What The Good Schools Guide says (June 2024)
Headmaster
Since 2016, Tom Lawson, read PPE at Oxford and previously deputy head at Christ’s Hospital. Spent 16 years at Winchester as a housemaster and head of boarding.
Over the course of his headship at Eastbourne College (EC), Mr Lawson has overseen a vast renovation of the campus. Project 150, as it is known, has resulted in a new fitness centre, swimming pool, school cafe, 32 new classrooms, art gallery, canteen, and has completely transformed the school site. But he is less about glamour projects and more about ‘rounding the individual’. Regarded by staff and pupils as an ‘intellectual genius’ he is intent on upping the academic ante, ‘We want to be all-round, but academics must come first,’ he says.
He showed us round his lovely house in the middle of the campus, Roy, his trusted boxer, at his heel. Not many personal touches to be seen in his grand study, although his smart speaker suddenly belts out an impromptu song from a well-known 90s teen film – we both chuckle. He speaks with conviction about ‘developing the person’ and ‘soft (human) skills’. ‘AI isn’t going to teach you how to make conversation at a prefect’s dinner, or how to get on with your house master.’ Hear, hear.
Parents are big fans of this ‘consistent’, ‘kind’, and ‘caring’ head, saying he’s ‘present’, ‘always at matches’, ‘knows all by name’, and ‘the kids love him’. All recognise how hard working he is too: ‘He devotes his life to the place,’ said one, ‘He lives and breathes the place,’ said another. Mr Lawson’s obvious rapport with his pupils was visible the day of our visit, and parents agree saying, ‘He’s amazing with the kids,’ and, ‘All questions are directed at the kids and not the parents.’ Pupil numbers have increased under his tenure.
A proper ‘cricket nut,’ although he doesn’t play. ‘I’m not sporty, but I’m obsessed with sport,’ he tells us, believing that ‘sport should be about participation, about everyone putting the crest on.’ Still teaches A level economics although modestly says he’s ‘not a martyr’ it’s ‘pure indulgence’.
Away from school life, Mr Lawson enjoys travelling with his wife, Jessica, and their two children, eating out, exploring Eastbourne, and walking the beloved Roy.
Entrance
Lightly selective. Pupils from the allied St Andrew’s Prep, with which EC has built a ‘bridge curriculum’ for years 7-9, and other prep and state schools. EC now accepts pupils on the basis of school report, CAT scores and reference in year 6; head sees little point in CE or putting year 6 pupils through the stress of a test. Rumour has it ‘he’s very anti the pre-test’.
Exit
Between ten and 20 per cent leave after GCSEs. At 18, 80 per cent secure first choice university including Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Loughborough, Nottingham, Oxford Brookes, Reading and UCL. Three to Oxbridge in 2023 including one medic and a further five medics elsewhere. Usually some overseas, mostly US (Duke University, Carolina) and Hong Kong.Often a few into business apprenticeships, specialist art or drama colleges such as Guildhall School of Speech and Drama, ACM and University of the Arts.
Latest results
In 2023, 57 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 50 per cent A*/A (75 per cent A*-B) at A level. In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 60 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 40 per cent A*/A at A level.
Teaching and learning
The Nugee building is home to all 32 sparkling new classrooms, part of the completed Project 150: the £30 million spent is noticeable throughout this cleverly designed space, reminiscent of a university.
We dropped in on a further maths A level class, eager students with markers in hand, showing off their numerical mastery on the room’s collaborative, white-boarded walls. This same group, known as ‘Roy’s homework club,’ were due online later that day to tutor children from local schools – inspiring. A stonking ten to 15 per cent of sixth form take further maths.
GCSE options on the traditional side but include dance, PE, drama, textile design and classical civilisation. An ‘accelerated programme’ enables top Latinists to also take GCSE Greek alongside. In 2025 EC will be the first school in the country to offer a GCSE in natural history.
Years 9 to 11 have iPads, upper years all have laptops – we didn’t see them being overly used on our visit.
