English & Windsurfing

Learn windsurfing at a world-class venue.

A great mix - language & windsurfing

Your course consists of 15 full hours of English (including the level test and initial induction) plus 12 hours of windsuring tuition each week. On Monday afternoons, evenings and Saturdays, the normal activity programme will be followed together with the rest of the school. English lessons are from 09.00 to 12.30 Monday to Friday and windsurfing is for 3 hours on 4 afternoons from Tuesday to Friday each week. You will learn windsurfing in English from professional instructors and if the weather is too windy, you will join the activitiy programme with the other students.

Read more about your English classes here and see a sample English & Windsurfing programme here.

Windsurfing - enjoy it at you skill level

Whether you are a complete beginner or have previous experience, there is a class for you. Beginners will start with the basics of getting on the water and sailing the board across the wind and back before sailing around a course practising tacking and gybing, enabling you to make progression towards and away from the wind. By the end of the course, you will be able to sail to a chosen point on the water and return to where you started in light winds. For students with previous experience the lessons will be more advanced. On successful completion of the the course, you will receive a Royal Yachting Association Certificate of at least stage one in the Youth Windsurfing Scheme.

Windsurfing - what you need to know

Your windsurfing lessons take place at the Official Test Centre in Portland, which was the venue for the sailing events in the 2012 Olympic Games. Portland Harbour has some of the best wind statistics of the south coast of England, is accessible in all wind directions and tide states, and can cater for all abilities.

You must be able to swim at least 25 metres to participate on the windsurfing course, and must wear buoyancy aids at all times when on the water. You will need to bring swimming gear, a beach towel and beach shoes with you, but all other equipment is provided by the windsurfing school, including wetsuits and buoyancy aids.

Activities & trips - have fun with friends

When not on water or in class, you will enjoy activities and trips and, in many cases, you can choose between them. Activities can include football, beach volleyball, basketball, mini-golf, pizza and games, arts and crafts, beach games, a talent show, or a disco . On Saturdays, you go on full-day trips to iconic places such as Stonehenge & Salisbury, London, or Oxford. Or if you want a mix of history and excellent shopping, Exeter is the place for you. In the fashionable city of Bath you can see glorious Georgian architecture. For a day full of adventure combining dramatic coastlines, with a lovely seaside town, a ride on a steam train across the countryside in true Harry Potter style, visiting a traditional village with a castle ruin, go on our Purbeck day-trip. Be aware, this involves walking!

WEC course combinations - pick and mix

The minimum stay on WEC courses is 2 weeks, and the maximum stay is 4 weeks.

Any combination of the 4 courses can be booked in your 2 to 4-week stay, for example, a 4-week stay can include all our courses.

English & Activities can be booked for any number of weeks.

English & Sailing and English & Windsurfing can be booked for any number of weeks and you can progress up the skill levels on successful completion of a level in a week.

English & Outdoor Adventure is a one-week programme and can be combined with any of the other programmes.

Pick and mix the course that you think you will enjoy!