Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2019 chose to honour the school in recognition of its “pioneering policies that have set a progressive tone”
The school was praised by judges not only for its high academic standards, but also for the environment that makes those standards possible: a culture of kindness and inclusivity which seeks to celebrate and nurture children’s differences. The Sunday Times Parent Power Editor Alistair McCall said: “Brighton College is one of the great modern success stories of British independent education. The combination of achievement and distinctiveness in a great setting make a place at Brighton College one of the most sought after.”
This is the second time in seven years that the school has received this prestigious award, both times under the careful stewardship of headmaster Richard Cairns. Only two schools in the country can boast a double win. The Sunday Times’s review of the school went on: “Social conscience is a defining feature of Brighton College, where confidence, kindness and curiosity are championed.”
This summer sixth formers achieved 98.7% A*-B in their A-levels – the school’s highest ever figure and remarkable by the fact that pupils were taking the new, more challenging exam-focussed style. In GCSEs, grade 9 was the most common grade and of the 732 pupils nationwide who received seven grade 9s or above, 36 of them were from Brighton College.
Head Master Richard Cairns attributes the pupils’ successes to the environment in which they work and play – forward-thinking, creative and outward-looking.
He said: “Given that there are so many terrific schools in England, it really is wonderful for Brighton to be singled out for national recognition. The whole community is delighted. Our approach at Brighton is a simple one: to challenge each and every pupil in the school to be the best possible version of herself or himself.”