We sense a huge focus on trying to raise the bar academically and got wind of a few who’ve been asked to leave prior to sixth form as ‘they might find A levels a struggle’, ‘They don’t advertise it,’ said a parent. Families are given plenty of notice of the school’s intentions, we’re told.
‘More academic than you might think,’ was the sentiment amongst many parents we chatted to. ‘My child has simply flown,’ one said. ‘Absolutely outstanding,’ glowed another, who credits the ‘great teachers’.
‘Teachers genuinely care’ said a parent, ‘There’s lots of support for children,’ said another, although an outlier felt, ‘a couple of teachers’ hadn’t been sympathetic to the needs of their children.
Very few grumbles over the abolishment of Saturday school, and drop-in sessions on Saturdays are a big hit. Average class size is 18; 12 max in the sixth form. Lots of Oxbridge-educated teachers, career-changers, and alumni: ‘Tom appoints teachers by heart,’ says head of external relations.
Learning support and SEN
SENCo heads up a team of four SEN staff and children’s needs are assessed in the admissions process. Those who need additional support, ‘quickly identified’, say parents. ‘They got on top of things as soon as my child arrived and put strategies in place from the start.’ Dyslexia the most common additional need here, but school supports those with ADHD, AFD and Aspergers, too. ‘Head of learning support has been absolutely brilliant’, said a long-standing parent. ‘My child is flying, thanks to this department,’ said another. High praise too for the communication, ‘I’ve never had to chase the department,’ said one, ‘They’re very pro-active.’ The option to drop a subject at GCSE and attend learning support instead is much praised by both parents and pupils. ‘The number of GCSEs is a decision made individually to allow time for learning support if required or extra subjects if stretch is needed,’ says school. The department helps with organising extra time for exams, although parents must arrange their own external ed-psych appointments. Additional fees for those requiring one-to-one support.
The arts and extracurricular
Purpose-built Birley Centre, with its abundant practice rooms and magnificent auditorium is where the music, drama and art happen. We dropped into the school’s recording studio and saw the magic: a current year 11’s music video up on the control centre’s screen and a guitarist tinkering in the adjoining sound-proofed studio. School bands, orchestras and ensembles aplenty, and over half take instrumental lessons. A level music technology an option, too, five to ten per cent of pupils take it at A level. Pupils often perform to the public on the town’s bandstand.
Eastbourne is home to the Towner Museum, recent hosts of the Turner Prize, and judging by the art on display in the school’s own gallery (open to the public) pupils have been deeply inspired. ‘My children adore DT’ said one whose child has opted to take it for GCSE. Textiles is offered from year 9 to A level, photography is an A level option in the sixth form. Plans afoot to introduce an A level in three-dimensional design.
‘Productions are outstanding’, say parents, ‘Sweeny Todd and Les Mis were mesmerisingly good’. Productions are very well attended pupils said, and all parents we spoke to raved about the level of performance and talent involved. Pupils like alternating between a musical one year, a play the next, ‘it keeps it all fresh’ said one.
Parent of non-theatrical (but ‘still dramatic!’) child said the annual house review ensures shy types are thrown into getting involved and said their child ‘blossomed during the house revue run-up, because he was made to do it!’ All must take part, which parents, particularly of boys, really like.
School has a great reputation locally for its voluntary work and being an integral part of the community. Huge emphasis on service; CCF begins for all in year 10, many opting to take it on to year 11. Head of CCF is an army reservist and frequents Whitehall as part of his role as Brigadier in charge of national cadet development. DofE has a completion rate significantly above the national average. ‘If a child starts something they should finish it,’ says school.
The leadership and personal development program (LAPD) can be taken alongside A levels and includes the rare option to do the RYA Comp Crew course out of Eastbourne’s marina.
