Kings Brighton Review 2026: An international sixth form with boarding in central Brighton

Kings Brighton is designed for students who want a focused academic route to university, with the added intensity of an international cohort and a compact, city-centre setting. Opened in 2017, it operates more like a specialist pre-university college than a traditional UK secondary school, with direct admissions, small cohorts, and a high proportion of students preparing for UK higher education.

The leadership structure is also college-like. The Get Information About Schools record lists the head of the setting as Principal Mrs Sarah Williams.

Two official inspection strands matter for parents. The most recent standard education inspection (October 2022) judged the school Good overall, including sixth-form provision. Boarding is inspected separately, and the July 2024 boarding inspection graded the boarding experience and safeguarding-related areas as Outstanding across all three judgement headings.

This is a deliberately international environment, and that shapes almost everything. Students are typically here for a defined purpose, to secure grades, to build a strong application, and to transition confidently into a UK university context. The atmosphere that flows from that tends to be mature and goal-oriented, with a more adult feel than many sixth forms because many students are living away from home and managing their own routines alongside study.

A key cultural point is how quickly students have to settle. Many are adjusting to a new country, a new academic system, and, for some, studying through a second language. The school’s model is built around that transition, so you should expect explicit support for settling in, integrating socially, and understanding life in England, alongside the academic programme.

The setting itself is modern and purpose-built. Kings describes the Brighton site as a purpose-built teaching facility (built in 2016) in the heart of the city, with walking access to the seafront and the main station. For families, that has two implications. First, the location suits independent students who enjoy being in a lively city environment. Second, it is not a rural campus experience, so the feel is more “urban college” than “traditional boarding school”.

Because Kings Brighton is a post-16 setting with an international mix, parents often ask two separate questions, “What grades do students achieve?” and “How does that compare in England?”. The most comparable view here comes from the A-level performance metrics and the FindMySchool ranking positions provided for the setting.

At A-level, 3.45% of grades were A*, 20.69% were A, and 24.14% were B. Overall, 48.28% of grades fell in the A* to B range. Against England averages, the combined A* to A proportion is 24.14%, compared with an England average of 23.6%; the A* to B figure is 48.28%, compared with an England average of 47.2%.

On the FindMySchool A-level ranking, Kings Brighton is ranked 1,259th in England and 6th locally in Brighton for A-level outcomes, placing it in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data, intended to help parents compare providers on a consistent basis.

The most useful interpretation is that outcomes are competitive and broadly in line with England norms, rather than operating in a rarefied “top-of-England” band. For many students, the value is not only the grade profile, but the structured pathway and application support that converts those grades into realistic university offers.

Kings Brighton’s academic model is built around clear end goals, usually A-levels, GCSEs for students needing a longer runway, and foundation-style progression routes for particular degree areas. The standard inspection evidence points to a carefully planned curriculum sequence, structured from GCSE through to A-level, with a focus on subject vocabulary and the needs of students who use English as an additional language.

For parents, the practical takeaway is that this is unlikely to suit students who want a very broad, exploratory curriculum. It is better aligned to students who like structure, are comfortable working towards examinations, and will respond to frequent checking of learning and clear study expectations.

If your child is academically able but still building English fluency, the approach can be a good fit, provided they are comfortable with the pace and with speaking and writing regularly in academic English. The inspection evidence also flags that consistency in certain practices can be an area leaders revisit over time, which is a common reality in smaller specialist settings where staffing patterns and cohorts can shift.

Kings Brighton is explicitly university-facing, and parents should judge “destination strength” in two ways, the general proportion progressing to university, and the presence of a credible pathway to highly selective options for the few students who are aiming there.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 56% progressed to university and 3% progressed to further education. Those figures do not capture the full nuance of international progression, but they are still a helpful baseline for families weighing whether the setting delivers university transition in practice, not only in marketing.

At the top end, there were 6 Oxbridge applications in the measurement period, 1 offer, and 1 acceptance, with the acceptance recorded for Cambridge. This is a small-volume pipeline, so it should be read as “possible for the right individual” rather than a defining feature of the provider. For a student who is genuinely competitive for Oxford or Cambridge, what matters is whether they will receive precise, experienced application coaching and the right academic stretch, alongside the personal resilience needed for that process.

The wider university application process is also time-sensitive. Kings publishes guidance for September 2026 university entry which advises international students to submit by 30 June, and suggests completing by 14 January for competitive courses at very competitive universities. Even though those dates relate to university applications rather than school admissions, they matter because they shape how early a student must be settled, performing, and ready to apply.

Admissions are direct rather than run through the local authority. Entry points vary by programme, but for most families the decision is between starting GCSE preparation at 14 to 15, or entering at 16 for A-level programmes.

Kings publishes structured start dates across its colleges that include Kings Brighton. For A-levels, start dates include 5 January 2026 and 7 September 2026. For GCSE routes, Kings publishes a 7 September 2026 start date for the one-year GCSE option that includes Kings Brighton.

Applications appear to be structured around selecting a start date and location, rather than a single annual deadline, which is typical for international college models. Kings’ booking form includes September 2026 as a selectable start option, signalling that admissions planning is centred on intakes rather than a one-day closing date.

