Why I Chose an Educational Leave English Course in Edinburgh

Before booking the Educational Leave* courses, my colleagues at work asked me:

"But why do you wanna go to Scotland?"

"You‘ll come back with an accent, nobody can understand. And why an English course for Educational Leave?"

"You speak English and you can just watch some films and series at home to learn more."

…I want to tell you in this report why I have chosen two weeks of Educational Leave at ECS Scotland in Edinburgh, how wonderful it was and what I‘ve learned.

Edinburgh as a Place to Learn

First, the city: before coming to Edinburgh, literally everyone told me „wow, it‘s such a beautiful city! Two weeks in this city, you must be lucky!“ And what should I say, they were so right.

The „Experience Edinburgh“ course was perfect to get to know the city besides the tourist attractions (I think this course is often more interesting). I took this course in the first week of my stay, it was a good decision, because you‘ll get a lot of movement and a different walking route each day with your English teacher. In addition to learning about Scottish culture and history. There was also General English classes in the morning lesson, in the classroom. And so there was no „Fear of Missing Out“ in the first week in Edinburgh!

Second, the festival: August is special in Edinburgh, because everyone is talking about THE FESTIVAL meaning The Fringe Festival. If you are a performance arts and theatre lover, you‘ll definitely enjoy the city in this vibrant time of the year. There are hundreds of shows you could attend.

I went to two comedy shows after classes to practice my listening skills in „real life“. For example, Shrink Wrapped: A Psychologist Analyses Comedians (the title says everything) by Robin Perkin. It was very entertaining and I got the festival vibe.

But it’s not only about the Fringe in August, there is so much more! I also went, for example, to the Edinburgh International Book Festival to a reading of Samantha Harvey’s 2024 Booker Prize-winning novel Orbital. If you enjoy literature, you‘re in the right place at this festival. There is a huge variety of different readings and it takes place in the University of Edinburgh, a very nice place. For an English learner it is also very helpful that in every reading or interview they work with subtitles.

Third, the nature: During the vibrant festival season and with an intensive English course, you‘ll need some moments to recharge.

One day I went to Portobello Beach (approximately 30 minutes from the city centre by bus) and this was what I needed that day. Portobello is very nice for walks and enjoy the view. There is also a good restaurant which offers Fish and Chips for a good price. And don’t miss the cute book shop in the small centre of Portobello (you will find it, I‘m sure).

A Family-Run School

From the beginning of the preparation of my Educational Leave, I wanted to visit a family-run school and a school focusing on adults. I browsed different websites all over the UK and reached out to English in Britain in Frankfurt am Main, an independent agency and consultancy for English Language Vacation. Mr. Stein answered many of my questions. He recommended me ECS Scotland, because of its focus on adults, the small classes (max. 5 students per class) and the familiar approach of running a language school.

From day one of my stay I felt that this was a good decision. Everything was very organised and you could talk everytime to the teachers and the staff of the school. I felt very welcomed at the school and the classes were motivating (special thanks to my teachers Elena & Greig). They showed us how to improve English after going home, through TED Talks, discussion games and also a little bit of grammar.

I enjoyed especially the international class community with students from France, Czech Republic, Italy and Spain, in the „Communication at work course“ we encountered some intercultural surprises!

And even if you are already an upper intermediate speaker, there is so much more to focus on and to improve. I felt like the teachers were very good in adapting to the different levels (B1-C1) of the students in the course. After the classes, I often stayed in the coffee room to have another chat with others teachers or students during lunch break. I enjoyed this cozy and friendly atmosphere in the school building during the festival season.

Combine your Educational Leave

…with another week of vacation in Scotland!

I wanted to extend my stay in Scotland with one more week of vacation to visit the Highlands. To travel the sustainable way and because it is called „the most beautiful train route in the world“, I wanted to travel The West Highland Line.

I booked tickets and travelled by train from Edinburgh to Glasgow to Fort William and (by coach) to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. And wow, this was an impressive train route! You don’t need a book, a film or anything else, because you‘ll be busy looking outside the window for hours. In Inverness, we - of course - visited Loch Ness and a whiskey distillery.

Conclusion

When being back at work, I told my colleagues: Yes, I improved my English skills, but I learned also so much more about intercultural communication, Scottish and British culture and enjoyed a lot of cultural events in English.

To give future (German) participants an advice for their educational leave: Visit Edinburgh, choose the family-run school in Young Street (ECS Scotland) and immerse yourself in the English-speaking surrounding, you‘ll enjoy it.

Thinking of applying for Bildungsurlaub in Scotland?

ECS Scotland offers small group English courses for professionals, with a maximum of 5 students per class. Learn in the heart of Edinburgh, meet learners from all over the world and explore Scotland before or after your course.

✅ Approved for Bildungsurlaub in several German states

✅ Communication at Work course for professionals

✅ Real-world learning and cultural immersion