Schools/United Kingdom/Eastbourne/Eastbourne College
United Kingdom — East Sussex

Eastbourne College

Headmaster's House, Old Wish Road — 70 miles from London (90 minutes by train)
"''Ex oriente salus''<br/>("The haven"
A-LevelGCSE
Eastbourne College logo
Verified School
Annual FeesContact school
Ages12 – 19

Eastbourne College is a A-Level / GCSE school in Eastbourne, United Kingdom. Founded in 1918. It serves 622 students for students aged 12–19.

Explore This School

Visit Website
Open Day
OPEN MORNING Saturday 9 May – 9am to 12pm
Meet staff, tour campus, and speak with current families
Register Interest

Location & getting here

Postcode
BN21 4JX
Setting
Coastal
Nearest station
Eastbourne800 m away
Nearest town
Eastbourne500 m

Popular south coast seaside town, around 2 hours from London, with thriving retail and tourism attracting both day-trippers and residential families.

Nearest airports

Framed for international families — drive times are from the school, not the city centre.

AirportDistanceDrive from schoolInternational note
Gatwick54 km~80 minLGW — good for SE Asia, Middle East via BA/EK/QR
London City84 km~119 min
Heathrow94 km~132 minLHR — gateway for Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai

NanaSays Scorecard

Est. 1918
Year Founded
622
Students Enrolled
Boarding Available
CCF Programme

Key Details

Curricula Offered
A-LevelYes
GCSEYes
Accreditations
BSA
Languages of Instruction
English

Scholarships Available

Types Available
Academic Scholarship — 5% fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form
All-rounder Award (Forbes Wastie Award) — 5% fee remission at Year 9
Art Scholarship — 5% fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form
Dance Scholarship — 5% fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form
Design and Technology Scholarship — 5% fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form
Drama Scholarship — 5% fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form
Music Scholarship — 5% fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form
Sport Scholarship — 5% fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form
Textile Design Scholarship — 5% fee remission at Sixth Form
Honorary scholarships — available during the year for pupils demonstrating exceptional ability
Bursaries (means-tested): Means-tested bursaries available only to scholarship award winners with UK main residence; families must contribute meaningfully to fees; no fully-funded places offered.
💡 Scholarship amounts and bursary likelihood analysis are in the Full Deep Report.
Merit-based Scholarships

Academic Performance

Standards Met
ISI

ISI Inspection Report

All Independent School Standards are met. The school demonstrates effective leadership and governance with particular strengths in its broad curriculum and exceptional aesthetic and creative provision. Pupils make good progress and are well cared for in a supportive boarding environment.

Academic Quality
Good
ISI Standards
Met
Key Strengths
The aesthetic and creative provision is a significant strength of the school
Pupils make good progress in their studies because of the plentiful support available
Teaching is engaging, purposefully paced, well planned and adopts an effective range of teaching strategies
Comprehensive and effective careers guidance
Welcoming and supportive boarding environment
Areas for Development
Clarify roles and responsibilities in the school with regard to addressing the needs of pupils who are underperforming academically to strengthen the support that they receive
View Full ISI Report (2024-11-12)

Key facts

Founded
1918
Ages
12–19 (Co-ed)
Pupils on roll
622
Fees
$ 35,768.4$ 55,660.5 / year
Inspectorate
ISI

Fees & the true cost of attendance

Published fees · inclusive of VAT

PhasePer termPer year
Years 9-11 Day£11,922.8£35,768.4
Years 9-11 Day+£12,585.6£37,756.8
Years 9-11 Flexi3£15,042.3£45,126.9
Years 9-11 Boarding£18,268.5£54,805.5
Sixth Form Day£12,226.5£36,679.5
Sixth Form Day+£12,813.6£38,440.8
Sixth Form Flexi3£15,338.7£46,016.1
Sixth Form Boarding£18,553.5£55,660.5

Compulsory extras (on top of tuition)

ItemFrequencyAmount
Registration feeOne-time£186
Entrance feePer year£81
Guaranteed Place deposit (UK)Per year£2,000
Guaranteed Place deposit (Overseas)Per year£18,000
Overseas student visa admin feePer year£570
Overseas supplementPer year£1,305

Budget beyond the sticker price. Assume the real annual spend is 5–15% higher than the headline fee. Hidden costs typically include: registration fee, acceptance deposit (usually one term's fees, refundable at the end of schooling), uniform + sports kit, trips and expeditions, individual music tuition, exam entry fees, travel to/from home.

Ask the Bursar for a sample "all-in" first-year invoice before committing.

Scholarships & financial assistance

Merit-based scholarships (10 types)

Academic Scholarship — fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form5% fee remission
All-rounder Award (Forbes Wastie Award) — fee remission at Year 95% fee remission
Art Scholarship — fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form5% fee remission
Dance Scholarship — fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form5% fee remission
Design and Technology Scholarship — fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form5% fee remission
Drama Scholarship — fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form5% fee remission
Music Scholarship — fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form5% fee remission
Sport Scholarship — fee remission at Year 9 and Sixth Form5% fee remission
Textile Design Scholarship — fee remission at Sixth Form5% fee remission
Honorary scholarships — available during the year for pupils demonstrating exceptional ability

ℹ️ This school has not published the exact % fee remission for each award. Ask the admissions team directly — typical independent school scholarships range from 5% to 50% of fees.

