A big part of learning English in the UK is speaking in English outside of class. Where else can you do it on a regular basis? The social activities are a good opportunity to continue practicing while having fun, so it doesn’t seem like work. Each school organizes a full social calendar for its students, including short trips, visits to museums, social events, amongst others. Mike is in charge of organizing events for the students in Brighton…

Mike: “My role here as the Social programme organiser is to make sure you experience as much of Brighton as possible, have a great time meeting new people when you are here and of course improving your English! With many nationalities on these events and different levels of English it is a great way to practice. Every week we put on 4 or 5 events and give you the option of events to attend, one member of staff will lead the event and it gives you a fantastic chance to practice your English and have a lot of fun. We try and keep the costs down as much as possible, only one or two events cost more than £5.00 and a lot of them are free! We also have great deals with some business’ in Brighton which give us big discounts which we pass on to you.”

1) Quite often on the continent the nightlife goes from the cities to the beach during the summer months. How about in England?

“The nightlife here in Brighton is as good as anywhere else in the country, we have hundreds of great bars and traditional pubs, a fantastic comedy club, 3 large venues for live music, theatres and numerous restaurants and cafes. You won’t be short of options! Once a month we throw a barbecue in the school gardens which is great event, for £5.00 you can eat, drink and enjoy a real English cultural experience. Don’t believe all you hear -- the food in England can be great.”

“The 2 mile long seafront that stretches from Brighton to Hove is a beautiful walk, littered with great bars, restaurants and nightclubs it is the perfect city beach for you to enjoy.”

2) Brighton is a traditional and popular place for Britons to go on holiday, particularly before the age of air travel. The traditional thing to do is to ride a donkey along the beach. Why do Brits like to go on holiday in Brighton?

“Brighton is one of the most vibrant, colourful and creative cities in Europe. Cosmopolitan, compact, energetic, unique, fun, lively, historic, young, exotic and free-spirited, it’s a city like no other. Nestling between the beautiful South Downs & the sea on the stunning south coast, Brighton offers everything from architecture, heritage to beachfront cool. “

“A fantastic mix of iconic attractions, famed nightlife, award winning restaurants, funky arts, culture, festivals & events Brighton really does have it all.”

“Culturally you can visit the Royal Pavilion, built for Prince George between 1815-1823 with amazing architecture based on the Taj Mahal or the fantastic Museum and Art Gallery which is free and located in the Pavilion Gardens. We have the show piece of Victorian splendour that is the Sealife Centre, also the oldest operating aquarium in the world and often considered to also be the best!”

“The shopping in Brighton is fantastic, whether you want funky fashions, chic boutiques, exclusive antiques, delicious chocolate, tempting jewellery, inspirational art or just want to buy a newspaper Brighton has it all.”

“You can join our facebook site, where you can see upcoming events and pictures from the social programme or please see listings for the following month on this website.”