Make sure you visit our Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/castleschool_brighton to see life at Castle School and all the fun things you can do in Brighton with your new friends while learning English!

Lots of people ask us about IELTS - an English qualification recognised by workplaces and academic institutions around the world. Here's a quick overview:

The IELTS exam is divided into FOUR parts:

Listening – a 30 minute test of 4 different recordings of increasing difficulty

Speaking – lasts between 11-14 minutes and has 3 sections which include short questions, a 1-2 minute prepared speech from a topic on a card, and some more general and hypothetical questions

Reading – 60 minutes and 3 sections and uses a variety of skills such as paragraph matching, general comprehension and true/false/not given statements

Writing – 60 minutes and 2 sections. The first task is writing at least 150 words describing a chart, graph, process or map. The second task is writing at least 250 words and is a "pros and cons" argument.

Giorgia Gonzalez is really the heart of the school. She is both our Centre Manager, and our Customer Support Manager, so is here to help you get the most out of living and studying English in Brighton. 

Where are you from?

I am from a town in the centre of Italy called Fabriano.

When did you move to Brighton and why?

Welcome to Meet the Teachers! The new way to get to know everyone at Castle School of English in Brighton, or just catch up with your favourite teachers. Our first teacher is Andy Smith who has been with us for several years now. He is a very popular teacher who is well known for his fun and educational General English and IELTS class in Brighton. 

Hello Andy. Please tell us some more about yourself. How long have you been a teacher?

​Since 2015, although I also taught in France for a year a long time ago. Before doing my teaching qualification I had a corporate job and decided to do something different with my life.

Where did you do your training?

Learning English in Brighton is only a part of your language experience! Brighton is an exciting and vibrant city with so many fun attractions – shops, bars, cafés and tourist sights.

If you’re thinking about visiting Brighton next year, here at Castle School of English, we have selected some great videos and tours to help you learn about our city. Now you can start exploring Brighton from the comfort of your own home!

Check out our 6 favourite videos about life in Brighton:

1. Brighton is the coolest place to learn English – in the world!

Really, it is unique. For a small city, it is full of life, laughter and above all….style!

Our teachers are often asked by students for tips on how to learn English outside the classroom to help speed up their learning and practise their new skills in a natural environment.

So our very experienced and talented Director of Studies, Christian Tiplady, has put together a few helpful hints to help you hone your new skills and immerse yourself into learning English wherever you go.

Christian recommends:
Use apps such as memrise and quizlet to test your vocabulary and learn new words every day.

Develop your pronunciation by listening to audiobooks and repeat aloud whilst recording yourself- you can use your phone for this exercise.

Listen to language learning podcasts such as BBC 6 minute English or discussions on the radio to improve your listening skills.

We recently had a student arrive at Castle School who brought with them 3 large suitcases for a 3 month stay. While we understand the longing for reminders of home, this is not the most economical way to travel!

If you are planning a trip to the UK and just cannot decide what to bring, follow our guide and avoid getting charged at the airport!

Pack this:

Earning an exam qualification is a great way to increase your career prospects so it's important to choose the right one for you. At Castle School, we understand this decision can be daunting so here is some information about the exam classes we offer to help you decide:

At Castle School we offer exam preparation classes in FCE, CAE and IELTS. In these classes you will learn ways to read long texts, write in different styles and listen to longer audio pieces. You will learn about the exam and practise the best way to answer exam questions. Due to the advanced level, it is important that your English skills are suitable before you start your exam course.

What level do I need to be?

The FCE (First Certificate in English) is for students who have an upper-intermediate (B2) level of English.

Happy New Year to all from Castle School of English. We have had a very enjoyable Christmas break and now we are back hoping to make 2020 our best year yet!

Have you been thinking about taking an English course this year? If you have, why not take a look at our website? You will find descriptions of the different classes we offer, learn more about our accommodation and you can even use our course calculator to find the price for the best course to suit you. We also add weekly blogs with helpful tips on adjusting to life in the UK and all the amazing events that Brighton has to offer.

Many students crave the food of their home country when they are in the UK and at Castle School we can help you find some great places in Brighton to make your stay a bit more palatable!

One of the best reasons to choose to come to Brighton is how wonderfully multi-cultural our town is with literally hundreds of places to eat in almost every cuisine imaginable. Many of our students and international staff have found a few places in Brighton that provide the perfect taste of home.

If you are coming to the UK to study, one of the many things to remember is exchanging your money into British currency.  Many students have said that they have found British money confusing so it might help you to know what to expect before you travel.