💰
Means-tested bursaries — the school looks at your family income and can offer a much larger discount than any scholarship. Means-tested bursaries available only to scholarship award winners with UK main residence; families must contribute meaningfully to fees; no fully-funded places offered. Ask the Bursar directly — these are rarely advertised prominently.

About

Eastbourne College is an educational community offering exceptional teaching and boarding experience. Located at the foot of the South Downs National Park near the sea and 70 miles from London, it provides full and flexible boarding options with strong pastoral care and ranks in the top 4% of UK schools nationally based on value-added measures.

School data verified by NanaSays. Last updated: April 2026.

What Makes This School Different

Community Day (Year 12 community service
CCF (Combined Cadet Force—compulsory in
Clubs & Activities
CCF (Combined Cadet Force)Sports and games fixtures (including Saturday fixtures)Chapel
Expeditions include: CCF overnight trips

Academic Results

GCSE Grade 9
31%

Admissions

Entry pointAssessmentAssessment dateRegistration deadline
Year 9Competitive assessments in Academic, All-rounder, Art, Dance, Design and Technology, Drama, Music, and Sport scholarships; all pupils assessed for admissionJanuary-February for most; May for academicFlexible; early registration Year 5-6 recommended
Sixth FormCompetitive assessments in Academic, Art, Dance, Design and Technology, Drama, Music, Sport, and Textiles scholarships; all pupils assessed for admissionNovemberMid-October; visit recommended by end of Year 10

How to apply

  1. Register (recommended Year 5-6 for Year 9; by end Year 10 for Sixth Form)
  2. Attend open event or visit
  3. Complete scholarship assessment (if applicable)
  4. Receive offer
  5. Accept place with deposit and Guaranteed Place Form

What you'll need to submit

  • Online registration form
  • Guaranteed Place Form

Open events

  • Open Morning — Saturday each spring (9am-12pm)

Scholarships: Scholarship awards available at Year 9 and Sixth Form entry; all scholarships now 5% fee remission; scholarship winners eligible for means-tested bursary

Admissions contact: [email protected]

Registration is first stage and can occur any time. Early registration in Year 5-6 accesses early offer process.

Why Families Choose

Full and flexible boarding options, excellent pastoral care, proximity to London and coast, Project 150 state-of-the-art facilities, consistent academic excellence with 78% of A-levels at A*-B over 10 years, strong sense of community

Facilities & Programmes

Sports
Cricket Pavilion
Indoor Swimming Pool
Fitness Suite
Sports Hall
Squash Courts
Dance Studio
Arts
Dance
Academic
Classrooms
Technology Suites

Student Demographics

School Type
co-ed
Age Range
1219
Student Body
Boarding capacity273

School Background

Governance & Ownership

Independent

Religious Affiliation

Church of England

Sports Programme

50
teams across 19 sports
Signature Sports
CricketTennisHockeyRugby UnionNetball
Teams by Sport
Cricket
18
teams
Tennis
19
teams
Hockey
20
teams
Rugby Union
15
teams
Netball
18
teams
Football
9
teams
Badminton
7
teams
Cross Country
6
teams
Fives
8
teams
Hockey Indoor
3
teams
Hockey Sixes
1
teams
Rugby Sevens
3
teams
Squash
4
teams
Golf
1
teams
Equestrian
1
teams
Sailing
1
teams
Basketball
2
teams
Swimming
1
teams
Multi-skills
1
teams
Also Offered
AthleticsFencing
Recent Highlights
NationalSenior Girls won Winter Schools LTA Cup2025
NationalSenior Girls competed in National Premier League (only school side in GB to play); placed 5th in South East group2024
NationalGirls reached National Quarter Finals in British Schools Championships2023
NationalGirls reached National Quarter Finals in Independent Schools Championships2023
Notable Coaches
Simon Gent
Head of Tennis
Plays for Kent in veterans inter-county matches
Craig Wells
Level 4 LTA Coach
Represented Sussex as junior player; still plays to high level
Luciano Cestari
Boys' Tennis Squad Coach
Head of Rackets at David Lloyd Eastbourne; Pro Circuit level in Argentina
Facilities
Tennis courts (including access to Devonshire Park grass courts)David Lloyd Centre (indoor training facility)Recently built sports centre with individual practice and strength-and-conditioning facilities
Director of Sport: Mike Harrison

Notable Alumni

Eddie Izzard
Comedian
Michael Praed
Actor
Hugh Skinner
Actor
Ed Speleers
Actor (Eragon, Downton Abbey)
Bob Holness
TV Presenter
Michael Fish
Weather Forecaster

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact the admissions office at Eastbourne College directly for current fee information.