Ideal for younger students (18-24) and students who want to be surrounded by something other than European students; most students do not come from European countries.
Not ideal for students looking for a cosy family or community atmosphere. This is a large school.
The good
- The school is a new modern building with excellent facilities and is fitted with air-conditioning and heating.
- They are launching a new 30+ Lounge, with classrooms and a floor dedicated to the 30+ courses.
- Excellent location, 2 minutes walk from the beach and 5-10 minutes from the main city centre.
The bad
- There is not a very diverse mix of students (the majority of students are from Arabic-speaking countries).
- The class sizes make it difficult for students to get the teachers during the class (especially if they are too attentive or shy to speak up).
- One of the more expensive schools in Brighton.
Date of my inspection visit at EC English Brighton: April 23, 2024
My overall take
EC English Brighton (EC) is just as classy as EC London; the only difference is that it has more space and facilities on site. The building is modern, with heating, air-conditioning and large windows with natural light in every classroom. There is ample space in the classrooms equipped with the latest technology (smart TVs).
The school does not have a cafeteria, student kitchen, or vending machines, meaning all meals will have to be bought on the high streets in the surrounding area, which can be costly in the long term. But they have excellent facilities: two computer rooms/self-study rooms, two prayer rooms, a library and a common room with a TV and ping-pong table.
EC Brighton also has a 30+ programme for students who want to be in classes with like-minded individuals. This is a newly established programme, and they are developing a new lounge, with classrooms and lounges exclusively for students within this programme. Very few schools in Brighton offer this exclusivity to mature students, so this is an incentive for those who are on the fence about studying with younger students.
Their social programme is good, but one student said they would like to see more out-of-the-box unique activities and experiences. That being said, many educational activities are available that focus on improving speaking skills, i.e. twice a week; they have any of the following activities: pronunciation clinic, interview skills, CV clinic, writing club, coffee and chat groups, and lyrics training. Additionally, they have partnerships with many different brands to offer student discounts (this is something not all schools in Brighton have).
From my observations and conversations, I think a student in their late teens/early 20s would be the ideal person for this school; the average age of a student at EC is about 22 years old.
Book EC English Brighton with exclusive discount
EC English Brighton at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.2 (647 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 15 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Below average diversity Top nationality: Saudi 30% |
| Learning Intensity | 2 hours of homework per week |
| Number of students | 400 adults in July 250 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 16 years for General English courses |
| Accreditations | British Council |
| Course range | General English, English for Work, General Internship, English in the City, CAE, FCE, IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Residence, Hotel |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 45min/lesson | 1 week: £355 3 weeks: £1065 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: £55 Course material fee: None |
| Price Level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | £24.90 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Student voices
Unfiltered comments from random students I met at the school and asked about their experience.
“The school is in the centre of Brighton, the beach is 2 minutes walk just behind the school. So it is a very touristic area and a great place to visit. But I’m 28 and likely considered a bit old for the school, most people are between 18 to 24“
Armel
28 years from France
“They are colourful, welcoming and they are respectful of all religions; they have a prayer room here, but they did not have this at EC Cambridge. However, I would have liked if the school was more international, most of the students are Saudi. All in all, I think although most students are young, students that are older fit in more when they have a young spirit“
Samet
18 years from Turkey
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Gosha Stewart, Centre Director of EC English Brighton.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Gosha Stewart: “We prepare students a lot before they actually arrive at the school. We have the 30+ programme for students who are more mature, have started working and would like to be in an environment of like minded people. We also offer residence stays for 16-17 year olds in the summer which is rare, most schools would require these students to stay in a homestay.“
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Gosha Stewart: “The ideal student profile for this school is 22-24 year old students who have just finished their bachelors, for example, and are looking for the next steps in progressing in their career, particularly students who may be considering studying in the UK or doing an Erasmus programme“
School inspection report
Classrooms
All the classrooms are very well lit, with natural light from the large windows and the artificial lights in the ceilings.
Each room is modern, clean and well-furnished. Every single classroom also has air-conditioning and heating. The technology is also top-end, with each classroom having interactive smart TVs and access to the EC e-learning platform, Bamboozle and Kahoot (lessons are always interactive and exciting).
Facilities
EC have great facilities: two computer rooms/self-study rooms, two prayer rooms, a library and a standard room with a TV and ping-pong table.
Surrounding area
The school is located just off a high street in an excellent location, a 2-minute walk from the beach and 5-10 minutes from the main city centre, where there are hundreds of shops to explore.
There are public buses 2 minutes walk away, all in good connection of the wider Brighton and Hove area.
Social activities
Many educational activities are available that focus on improving speaking skills, i.e., twice a week, they have two of the following activities: pronunciation clinic, interview skills, CV clinic, writing club, coffee and chat groups, and lyrics training. EC also offers many sports activities, a few trips outside Brighton and 30+ dedicated activities.
Trusted student ratings of EC English Brighton on the web
| Total | 4.2 (647 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.1 (91 reviews) |
| ESL | 4.2 (500 reviews) |
| Boa Lingua | 4.4 (56 reviews) |
Ratings as of June 17, 2024
Why no Google or Facebook ratings? Schools may have requested Facebook, Google or Trustpilot reviews only from those students that previously gave positive after-course evaluations. I only trust ratings from independent booking platforms/agencies, that allow exclusively clients who booked via their platform to rate the schools. I have checked each of these sites above and they have no disproportional number of positive vs negative reviews.
