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, click the calendar above, or take a look at our Insta! If you're already in school, click below to see itineraries for the week - you know the password!
Types of activities (costs are approximate and may change at time of booking):
Examples of weekday activities:
Free activities: Welcome Drum Workshop; Conversation Club; Job Club; Movies in the Common Room; various City Tours (Banksy, Churches, Pirates, Bristol History...); Picnics; Sports (Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Table Tennis...); Museum and Art Gallery Visits; Bristol Festival Events (Balloon Fiesta/Harbourside/Light Festival/Pride...); Live Jazz Bar; Folk Singing in a Pirate Pub
Activities that cost: American Pool (£5); Bowling (£12); Theatre Trips (£13-20); Live Music Concerts (£10-25); Football/Rugby/Ice Hockey Matches (£10-25); Laser Tag (£15); Harbour Cruise (£15); SS Great Britain Historic Ship Museum (£15); Rollerdisco (£12); Graffiti/Jewellery Making/Crochet/Linocut/Cyanotype Arts Workshops (£5)
Examples of weekend excursions: London (£30); Oxford (£30); Bath and Roman Baths (£30); Cardiff and BBC Studio Tour (£30); Glastonbury and Wells (£25); Avebury/Stonehenge/Salisbury (£40); Frome Market (£10); The Cotswolds & Gloucester (£30); Weymouth (£30); Rural Somerset and Devon Tour (£30)
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 practice English.
An exciting social programme is organised each week on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis. However, many activities are free. The programme includes varied regular sports, a minimum of two evening activities a week and a day excursion outside or within Bristol on a Saturday or Sunday. We try to include something sporty, something arty/cultural, something fun, and something language-based every week! Take a look at our current programme - we're sure there'll be something that you like!
From September 2025, ELC Bristol offer a comprehensive guide to getting involved with clubs, societies and organisation across and around the city, with native Bristolians of all shapes and sizes!
Whether you're interested in karate, ping pong, sky diving, or simply meeting new people, we'll have something to keep you occupied! You can speak to our social programme manager to find out more, or, once you've arrived in Bristol, you can access all of the information via our social programme website, too! (Once you're here, you'll know the password to get into the website!)
Sports
Football
A football match is sometimes organised on Thursdays . ELC Bristol football has a long history and we have been playing since 1997! Sometimes it is really popular and places are limited so you may not be able to play. 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.