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    The red-brick building of Loxdale English Centre in Brighton and Hove

    English school in Brighton

    English School in Brighton — Loxdale English Centre

    Loxdale is a British Council accredited English school on the western edge of Brighton, in Portslade. We are a registered educational charity, so what you pay goes back into teaching, welfare and the campus rather than to shareholders.

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    • British Council accredited, English UK member
    • Maximum 14 students per class
    • Ten minutes by train from Brighton city centre
    • Homestay, on-site rooms or your own arrangement

    Why students choose a school in Brighton

    Brighton is a seaside city on England's south coast, about an hour by direct train from London Victoria and around 30 minutes from Gatwick Airport. It is small enough to walk across, large enough to have real city life, and used to welcoming international students all year.

    That matters for your English. You will practise outside the classroom every day — in cafés, in shops, at the beach, on the South Downs — rather than only during lessons.

    • Trains to London Victoria in about an hour
    • Gatwick Airport around 30 minutes by train
    • Beaches, the Royal Pavilion and the Lanes
    • The South Downs on the doorstep

    What makes Loxdale different

    Our campus is a historic Victorian building set in its own gardens in Portslade, a quiet residential area just west of Brighton and Hove. Many schools in the city sit above shops on a busy street; here you study in a calm, green space and travel into the city for your free time.

    We have been teaching English in Brighton since 1979 — over forty-seven years. Classes are capped at 14 students, so teachers know your name, your level and what you are working on. Students come from more than 20 countries, which keeps classes genuinely mixed.

    • Our own campus and gardens, not a city-centre office
    • Teaching English in Brighton since 1979
    • A registered educational charity
    • Students from more than 20 countries

    Courses, prices and accommodation

    Adult courses start at £260 a week for General English (20 lessons) and £350 a week for Intensive English (25 lessons) outside the summer season. Longer bookings cost less per week, and every eleventh week is free outside summer.

    Most adults stay with a local host family: £159 a week for bed and breakfast or £192 a week for half board. A limited number of rooms are available on campus at £260 a week.

    During summer (6 June – 14 August 2027) adult classes are taught by our partner school ELC Brighton in central Hove, while young learner programmes run at the Loxdale campus.

    How to choose an English school in Brighton

    There are a lot of English schools in Brighton and Hove, and from the outside the websites look similar. These are the questions worth asking any school before you pay a deposit — including us.

    Ask for the answers in writing. A school that is confident about its class sizes, its accreditation and what is actually included in the price will give them to you straight away.

    • Is the school accredited by the British Council and a member of English UK?
    • What is the maximum class size, not the average? Ours is 14 adults and 16 for children.
    • How many lessons a week, and how long is a lesson?
    • What is included in the price, and what is charged separately?
    • Who owns the school — a company or a charity? Loxdale is a registered educational charity.
    • Can you see the classrooms and accommodation before you book?

    City-centre school or campus school?

    Schools in Brighton and Hove fall into two broad types. Some are in city-centre buildings, close to the shops, the station and the seafront. Others, like Loxdale, have their own campus a little way out, with more space and a quieter setting.

    Neither is better for everyone. A central school puts you in the middle of the action between lessons. A campus school gives you a calmer place to study and a more residential feel, and in our case the city is ten minutes away by train. Think about which matters more to you, then visit or ask for photos and a video tour of the actual building.

    • City-centre: shorter journey to the Lanes and seafront, usually smaller buildings
    • Campus: gardens, more space, a quieter base, a short train or bus ride into the city
    • Either way, ask how long your journey from your accommodation will take

    Is my money safe? What to check before you pay

    Paying for a course weeks or months in advance is a real decision, and the English language teaching sector has seen a number of sudden school closures in recent years. It is sensible to check how a school is protected before you pay, wherever you study.

    Schools accredited through Accreditation UK, which is run by the British Council and English UK, take part in the Student Emergency Support scheme. If an accredited school closes unexpectedly, English UK works to place affected students on a comparable course at another accredited centre. Always check that a school is on the official Accreditation UK list, and ask how your payments are handled.

    Loxdale is a registered educational charity, so any surplus is reinvested in the school rather than paid out. In September 2025, when a Hove school closed suddenly, English UK placed its students at other member centres in the city, and thanked Loxdale, along with two other Brighton schools, for helping.

    • Is the school on the official British Council and English UK accreditation list?
    • Does the school take part in Student Emergency Support?
    • Who owns the school, and how long has it been teaching?
    • Can you speak to a real person before you pay?

    Choosing where to live in Brighton

    Where you live shapes your experience as much as the school does. A host family gives you daily English practice, meals and a local guide. Most Loxdale adults choose homestay, and travel to school by bus or train.

    Bed and breakfast is £159 a week and half board is £192 a week outside summer. If you would rather be on site, a limited number of campus rooms are £260 a week. Our homestay guide explains what to expect from a host family and how we match students.

