Ideal for younger students who are interested in progressing their English within a tight-knit private school.
Not ideal for mature students, the combined percentage of students above the age of 25 is 22%.
The good
- Often utilise educational visits as part of their teaching technique, and not merely as a reward or for social activities
- They have a great social programme with many different activities.
- Several residence types, all within a 5-20 minute walk from the school.
- One of the best value-for-money General English courses in London.
- Several varied courses for different age groups, including General English courses, Business English courses, FCE, CAE and IELTS Exam Preparation.
The bad
- Located in the suburbs so a longer journey into the centre of London.
- The large majority of students are between the ages of 17-24.
- The older classrooms do not have air conditioning, classrooms can get stuffy during the summer months.
Date of my inspection visit at Kings London: April 10, 2024
My overall take
In my opinion, Kings London (Kings) is a great school for young students who are seeking a traditional school, small in size and with an intimate teaching environment. The school is similar to a typical traditional UK secondary school but is uniquely set in a converted historic house dating back to the late 1800s. If you are interested in history this could be a fascinating school for you.
Their student intake is small, meaning that the teachers know their students personally, and the social clubs are well-mixed between the academic students and the general English students. The range of social activities is one of the best I’ve seen. They have many different clubs with a recurring activity every week, not many of the other language schools in London have this distinct type of social activity set up. The clubs include a debate club, money club, art club, homework club and multiple sports clubs.
The teachers utilise a range of different teaching techniques i.e. using an online platform for homework and lessons, interactive lessons on the smart TVs and out-of-class field trips. The combination of techniques ensures classes remain engaging.
Additionally, this school is one of the more affordable language schools in the London area. I would highly recommend this school to students in their late teens to early twenties who prefer the quietness of the suburbs within an intimate school setting, creating an enriching educational experience.
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Kings London at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.3 (307 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 14 students in Standard English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Excellent diversity No nationality more than 12% Top nationality: Italian |
| Learning intensity | The General English class are usually given proactive homework not worksheet-based; a CLIL (content Language integrated learning) approach is utilised |
| Number of students | 125 adults and 73 juniors in July 92 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 17 years for General English Courses 15 years for specific Junior Courses |
| Accreditations | British Council, Pearsons, UAL, Ofsted |
| Course range | General English, Intensive English, Academic Study Programme, Advanced level foundation, Business English for specific professions, English plus Art and Design, FCE, CAE and IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Student Houses, Student Residence |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 55min/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) | £17.50 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Danny Carroll, School Principal at Kings London.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Danny Carroll: “We never take on more than 200 students even at the busiest times of the year. So in terms of one to one student-teacher interaction, this is guaranteed to be optimal. It’s a relaxed, friendly, informal but very hardworking atmosphere and attitude”
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Danny Carroll: “A student who is intellectually curious, culturally curious as this is a highly, highly international environment, last year we welcomed students from 74 different countries. A student who is open to new experiences, and who is proud of their own culture and identity, and is eager to share it with others”
School inspection report
Classrooms
Every classroom is clean, well lit and spacious with interactive whiteboards.
Facilities
The communal areas are inclusive, vibrant and well-kept. There is a great cafeteria that both General English students and Academic students share. There is also a fully resourced library with PCs.
Lastly, the school has communal wellness pets, a cat and a dog, something unique that many other schools do not have.
Surrounding area
The school is located in the suburbs but has a large fitness centre within 5 minutes walking distance. Students can use the gym and pool at a discounted rate. The closest high street is approximately 20 minutes walk away, close to the private Kings residence.
There are 3 different train stations all within a 15-minute walk of the school with transport links into central London. The journey to the centre of London is approximately 30 minutes away.
Social activities
The range of free social activities is large, and a lot of them are specifically conversational activities to boost the progress of English speaking outside of classes.
Enrichment clubs and societies include Spanish, Debating, Historical Research, Money Club, Art Club, Homework Club, Sports (I.e. football, badminton, table tennis), Movie Club, Music Society, and an LGBTQ+ space.
Residence
This is a standard twin-bedroom apartment. Best suited for 2 friends or 2 family members. They also have standard-bedroom apartments within this residence. Overall, this is a a clean and modern apartment, a 20-minute walk from the Kings London campus, and directly on a high street with many multicultural restaurants in the surrounding area.
Trusted student ratings of Kings London on the web
| Total | 4.3 (307 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.3 (25 reviews) |
| ESL | 4.2 (282 reviews) |
Ratings as of June 18, 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.
