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. *

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, youtuber * Celeste, singer * Bobby Barry, musician *

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, footballer (

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

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based band

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* Rebecca Stephens, musician

Varndean Grammar School for Boys

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and

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

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, composer *

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, worked on the

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

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, archaeologist and archaeology correspondent of ''The Times'' since 1967 * Alan Hart, chief executive from 1985 to 1989 of the Equal Opportunities Commission *

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, governor of

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(1945–62) and first

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of the

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(1962–73) *

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, professor of investigative, security and police sciences at the City University, London * Martin William Wallace,

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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