Eastbourne College

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

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

Between 10-20 per cent leave after GCSEs. At 18, 80 per cent secure first choice university including Durham, LSE, UCL and Warwick. Three to Oxbridge in 2024, and two medics. Usually some overseas, mostly US and Hong Kong. Often a few into business

In 2025, 52 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 74 per cent A*/A at A level.

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

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

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

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

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,

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

‘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

In order to access bursary support, a pupil must also have a scholarship.

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,