ReviewS U M M E R T E R M 2 0 0 9

B RIGHTONC OLLEGE

“One of England’s Leading Schools” The Times, 2008

“THE BEST A-LEVEL RESULTSOF ANY CO-EDUCATIONALSCHOOL IN ENGLAND”

The Daily Telegraph, 22 August 2008

Among the most influential

Brighton College girls dominated the SussexIndependent Championships, with all five teamsreaching the finals and three teams taking titles. TheUnder 16s, Under 14s and Under 13s all emergedvictorious, ensuring the future of college netball looksstronger than ever.

Richard Cairns and Joan Deslandes, Head of Kingsford CommunitySchool, were among only five Heads in England featured on a list of the1000 most influential people in the country, as compiled by the EveningStandard. They were praised for their innovative approach to education,including making Mandarin a compulsory subject and their work inestablishing a strong partnership between the two schools.

3 out of 5 county titlesfor netballers

Photo courtesy of The Evening Standard

England’s women cricketers enjoyed an historic World Cup victory in March thanks to three former Brighton College pupils. HollyColvin, Laura Marsh and Sarah Taylor all played an important part – following in the footsteps of former England captain ClareConnor who led the England team to victory in the Ashes in 2005. Fellow Old Brightonian, Matt Prior, became the first Englishwicket-keeper to hit a century on his first match in early 2007.

College Girls on top of the worldPhoto Copyright Getty Images

In the only table of exam performance that includes both GCSE and A-level results, compiled by The Sunday Times, the collegewas comfortably the top school among the 18 public schools in Sussex. Elsewhere, The Financial Times reported that Brighton wasthe fastest improving public school in England over the last four years while The Daily Telegraph reported that Brighton Collegehad the best results of any co-educational school in England.

: Brighton is the top school in Sussex

Such is the increase in demand forboarding at Brighton that FenwickHouse is being expanded in a £500,000refurbishment to convert the formerWilliams building into study bedroomsfor Lower Sixth girls. In 2006, there were145 boarders at Brighton. In September2009, there will be 230. The maindemand comes from families in Londonand the South East wanting weeklyboarding, the best of both worlds. Withno Saturday lessons, children see theirparents every weekend, many goinghome on Friday night and returning tothe college on Monday.

New Sixth Formboarding houseopens in August

Top rugby team in London and the South East

In the largest deal of its kind, the college has signed anagreement with a leading property developer in the UnitedArab Emirates to establish a series of Brighton Collegesacross the region and beyond. Brighton College PrepSchool UAE is scheduled to open in Abu Dhabi in 2011with Brighton College UAE following in 2013. Theaim is to open up to twelve such schools in due course.This partnership offers tremendous opportunities foreducational and cultural exchanges and will provideBrighton College with significant additional sums to investin new buildings, support bursaries and keep school fees aslow as possible.

In its latest inspection report, published in January 2009, Ofstedreported that pastoral care at the college is simply "outstanding".The happy and flourishing boarding community - the largest ithas been for 75 years - was singled out for particular praise andpupils commented on the excellent support they receive fromteachers and the warm, cheerful environment of the school.

"Every child at Brighton istreated as an individual"

(Ofsted report, 2009)

The First XV were the Evening Standard Team of the Month in January and February after an unbeaten run, including wins overEssex giants Campion School and a 34-15 victory over Whitgift. Their high profile came from their performance in the SussexSevens, the influential captaincy of England U18 player Ross Chisholm and the fact that a number of the Brighton players alsofeature in Harlequins and county development squads. In the recent Worth Sevens, the First VII beat Tonbridge, Worth,Hurstpierpoint, Reed’s and the Oratory to take the trophy.

