Brighton & Portslade
The Perfect Place to Learn English
London-by-the-sea: a vibrant, creative, and welcoming city on England's south coast.
Welcome to Brighton
Brighton is the most exciting and extraordinary seaside city in Britain. With its bustling, cosmopolitan air, abundance of restaurants, bars, and shops, busy nightlife, and graceful mix of old and modern, it defies comparison with any other British city. It's the ideal location to study English as an adult or enrol your child in a young learner programme.
Set against the scenic backdrop of the Sussex Downs and traditional English countryside, Brighton is only 87 km from London on the south coast of England, with excellent transport links to London airports and many towns, cities, and places of interest.
Brighton rose to prominence in the 1750s when it was adopted by London High Society, after the Prince Regent (later King George IV) decided to make it his home. The former small fishing town was transformed into a fashionable, graceful city of beautiful Regency architecture. The Prince Regent commissioned the famous Royal Pavilion, inspired by the Taj Mahal and now open to the public. Students at Loxdale English Centre enjoy regular social activities and excursions throughout Brighton and the surrounding area.
Only 1 Hour from Central London
Fast, frequent trains connect Brighton to London Victoria and London Bridge. Enjoy day trips to the capital while living in a more relaxed, affordable seaside city. The best of both worlds.
Train
Brighton to London Victoria: 1 hour
Airport
Gatwick Airport: 30 minutes by train
Bus
Portslade to Brighton centre: 20-25 minutes
Walk
Loxdale to Portslade Village: 3 minutes
There's Always Something to Do
From historic landmarks to vibrant nightlife, Brighton offers endless entertainment for every taste.
The Royal Pavilion
Visit a spectacular seaside palace – one of the UK's most exotic buildings, commissioned by King George IV
Brighton Pier
Classic seaside fun with games, rides, and fish & chips
The Lanes & North Laine
Explore hundreds of unique, independent shops, cafés, and galleries in a labyrinth of narrow streets
The Beach & Seafront
Relax, swim, or play sports on Brighton's famous pebble beach
Arts & Music
Countless music venues, theatres, comedy clubs, and art galleries – Brighton hosts a vibrant arts scene
Food & Drink
Over 400 restaurants and cafés specialising in cuisines from around the world
The Royal Pavilion
Visit a spectacular seaside palace – one of the UK's most exotic buildings, commissioned by King George IV
Brighton Pier
Classic seaside fun with games, rides, and fish & chips
The Lanes & North Laine
Explore hundreds of unique, independent shops, cafés, and galleries in a labyrinth of narrow streets
The Beach & Seafront
Relax, swim, or play sports on Brighton's famous pebble beach
Arts & Music
Countless music venues, theatres, comedy clubs, and art galleries – Brighton hosts a vibrant arts scene
Food & Drink
Over 400 restaurants and cafés specialising in cuisines from around the world
Art & Culture
Brighton hosts a vibrant arts scene encompassing an eclectic mix of music, theatre, art, and film. Explore Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, internationally famous for its collection of old masters and modern paintings.
Visit Hove Museum and Art Gallery with its important collections of 18th and 20th century paintings. Or take a trip to nearby Charleston Farmhouse, the colourful and eccentric home of the Bloomsbury Group artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.
Other museums in the area include the D-Day Aviation Museum, Booth Museum of Natural History, and many more.
Shopping
Shopping in Brighton and Hove is as cosmopolitan as the city itself, with many different areas to explore. Alongside stylish indoor shopping centres and high street stores, there are the unique and small specialist shops of The Lanes.
The Lanes is a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways near the seafront. Here you can explore a maze of quirky and fun shops selling antiques, jewellery, designer clothes, and much more.
Explore the South of England
Brighton and Hove is a great base for exploring the beautiful Sussex countryside. It is surrounded by stunning rural landscapes, famous towns, and historic sites. Within an hour and a half you can visit:
London
World-class museums, galleries, and landmarks – just 1 hour by train
Lewes
Charming county town with a castle and independent shops
Chichester
Historic cathedral city with excellent theatre
Arundel
Stunning castle and beautiful gardens
The South Downs
Rolling chalk hills, perfect for walking and cycling
Portsmouth
Historic dockyards and naval heritage
Portslade – Our Peaceful Home
Where tradition meets convenience
Loxdale English Centre is in Portslade, a suburb of Brighton and Hove with a population of 18,000. The suburb has two areas: Portslade-by-Sea and Portslade Old Village, each with its own distinctive character.
