Brighton Girls, formerly Brighton and Hove High School, is an independent day school for girls aged 4 to 18 in the city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England. Brighton Girls GDST is ISI rated ‘Excellent’. The school was founded in 1876 and has 450 pupils. The school has a Prep School (Early Years, Key stages 1 & 2), High and Sixth Form, making it the only all-through girls’ school in Brighton. Brighton Girls is one of the schools of the GDST (

Girls' Day School Trust The Girls' Day School Trust (GDST) is a group of 25 independent schools, including two academies, in England and Wales, catering for girls aged 3 to 18. It is the largest group of independent schools in the UK, and educates 20,000 girls each ye ...

). Its main site is at Montpelier Road and includes the Temple building in the Montpelier area of the city with the Prep School opposite on Temple Gardens. In addition to netball courts, sports hall, gym and dance studio, the school also has its Astroturf playing field and further sports facilities on nearby Radinden Manor Road. The Head of Brighton Girls is Rosie McColl, who started in the autumn term of 2019. The Good Schools Guide describes Brighton Girls as a school that is “certain of its own value and ethos, with individual encouragement producing fantastic results and grounded girls”.

History

Brighton Girls School is the seventh oldest school founded under the Girls' Day School Trust (1876). Its founders had radical ideas about education for women. The school founders' names are now used as the houses, Stanley, Lyttleton, Grey and Gurney. Their Latin motto is translated as "Truth is the way".

Academics

Entrance examinations consist of: 11 + Maths, English & VR; 13+ Maths, English, Science, MFL; 16+ Minimum of 5 GCSE passes (including English Language & Maths) with 8/7 s in subjects to be pursued; applicants are also interviewed. Pupils can take part in a number of societies and extra-curricular activities. School pupils are divided into four Houses: Grey, Gurney, Lyttelton and Stanley; the Houses compete in a series of events and competitions to earn points, which go towards the House Cup, also known as the Banfora Cup, at the end of each academic year. In 2021, 26 per cent of the school's GCSE grades were grade 9, the highest, and another 26 per cent were grade 8.Henry Tomlinson
"GCSEs: Brighton Girls Headmistress slams grade critics"
'' The Argus'', 12 August 2021

Creativity

Since 2018, the school has had an artist-in-residence,

Crimson Trebar Crimson is a rich, deep red color, inclining to purple. It originally meant the color of the kermes dye produced from a scale insect, ''Kermes vermilio'', but the name is now sometimes also used as a generic term for slightly bluish-red color ...

, and has held open houses and art displays. The school has had a resident dance company, Penny & Jules Youth Dance, for many years. This company, alongside the school's own dance clubs and groups, works towards the annual dance show, 'Momentum', which is held at the Old Market in Brighton.

Rebranding

The school underwent a rebranding in late 2019, including the change of name (from 'Brighton and Hove High School' to 'Brighton Girls'), as a well as an updated logo.

Notable former pupils

Karen Barber Karen Barber (born 21 June 1961 in Manchester) is a British ice dancer. She is the 1983 European bronze medalist and competed at two Olympics with partner Nicky Slater. Skating career Barber won the silver medal at the 1977 World Junior Cham ...

, ice dancer * Alexandra Bastedo, actress *

Blanche Baughan Blanche Edith Baughan (16 January 1870 – 20 August 1958) was a New Zealand poet, writer, botanist and penal reformer. Biography Early life and education Baughan was born in Putney, Surrey, England, on 16 January 1870, one of six c ...

, poet, writer, penal reformer *

Jasmine Birtles Jasmine Birtles is a financial and business journalist, author and presenter. She has made appearances on several British television programmes, principally addressing financial and property matters from the point of view of the consumer. Fina ...

, financial and business journalist, author and presenter * Elizabeth Beresford, creator of The Wombles * Rosemary Coogan, astrophysicist, astronaut *

Beth Cordingly Beth Cordingly (born 25 October 1976) is an English actress, known for her appearances in series ''Family Affairs'', ''The Bill'' and ''Dead Set''. Early life Cordingly was born in Brighton and went to Brighton and Hove High School. She is the d ...

