in association with Sussex Life magazine

“The best A-level results of anyco-educational school in England”

The Daily Telegraph, 2009

REVIEW

Audiences flocked to see the college’s revival of Grease. The stunning set included a car that was suspended from the roof of theGreat Hall as the colourful cast and chorus sang, danced and swung their way through the big numbers with passion. This year’sStrictly Come Dancing contest was also a huge success, a thrilling contest and a sell-out. Another highlight of the Lent Term was theannual sortie to Brighton’s Theatre Royal for A Celebration of the Performing Arts: a near capacity audience witnessed anextraordinarily high standard of drama, dance and music.

All the world’s a stage

The pastoral care at BrightonCollege has been judged“outstanding” by Ofsted(2009). The inspectors lookedat every aspect of pupils’ livesat school, and were impressedby the college’s close pastoralcare and warm,friendlyenvironment.

Pastoral care is“outstanding”

The best A-level results of any co-educational school in England

Sunday Times putsBrighton top in SussexOnce again, the results of college pupils put BrightonCollege top of the tables for exam performance in Sussex.Only 4% of A-level grades were below grade B comparedto an average of 25% at the other independent schools inSussex and almost 50% in the state sector. Given thatgood universities are now demanding A and B gradesfrom all applicants, the chances of Brighton College sixthformers securing top university offers are up to ten timeshigher than elsewhere. This is reflected in the highnumbers securing offers from Russell Group universities.Sixty college pupils have secured Oxbridge places in thelast four years. One of the school’s twelve houses, RyleHouse, had the distinction of gaining more Oxbridgeoffers this year than all but one school in Sussex.

Oxford remains the most populardestination for college leaversOxford University has consistently been the top destinationfor Brighton College leavers over the past four years:

1. Oxford 6. Exeter2. London (UCL) 7. Nottingham3. Bath 8. Bristol4. Cambridge 9. Loughborough5. Durham 10. Warwick

Other popular Russell Group universities for Brighton leaversinclude: Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, London(Imperial, KCL, LSE), Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield andSouthampton.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

100 Group ConferenceIn January, the Head Master co-hosted a national conference with Kingsford Community School in East London on behalf of the100 Group, the annual gathering of the most influential Heads from the state and independent education sectors. The PrimeMinister praised the ‘pioneering work of Brighton College and Kingsford’ while Vince Cable MP, Michael Gove MP and the Headsof Eton, Brighton, Harrow, Kingsford, St Paul’s, Mossbourne Academy and Manchester Grammar led discussions on social mobilityand raising academic attainment across the nation. The Head Master was also interviewed on Radio 4’s Today programme. BrightonCollege is the only school in Sussex to be represented in this prestigious group.

DistinguishedvisitorsRecent visitors to the college haveincluded Lord Carlile (the counter-terrorism expert), Sir John Chilcot(Chairman of the Iraq inquiry andonce a boy in School House),Shadow Defence Minister Dr LiamFox MP, Chairman of GovernorsLord Skidelsky (recently knightedby the President of Italy), CarolineLucas MEP (Leader of the GreenParty), Lord Renton (former chiefwhip under Margaret Thatcher),the historian Dr David Starkey andOlympic athlete Daley Thompson.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

Caroline Lucas MEP Dr Liam Fox MP

Lord Carlile Sir John Chilcot Dr David Starkey

Vince Cable MP Richard Cairns, Head Master Michael Gove MP

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

Make a DifferenceDay 2010This year’s programme for the annualMADD was even more ambitious thanbefore, with nearly every pupil and teacherinvolved in projects across the city. Fromserving soup to the homeless to paintingthe pier, from staging a Fair Trade fashionshow to entertaining the elderly, theprogramme was vast, reminding everyonethat the college is a part of society and mustnever be apart from it. This photo showsboys clearing scrubland outside Brighton.

Green WeekParents, pupils and staff all helped tomake Brighton College’s first ever GreenWeek a great success. It was a week notonly for discussing ‘green’ ideas –highlighted by the visit to the collegeof Caroline Lucas MEP, leader of theGreen Party – but also for action; thiswas directed towards a different themeeach day, with a series of house andindividual competitions. Zan Kidd(Lower 5th, Seldon House) got up at5.00am and walked 14 miles to schoolto raise money for Haiti and Save theRainforest; Adam Cro (Upper 6th, RyleHouse) designed a water filter made froma milk carton; and the ‘swishing’ (clothesswapping) event was a high point, withboys and girls of all ages swapping theirclothes and helping to reduce theamount of clothing being sent to landfill.Many pupils chose to wear green on thisspecial day (see photo).

Sport Netball county championsThe girls’ Under 14 and Under 15 netball teams arecounty champions following their convincing wins overImberhorne and Hurstpierpoint respectively. TheUnder 16s also progressed to the regional finals aftertheir stunning 63-22 defeat of Roedean. CarolineJeffery, Charlotte Royall and Georgina Tyas have allbeen selected to attend England development training.

