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Located on the southeast coast of England, the resort of Eastbourne is a fabulous destination in its own right. ELC Eastbourne can be found in the centre of the town, adding another great reason to stay in this fashionable yet wonderfully traditional English seaside location.
Known for its sunshine, classic sense of Englishness and all-round attractiveness, Eastbourne is a special place to visit - giving you the perfect opportunity to surround yourself with the language and culture while you study one of our English courses in the UK.
The word “charm” (noun) or “charming” (adjective) when used to talk about an English town refers to the features that make the town appealing or unique in a good way. This can include factors such as the architecture, history, culture, community spirit, or natural beauty of the town. (We think Eastbourne has all of these, which is why we wrote this!)
You’ll hear people talk about “small-town charm” to describe the relaxed, authentic, or simple characteristics of small towns which you wouldn’t easily find in larger cities.
Eastbourne is a warm and welcoming place, with a lot of typical English charm to be found amongst the historic Victorian architecture and it boasts a stunning beach with its timeless pier and bandstand (in the picture at the top of the page). There are many things to see and do in Eastbourne either in the town, with its busy pubs, restaurants and shopping, or further away at landmarks such as the chalk cliffs at Beachy Head (a high point on the coast with a view of the red and white striped Beachy Head lighthouse) or the rolling South Downs (a ridge of high ground which runs along the south coast, just north of Eastbourne).
Famous landmarks such as Seven Sisters (seven hills which form the cliffs just east of Eastbourne) and the Belle Tout lighthouse (in the photo below) are close by, while a number of heritage trails are available for you to learn even more about the history of both Eastbourne and the greater county of Sussex. Further away, the impressive Long Man of Wilmington (an ancient representation of a man carved into a hill) is a reminder of the area’s past, while Pevensey Bay gives you the chance to visit its castle and gaol (an old prison) museum.
Situated just a short distance from the four-mile-long shingle beach, ELC Eastbourne offers you the opportunity to explore the town itself. Eastbourne has a fantastic range of shops, with The Beacon mall full of high street brands and Little Chelsea offering the chance to take a relaxing stroll through Victorian streets packed with independent stores, boutiques, galleries, antiques, cafes and booksellers. Sovereign Harbour (in the photo below) is northern Europe’s largest marina complex, where you can shop, eat and drink until the sun sets. Coupled with the welcoming locals, it’s the ideal chance to practise and improve your everyday English skills and abilities.
Our incredibly friendly language school - one of the oldest in the UK - sits in its own pretty gardens just five minutes’ stroll to the main Eastbourne beach. It offers a host of modern facilities while maintaining a typical Englishness that mirrors Eastbourne as a whole - relaxed, steeped in history, and just charming.
We offer a range English courses in Eastbourne, and The English Language Centre (ELC) has seven options designed to appeal to you, whatever your age and background.
Whether you are looking to learn English combined with outdoor activities, are aged over 50 and would love to combine English language classes with lots of culture or are a teenager wanting to spend a summer away from home while learning English with similar students from around the world, ELC has some great programmes to offer you.
General English - our core General English courses at Eastbourne are for international students, with a range of programme lengths and lessons designed to make sure you achieve your English language learning goals.
General English plus Activity - if you like the idea of a mix of English study, sport and socialising, our General English plus activities courses are a great choice.
Exam preparation - from IELTS preparation in Eastbourne to Cambridge English qualifications, we have courses designed to help you achieve your language learning goals.
Teacher Training - our main teacher training offering in Eastbourne is the world-famous Cambridge CELTA course, though we also provide closed-group teaching to teachers from around the world looking to improve their English teaching approaches.
Summer English for Teenagers 16-22 - our Summer Plus English course in Eastbourne for international students is an enjoyable mix of classroom tuition and lots of social activities and excursions.
One-to-one English - you can choose to learn English in Eastbourne through private, one-to-one lessons designed around you and your learning needs, rather than being in a group.
English for Ages 50 Plus - we have over 30 years’ experience in delivering English language courses for senior (50+) learners, with many students returning year after year to improve their English, enjoy the attractions of Sussex and meet up with old friends.
Whatever your learning needs, background or age, if you are looking for English courses in the UK we have you covered!
While in Eastbourne there are lots of ways for you to practise your English skills - and the great thing about the town and school is that they don’t cost a lot of money. Many methods, in fact, are completely free!
If you choose self-catering accommodation, you will have the chance to meet other students from all over the world, study together or just arrange casual meetings where you can all speak the language together. If you’re in a homestay, where you live with a local person, you’ll have some opportunities to interact with them, particularly around mealtimes.
ELC Eastbourne arranges plenty of social activities too, so you can speak English all day with your fellow learners. The town itself is busy and offers a huge choice of pubs, bars and places to eat, along with galleries, occasional markets and weekend events, where you can either visit with other students, or try to make friends on your own with the locals, who will be more than happy to have a conversation with you.
Don’t forget that the school provides free Wi-Fi, giving you the chance to watch English language films and TV shows. A lot of our students will start a group chat on a favourite social media platform, where they’ll also chat together in English, plan trips and meet ups, all while practising written English! You can also switch the language on your favourite apps to English, so you live more like a local.
In your freetime, you’ll also want to go back through your lessons in school and remind yourself of the vocabulary you’ve written down, and the phrases you’ve learned, to keep consolidating your learning and move your level up.
Learning English is very popular, and many organisations exist within the UK to help you on your journey towards fluency.
The English Language Centre (ELC) has three famous centres of its own - Brighton, Chester and Eastbourne. At ELC Eastbourne we are one of the oldest English language schools in the United Kingdom, with a lot of experience teaching the language to learners from around the world. We are very proud to be in the top 5% of language schools in the UK according to EL Gazette (the English Language Gazette).
Founded in 1936, our Eastbourne school is split between two buildings containing 22 light and airy classrooms, all equipped with the latest learning technology and lots of facilities designed to make your stay with us both memorable and rewarding.
We offer free internet and wifi access throughout the school, interactive whiteboards, iPads and TVs for lessons, a large student lounge with table tennis table, a shared student kitchen for preparation of much-needed meals, plus a games room with pool table and PCs, and finally a study centre and computer room. We think ELC Eastbourne has everything you need for successful studies and relaxing breaks in between lessons.
Our English lessons are taught by qualified professional teachers in a friendly, caring and safe learning environment, and you are sure to make friends among our varied group of students of many nationalities.
Once lessons are finished for the day, and if our school piano, guitars and garden barbecue are not enough for you, you can go outdoors to experience all the charm that Eastbourne and Sussex has to offer.