Money in the UK is referred to as pound sterling or GBP. It is available in £50, £20, £10 and £5 notes and the £2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p coins. You will soon come to recognise the value of each one due to their different colours, sizes and shapes. The most useful ones to travellers are the £20, £10 and £5 notes. One of the main issues our students have faced are trying to use £50 notes in shops. Many smaller UK shops don’t accept these notes which can be very confusing! We advise, when exchanging your money, to choose smaller notes to avoid this situation.

Choosing your accommodation can be just as big a decision as picking your English course. Read below to find out what Castle School can offer…

What is available through the school?

Castle School offers single or shared rooms with homestay providers in Brighton & Hove. Students like to live within a homestay environment to get an insight into life in the UK whilst having the opportunity to practise their new English conversation skills. Students can choose to have breakfast and dinner provided for them or they can use their host’s kitchen to create their own meals. Just make sure you keep it tidy!

Some of you may have read our recent review on Google from Tassilo Boehm, our lovely intern pictured below (Thanks Tas!). At Castle School we really appreciate and look after our interns as we know it can be a daunting experience. So we thought we'd give any prospective new interns out there a bit of an insight into what Castle School can offer....

Internships within language schools are a great way of getting workplace experience, creating new skills and improving your English. As language schools are an international community you will be surrounded by people from all over the world which is a fantastic way to network, make new friends or to simply practice your communication skills.

Are you thinking about taking the IELTS exam?

At Castle School of English we offer IELTS exam preparation classes Monday to Friday 9.15am until 12.30pm. If you studied with us full time, you would be studying 15 hours IELTS exam preparation per week. We recommend 12 weeks of full time study for a good B2 student to achieve an IELTS score of 6.5.

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System and is jointly owned and managed by the British Council, Cambridge English Language Assessment and IDP Education Australia. The test is designed to assess the language ability of those who need to study or work where English is used as the language of communication. IELTS is required for entry to university in the UK and other countries, which is why we prepare our students for the academic IELTS test rather than the general training.

 What is Brighton Palace Pier?

Brighton Palace Pier is a beautiful Victorian pleasure pier. It opened in 1899. It is 525 meters long. Over 4 million people visit this pier every year. It is a very famous landmark in England.

Where exactly is it?

It is in the middle of Brighton beach, close to the city centre. If you walk to the sea from the train station, you will see it when you get to the beach.

What can I do there?

You can enjoy the fantastic sea air. You can try fish and chips and other traditional seaside food. If you are brave, you can go on the frightening amusement rides! You can play games in the amusement arcades. You can relax with a cup of tea. You can see Brighton from the sea!

Is it expensive?

It is free to go on the pier but take some money for the rides, food and amusements.

Visit The Seven Sisters

The Seven Sisters Country Park is a beautiful place to visit. It is in the South Downs National Park. It has wonderful views of the sea and is an adventure into the English countryside. A lot of people visit Seven Sisters each year. They enjoy the river valley, the grassland and the huge chalk cliffs. The air is fresh and the atmosphere is very relaxing.

The Seven Sisters are very high chalk cliffs. This part of England’s coast is very natural.

How to travel to there

Seven Sisters Country Park is near a very small place called Exceat, near Seaford in East Sussex. It is easy to travel there by bus. Buses from Brighton to Eastbourne or Seaford will stop at Seven Sisters. Ask the bus driver to be certain. There are also two car parks, but you will need to pay for a ticket.

Support in the lesson

Correction is very important in English lessons. It is the main advantage of practising English with the support of a teacher. Error correction does not normally occur when simply chatting outside of English lessons. Correction from one a learner’s friends or colleagues is very rare. It is often unhelpful or incorrect. Most people believe it is rude or inappropriate in a social situation.

Every English course

Correction is the rightful occupation of a language teacher. It helps learners learn faster. Correction helps learners avoid developing fossilised errors that they cannot “unlearn.”  All types of English courses, including General English, Conversation and Cambridge exam preparation courses (IELTS, CAE, FCE, etc) require correction.

This information is part of a guide to support Brighton’s international community. It is about how to find a job in Brighton. We hope it is helpful.

A high level of English will help you find a job in Brighton

So you have arrived in Brighton and you need to look for a job. There are lots of jobs in Brighton but it can take a bit of time to find employment. If your level of English is high, you have an advantage in the job market. This will increase the probability of getting a good job in Brighton. If your level of English is low, your job opportunities in Brighton will be reduced. You might consider improving your English level with English courses.

This information is part of a guide to support Brighton’s international community. We hope it is helpful.

