Clacton on Sea Is known locally as the capital of the Sunshine Coast which boasts miles of clean sandy beaches along the north east Essex coastline and is claimed to be the driest location in England.

Clacton became a popular holiday location with the early Victorians who traveled here by steamboat and the town was built up around the pier, although its name is derived from the ancient village of Great Clacton which is located one mile inland and has now been absorbed into the town .

The Pier still stands and is the centerpiece in a myriad of tourist attractions The ever popular promenade memorial gardens. are a local favorite of young and old alike.

There are also a wide range of other recreational facilities including two theatres, a two screen cinema, two golf courses adjacent the town airfield, bowling greens, sports centre with swimming pool and for those night owls there is a fantastic selection of olde worlde and modern themed pubs, restaurants and two nightclubs.

 The largest shopping area is in Clacton's town centre which provides an interesting mix of chain stores, local shops and supermarkets. There are various smaller shopping centres around the borough and the Clacton Common Shopping Village which is located on the town outskirts To mark the towns continuing development Brook Retail Park on the outskirts of the town has recently opened. There is an amazing variety of housing with most of the older properties situated around Clacton Town and in the Great Clacton village centre.

Clacton popularity as a retirement location equates to a signifcant numbers of bungalows insitu along the coastline from Holland-on-Sea through to Jaywick. Most of the modern housing which includes starter homes, family properties and even more bungalows are located inland at Great Clacton and around Bockings Elm.

Education is an important issue nowadays and it's good to know that Clacton offers good facilities for children through a number of highly regarded schools and pre school nurseries. There is also private schooling facilities available close by and an adult education centre which provides an excellent range of courses for the more mature student. Essex University and other college facilities are located nearby With excellent road links A133 A12 M25 Clacton offers ease of travel to London (70 miles), the rest of East Anglia (A12 A14 M11)and the Midlands. Englands oldest recorded town of Colchester is 15 miles and Harwich Parkstone Quay, the gateway to Europe through its ferry systems is only 9 miles. Clactons mainline railway station connects to London's Liverpool Street and serves a sizeable commuter population

Local Education:

Alton Park County Junior School Alton Park Road, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 424335

Bishops Park College Jaywick Lane, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 424600

Burrsville County Infants School Craigfield Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 425106

Burrsville Junior School Craigfield Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 424906

Cann Hall County Primary School Constable Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 420603

Clacton County High School 51 Walton Road, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 424266

Colbayns High School Pathfields Road, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 428131

 Coppins Green Primary School Melbourne Road, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 422825

Engaines County Primary School St Osyth Road, Little Clacton 01255 860210

Frobisher County Primary School Frobisher Drive, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 427073

Great Bentley County Primary School Plough Road, Great Bentley 01206 250331

Hamford County Primary School Elmtree Avenue, Walton-on-Naze 01255 673415

Holland Haven Primary School Primrose Road, Holland-on-Sea 01255 813704

Holland Park Primary School Holland Road, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 422942

Kirby-Le-Soken County Primary School Halstead Road, Kirby Cross 01255 674056

Leas School Leas Road, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 426288

Oakwood County Infants School Windsor Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 421168

Ravenscroft Primary School Nayland Drive, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 424328

Rolph C of E Primary School High Street, Thorpe-Le-Soken 01255 861317

St Andrews C of E Primary School Main Road, Weeley 01255 830234

St Clare's R.C Primary School Cloes Lane, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 425344

St Osyth C of E Primary School Norman Close, St Osyth 01255 82082

3 Tendring County Primary School School Road, Tendring 01255 830307

Tendring Technology College Rochford Way, Frinton-on-Sea 01255 672116

Tendring Technology & Sixth Form College Landermere Road, Thorpe-Le-Soken 01255 861341

Walton Primary School Standley Road, Walton-on-Naze 01255 675657

 Independent/Private Schools Colchester High School Wellesley Road, Colchester 01206 573389

St Philomenas R.C 53 Hadleigh Road, Frinton-on-Sea 01255 674492

 Further Education

Tendring Adult Community College Green Lodge, 180 Old Road, Clacton-on-Sea 01255 424151

The Colchester Institute (College) Sheepen Road, Colchester 01206 518000

Universities University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, Colchester 01206 873333