Social Programme
An exciting student social programme!
Our social programme is very popular with students and participation rates are high. To see the sort of things we do, have a look at the calendar.
Types of activities (costs are approximate and may change at time of booking):
Examples of weekday activities:
Free activities: Welcome Drinks, Conversation Club, Job Club, Film Club, Banksy Street Art Trail
Activities that cost: Afternoon Tea (£5), Cinema Trips (£10-15), American Pool (£6), Bowling (£10), Theatre Trips (£13-20), Live Music Concerts (£10-25), Football (£4), Yoga (£5), Tennis (£5), Badminton (£5), Harbour Cruise (£10), SS Great Britain Historic Ship Museum (£12), Contemporary Art Galleries (£10 or free), Local Festivals (£10-15 but often free) and more!
Examples of weekend excursions: London (£25), Oxford (£22), Bath and Roman Baths (£27), Cardiff and BBC Studio Tour (£25), Glastonbury and Wells (£25), Avebury/Stonehenge/Salisbury (£40), Frome Market (£10), The Cotswolds & Gloucester (£25), Harry Potter Studio Tour (£49).
What the social programme has to offer
Run by our own staff, the social programme is a great way to travel, make new friends and practise English.
An exciting social programme is organised each week on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis. However, many activities are free. The programme includes regular sports, a minimum of two evening activities a week and a day excursion outside or inside Bristol on a Saturday or Sunday.
You can use the facilities of the University Students’ Union Building, which is located only 15 minutes' walk from ELC's main school building. A special advantage for ELC students is that you can become an Associate Member of the Students’ Union. This means you can also join many of the University Students' Union clubs and societies during the academic year - an excellent way to make English-speaking friends!
Sports
Football - every Thursday
A football match is organised every week of the year on Thursdays and one or two of our teachers also play and organise it for you. ELC Bristol football has a long history and we have been playing every week since 1997! Sometimes it is really popular and places are limited so you may not be able to play every week. We usually play on a 3G astro turf pitch (plastic grass) and you can wear trainers or football boots. Students need to take a 10-minute journey by train, which costs around £2 return. We also sometimes play on grass near the school when numbers of players are lower and then it is free to play.
Other sports in Bristol
Other sports available in Bristol include volleyball, badminton, tennis, hockey, squash, running, gym, table tennis and many more! You can join local gyms to use their pitches or courts and play with your classmates, join a local club to play with local Bristol people or join a Student Union group if you want more training alongside Bristol University students.
Gym and Swimming in Bristol
A great advantage of ELC Bristol being part of the Clifton College Education Group is that you can use the gym and the swimming pool at Clifton College Sports Centre and also the badminton facilities at very little cost. You need to pay a one-off joining fee of £10, then, every time you go, it is completely free.
Premier League Football
While you are in the country, why not take the opportunity to see a Premier League football match? Go with some other students - it will be more enjoyable and could save you money.
Become a member of a club to get priority tickets, often at a reduced price. For example, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club membership ranges from £25 to £43 per season depending on your age.
The Viagogo website has tickets for most Premiership matches.
Do not buy from unofficial websites. It is illegal, and you might lose your money.