Upcoming dates not published yetLanguage Camps

ELAC Ardingly Summer Centre: Residential English Camp at Ardingly College

Ardingly, United KingdomELAC Study Vacations3.7(6)

Latest published dates: Jul 1 – Aug 11, 2026
Duration: 2–6 weeks
Ages: 11–17

2026 price

$1,236

Course price for 1 week

Discovery Programme (Residential Standard)

We'll let you know when this camp adds new dates.

The ELAC Discovery Programme runs at Ardingly College, a boarding school in the Sussex countryside twenty minutes from both Brighton and Gatwick, for students aged 11 to 17. English lessons combine with skills development, creative and physical activities, evening entertainment and educational excursions. Six boarding houses offer single, double and triple rooms in standard, premium and en-suite options.

Language

English

Program type

Language Camps

Accommodation

Campus

About

About the Course

Students follow the ELAC Discovery Programme by age band (Voyagers 11-14, Trailblazers 14-17): an English level test on arrival, communicative language lessons, functional English, 21st-century skills development and environmental awareness topics. Courses run zig-zag: one week academic input in the mornings with the social programme in the afternoons, then reversed. An end-of-course certificate is provided; the Trinity GESE spoken English exam is available as an option.

What’s Included

The programme fee includes tuition, activity programme, educational excursions, evening entertainment, full board accommodation and travel insurance. Flights and airport transfers are not included (group transfers included; individual transfers at a supplement). Registration fee £50. Season: 1 July - 12 August 2026, arrivals on Wednesdays (1, 15, 29 July), minimum stay 2 weeks.

Accommodation

On-site accommodation in six boarding houses with single, double and triple rooms, shared and en-suite bathrooms (standard, premium and single en-suite options) and comfortable communal areas with TVs.

Meal Plan

Full board in the school dining hall: cooked and continental breakfast daily, a range of menus with vegetarian meals, hot and cold dishes and salad bar, and packed lunches on educational excursions. Allergies and special diets catered for.

Activities & Excursions

Creative activities (drama, design, arts and crafts), physical activities (swimming, teambuilding, sports on extensive playing fields, tennis and astroturf pitches), workshops (music and rhythm, photography, circus skills) and evening entertainment: discos, talent shows, murder mystery, quizzes and sports tournaments.

Facilities

Ardingly College offers state-of-the-art facilities: extensive playing fields, indoor heated swimming pool, six hard tennis courts, two full-size astroturfs, spacious classrooms with interactive whiteboards, a drama studio and indoor and outdoor activity spaces.

Camp Experience

A traditional British boarding school experience in beautiful Sussex countryside, 20 minutes from Brighton and Gatwick, with students of 32 nationalities. A two-week programme includes excursions to London, Canterbury (with Cathedral entry), Brighton (with Pavilion entry) and Horsham; three-week students also visit London again and Lewes.

Language Camp prices

Discovery Programme (Residential Premium)

15 Lessons · 11–17 yrs · All levels

2026 price

Discovery Programme with residential premium boarding-house accommodation: English lessons, creative and physical activities, workshops, evening entertainment, educational excursions, full board and travel insurance included. Price £1030 per week.

27 academic hours over 2 weeks (3 lessons per day, 09:00-12:30 or 14:00-17:30 in the zig-zag model), maximum 16 students per class. English level test on arrival; end of course certificate.

English plus 21st-century skills, creative and physical activities and cultural excursions

Daily Schedule

Breakfast
07:00–08:00
Classes
08:30–12:30
Lunch
12:30–13:30
Dinner
18:30–19:30
Evening activities
20:00–22:00
Lights out
22:30

Included items

24/7 supervision
International students

Arts & Crafts
Disco
Drama Workshop
Excursions

Outdoor fields
Residence accommodation
Smart classroom
Sports hall

Optional Extras

Top recommendation

Recommended for most families

Smooth arrival and fewer surprises.

Trinity GESE spoken English exam

Optional Trinity Graded Examination in Spoken English: includes 3 hours of preparation lessons, the exam entry fee and an electronic certificate.

Registration fee

One-off registration fee per student (all ELAC courses), per official Dates & Prices page.

Other2

Reviews

3.7out of 5

Reviews

Based on 6 Google reviews

School

ELAC Study Vacations

ELAC Study Vacations is an independent British summer school operator with 35 years of experience, running residential Discovery Programmes for young learners aged 7-17 at seven summer centres across England (Ardingly, Bath, Cirencester, Eastbourne, Horsham and Nottingham). Programmes combine English lessons with 21st-century skills development, creative and physical activities, evening entertainment and educational excursions, welcoming 32 nationalities. Accredited by the British Council and a member of English UK and Young Learners English UK.

View Details

elac.co.uk

Location

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. ELAC is British Council accredited and a member of Young Learners English UK, with a dedicated student welfare policy, supervised activities and residential staff on site. Travel insurance is included in the programme fee.

Tuition, the activity programme, educational excursions, evening entertainment, full board boarding-house accommodation and travel insurance are included. Flights and airport transfers are not included (group transfers are; individual transfers at a supplement). Registration fee £50.

Travel insurance is included in the programme fee. ELAC has a dedicated Student and Staff Welfare policy; details can be confirmed directly with ELAC.

Ardingly accepts students aged 11 to 17 (some 18-year-olds as part of a larger group), following age-based programmes: Voyagers (11-14) and Trailblazers (14-17). All levels are welcome - an English level test is held on arrival.

More about this camp

The ELAC Ardingly Summer Centre delivers the ELAC Discovery Programme at Ardingly College, a boarding school in the Sussex countryside, around twenty minutes from both Brighton and Gatwick. Programme and activities. The Discovery Programme combines English lessons with skills development, creative and physical activities, evening entertainment and educational excursions. The structure fills the day rather than finishing after morning classes, and the excursion element makes use of the centre's position between the Sussex coast and London. Accommodation — three tiers. Students are accommodated on site in six boarding houses, with single, double and triple rooms and a choice between shared and en-suite bathrooms. The provider distinguishes standard, premium and single en-suite options. This tiered structure is unusual in the catalogue and gives families a genuine lever on cost: a student happy to share can pay less, while one who needs a single en-suite can have it. Families should ask what the price difference is and confirm the tier at booking rather than after arrival. Ages, dates and duration. The centre accepts students aged 11 to 17 across all three residential variants. Five sessions are listed, beginning in early July. Location and travel. Ardingly is in West Sussex, in the countryside between Haywards Heath and Crawley. Gatwick is around twenty minutes away — one of the shortest airport transfers of any camp in this catalogue, which matters for a younger student flying alone. Brighton is a similar distance, and London around an hour. Who the programme may suit. This centre may suit international families who want a very short transfer from a major airport, and those who want to choose their accommodation standard rather than accept a single arrangement. The countryside campus with Brighton and London both close by covers both quiet setting and city excursions. The same provider runs a centre at Prior Park in Bath, which offers a homestay option alongside residence — worth comparing if the accommodation format matters more than the location.