St Giles, English schools in Brighton, Cambridge, Eastbourne and London
St Giles has been teaching English since 1955, in five schools in England. Here is who they are, how they teach, what sets them apart, and the five centres we offer.
Who is St Giles?
St Giles International is an English as a foreign language school founded in 1955 by Paul Lindsay and his wife Diana, in London. Its official website presents it as a family business for more than 70 years, welcoming around 10,000 students from nearly 100 countries every year. It received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade in 2015 and a lifetime achievement award (IALCA Salone delle Lingue) in 2023.
It is accredited and regularly inspected by the British Council, and its British centres are members of English UK; it is also a member of ALTO. The group opened Brighton in 1969, Highgate in 1975, Eastbourne in 1978, London Central in 1987 and Cambridge in 2018; it also has centres outside the United Kingdom, which do not appear on this page.
We offer its five English centres for adults: Brighton, Cambridge, Eastbourne, London Central and London Highgate.
How they teach
St Giles says it wants to treat each student as an individual and create the conditions for learning English that continues outside the classroom. Its courses are described as dynamic, fast-paced and learner-centred, with interactive whiteboards, an open-access study centre and classes of 12 students at most. Teachers hold a recognised qualification (Cambridge CELTA or Trinity Cert. TESOL) and a university degree.
In our catalogue, General English is followed in the morning (20 lessons per week) or in the afternoon, and is accompanied by intensive courses of 28 lessons (“Global English for Life” or “for Work”), one-to-one courses, IELTS preparation, courses for complete beginners and, in Brighton and London Central, a Platinum pathway in small groups.
What sets St Giles apart
- More than 70 years of experience. Founded in 1955 and still family-run, the school has, according to its website, 70 years of existence; the first centre outside London, Brighton, dates from 1969.
- British Council accreditation. The school is regularly assessed by the British Council; the reports for each centre are published on its website.
- A choice of five cities. Seaside cities (Brighton, Eastbourne), a university city (Cambridge), or London, in two very different districts: the centre (Central) and a residential district in the north (Highgate).
- A social programme and clubs. Each centre publishes its activity programme; London Central and Brighton also offer the “Platinum Clubhouse” for executives.
Its programmes, and for whom
For adults: General English (morning or afternoon), beginners, intensive courses, preparation for IELTS and the Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced exams, one-to-one courses, English for work, for university and for leadership. In Brighton and London Central: Platinum (from age 21), General English for over-30s and the “50+ English & Culture” stay (from age 50); CELTA and Teacher of English Course (TEC), from age 18, are also offered there.
Minimum age in our catalogue: 16 for the standard courses at the five centres, 21 for Platinum courses, 30 for the “Over 30s” General English course, 50 for “50+ English & Culture”, 18 for teacher training. Arrivals are on Mondays.
Prices, centre by centre
2027 rates from the Synergee price engine, for the morning General English course (20 lessons per week) at each centre; first priced departure: January 4, 2027. For each centre, the “from” price is the lowest per week among the durations priced by the engine; the detail for all durations is in the expandable table below. The exact quote depends on your dates, your duration and your accommodation.
- Brighton, England : from 343 GBP per week (12-week course, excluding fees and accommodation)
- Cambridge, England : from 318 GBP per week (12-week course, excluding fees and accommodation)
- Eastbourne, England : from 315 GBP per week (12-week course, excluding fees and accommodation)
- London, England : from 354 GBP per week (12-week course, excluding fees and accommodation)
- London, England : from 329 GBP per week (12-week course, excluding fees and accommodation)
See all 2027 prices
| Centre | Reference course | Lessons / wk | 2 weeks | 4 weeks | 12 weeks | Registration fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton, England | General English - Peak Morning Course | 20 | 856 GBP | 1,552 GBP | 4,116 GBP | 88 GBP |
| Cambridge, England | General English - Peak Morning Course | 20 | 794 GBP | 1,440 GBP | 3,816 GBP | 88 GBP |
| Eastbourne, England | General English - Peak Morning Course | 20 | 788 GBP | 1,424 GBP | 3,780 GBP | 88 GBP |
| London, England | General English - Peak Morning Course | 20 | 882 GBP | 1,596 GBP | 4,248 GBP | 88 GBP |
| London, England | General English - Peak Morning Course | 20 | 820 GBP | 1,484 GBP | 3,948 GBP | 88 GBP |
Course price only, excluding accommodation. Registration fee is added. Each country uses its own currency.
