Ideal for younger students who are interested in progressing their English within a larger school.
Not ideal for mature students, the average student age is 22.
The good
- They have a great social programme with many varied activities (creative and non-creative).
- The school has an on-site residence (16-18) and an 18+ residence 1 minute walk away.
- Quite a new building (2017) with very modern technology.
- Excellent location, close to the busy city centre and opposite a large green area.
- Students can switch from a general EFL course to an academic programme.
The bad
- One of the more expensive schools in Brighton.
- Their younger student body may be a nuisance for mature students.
Date of my inspection visit at Kings Brighton: April 24, 2024
My overall take
In my opinion, Kings Brighton (Kings) is a school for students seeking an all-inclusive experience. The school is located in a great location, within walking distance of the main city centre and the beach, as well as opposite a park where students are said to have picnics in the summer.
The school is similar to a typical traditional UK secondary school and is shared between academic and EFL students. The building itself is very modern and well-maintained. They also have a huge cafeteria and courtyard where they provide hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the students residing on-site, which is also open to the other students in the school.
Their student intake is higher than that of Kings London, meaning it is less intimate. However, they have a very active staff; the students specifically sang the praises of the welfare team. So, although they have a larger intake, there is still an emphasis on providing a high level of care. This may be because many of their students are so young.
The range of social activities is very diverse, from conversational clubs to improve your speaking (“Catch Up Club”) to Theme Park trips; the social programme team go the extra mile to provide a good range of activities.
Speaking of diversity, the one thing Kings need to improve in their EFL study body is diversity; 27% of the students are from Saudi Arabia. However, the one thing that saves them is that the academic student body is a lot more mixed; so, when the academic and EFL students are mixed, the percentage of Saudi students is lower.
Kings is one of the more expensive schools in Brighton; the all-inclusive package they offer is worth the price. I would recommend this school to students in their late teens to early twenties who prefer the convenience of living and studying in the same place and want a “hand-held” approach to their learning experience.
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Kings Brighton at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.4 (294 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 14 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Below Average Diversity No nationality more than 27% Top nationality: Saudi Arabia |
| Learning Intensity | 2.5 hours of homework per week |
| Number of students | 240 adults in July (EFL students only) 120 adults in January (EFL students only) |
| Minimum student age | 16 years |
| Accreditations | British Council, Ofsted |
| Course range | General English, Intensive Course, Academic Study Programme, Advanced Level Foundation, International Business Foundation, Diploma of General English, Diploma of Intensive English, IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Residence |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 45min/lesson | 1 week: £340 3 weeks: £1020 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: £85 Course material fee: none |
| Price Level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | £24.60 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.
“I really like that every teacher is always paying attention to you. The welfare team are always looking out for you if you are emotionally down, or even physically, you can always go and talk to them“
Jennifer
19 years from Mexico
“One of my favourite activities is the “Catch Up Club” where we go and have coffee and chat together with students and teachers. I recommend it to all of the new students“
Fuad
18 years from Saudi Arabia
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Stephen Pilton, Head of English of Kings Brighton.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Stephen Pilton: “We do a really nice job of caring about students here and providing them with the complete experience, that doesn’t mean just how teachers support students within class, but it’s also about how they support them if they’re unwell, or if they need any kind of care, medical or otherwise.“
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Stephen Pilton: “Individual students that are not travelling in a group with people they know. The typical age is 21, and in the summer it’s a little younger. This school is great for if you’re thinking about going to university in the UK or improving your English for your career prospects back home“
School inspection report
Classrooms
Every classroom is clean and spacious, with sufficient lighting and windows. Every classroom has interactive whiteboards installed. It is important to note they do not have air-conditioning in any of the classrooms but the computer room.
Facilities
The communal areas are large, vibrant and well-kept. There is a large cafeteria in the basement and a courtyard. The cafeteria has a ping-pong table to keep the students entertained. There is no dedicated library, but the computer room can be used as a self-study area.
Surrounding area
The school is located in a great location, on a semi-busy road within walking distance of the main city centre and the beach, as well as opposite a park. Multiple restaurants and cafes are nearby for students who do not want to eat lunch from the cafeteria.
Social activities
The range of activities offered is very diverse, with a good balance of academic and social activities, i.e., IELTS speaking practice and light-hearted trips outside of Brighton; there is something for everyone in the social programme.
Residence
There are two main residence options:
The first on-site residence is strictly for students aged 16-17. They have a corridor for 18-year-olds, but these rooms are very limited, and priority is given to 16-17-year-olds. There is a shared kitchen with a microwave, toaster and kettle, but no other cooking appliances are available. The rooms are clean and spacious.
The second residence is precisely 1-minute walk from the school and is strictly for students 18 and over. This building has several amenities, including a games room, a communal area, private study cubbies, a gym, a cinema room and an outdoor courtyard. The rooms are modern, spacious, clean, and complete to a hotel standard.
Trusted student ratings of Kings Brighton on the web
| Total | 4.4 (294 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.4 (13 review) |
| ESL | 4.3 (281 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.
