Varndean College is a

sixth form college A sixth form college is an educational institution, where students aged 16 to 19 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A Levels, Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) and the International Baccalaureate Di ...

Brighton and Hove Brighton and Hove () is a city and unitary authority in East Sussex, England. It consists primarily of the settlements of Brighton and Hove, alongside neighbouring villages. Often referred to synonymously as Brighton, the City of Brighton and H ...

that serves the needs of sixth form students and adults.

Location

Varndean College is on Surrenden Road, in the northern part of Brighton. It shares the Surrenden campus with Balfour Junior School, Balfour Infants School, Dorothy Stringer School and Varndean Secondary School.

History

The college was founded in 1884 in York Place, Brighton, as a boys' secondary school and moved to its current site (overlooking the city and the sea) in 1932, later attaining

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...

status, becoming Varndean Grammar School for Boys, administered by the Education Committee for the County Borough of Brighton. In 1972 the first girls were admitted to the school (a small number of girls attended A level physics classes at the school in 1970–71), and in 1975 it became a sixth form college under its first principal, David A.G. Turner.

Former Headmasters and Principals

Varndean Grammar School for Boys *1884–1901 Edwin H. Lethbridge (died 1932) *1902–1932 William J. Stainer (died 1937) *1932–1963 Eric J. Hutchins (died 1972) *1963–1970 John E. Mollison *1970–1975 David A.G. Turner (died 1997) Varndean College *1975–1988 David A.G. Turner (died 1997) *1988–2006 Alan Jenkins (died March 2020) *2006–2020 Philip Harland *2020–present day Donna-Marie Janson

Notable alumni

The Old Varndeanian Association exists to maintain a network between former pupils and students of both the school and college, as well as former pupils of Varndean Girls' School. The association maintains contact with thousands of Old Varndeanians and organises regular reunions and other functions. * Alfie Deyes, youtuber * Celeste, singer * Bobby Barry, musician * Darius Danesh actor, singer, reality star. * Tommy Fraser, footballer (

Brighton and Hove Albion Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club (), commonly referred to simply as Brighton, is an English professional football club based in the city of Brighton and Hove. They compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football leag ...

) * Darren Freeman, footballer (Brentford, Fulham and Brighton and Hove Albion) * Lucy Griffiths, actress *

Natasha Kaplinsky Natasha Margaret Kaplinsky (born 9 September 1972)The Donor, News and information for blood donors, Winter 2009, National Blood Service, England, page 55 is an English newsreader, TV presenter and journalist, best known for her roles as a st ...

, television presenter *

Toby MacFarlaine Toby MacFarlaine (born 28 November 1975) is an English musician. References Living people English heavy metal guitarists English heavy metal bass guitarists English male guitarists People from Oxford 1975 births 21st-century Britis ...

, rock musician * Russell Martin, footballer (

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) * Lisa Francesca Nand, journalist and broadcaster * Dan and Tom Searle, twin musicians from the Brighton based band

Architects An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

* Rebecca Stephens, musician

Varndean Grammar School for Boys

* Desmond Lynam, broadcaster * Walter Hubert Baddeley, bishop of Melanesia,

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Clif ...

and

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, Bruce V. Rauner Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College and University of Glasgow *

Frank Bridge Frank Bridge (26 February 187910 January 1941) was an English composer, violist and conductor. Life Bridge was born in Brighton, the ninth child of William Henry Bridge (1845-1928), a violin teacher and variety theatre conductor, formerly a m ...

, composer *

David Collings David Collings (4 June 1940 – 23 March 2020) was an English actor. In an extensive career he appeared in many roles on stage, television, film and radio, as well as various audio books, voiceovers, concert readings and other work. He garnered ...

, actor *

Anthony French Anthony Philip French (November 19, 1920 – February 3, 2017) was a British professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was born in Brighton, England. French was a graduate of Cambridge University, receiving his ...

, professor of physics 1964–1991 at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

, worked on the

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Dave Greenfield David Paul Greenfield (29 March 1949 – 3 May 2020) was an English keyboardist, singer and songwriter who was a member of rock band The Stranglers. He joined the band in 1975, within a year of its formation, and played with them for 45 years ...

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(keyboards) 1960–1967 * Harold Foster Hallett, philosopher *

Norman Hammond Norman Hammond (born 10 July 1944) is a British archaeologist, academic and Mesoamericanist scholar, noted for his publications and research on the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Career Hammond was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge. He held ac ...

, archaeologist and archaeology correspondent of ''The Times'' since 1967 * Alan Hart, chief executive from 1985 to 1989 of the Equal Opportunities Commission * Ralph Hone, governor of North Borneo 1949–1954 *

Eric James, Baron James of Rusholme Eric John Francis James, Baron James of Rusholme (13 April 1909 – 16 May 1992) was a prominent British educator. Background Eric John Francis James was born at Derby into a Nonconformist family. His father was a commercial traveller wi ...

, high master of the

Manchester Grammar School The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) in Manchester, England, is the largest independent school (UK), independent day school for boys in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1515 as a Grammar school#free tuition, free grammar school next to Manchester C ...

(1945–62) and first

vice-chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor ...

of the University of York (1962–73) * Steve Ovett, Olympic athlete * Ian Ritchie, architect *

Simon Schaffer Simon J. Schaffer (born 1 January 1955) is a professor of the history and philosophy of science at the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge and was editor of ''The British Journal for the History of Sc ...

, historian *

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, actor *

Peter Sharpe Peter Sharpe (December 10, 1777 in New York City – August 3, 1842 in Brooklyn, New York) was an American politician who served as a United States representative from New York. Life He "was a Maiden-lane whip-maker, of the average intell ...

, chief constable 1994–2000 of

Hertfordshire Constabulary Hertfordshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Hertfordshire in England. Its headquarters is in Welwyn Garden City. The current chief constable is Charlie Hall. As of March 2019, the force consi ...

* Eric Shepherd, professor of investigative, security and police sciences at the City University, London * Martin William Wallace, bishop of Selby since 2003 * Mike Winch, Commonwealth Games shot-putter and national coach

References

External links

Varndean College

Old Varndeanian Association

Varndean College welcomes first female headteacher (Brighton and Hove Argus)

Varndean College appoints its first female Principal (Varndean College Official Website)

Varndean College says goodbye to its longstanding PrincipalVarndean College Official Website)
{{authority control Education in Brighton and Hove Educational institutions established in 1884 Sixth form colleges in East Sussex 1884 establishments in England