International House Serrano (Hyland Language Centre). In 1995 he became Head of the Executive Department of Hyland Language Centre.

Catherine Morley - Teacher Training Department and Assistant Director of Studies
Catherine graduated in Politics from Hull University and worked as a political researcher for 4 years before training to be a teacher at International House Barcelona in 2001. She then taught general and business English in Mexico, where she also completed the RSA DELTA. Catherine is a teacher trainer on the Cambridge CELTA course and has trained teachers in Mexico, the USA and Switzerland. She now runs Hyland Language Centre’s CELTA programme, and is also a Cambridge ESOL oral examiner.