Sport
Eastbourne remains a sport lover’s mecca, and this is a ‘very sporty school’ sitting comfortably in the top 100 schools in the country for cricket and well known within the county. Good to see, and to hear, from many that there’s little difference between the sports provision for boys and girls. Girls’ cricket repeatedly mentioned as being ‘fantastic’ and ‘high profile’; recently appointed director of cricket (who plays for Essex and has just played at Lord’s for the MCC) shows the school is taking it seriously. Pilates, badminton, golf, squash and fives for those who don’t want the trad team sports. The PAW club (pilates and walking) sounds a great lower octane option. Rugby, hockey, and cricket remain the main boys’ sports; hockey and tennis, the girls’, but cricket is catching up.
Pupils told us ‘Tonbridge is the school to beat on the rugby pitch’, another piping up, ‘Hurst for cricket, though!’ As one parent put it, ‘Matches are good and scores are close’; another said, ‘We don’t always win, but we rarely lose.’ Pupils can travel up to an hour and half to fixtures – a by-product of having only sea to the south of you.
‘All can get involved from As to Es’ said a parent, although another begged to differ, saying, ‘If you don’t make a team, you’re a bit stuffed.’ ‘There is a team for everything and everyone,’ said another. A few niggled about the over-emphasis on girls’ tennis, but hard for the school to detract from a world-renowned tennis club and tournament on your doorstep. The school offers over 15 sports in the summer term to years 11 to 13 to those who don’t play tennis, and in the summer term for years 9 and 10 there is the choice of athletics, cricket or tennis. Good use is made of the large modern swimming pool, ballet studio, and enormous gym with every form of strength trainer on the market. There’s also sea swimming, steeple chasing over the downs and triathlons. School says they, ‘Put a lot of pride and effort into offering other sports, such as golf, swimming, PAW, and riding.’
A few parents ‘sad’ that sports day is a ‘non-event’. ‘It really upsets me and is not in keeping with being such a sporty school,’ said one. Sports day takes place at the end of the summer term and is a ‘sports event’ for the pupils, ‘few parents attend’ informed another parent. Strangely at odds with the sporty fibre of EC. School says, ‘Parents can and do attend though we appreciate it being held on a Friday can be tricky for parents – but that is because of the number of fixtures we play.’
Despite no Saturday school, those selected for fixtures are expected to be there, school and parents say they always are; ‘No one likes letting their side down.’ One parent praised the ‘very tailor-made individual programmes for sports scholars’.
Cricket tours to Dubai and South Africa and hockey tours to Belgium, Holland and Germany.
Boarders
The removal of Saturday school has shifted the dial at this traditionally full boarding school and now 45 per cent of children board, allowing locals to go home after fixtures should they choose to. Pupils can stay in over weekends, a popular choice, as this is when the house dinners, concerts and activities take place. Activities are laid on for all who remain at weekends, making good use of the facilities and local area.
Boarding houses are mixed age with three boys’ and two girls’ houses. Nugent, a girls’ house, the newest of the two, described as ‘swanky’ by a parent, and all raved about the strong relationships between house staff and their children. We loved the newly decorated common room in School House (girls); upholstered alcoves and booths, very social and welcoming – year 9s do their prep around a large communal table, supervised by sixth formers. Dorms are spacious, two-person rooms until year 11 and then single rooms beyond. We gather this is the same across most houses. All houses (including the day houses) have lovely gardens, some with badminton or football nets, and all have common rooms with sofas and the odd toy (ping-pong/snooker/TV) to entertain.
House choices are on a first-come-first-served basis as to registration date and preference is given to alumni connections. ‘The school works hard at mixing up groups from prep schools,’ said a parent of St Andrew’s prep child (the main feeder for EC). No dominant sporty or cool house from what we saw or heard.
Pupils talked of their like of the family structure, where each pupil becomes a member of a vertical family, so you get to know those in the years above and below.
Much parent praise for the pastoral support from the house staff, ‘Pastoral team responded brilliantly’ said parent of pupil who needed a little extra support when they started boarding. ‘The boarding staff have been great,’ said another. ‘HMs have their fingers on the pulse, they tend to know what’s going on…anything ‘naughty’ is stamped out and they tend to know everything!’
