Elac at Mayfield School

Key facts about the centre

Mayfield and Mayfield School

Mayfield is a perfect example of a delightful English village community.  Local shops and houses, together with the traditional English pub, all built in typical Sussex style, make up the charming High Street.  The local villagers are warm and welcoming and it is the perfect place for younger students to follow a course.

Mayfield School is a delightfully traditional English school, built largely in stone, and enjoying the most wonderful location and facilities.  The school itself is based on the medieval palace of the Archbishops of Canterbury and dates back to the thirteenth century.  On one side you look out over the rolling hills of the Sussex countryside, and on the other you walk through the main gate into the busy village high street where there is a range of shops and services.

The school facilities are quite superb.  Well-equipped classrooms are light and spacious, and the magnificent dining hall with its high ceiling and wooden beams is more like a banqueting hall than a school dining room.  The sports facilities are some of the best you will find, with a modern indoor heated swimming pool, newly built sports hall and extensive grass and all-weather playing surfaces for all kinds of activities and sports.

Accommodation at Mayfield School

There are four main accommodation areas at Mayfield, two above the main school buildings and two separate houses (Leeds and Connolly).  They are situated within the compact school campus so security is very high.  They each have their own distinctive style but all offer comfortable study bedrooms, singles, twins or triples.
Connolly house has larger dormitory style rooms with individual sleeping areas, and is ideal for the lower end of the age range.

All meals are served in the traditional dining hall where you enjoy breakfast, lunch and evening dinner.  There is always an excellent choice of menus with a vegetarian option and an extensive salad bar.

Excursions from Mayfield

Mayfield is well placed to offer a wide range of excursion experiences.  On our course, all students go to London at least once every two weeks as well as Brighton and Canterbury.

Full-day Excursion 1 – London
We take a coach to London (around 1 ½ hours) and enjoy a sightseeing tour of the famous landmarks before lunch.  After lunch, students have an opportunity to visit a museum or gallery, or other attraction if they choose, or else to spend time looking for souvenirs in the shopping areas.

Visit the London Town website

Brighton is a famous seaside resort town a little further West along the coast from Eastbourne.
It has grown considerably over the last 20 years, and was recently awarded City status.
It has lots of attractions, including an extensive beach and seafront, the pier, and excellent shopping.
It takes about ¾ hour to get to Brighton, which allows plenty of time to walk the fascinating area of the city know as The Lanes, and to see the Royal Pavilion, before arriving at the beach and visiting the famous pier.

Find out more about Brighton

Full-day Excursion 3 – Canterbury

Canterbury is about 90 minutes' drive from Mayfield and it is worth the journey – it is one of the most interesting and historical cities in England.

Home to one of Britain's most famous (and beautiful) cathedrals, Canterbury has a long and interesting history.  The city has been a cultural centre since Roman times and continues to be a flourishing and lively place to visit.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Many historical structures remain, including a city wall founded in Roman times and rebuilt in the 14th century, the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey and a Norman castle, and perhaps the oldest school in England, The King's School.  Modern additions include the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, the University College for the Creative Arts, the Girne American University, the Marlowe Theatre, and the St Lawrence Ground, home to Kent County Cricket Club.

Visit the Canterbury website

Full-day Excursion 4 – Cambridge (for three-week students only)

Our three week students also visit Cambridge during their stay.  Cambridge is a city with a long history, much of it surrounding the university, which together with Oxford is among the oldest and best known universities in Europe.  Cambridge University is made up of a number of independent colleges, and these are scattered throughout the city.  During the visit you will have the opportunity to visit one of these colleges, so that you can get a feel of what it is like to study there.

If you visit Cambridge you can’t escape the presence of the colleges, however Cambridge has a history going back to Roman times, and if you want to explore that there is an excellent museum you can visit.

Perhaps you'll want some time to relax too: if so, you can spend time in Cambridge’s modern shopping centre or visit the market; alternatively, you can try your hand at punting on the river – be careful, though, it is not as easy as it looks!

More information, including full centre addresses, maps and directions is available on Elac's Education website.
Please click here to go to that page.