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Placement tests for language schools: scored online

A free Tally form scores a written placement test and shows the suggested level, so teachers only do a short speaking check. Free.

At a glance

  • What it costsFree

  • Worth, in extra profit or time saved in the worked example$100£75€89A$144C$141 a month

  • Pays for itselfFree to run

  • Connecting two tools or some setup timeSome setup needed

Figures come from the worked example below, using its stated assumptions. Tool prices checked . How we check prices

The problem

Placing each new adult student usually means emailing a test, marking it and phoning them. Thirty new students an intake at 25 minutes of teacher time each is 12.5 hours, four times a year, about 4.2 hours a month, and students who can't wait book elsewhere.

What the AI does

Tally is a free form builder hosted in the EU, with calculations and conditional logic on the free plan. Its quiz guide shows how: add a calculated field called Score, add points for each correct answer, then send students to a thank-you page by score band (for example A1, A2, B1). The page can show their score and suggested course. Your teachers write the questions; a short speaking check then confirms the level.

A worked example

A language school in Oxford teaching French, Spanish and German takes about 30 new adult students per intake, 4 intakes a year, and places each by an emailed test and a phone call.

Before

30 students at 25 minutes: 12.5 hours an intake, about 4.2 hours a month

After

Online scored test plus a 7-minute speaking check: 3.5 hours an intake, about 1.2 hours a month

What it's worth

About $100£75€89A$144C$141 a month of teacher time saved, at no cost. That's 3 hours a month at an assumed $33£25€30A$48C$47 an hour. Tally's free plan includes calculations, conditional logic and thank-you pages; sending students a personalized results email needs Pro at €20 (about $23£17€20A$33C$32) a month.

How to set it up

  1. Have a teacher write 30 questions per language, rising from A1 to B2, with answer options.
  2. Build the form in Tally with a calculated Score field and points for each correct answer.
  3. Add thank-you pages by score band with the matching course and a booking link.
  4. Test it with current students at known levels and adjust the score bands.
  5. Book a short speaking check for anyone near a band boundary or above beginner.

What goes wrong

  • A written test can't measure speaking or listening; keep the teacher's speaking check before placing anyone above beginner.
  • Don't copy questions from published exams or coursebooks; write your own.
  • Students can look up answers. Treat the score as a guide, not a certificate.
  • On the free plan Tally only emails you, not the student; the result shows on screen.

More ideas for Language schools

Re-enrollment emails for language schools with Brevo

Email each course group near the end of term with the next level's dates and a booking link. Brevo's free plan, or about $8£6€7A$12C$11 a month.

  • Costs Free–$8Free–£6Free–€7Free–A$12Free–C$11/mo
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Course enrollment for language schools: book, pay, wait-list

Adults enroll and pay for evening language courses online, and dropped places refill from a waiting list. From about $21£16€19A$31C$30 a month.

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Graded reading texts for language schools: AI drafts

Draft short reading texts and questions at the right CEFR level with ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, then a fluent teacher checks them. Free to about $27£20€24A$38C$38 a month.

  • Costs Free–$27Free–£20Free–€24Free–A$38Free–C$38/mo
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Free trial lessons for language schools: book via Calendly

Adults thinking about one-to-one lessons pick a free 20-minute trial slot from a Calendly link. Free, or about $12£9€11A$17C$17 a month with reminders.

  • Costs Free–$12Free–£9Free–€11Free–A$17Free–C$17/mo
  • Worth $200£150€179A$288C$282/mo
  • Pays for itself in a few days
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Attendance reports for company language courses

Teachers mark registers in TutorBird and company clients get attendance and hours reports in minutes. From about $45£34€40A$65C$64 a month.

  • Costs $45£34€40A$65C$64/mo
  • Worth $166£125€149A$240C$235/mo
  • Pays for itself in about two weeks
  • Some setup needed

Last updated October 17, 2026.