‘No difference in status between boarders and day pupils or in the provision of care,’ said a boarding parent. ‘School tries to integrate day and boarding,’ said another and a few talked of their boarding children meeting up with day children in town at weekends. International boarders make up around 15 to 20 per cent of the cohort, and a handful from London.
Ethos and heritage
The stunning main building with its cloisters opening onto College Field, the iconic rugby and cricket pitch, gets you at first sight. Indeed, speak to most EC alumni and they’ll have a story to tell of a match they once played on it.
Being in the centre of a town and by the sea really does inform and shape this school. A ‘blue health’ school, much emphasis is put on the outdoors, sport, and getting involved in the local community too, with beach clean-ups, sea swimming, and cross country over the surrounding South Downs. EC is involved in an ongoing initiative fronted by Eden Project pioneer Sir Tim Smit, who wants to turn Eastbourne into an environmental hub. Judging by the amount of printed sales and marketing material we staggered home with there may still be a way to go, although school tells us this isn’t usual for all visitors.
A big push on wanting pupils to be employable and giving them as many opportunities as possible in the ‘real world’, underlined by the extensive co-curricular, voluntary and service offerings.
School uniform is one of the slickest we’ve seen: camel coloured chinos and navy blue blazers – very Ralph Lauren.
The dining hall wouldn’t look out of place in a City investment bank and the variety on offer is one of the best this reviewer has seen; a live street food theatre, tasting zone, huge salad bar and much besides.
Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline
One of the first schools in the 1960s to turn co-ed, ‘Opportunities are equal for both sexes,’ said pupils and parents. ‘A lot of mixing between boys and girls, very much integrated…comparing it to a notable public school in the area where this isn’t the case,’ said a parent.
‘Very rare,’ say parents, of any discipline issues. ‘Anything we’ve heard about has been dealt with swiftly and communication between staff and parents is really strong’.
All talked of ‘really strong’ pastoral care and pupils praised the ‘family feeling and structure’ of the house system. ‘House parents are key and always approachable and helpful with good house tutors supporting them’. ‘HMs really know the students…my child happy to talk to his HM re exam stress. When we’ve had the occasional incident that’s not been positive it’s been handled well.’
Be You group represents LGBTQ+ pupils across the school as well as a gender, race and ethnicity group, plus a newly formed neurodiversity and disabilities group. Pride week is celebrated as are other notable days throughout the year such as black history month and international woman’s day.
A dedicated futures department is conveniently located by the dining hall making it very easy for drop-ins. Careers sessions become progressively longer and more frequent as you move up the school. School helps find pupils work experience and conducts interview practice. Help with UCAS forms is built into a weekly timetabled session for sixth form.
Pupils and parents
‘Children here are ruddy cheeked and make their own fun, they’re not partying in London all the time,’ said a (London) parent. Most families are within an hour of the school, a few international and expat families (15 per cent) make up a down-to-earth mix. Many dual income families working their socks off to afford the fees. Lovely range of parents, many alumni, who seem very supportive of the school. A lot commenting on how ‘non-London’ the school is compared to Hurst or Cranleigh.
No obvious ‘type’ of child, parents and pupils agree, but might not suit a homebody as the days are long and the programme (both academic and cocurricular) rigorous. This really is a very busy and energetic place.
A few parents talked of making good friends on the sidelines at matches, saying, ‘Things can be as social as you want them to be.’ The (extensive) school buses are a ‘huge help’.
Money matters
Scholarships from five to 20 per cent of fees. School offers means-tested ‘blue skies’ bursaries.
The last word
Tradition intertwined with modernity at this forward-thinking all-rounder gem. Hard workers and doers thrive and go into the world as grounded people you’re going to want to be around. As one long-standing parent put it, ‘If I’d have had 20 children, I’d have put them all through Eastbourne!’
