A BRIGHTON school has been named as one of the best by a prestigious society magazine.
Dorothy Stringer was named as one of the best state schools in the country by Tatler in their secondary school guide.
The school in Loder Road, Brighton, was described as the "coolest" and "best in town" by the famous high society magazine.
Headteacher Richard Bradford said the praise from Tatler, best known for covering upper class gossip and events, had come as a surprise.
He said: "It was a huge surprise - it was out of the blue for sure. Every school in Brighton and Hove has great strengths, and we are amongst them."
The guide which featured 20 state schools from across England, was written based on observations from Tatler readers. "It's not only the 'coolest' but also the 'best in town', says our spy by the sea. There's a liberal vibe to the place, which serves the highly desirable Preston Park area," the guide reads.
The guide also compliments the school's "top notch" sporting facilities and "perfect balance between work and fun".
Mr Bradford said Tatler's comments were a reflection off the vibrancy and enthusiasm of the students. He said: "We do have that nice relationship with our kids and it comes from as much as we do outside the classroom as we do inside the classroom.
"Our staff give a great deal of time to do the activities they want to do and that's what kids love about the school."
Students at the school enjoy gorge-walking and canoeing at the school's outdoor adventure activities centre in Snowdonia, as well as travelling globally, via partnerships with schools as far afield as Cameroon and Ghana.
The school is popular with parents in the area, with 73 per cent of students gaining at least five A*-C GCSEs in 2016. The school is often oversubscribed for the 330 places in Year 7 when parents come to pick secondary schools.
The Tatler guide also commended Warden Park in Cuckfield, Priory School in Lewes and Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Hove.
Alice Rose, Tatler’s education editor, said: "As with our independent schools guide, we choose the schools based on word-of-mouth recommendation.
"The Tatler grapevine is a very extensive one, and we talk to all our contacts – both parents and educational professionals – to get a clear picture of each school’s strengths.
"What we don’t do is follow the league tables – although results are important (and Dorothy Stringer’s are exemplary), they’re a very small part of the picture. For us, it’s much more valuable to look at a school’s ethos, facilities and extra-curricular opportunities.
"We have a hugely experienced team of researchers, all of whom are parents themselves, who work very hard to make sure that all our guides - state, independent and nursery – represent the best schools in the country."
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