Practical advice for families is to work backwards from university application deadlines. If a student is joining for September 2026 with an aim of applying to highly competitive university courses, you should assume that subject choices, predicted grades, and initial evidence of academic performance need to be in place early in the programme.

Parents considering boarding should also ask about the balance of day students versus residential students in the intended cohort, and what supervision looks like in evenings and weekends, because the lived experience in a small international college can feel very different depending on where students live and how the residential community is structured.

A helpful planning step is to use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature when shortlisting, especially if you are comparing Kings Brighton with conventional sixth forms and other independent colleges, as the admissions rhythms and student experience can differ substantially.

A key strength here is that the model recognises the pastoral reality of international transition. Students may be away from family, adapting to a new culture, and in some cases living in supervised accommodation for the first time. That combination can be highly positive for confident, independent students, and more challenging for those who are sensitive to change or who need a larger familiar peer group.

The education inspection evidence points to a knowledgeable pastoral team that helps students settle and access wider professional support where needed. The boarding inspection evidence reinforces that the residential side is carefully run, with an emphasis on students’ safety, welcome, and progress within the boarding context.

Families should still do their own due diligence on how communication with parents works for boarders, how medical care is handled, what the expectations are around independence, and how the setting supports students who are homesick or struggling academically. Those practical mechanics matter more in a college where many students are living away from home.

Extracurricular life at Kings Brighton is designed to support university applications and personal development, rather than operating as a traditional “school clubs” model with dozens of weekly fixtures. The advantage is relevance, activities tend to be shaped around leadership, communication, enterprise, and cultural engagement, which can translate into stronger personal statements and interviews. The trade-off is that students who want a very sports-heavy timetable may need to be proactive about finding that balance.

Kings highlights a range of clubs and societies that include Student Council and Kings Enterprise, alongside Debating Society, Textiles Club, Performing Arts, Photography Society, Culture Club, and Science in the News. Kings also lists wider clubs across its colleges such as Maths Club, Current Affairs Club, Creative Writing Club, Chess Club, and Board Games Club, which gives a sense of the typical offer students can expect in practice.

For students aiming at competitive universities, the strongest use of extracurricular time is usually “super-curricular”, subject-linked extension that shows intellectual seriousness, such as current affairs engagement for politics and economics, science discussion groups for STEM applicants, or enterprise activity for business pathways. Kings Brighton’s menu aligns well to that, provided students choose strategically rather than trying to do everything.

Kings Brighton is an independent provider, so fees are a central part of the decision. Published figures for 2025-26 show a clear split between tuition and accommodation.

For international students, Kings lists A-level (two-year course) tuition at £38,520 per year for 2025-26. Kings also publishes home-student tuition pricing for Brighton, showing A-levels (two-year course) at £21,132 per year in Brighton. Families should confirm which fee category applies to their child based on residency and eligibility.

Accommodation is priced separately and Kings states that accommodation fees include VAT. For a September 2025 start covering three terms and 40 weeks (including vacation), Kings lists Brighton homestay (single, half-board, age 15+) at £14,940. On-campus residence options in Brighton are listed separately, including Oxford Place (single, en suite, half-board, age 15+) at £27,072 for the same 40-week basis.

Financial support varies widely between independent schools and independent colleges. Kings’ published fee information focuses on prices and application routes, rather than setting out a standard bursary model in the way many traditional independent schools do. If affordability is a concern, families should ask explicitly what help is available, whether any scholarships exist for academic merit or specific pathways, and how that interacts with accommodation costs.

The central Brighton location is a clear practical asset. Kings states that the site is around a 7-minute walk from Brighton train station and around a 15-minute walk from the beach, which is useful for day students and for boarders who want a walkable city setting.

Daily timings are not consistently published in a single “school day” format in the same way as local authority schools, and timetables typically vary by programme and subject combination. Families should expect a confirmed timetable at enrolment, and should ask specifically about supervised study expectations for boarders, including evenings and weekends, because that has a direct impact on workload, independence, and wellbeing.

• A very international peer group. For many students, the global mix is a major benefit. For others, it can feel transient, especially if friendship groups shift around intake points. Ask how cohorts are built and how integration is supported.

• Boarding is accommodation-based, not a house system. This suits students who want independence and city life, but it does not replicate a traditional boarding-school structure. The practicalities of supervision, weekend routines, and travel arrangements matter.

• Academic outcomes are solid rather than ultra-selective. The A-level profile and England ranking position suggest performance in line with England norms, so the fit is best for students who will benefit from structured support and university counselling, not only for those seeking an elite-results environment.

• A demanding transition for some learners. Moving country, adjusting language, and living away from home while studying for major exams is a lot. This suits resilient, self-managing students, and may be a stretch for those who need a larger pastoral “school” feel.

Kings Brighton suits students who want a purposeful, university-facing education in a modern, international setting, and who will thrive with the independence that comes from a college model and optional residential living. The strongest fit is for motivated students who benefit from structured teaching, clear expectations, and extracurricular choices designed to support competitive applications. Families should weigh carefully whether their child will enjoy the city-centre lifestyle and the international cohort dynamic, as those are defining features of daily life here.