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a document that you attach to your CV when you make a job application. It is your opportunity to tell an employer about yourself. You can show your enthusiasm for the job. You can explain how your experience and skills and attitude will be good for the company.

This information is part of a guide to support Brighton’s international community. We hope it is helpful.

CV’s (curriculum Vitae) are very important. A good CV will get you a job quickly. If your CV is not very good, you could be searching for a job for a long time. It can be challenging to write a CV in your own country. If you are a member of Brighton’s international community and your English level is low, it can be a lot harder to write a CV. Try to get someone who is good at English to check your CV for you when you have finished it. If you study English on an English language course in Brighton, you could ask your teacher to look at it.

This information is part of a guide to support Brighton’s international community. We hope it is helpful.

How to get a national insurance number NIN (or NINO)

Hello. Are you new in Brighton or the UK? Do you want to work or get benefits here? You will need a National Insurance Number (NIN). You can start working without one, but you must get one as soon as possible. This is the law in England. Perhaps you wondering how to get a NIN.

If you have recently arrived in Brighton and you need a job, you might also be interested in reading:

How to find a job in Brighton

How to write a CV

How to write a cover letter

This information is part of a guide to support Brighton’s international community. We hope it is helpful.

When you arrive in Brighton it can take a bit of time before you can find a room and move into it. If you do not have good English language skills, you might need some help. Therefore, we are making some suggestions to help you find a room. This infromation is intended to help the international visitors to Brighton. Maybe you are visiting Brighton to work (If you want to work, you will need to give your employer an address). Perhaps you want to learn English on an English course at a language school. Perhaps you want to live in Brighton for a long time or settle in Brighton permanently. Hopefully this information can help you find a room in Brighton. 

English lessons

There are lots of excellent English language schools in the UK. There are at least 20 in Brighton, a city on the south coast of England. It can cost you time and money to study English on an English language course for international learners. Therefore, you might ask the question “Is it possible to learn English without going to English lessons?”

Learn English naturally

Yes of course it is. No doubt thousands of people every year arrive in England with a very low English level and learn English “naturally”.  They speak to English people, work with English people, and eventually, they master English. You could too.

Support in the lesson

Correction is the cornerstone of English language teaching. It is the main advantage of practising English with the support of a teacher. Error correction does not normally occur when simply chatting outside of the English language lesson. Correction from one’s peers or colleagues is very rare. It is often unhelpful or incorrect, and would usually be considered rude or inappropriate.

Castle School has fantastic students who study English in Brighton. We asked them why they love Brighton. These are some of their answers.

Why do you love Brighton?

Fiorella Carbone

Different people decide every day to come to UK for the language, but it's hard to find a good place where everyone can feel at home. Brighton is this kind of place.

Situated in the south of England, it's very close to London and efficiently linked with many attractive places. Being directly on the sea, Brighton offers spectacular views of the coast with its seafront and from its hills.

Castle School has fantastic students who study English in Brighton. We asked them why they love Brighton. These are some of their answers.

Why do you love Brighton?

Fiorella Carbone

Different people decide every day to come to UK for the language, but it's hard to find a good place where everyone can feel at home. Brighton is this kind of place.

Situated in the south of England, it's very close to London and efficiently linked with many attractive places. Being directly on the sea, Brighton offers spectacular views of the coast with its seafront and from its hills.

Study English in Brighton and visit the Royal Pavilion

If you choose to study English in Brighton, you will get plenty of opportunities to explore the city and its places of interest and tourist attractions.

Brighton, on the south coast of England, has many tourist attractions. There is the beautiful beach with its impressive sea views and fresh sea air, there is the Brighton Pier with it‘s fun and entertainments, but probably the most interesting attraction is Brighton Pavilion, also known as The Royal Pavilion.

The History

Prince George the Prince Regent (future king George IV) built the Pavilion at the end of the 1700s. This is because his doctor told him he should get some fresh sea air for his health.

Excellent English schools

There are a lot of excellent English language schools in the UK. It is fantastic to have choices in life. However, this can also be quite confusing. So the question is: How do you choose choose the best English language school for you to study English at?

There are some very large organisations that own chains of language schools around the world. In most cases, they provide a good standard of teaching and other services such as accommodation and social activities.

However, there is one problem, they are often very expensive. If you have a lot of money and do not have much time to research other schools, then perhaps these schools would be ideal for you.

Have you noticed that English people often talk about the weather? Have you ever wondered why?

Always changing

It is because the English weather changes constantly. It can change from windy rain to hot summer sun in five minutes. Honestly, I’m not joking! Anyone who has been to England will tell you this is true. The weather has a huge impact on life in England. We plan our days around the weather, and change those plans as the weather changes. It is always relevant to us, and we really appreciate nice weather. This is why we talk about the weather. It makes a difference to us.

