Ideal for students looking for a quiet, small school away from the city centre and surrounded by nature.
Not ideal for students looking for an upscale, big-city school emphasising partying.
The good
- Large and varied on-site facilities (sports hall, art studio, garden, etc.)
- Small student intake and teacher-student relationships are more personalised.
- One of the most affordable language schools in Brighton.
The bad
- The school is less diverse than other schools all year round; most students attend as a group rather than as individuals.
- Further out from the city centre, it is a 35-minute journey by public transport.
- The school is not technologically developed.
Date of my inspection visit at Loxdale English Centre Brighton: April 22, 2024
My overall take
Loxdale English Centre (Loxdale) is based in Brighton, 35 minutes from the city centre, so it is not the best location for exploring central Brighton. The school is based in a suburban area and is surrounded by nature.
Firstly, they have a strong identity based on community and a natural family dynamic, with teachers knowing all the students by name. In addition, their social programme caters more to in-house activities and visiting historical and cultural monuments rather than exploring the Brighton nightlife scene; perhaps this school would be best for students who are not looking solely to party.
The school has a large cafeteria in which they serve lunch, and they also have a student communal room with microwaves, a fridge, and other appliances to make hot drinks. This is useful as there are few restaurants in the immediate surrounding area. Students have to travel a little further to buy meals if they don’t eat at the cafeteria.
If you are looking for a quiet, simple school with lots of quirk and history, this school would be perfect for you, AND the fees will not hurt your pockets! This school is ideal for students in their late teens or early 20s, as 80% of the student population comprises students between the ages of 8-24.
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Loxdale English Centre at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.9 (7 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 14 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Average diversity No set nationality percentage. Top nationalities: Sweden, Italy, Spain, Chile, Czechoslovakia (young learner course) |
| Learning intensity | Approximately 4 hours of homework per week |
| Number of students | 120 adults + 130 juniors in July 120 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 8-14 years for specific junior courses 16 years for General English |
| Accreditations | British Council, English UK |
| Course range | General English, Junior course, Cambridge and IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 55min/lesson | 1 week: £220 3 weeks: £660 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: £90 Course material fee: £35 |
| Price level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | £25.35 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 have felt very appreciated at this school, the teachers and the teaching is amazing, they are very professional “
Anna
from Sweden
“I think the school has a really good community, the teachers and the staff try to make the best of our time here“
Lou
19 years from Sweden
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Anna Thatcher, School Principal of Loxdale English Centre.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Anna Thatcher: “Facilities is number one. We have a fabulous garden, sports hall, dining room so that student can eat on site if they want…also being close to our homestay, all of them are about a 27 minuted walk from school“
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Anna Thatcher: “Someone who I looking for a personal touch, we are a relatively small school. Anyone who wants to feel part of something. A lot of our students stay in contact with each other and they come back to visit years and years later“
School inspection report
Classrooms
Every classroom is spacious, with large windows and large tables with chairs, like a traditional classroom. The classrooms as also dated regarding furniture and decor, there is a real historic charm about the school in general and this is reflected in the classrooms.
The school is also technologically underdeveloped, they only have whiteboards and projectors, with TVs in only a few classrooms. Most lessons will not be very interactive.
Facilities
There are several facilities areas are modern, clean and mostly spacious. There is a great outdoor courtyard for socialising, eating and even studying during the summer months.
There are a good number of communal areas for the amount of students in the building. On the 3rd floor, there is a library, art room and designated study areas also.
Surrounding area
Loxdale is located in a suburban area, surrounded by houses and nature, perfect for nature lovers. The school is located on a quiet road with not many restaurants/cafe’s in the direct area.
Social activities
The social programme caters more to in-house activities and visits to historic and cultural cities. The prices are very affordable, with most of the activities being under £10.
Trusted student ratings of Loxdale English Centre on the web
| Total | 4.9 (7 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.9 (7 reviews) |
Ratings as of June 19, 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 review.