The school is a 3-minute walk from Portslade Village, which was built up in the 16th century. The village today has a post office and small store, café, beautician, large charity shop, takeaway restaurant, and two pubs. Many of our students in homestay accommodation live within walking distance.
It nestles in a valley of the Sussex Downs and still retains its rural character with flint buildings, a village green, and the small parish church of St Nicolas – the second-oldest church in the city.
There is also a large garden centre with gift shop and café, garage with groceries, more pubs, and a small supermarket, all within a 10-minute walk of Loxdale. You will also find one of only two remaining Camera Obscuras in the UK at Foredown Tower, about a 15-minute walk. See our photo gallery for images of the local area.
The other half of the suburb, Portslade-by-Sea, runs down to the coast, so the seafront and the promenade towards Hove and Brighton are within easy reach on foot or by bus. Students who want the city are 10 minutes away by train from Portslade station; students who want quiet evenings and a proper night's sleep have that on the doorstep.
That balance is one of the reasons families choose an English school in Brighton that sits outside the city centre. If you are comparing options, our guide to choosing a language school in Brighton explains what to look at beyond the headline price, and our travel guide covers arriving from Gatwick and Heathrow.
Getting Around from Portslade
Bus stop immediately outside the school – direct to Brighton centre every 7 minutes (daytime), every 11 minutes (evenings). Night bus available. Journey: 20-25 minutes.
Portslade station (17-minute walk or short bus ride) – 10 minutes to Brighton, 1 hour to London Victoria
3 minutes to Portslade Village, 17 minutes to Boundary Road shopping area
Local Amenities
Brighton at a Glance
Key facts about this vibrant seaside city
Population
~290,000
London
1 hour 10 minutes by train
Type
Seaside resort city
Restaurants
400+
Nature
South Downs National Park
Nightlife
Vibrant – perfect for adult students
Find Us
Loxdale English Centre, Locks Hill, Portslade, Brighton BN41 2LA
Loxdale English Centre
Our school
Portslade Station
17-min walk
Brighton Centre
25 mins by bus
South Downs
Adjacent
What Our Students Say About Brighton
Real experiences from international students who studied at Loxdale
"Brighton is such a beautiful city with great shops, cafés, and restaurants. I really miss walking down to the beach and just sitting there reading or studying. Brighton still feels like home to me."
Stina Fransson
"You get to see Brighton which is an unconventional city, filled with street art and bohemians."
Nils Askefalf
Google Review
"The school is located in beautiful and calm surroundings close to both nature and cities like Brighton and London."
Amanda Engman
Google Review
Brighton in Pictures
Explore our beautiful seaside city
What's On in Brighton
Discover upcoming events, festivals, and activities in our vibrant city
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Events powered by Visit Brighton – Brighton's official tourism website
Questions About Our Location
Everything you need to know about Brighton and Portslade
Your Journey to Loxdale English Centre
From your home country to our campus: fly to the UK and take a taxi to Locks Hill in Portslade.
Your Country
UK Airport
Loxdale
Portslade, Brighton
Airport Transfers (one way) – 2027
Out of Summer Period: 4 January to 9 June and 16 August to 15 December 2027
Heathrow
90–120 min
Gatwick
45–60 min
Stansted
150–180 min
Eurostar St Pancras
105–150 min
Summer period transfers (6 June – 14 August) may vary. Contact us for exact pricing.
Explore More
English School in Brighton
How to choose a school here, and what Loxdale costs
View English School in BrightonAbout Our School
Learn about Loxdale's history
View About Our SchoolAdult Accommodation
Your home away from home
View Adult AccommodationSocial Life & Activities
Our exciting social programme
View Social Life & ActivitiesGetting to Brighton
Airports, trains and finding us in Portslade
View Getting to BrightonThings to Do in Brighton
The pier, the Lanes, the Downs and day trips
View Things to Do in BrightonCost of Living
What to budget for while you study here
View Cost of Living
Experience Brighton for Yourself
Come and see why thousands of international students choose Brighton as their study destination. Beautiful beaches, world-class culture, and one of the friendliest cities in the UK – all just an hour from London.
Want to know more? Read about life as a student in Brighton.