Learn English faster

Students learn English faster when they are motivated. This has always been the fundamental principle behind Castle School’s teaching philosophy. We believe that enhancing each student’s motivation is the key to a successful and enjoyable learning experience.

Students are motivated by a wide range of factors. There are many different types of motivation. For example, most students are motivated to learn English because it will improve their employment prospects. Many people also want to learn English so that they can communicate and socialise more easily when they travel. These are examples of why students book an English course in the first place. However, what about motivation in the classroom, during a lesson?

Video is a great tool to use in English language lessons. It can really get learners engaged in a topic, and is also a fantastic way to generate interesting and communicative group activities. It can be great for speaking, listening and even writing practice if used imaginatively. Even examination preparation classes such as IELTS, FCE, and CAE could benefit from occasional short video clip activities.

There are so many ways to use video in the classroom, and below are a few ideas.

Perfect English in England

Students who want to learn English in England often want a "perfect" English accent. They don't want an accent from their first language. They believe their English learning journey will not be finished until they sound like a native speaker.

It is understandable that a lot of people have this attitude, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to perfect a skill. As a matter of fact, I am impressed when I meet someone whose English is at such a high level that I mistook them for being English at the start of our conversation. I always reflect on what an incredible achievement this is.

Reading improves your writing, listening and speaking skills

The best way to improve your reading skills is to practise. You can do this on your own, and it would probably be helpful to join an English language school. English Language schools understand that reading is a very important part of learning English more generally. Improving your reading skills will actually help you improve your writing, your listening and even your speaking skills. It will also help you learn new vocabulary and develop a better feel for how sentences are constructed and the different ways English can be used.

International students study English in the progressive city of Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove has grown over the years and in the 21st Century is very popular. Around 275000 people live in Brighton, and with 2 universities the population is comparatively young and progressive. A large number of international students study English in Brighton and Hove. Castle School of English would like to point out that 69% of Brighton’s voters voted to remain in the European Union in the 2016 referendum.

How exactly does Castle School help you with your English learning?

Together we identify the right English course for you at Castle School and establish your language requirements.

There are different approaches to teaching English around the world. In some countries, especially for younger pupils in school, English lessons are a relatively quiet experience. There is a teacher at the front of the class explaining what words mean, and how they are used in sentences, and grammatical rules. The learners quietly take notes. There will be a test soon to check they were listening and have “learnt” the new English.

In the UK this teacher centred approach would be generally regarded as an old fashioned way of teaching English. If you book an English language course, including Cambridge examination courses such as The First Certificate Examination or Cambridge IELTS, at a language school in the UK, DO NOT expect to be taught in the way described above.

Is socialising and practising English important?

Yes, in fact socialising and practising English is necessary! Learning a language is not the same as learning something more factual like for example, history. When you learn history, you add information to your knowledge. To be very good at history, you simply need to know a lot about history.

So what is the difference between history and English (or any language)? To be good at a language, you have to know a lot about it and use it well! If you want to be good at English, you need to learn how to use it. Learning English is a develpmental process. What is the best way to learn how to use it? Practise! Practise! Practise!

Yes of course it is!

It is good for your brain!

It improves your memory because it exercises the memory part of your brain when you learn new vocabulary and new grammar rules. It also enables you to think in a different way about the world because different languages express the world differently. Through learning a new language you can see the world through slightly different eyes.

Also, it is supposed to be very good for keeping your brain functioning like a young brain even if it is a bit old!

Learn English faster!

A lot of low level English learners think that the fastest way to improve is to study in a high level class. They think that they will be learning a higher level of English and will therefore become high level. This is a BIG mistake!

Study English at the correct level

We learn a second language in the same way we learn our first language. Think of how babies develop their language – one stage at a time. They can’t just miss out part of the development and get to the end. No. Learning any language, including English, is a developmental process. If you want to learn fast you have to study at your appropriate level. If you are a low level student, you need to be in a low level class. This class is designed to help YOU develop your English as quickly as possible! It’s obvious if you think about it

Cambridge First Certificate (FCE) the Cambridge Advanced (CAE) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

Are you preparing for English exams? Perhaps you will soon be taking the Cambridge First Certificate (FCE) the Cambridge Advanced (CAE) or maybe the IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

Anxiety and stress

How are you feeling about it? Different people feel differently about English exams. Believe it or not, some people actually enjoy them! However, the majority of people get quite nervous about their English exams, and if you are feeling terrified, you are not alone!