Go Georgia!Georgia Adams progressed from the Sussex county cricket ranksto be selected for the England Under 17 tour to South Africa overthe Easter holidays. Meanwhile, the Under 15 girls are nationalcricketing champions, and the Under 17s made it to the finals oftheir national tournament.

Sevens successThe college became the first Sussex school for eight years to claim the prestigious SETTours Sussex Open Sevens title, sweeping aside John Fisher School 43-10 in the final.Brighton beat Eastbourne 34-0, Tonbridge 17-10, and several other schools, too, to win theWorth 7s tournament. They also put in a terrific performance at the National Schools 7sFestival in front of a big crowd at Rosslyn Park in Roehampton, defeating Ampleforth andBradford Grammar School, amongst others, but narrowly missing a place in the final.

The College’s Under 14 and Under 15 7s teams both became county champions at theSussex Sevens competition held at Christ’s Hospital. On their routes to victory, the Under15s beat Shoreham, Ardingly, Christ’s Hospital and Warden Park, and the Under 14s beatAngmering, Worth, St Bede’s, Warden Park and Christ’s Hospital.

Riding highEmily Keighley (Upper 6th), TabithaWorsley (Upper 5th) and AlexandraKitcher (Upper 6th) won theNational Schools Championships atHickstead for Brighton College,beating off competition from oversixty teams. The girls hope tocompete annually in thiscompetition, attending other showjumping competitions throughoutthe year in order to prepare.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

Brighton’s national rugby starsHarry Leonard, this year’s 1st XV captain, has been selected toplay for Scotland’s Under 18 squad. Harry played in a warm upgame against France’s U18s, during which he scored three times;he was also part of the Scottish team that defeated Italy duringthe Easter break. Meanwhile, our current 1st XV lock James Tyasran out for Scotland’s unbeaten Under 19s this season; he hasplayed against Italy and helped his team win against France inwhat The Scotsman described as “a hugely impressive all roundperformance”.

Under 15 rugby atTwickenhamThe Under 15s beat six teams from across the country ontheir way to the final at Twickenham. Last to fall were StColumba’s College from Hertfordshire in a bruising semi-final encounter, earning our boys a place in the final,against Lymm High School, in the Daily Mail VaseCompetition at Twickenham on March 31st. Brightonlost 24-10 to Lymm, despite our centre, Lewis Moyle,scoring a stunning try by using right wing Kiran Rajkumaras a decoy runner on his run to the line. This was a greatoccasion and a tremendous privilege for the boys to playon such hallowed turf.

James Tyas (left) and Harry Leonard

Brighton College has embarked on an ambitious programme of development, entitled2020 Vision, to provide facilities for teaching, sport and music that will match Brighton’sreputation as one of the country’s leading schools. The college is very grateful to a numberof anonymous donors whose generosity is helping to realise these ambitions:

2008• New Alexander Art and Photography School opened by Lady Alexander• New History and Politics Department opened by Charles Kennedy MP, former

Leader of the Liberal Democrats

2009• Sammy Woods Pavilion opened by Mike Gatting• New Sixth Form Lecture Theatre opened by Jonathan Dimbleby• New Sixth Form girls’ boarding house opened by John Leach, former Head Master

2010• New English Department – opening September • New Design and Technology School – opening September• New Lower School – opening September• New girls’ boarding house – opening September• New fitness centre – opening November

2011• New overseas study centre in France – opening January • New study and leisure facilities for boarders – opening September • New Sixth Form café – opening September• New Senior Common Room – opening September• New Health Centre – opening September

2012 onwards• New Pavilion on New Ground – construction to commence January 2012• New Music School – construction to commence July 2012

Beyond 2013, we have plans to create new teaching spaces, state-of-the-art sciencefacilities, a new swimming pool and sports centre, and a new Drama Centre. All in all, itis the most ambitious and exciting phase of development at the college since the 1880s.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

2020 Vision

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

Chapel’s 150thanniversaryOn 27 September 1859, the first service was heldin the College chapel (it was smaller then than itis now); and in October a service was held tocommemorate its 150th anniversary. College pupilswere joined by about 100 visitors, including clergyfrom the diocese, former chaplains (one of whomjoined the college in 1950), ordained OldBrightonians and former heads, staff and governors.

Brighton College goes internationalBrighton College Abu Dhabi is currently under construction and is dueto open in August 2011. This is the first in what is planned to be a seriesof international schools with a view to generating funds for BrightonCollege in the UK; these will be used for keeping fees down, fundingbursaries and paying for further improvements to our Kemp Town site.A separate company will run the schools, which will appointheadmasters, bursars, teachers and other staff, so there will be nodistraction from our core mission here in the UK but plenty of benefitsfor the boys and girls of Brighton College.