Brighton goes global

Abu Dhabi

Hundreds perform at St John's, Smith SquareThe biennial London concert at St John’s, Smith Square included a magnificent performance of Britten's cantata St Nicholas andinvolved choirs from four of Sussex's leading prep schools as well as the college’s chamber choir. The prep schools also performedan exciting new work by Howard Blake. Meanwhile, back at school, college musicians celebrated twelve grade 8 distinctions thisterm and the award of two choral scholarships to Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Broadcaster opens the Dimbleby Lecture TheatreBroadcaster and writer Jonathan Dimbleby officially opened the Dimbleby Lecture Theatre in theGilbert Scott building. Mr Dimbleby also spoke about his travels in Russia, based on his televisionseries and book, Russia: A Journey to the Heart of a Land and its People. Other visiting speakers thisterm have included Gavin Maxwell, the acclaimed BBC wildlife producer, (and nephew of GavinMaxwell of 'Ring of Bright Water' fame), who spoke about the making of the BBC series, WildChina, and Dr David Starkey, the forthright historian who marked the 500th anniversary of theaccession to the throne of Henry VIII by speaking about the young Henry, based on his new bookHenry - Virtuous Prince.

Whitehall was the venue for the historic first meeting of the country’s leading independent and state schools, hosted by The Rt HonEd Balls MP. Brighton College was the only Sussex school to have been invited to the meeting. In the South East area, onlyBrighton, Benenden, Tonbridge, Charterhouse and Sevenoaks were included in the gathering, a sign of Brighton's status as one ofthe most influential schools in the country. The Secretary of State encouraged the Heads to follow the example set by BrightonCollege and Kingsford Community School in East London, whose combined choirs (pictured above) entertained the gathering.Richard Cairns used his keynote address to call on all independent and state school heads to “work together for all the children inthe land”.

Crossing the dividePhoto by kind permission of Department for Children, Schools and Families

Despite the challenging economicclimate, applications to the college areat record levels. Demand for 11+admission to the new Lower School inSeptember was so high that it wasdecided to offer a two stream entryrather than the one initially planned. Anadditional form has also been added inthe 4th Form to cope with risingdemand and the new Sixth Formboarding house for girls opens inSeptember, as college boarding numbersreach their highest level since 1931.

Record applicationsat all levels

Make a Difference Day

Following fast on the heels of the new Alexander Arts Centre and Kennedy HistoryDepartment, opened in 2008, comes the largest building project at the college for 25years. The old Art School is being replaced by a gleaming new facility that is threetimes the size of the building it replaces. The four-storey Skidelsky Building, namedafter the school's most eminent Old Boy, Lord Skidelsky, will house a state-of-the-artDesign Technology School, a new English Department and a home for the first Year7 and Year 8 Lower School pupils. The £3 million project is supported by a£500,000 donation, given anonymously "in recognition of the college's impressiveacademic record in recent years which makes me so proud to be associated with theschool".

Largest building project for 25 years

Projects benefiting from the college’s inaugural Make A Difference Day included ahostel for homeless people, a women’s refuge, and a school for disabled children.More than 700 pupils also visited elderly residents and restored community facilities,such as those pictured below, enjoying a more ‘hands-on’ experience of volunteering,in addition to raising thousands of pounds for a variety of good causes at home andabroad throughout the year.

After two successive years of new Oxbridge records, our currentUpper 6th produced the hat trick with nine offers from Oxford,and nine from Cambridge, more than any other independentschool in Sussex by a very significant margin. The best threeyears in the 165-year history of the college are thus 2007, 2008and 2009. Among the successful applicants was KingsfordScholar George Weller, who told The Sunday Times he mightnever have thought to apply had he not won a scholarship toBrighton. Many other pupils have also celebrated offers fromtheir first choice universities including record numbers fromRussell Group institutions.

Theatre Royal The Theatre Royal in Brighton hosted a capacity audience for a polished and vibrant display of music, dance and the spoken word.A cast of hundreds, many experiencing a professional stage for the very first time, proved the ambition and breadth of talent of theperforming arts at Brighton College. The evening finished with a reprise of November’s delightful musical production, AnythingGoes.

Following last year’s record GCSE results, examiners wrote tothirteen college pupils to inform them that they had achievedthe highest marks in the country. This outstandingachievement was followed by offers of places to six A-levelpupils to study at the country’s top art schools, Central StMartins and Kingston.

Brighton best for art:it's official!

