London (Kingston)

Kingston

We began running courses in London in 2007, and the programme that we offer at the centre has evolved slightly: the main focus of this course centre is on the opportunities it gives students to spend time in London, and to this end, we offer four long visits to the capital in every two-week course.

Kingston – historic town by the Thames

Kingston is ideally placed for a London centre, it is only 30 minutes from the heart of London by train, yet it is far enough to escape some of the heat and bustle of the city, with the tranquillity of the Thames on one side, and the space and beauty of Richmond Park on the other.

Kingston-upon-Thames, which is part of the Royal Borough of Kingston, has existed on the banks of the Thames for hundreds of years, and was the coronation place for several Anglo-Saxon Monarchs. Hampton Court Palace is just a few miles away.

Kingston has lots to offer by way of shops, restaurants and night life, too.

Kingston University

Kingston Hill campus is a few miles from the centre of Kingston (10 minutes on regular buses). It is a compact site, on a hillside set in landscaped gardens once part of a country estate. The College has some excellent teaching facilities and a brand new library and learning resource centre, which our staff are welcome to use. It also has a light and airy dining area with a pleasant terrace outside.

A lot of the evening events take place in Hannaford’s, the Kingston University Student Union. This has recently been refurbished, and now offers a great place for our students to socialize. On certain occasions, it is available for staff to use as a social area, too.

Classrooms are excellent – large, airy and well equipped. Teaching staff have a separate teachers' room near the classrooms.

The campus does not offer much by way of sports facilities. There are a couple of tennis courts on site, but for most sporting activity we either use the park opposite, or else we hire courts at the local sports centre. Students can also swim at the local sports centre once a week.

Accommodation and Facilities

There are several different accommodation blocks where students are located and we try to locate staff in a separate accommodation block to the students if possible.

All staff have a single, en-suite study bedroom. There are some students at Kingston who are in family accommodation.

On-campus facilities are good with a student-union bar, the learning resources café and a launderette.

The nearest pub is about 20 minutes' walk and, for the essential chill-out moments, Richmond Deer Park, all 2500 acres of it, is just across the road. Kingston town centre, 5 minutes on the bus, boasts the usual range of shops but also has a pleasing riverside area populated by pubs, restaurants and cafés.

The centre of London is only 30 minutes away by train.

	Elac Excursions The excursion programme focuses on London. There are two programmed excursions, and two excursions where the group can make decisions about where they want to go: London programmed visits: Visit 1 includes a sight-seeing walk from Trafalgar square to Buckingham Palace. There is then a choice of museum visit (Natural History or Science Museum) or a visit to Camden Market. Visit 2 includes a choice of visiting The British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery or the Tate Modern, followed by a sight-seeing walk from Piccadilly Circus to Covent Garden. The other two visits to London are planned in conjunction with the Group Leader. Most of the London excursions are undertaken by the activity staff, as the teachers are required for teaching, however, there are a few occasions where teachers can have the opportunity to accompany the groups as well. Sometimes groups decide to watch a musical while in London, and it may be that you’ll get to see it too!

	Cambridge Our visit to Cambridge will include a walking tour of the city to take in the historical landmarks, the magnificent architecture and to sample the atmosphere of the university city. The tour will also include entrance to one of the colleges (the college visited will depend on availability at the time of booking). Cambridge really is a treat if you have never visited it before. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Britain – a combination of the romantic medieval image and an up-to-date city. Cambridge is beautiful, not too big and with all the amenities of a university city. Its unique setting on the banks of the River Cam ("The Backs") and the magnificent architecture of the University buildings all combine to make Cambridge the most unforgettable place, one which will linger long in your memory. Most teachers are involved in the Cambridge excursion on the middle Saturday.
If you enjoy taking students on excursions, or you just want to ‘work more — earn more’, then let the Activity Co-ordinator know that you are keen to get involved.