Accommodation
In the catalogue: host family at all five centres, residences in Brighton, Cambridge, Eastbourne and London Central, and private studios or apartments in Cambridge. The table gives, for each centre, the weekly price of the host family (4 weeks) and the number of residences priced by the engine; summer residences for under-18s can be seen in the quote.
See accommodation prices
| Centre | Homestay, per week (4 weeks) | Residences in the catalogue |
|---|---|---|
| Brighton | 244 GBP | 4 |
| Cambridge | 269 GBP | 3 |
| Eastbourne | 197 GBP | 1 |
| London | 285 GBP | 2 |
| London | 279 GBP | 1 |
The five centres in detail
St Giles — Brighton
England · 20 courses in the catalogue
In the centre of Brighton, near the seafront and the Lanes district, with a student café, a study area with Wi-Fi, a bookshop, interactive whiteboards and a “Platinum Clubhouse” reserved for executives. Classes of 12 students at most. Accommodation: host family, residences (including George Street Residence, 4 minutes’ walk from the school) or hotel. Priced courses: General English, beginners, IELTS and Cambridge C1 Advanced preparation, English for work and for life, one-to-one courses, Platinum (from age 21), General English for over-30s, CELTA and TEC (from age 18) and the “50+ English & Culture” stay (from age 50). Minimum age: 16.
St Giles — Cambridge
England · 16 courses in the catalogue
In the heart of Cambridge, near the famous colleges: the group’s newest school (opened in 2018), recently renovated, medium-sized, with a student café, a garden terrace, a bookshop, a study centre with tablets and Wi-Fi, small classes; at peak times, nearby rooms (5-10 minutes away) complement the building. London is an hour away by train. Accommodation: host family, residences (The Willows), private studios or apartments. Priced courses: General English, beginners, IELTS and Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced exam preparation, English and leadership, one-to-one courses. Minimum age: 16.
St Giles — Eastbourne
England · 16 courses in the catalogue
A small, welcoming school, in a beautiful building with a garden, 5-10 minutes from the centre of Eastbourne and near the beach; student café, terrace, open-access study centre, free Wi-Fi, interactive whiteboards. Classes of 12 students at most. Eastbourne presents itself as the sunniest town in Great Britain. Accommodation: host family, residence (Havelock Road) or hotel; all accommodation is at most about 60 minutes’ travel from the school. Priced courses: General English, beginners, IELTS and Cambridge exam preparation, English for work, for university and for leadership, one-to-one courses. Minimum age: 16.
St Giles — London
England · 29 courses in the catalogue
The group’s largest school, at 154 Southampton Row, a few minutes from Covent Garden and the British Museum; on-site residence with private rooms, large café, rooftop terrace, library, bookshop, open-access study centre, Wi-Fi, access for people with reduced mobility and “Platinum Clubhouse”. Classes of 12 students at most (5 for Platinum classes). Accommodation: host family, on-site residence or IQ London City, hotel. Priced courses: General English, beginners, IELTS and Cambridge exam preparation, English for work and for university, one-to-one courses, Platinum (from age 21), General English for over-30s, CELTA and TEC (from age 18) and “50+ English & Culture” stays (from age 50). Minimum age: 16.
St Giles — London
England · 11 courses in the catalogue
In a safe, fashionable residential district of north London, about 20 minutes from the centre, with a large English garden, a picnic area, a study centre and a library, a bookshop, computers, tablets and Wi-Fi. A medium-sized school, classes of 12 students at most, which presents itself as a centre of academic excellence offering teacher training. Accommodation: host family or IQ London City. Priced courses: General English, beginners, IELTS preparation, English and leadership, one-to-one courses. Minimum age: 16.
Sources: St Giles International official website (stgiles-international.com: home, about, history, pages of the five centres), consulted on 7 November 2026; prices: Synergee engine.