New boarding houseDemand for boarding continues to grow and the college now has moreboarders than at any time since the 1930s. To accommodate thisexpansion, a new girls’ boarding house, to be called Head’s House, willopen in September 2010. It will be located in the beautiful Gilbert Scottbuilding in the Main Quad, which used to be the Head Master’s House.

Artistic flairIn another bumper year for the college’s Art department,eight A-level finalists have been offered places at thecountry’s top art schools. The photograph shows thesuccessful pupils: from left, Annie Ounstead (LondonCollege of Fashion), Lauren Howells-Green (CamberwellCollege of Art), Jade Foolheea (Brighton), Jack Idle(Central St Martins, Art and Architecture), GeorgiaHicks (Camberwell College of Art), Steph Hartop(Central St Martins), Rosie Pariser (Brighton), RobThomson (Central St Martins) and Alex Lambert(Falmouth College of Art, not pictured).

It’s a world record!Four Old Brightonians entered The Guinness Book ofWorld Records for the longest game of croquet. Theyachieved their aim – a little over 24 hours of non-stop play– on the lawns in the front quad of their alma mater.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

Snow, snow…and more snowThe wintry weather at the start of the year providedinspiration not only for some fabulous snowmen andenergetic snowballing, but also for the collegephotographers. The Head Master launched a competitionfor the best wintry photograph; it was won by Upper 5thpupil Charlie Runcorn, whose image of a boat on Brightonbeach is shown above.

Bugsy MaloneActors, singers and dancers from Years 7 and 8 received rave reviews for their stunning performances in the popular musicalBugsy Malone. Parents and guests alike were impressed by the exceptional standards achieved by the pupils, and their energy andenthusiasm captured everyone’s hearts.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

National HistoryawardYear 8 pupil Sam Watling (pictured here)gained second place in the prestigiousTownsend Warner History Prize 2010.This competition is entered by around800 young historians from prep schoolsacross Britain. Sam was praised for hislively interview with Robert Aske andhis essay on Margaret Thatcher.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

Speaking up for the ladies The Year 8 debating teamwon the public speakingcompetition held at StAubyns School, whichinvolved sevenindependent schools.The team of three boyswas praised by the judgesfor their risk-taking andhumour on their chosentopic: ‘Too few womenreach the top positionsin society.’

Charity heightsThis has been a record yearfor charity fund-raising atBCPS. The organisationReadathon (which raises moneyfor the Roald Dahl Foundationand CLIC Sargent) paid aspecial visit to our school tocongratulate us for being theirtop fund-raising prep school inthe UK over the last fifteenyears. Other charity initiativesinclude our continued supportof Tenderfoot Self-Help Schoolin Nairobi, Kenya.

Seven in a rowBCPS’s Under 13 netballers won thecounty netball title for an amazing seventhyear in a row. They came from behind tobeat an excellent side from Burgess HillSchool for Girls, 25-21, in the final held inMarch. Twenty five of the county’s topnetball schools were in the Sussex Cup thisyear, so this was no mean feat.

Pupils at Tenderfoot School, Nairobi, Kenya

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

Fun in the snowAlthough the heavy snowfalls madegetting into school tricky, those childrenwho did make it in certainly had fun.

Steeped in literatureFor a week in February, Pre-Prep pupils went off theirusual timetable and were immersed in literature andliteracy activities during Book Week. The week startedwith the Rainbow Theatre Company’s production ofTraditional Fairy Tales. Parents, grandparents and stafffrom the Prep and Senior Schools popped into classes toread stories. Children’s author and illustrator David Lucasalso visited for a day. The culmination of the week wasthe Book Character Parade in the Sports Hall.

Samba sunshineSome Brazilian sunshine was brought to the Pre-Prep in January with aninspiring Samba workshop in which all children enjoyed participating.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE REVIEW

People who help usReception children have been learning aboutpeople who help us and have enjoyed visitsfrom the Fire Brigade, WPC Owen andparents who are doctors, dentists, apharmacist and a radiologist – all possiblevocations for the future!

Fantastic fayreAs always, the Easter fayre was huge fun. The Sports Hall was transformedwith bunting, balloons and daffodils and buzzing with activity. Over £2,500was raised for “Age Concern” and “Fun in Action” which provides abefriending service to disadvantaged families in Brighton and Hove.

First matchesYear 3 pupils enjoyed their first competitive football, tag rugby and netballmatches against other schools.

“One of England’s leading schools”

The Times, 2010

OPEN MORNINGS

Senior School (11+, 13+, 16+) Saturday 25th September 9.30am

Pre-Prep and Prep Schools Saturday 2nd October 9.30am

Sixth Form (16+) Saturday 13th November 9.30am

Contact Admissions Office on01273-704201/2

www.brightoncollege.org.uk