Largest ever numberto Oxbridge

Photo courtesy of The Argus Newspaper

Photo courtesy of The Argus Newspaper

Normandy landingsOur older pupils enjoyed a fantastic annual trip tothe Château de la Baudonnière in Normandy. Allhad a wonderful time practising their French. Thepupils also got caked in mud on the assault course,conquered fears climbing and abseiling, and bakedand consumed their own bread. In addition, theyate snails (optional!) and also took part in archery,fencing, volleyball, orienteering, a treasure hunt andshopping in the local market.

From New York to Ancient Greece

News from the Prep School

BCPS staged a superb production of Guys and Dolls, one of Broadway's mosthilarious shows; it has been described as the perfect musical comedy. Thesensational cast electrified the audiences with an amazing show full ofbreathtaking dance routines, fabulous costumes and classic musical hits.

There is also a huge amount of talent in our younger ranks, wonderfully ondisplay in Year Four’s production of the musical Orpheus.

Champion performances and Wembley winnersOur Under 13 girls' netball side won the Sussex Knock-Out Cup, coming from behind in a tense final against strong opponentsfrom Burgess Hill School for Girls. The girls triumphed 26 -18 and thus BCPS won the title for an amazing sixth year in a row,with the players showing great talent, character and determination. This capped a superb season, as the girls had already won the2009 SISNA title (for all Sussex independent schools) beating Sion in the final held at Roedean School.

As well as winning two Sevens tournaments during the season, theschool's Under 13s won a prep schools rugby tournament atWembley Stadium. A last gasp try meant that the BCPS boys edgedpast Belmont 10-5 in a hugely gripping final.

Strength in depth is evident with the school's Under11 netballers winning the IAPS regional tournamentfor the South East. In this tournament, attended by60 of the best prep schools, the girls were clearwinners, after 11 victories and one draw, giving theman overall goal aggregate of 100 to 34.

Music is very much part of Pre-Prep life. As well as childrenbeing able to learn the recorder, violin, ‘cello, guitar andtrumpet, fifes were introduced this year. Hopefully we will havemore budding flautists progressing through the school.

Four Fifes

Unexpected encounter

Sounds rubbishRecycling, re-using and reducing are a continuing theme atthe Pre-Prep. Quantum Theatre’s production of “Bin Raider”emphasised this theme and the actors were astonished by thechildren’s knowledge and questions. Great fun was also hadduring the music workshop “Sounds Rubbish” using rubbishbins as drums and lengths of plastic piping as giant beaters.

News from the Pre-Prep School

Year 3 pupils visited the British Museum in January as partof their studies of the ancient Egyptians. Also visiting themuseum was Baroness Thatcher, who kindly agreed to bephotographed with the children. She remarked on the children’simpeccable behaviour, good manners and smart appearance.

Glyndebourne visit

The Easter Fayre was a bumper event and blessed with thewarmest and sunniest day so far this year. Over £4,000 was raisedfor the charities “Hope in the Valley,” providing riding lessons fordisabled children, and “Arthritis Care”.

Young bridesAs part of their study of “Celebrations”, children inReception enjoyed a mock double wedding in thechapel. The children looked magnificent in their outfitsand there were no wedding nerves or jilted brides!

Easter fun

The football season was brought to a close with the under 8Ateam playing an excellent match against Windlesham House,scoring 4 goals to 2. The Under 8Bs also played really welldrawing 2 – 2.

Football success

Year 3 pupils had the memorable experience of seeingGlyndebourne’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.Not many 7-year olds have the opportunity to visit oneof the world’s most famous opera houses. Among thecomments afterwards were: “I liked it when the Queen ofthe Night sang those really high notes”,“ I liked it whenPapageno met Papagena”, “I just liked it all”!

B RIGH TO NC OLLEGE

SCHOOL BUS SERVICE ACROSS SUSSEX WEEKLY BOARDING FROM 13+

“One of the UK'sLeading Public Schools”

BBC News, March 2009

01273 704201/2 www.brightoncollege.net

OPEN MORNINGSSenior School (11+, 13+, 16+) - 26 September

Pre-Prep and Prep Schools - 3 OctoberSixth Form - 14 November