    Where we are and how to get here

    Loxdale English Centre is at 1 Locks Hill, Portslade, Brighton BN41 2LA. Portslade is the western end of Brighton and Hove: residential, quiet and green, with the sea at the bottom of the hill and the South Downs at the top.

    The bus stop is immediately outside the school and Portslade railway station is about a 17-minute walk away, with trains into central Brighton in around ten minutes. Gatwick Airport is roughly 35 to 45 minutes by direct train to Portslade or Hove.

    • Bus stop directly outside the school gates
    • Portslade station about 17 minutes on foot
    • Brighton city centre in around ten minutes by train
    • Gatwick Airport 35 to 45 minutes by direct train
    • Airport transfers can be arranged when you book

    Start with the right course

    General English

    20 lessons a week · from £260/week

    Our core year-round course for adults from A2 to C2. Speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar, with regular level reviews.

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    Intensive English

    25 lessons a week · from £350/week

    The same core programme plus afternoon focus sessions for students who want to move up a level more quickly.

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    Young learners (8–17)

    Supervised summer and winter programmes with lessons, activities, excursions and full pastoral care.

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    Life in Brighton

    What the city and Portslade are actually like: travel times, things to do, day trips and student life.

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    Frequently asked questions

    Where exactly is the school in Brighton?
    Loxdale English Centre is at 1 Locks Hill, Portslade, Brighton BN41 2LA — a quiet residential area west of Brighton and Hove. Portslade station is about a 17-minute walk or a short bus ride away, and the train into Brighton takes around ten minutes. The bus stop is immediately outside the school.
    Is Loxdale accredited?
    Yes. Loxdale is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK and is a member of English UK. We are also a registered educational charity.
    How much does it cost to study English in Brighton at Loxdale?
    Outside summer, General English costs £260 a week and Intensive English £350 a week, with lower weekly rates for longer stays. Add homestay from £159 a week and a one-off £100 registration fee. Our price calculator gives you an exact total.
    What level of English do I need?
    Adults need a minimum of A2 (elementary). Students at B1 and above can start on any Monday; A2 students join on set dates. You can check your level with our free online test before you book.
    How old do I have to be?
    Adult courses are for students aged 16 and over. Separate supervised programmes run for young learners aged 8 to 17 in the summer, and 13 to 17 in the winter.
    When can I start, and how long can I stay?
    Students at B1 and above can start on any Monday of the year outside the school closure dates; students at A2 join on set start dates. You can book from one week upwards, and every eleventh week is free outside the summer season.
    Do you arrange accommodation and airport transfers?
    Yes. Most adults stay with a carefully checked local host family from £159 a week for bed and breakfast, and a limited number of rooms are available on the Loxdale campus. Airport transfers can be booked with your course — London Gatwick is £120 one way.
    Is there an English school near Brighton city centre?
    Loxdale is ten minutes from central Brighton by train and has a bus stop directly outside the school. Students get the quiet, green campus for studying and the whole city for their free time, rather than a classroom above a city-centre shop.
    What happens to my money if an English school closes?
    Schools accredited through Accreditation UK take part in the Student Emergency Support scheme run by English UK. If an accredited school closes unexpectedly, English UK works to place affected students on a comparable course at another accredited centre. Before paying any school, check it is on the official Accreditation UK list and ask how your payment is handled. Loxdale is British Council accredited and a registered educational charity.
    My school in Brighton or Hove has closed. Can I continue my course at Loxdale?
    Possibly, yes. If you are affected by a school closure, contact English UK first, because it coordinates places for students of accredited schools. You are also welcome to contact us directly on +44 1273 414973 or info@loxdale.com and we will tell you what places and start dates are available, and help with host family accommodation.
    Is Brighton a good place to study English?
    Many students choose it for its size and its position. It is a walkable seaside city with a lively centre, about an hour from London by direct train and around 30 minutes from Gatwick Airport. Because it is not a huge city, students tend to meet local people and practise English every day.
    Is Loxdale in the centre of Brighton?
    No. Loxdale is in Portslade, at the western end of Brighton and Hove. The train to central Brighton takes around ten minutes, and there is a bus stop directly outside the school. Many students enjoy having a quiet, green campus for lessons and the city for their free time.
    Can I study for just a few weeks?
    Yes. You can book from one week upwards, and students at B1 and above can start on any Monday outside the school closure dates. Longer bookings cost less per week.

    Where to go next

    Summer Teenagers (13–17)Winter course for teenagers (Jan–Feb 2027)All adult coursesPrivate 1-to-1 lessonsHomestay in BrightonIf your school has closedEnglish summer camp UKFree level testPrice calculatorAccreditationContact us
    Locks Hill, Portslade, Brighton BN41 2LA+44 (0) 1273414973