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Brighton College

The local school with a global outlook

Many ask Richard Cairns, the Head Master of Brighton College, what sets his school apart from others in the county. As he said at a recent open morning, attended by nearly 900 parents and their children, the academic results at Brighton College speak for themselves but there’s a lot more to this school than exam success. “When we achieved the best A-level grades of any co-educational school in England and the best GCSE results in the county, I think some assumed we’d abandoned the other aspects of a great education: sport, music, dance, art, drama, involvement in the wider community beyond the school gates. At Brighton, we have expanded on all those things and have plans to go further.

“At Brighton College every child enjoys a challenging but exciting journey as we prepare them for the next stage of their lives. The breadth of opportunity in sport with some of the best facilities and most experienced coaches in South East England keeps them active; the ambition of our performing arts programme with countless plays, concerts, orchestras, bands, choirs and dance shows is unrivalled; our Visual Arts Centre houses one of the most accomplished art and photography departments anywhere in the UK; and our menu of 140 + activities and clubs every week ensures that every single child has the chance to try something different, to learn a new skill or simply to let off steam away from their books.”

The school has extensive links around the world thanks to its reputation as a centre of excellence in the teaching of Mandarin (compulsory for all new pupils) and exchange programmes with a variety of top institutions in countries including the USA and Australia and, of course, China. The benefits are enormous, not least that children gain a greater understanding of different cultures and an insight into issues outside their own country.

In addition to their core studies and the variety of non-academic activities, pupils enjoy meeting a variety of visiting speakers including senior politicians, explorers, diplomats, sports stars and authors. Recent visitors have included Sir John Chilcott who is currently chairing the enquiry into the Iraq invasion and Nick Hornby, one of the country’s best selling authors.

Teachers at Brighton College are recruited from across the UK and even overseas, as the school puts huge store in attracting only the most capable and inspiring staff. The school aims to make learning fun and to instill in each child a life-long love of knowledge. Pupils also enjoy some of the best facilities in southern England, with £10 million of investment in recent years and a new English department, Design Technology workshops and Lower School all due to open in 2010.

In an ever changing world no school can rest on past glory or stand still. Brighton College certainly does not. Your child deserves the best possible start in life. It is Brighton College’s aim to give them just that.

Further details from www.BrightonCollege.org.uk or 01273-704201