, actress *

Helen David Helen David is an English fashion designer and artist based in London, England. Early life and education Helen David was born in Brighton,McDermott, Catherine & David, Helen, (1994), "English Eccentrics The Textile Designs of Helen Littman" ...

, artist * Rosa Dean, Senior Circuit Judge * Grace Eyre Woodhead, Philanthropist, pioneer of disability rights and mental health care * Constance Garnett, translator * Sally Greengross, equality campaigner, politician * Louise Gullifer, Professor of English Law *

Margaret Joachim Reverend Doctor Margaret Jane Joachim (born 25 June 1949) is a British former Liberal Party and current Liberal Democrat politician who was chair of the Women's Liberal Democrats. Background Joachim was the daughter of Reginald and Joyce Margare ...

, politician and campaigner * Martha Kearney, journalist *

Amy Levy Amy Judith Levy (10 November 1861 – 9 September 1889) was an English essayist, poet, and novelist best remembered for her literary gifts; her experience as the second Jewish woman at Cambridge University, and as the first Jewish student at N ...

, poet and writer *

Theodora Lisle Prankerd Theodora Lisle Prankerd (21 June 1878 – 11 November 1939) was a British botanist who worked on the growth of ferns, and lectured at Bedford College and the University of Reading. Early life and education Theodora Lisle Prankerd was born in ...

, botanist * Ida Lupino, actress *

Louisa Martindale Louisa Martindale, (30 October 1872 – 5 February 1966) was an English physician, surgeon, and writer. She also served as magistrate on the Brighton bench, was a prison commissioner and a member of the National Council of Women. She served ...

, surgeon *

Hilda Martindale Hilda Martindale CBE (12 March 1875 – 18 April 1952) was a British civil servant and author, and the daughter of Louisa Martindale. She was a prominent campaigner for the improvement of working conditions, particularly those of women. Her ...

, British civil servant and author * Suzy Menkes, Editor of the

International Herald Tribune The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France for international English-speaking readers. It had the aim of becoming "the world's first global newspaper" and could fairly be said ...

, journalist *

Gwenda Morgan Gwenda Morgan (1 February 1908 – 1991) was a British wood engraver. She lived in the town of Petworth in West Sussex. Early life Morgan was born in Petworth, her father having moved there to work at the ironmongers, Austen & Co, of which he l ...

, artist * Maureen Muggeridge, geologist and gemologist * Geraldine Newman, actress * Lindsay Northover, Baroness Northover, politician *

Karen Pickering Karen Denise Pickering, MBE (born 19 December 1971) is a former freestyle swimmer from Great Britain. Swimming career She made her international senior debut in 1986. She was first selected to represent her country at the European Junior Cham ...

, swimmer * Estelle Rowe, engineer, STEM campaigner * Kalea Stagg, netballer *

Frances Stead Sellers Frances Stead Sellers is a senior writer at ''The Washington Post'' and frequent moderator for the newsroom’s live platform, Washington Post Live. Life and career Sellers’ career as a reporter, editor and moderator has ranged from politics t ...

, journalist *

Rebecca Stott Rebecca Stott (born 1964) is a British writer and broadcaster and, until her retirement from teaching in 2021, was Professor of Literature and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of ...

, author * Faynia Williams, international director, BBC Producer of drama and documentarieshttp://www.brightontheatre.com/people

Notable staff

* Gabrielle Lambrick (1913-1968), civil servant, educator and historian taught at the school.

References

External links

Official websiteProfile
on the Independent Schools Council website {{DEFAULTSORT:Brighton Girls School Independent schools in Brighton and Hove Girls' schools in East Sussex Educational institutions established in 1876 Schools of the Girls' Day School Trust Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association Grade II listed buildings in Brighton and Hove 1876 establishments in England