Aran took up a place at Brighton College in Year 9 with an Academic Award
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When we were thinking about schools for after Sompting Abbotts, I had both Lancing College and Brighton College in mind.
But I chose Brighton College because the idea of studying in a vibrant, creative and cosmopolitan city like Brighton appealed to me. Plus, my sister had begun at Brighton College two years earlier so I had a good sense of the place.
I did need to pass exams for acceptance. In Year 6, I did verbal and non–verbal reasoning tests (these were taken at Sompting Abbotts).
Then in Year 7, I went to Brighton College for a day to do their Maths and English entrance exams. I also got to experience some academic and games lessons.
In Year 8, you can either do Common Entrance or pursue an academic scholarship to gain admittance. I chose to go for the scholarship and achieved it. I did find it tricky, especially in subjects that I had found to be my best, such as Maths. But, after doing enough practice, with the help of Sompting Abbotts’ teachers, I got to understand what was required.
I'm really happy at Brighton College now and love being in Brighton! I particularly like that I can go to the beach with my friends in the summer.
Aran, second from left, with other scholarship winners in his year group at Sompting Abbotts
I love sport and really enjoy the variety of options that the college offers. I began fencing this year and it's great. There are lots of other choices, too, including tennis, squash, golf, rock climbing, volleyball and basketball, and more.
There are about 200 people in my year – so it’s very different from Sompting Abbotts! The school ethos is similar though in that there’s a strong focus on kindness and acceptance here too.
It was pretty easy to settle into Brighton College. In the first few days, there were no lessons and lots of team building and bonding games with my classmates and tutor group. Those days were a good ‘icebreaker’ to get to know people.
Many of the children had come from independent or state schools by themselves. They didn’t know anyone else, either. So we were all in the same boat!
Brighton College is a day and boarding school so it’s quite international. The boarders come from places like China, Hong Kong, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries.
Aran, Year 7, in the science lab at Sompting Abbotts
When I got here, I wouldn’t say the workload was much heavier than at Sompting Abbotts. But, as you get older you're expected to do more work. It’s fine to manage – as long as you’re organised.
The scholarship studies I completed at Sompting Abbotts were thorough and meant I was well prepared for Brighton College. Even after I did the exams, my teachers went on preparing me. For example, in Latin, by the time I arrived here, I’d already learned the Year 9 syllabus. So I was well set up for the GCSE ahead.
I’ve now passed 10 GCSEs: Maths (9), Further Maths (8), English Literature (8), English Language (8), Biology (9), Physics (9), Chemistry (9), Geography (9), History (9) and Latin (9).
Maths, Further Maths, Economics and Geography are the subjects I’ve chosen for my A-levels. Now I'm in the sixth form (Year 12 and Year 13), the teachers do expect you to be engaged with your subjects. You're relied upon to manage your work yourself (though you get ‘frees’ during the day to do this). Most of it is done on laptop, with One Note being the place where most of our schoolwork gets put.
Brighton College
The Sunday Times rates Brighton College as the highest ranked co-educational school in the United Kingdom and describes it as a school “where confidence, kindness and curiosity are championed”. The ISC says: “Brighton College is a co-educational 11-18 day and boarding school. The children are cheerful, balanced, at ease with themselves and each other: yet excited and enthused by the challenges before them. Brighton College succeeds in combining academic excellence with a wealth of co-curricular opportunities, all underpinned by a deep commitment to the individual needs and enthusiasms of each child.”
www.brightoncollege.org.uk
Tel: 01273 704200
I think I’ll apply to study Economics at university. After that I may look to do further study in Development Economics (a branch of economics that focuses on improving fiscal, economic, and social conditions in developing countries).
I’ll never forget the teaching and the times I had at Sompting Abbotts. I loved the school’s amazing large grounds and playing tennis and cricket. I’ll always treasure the memories of our Year 8 trip to Cornwall (where we got to ride the amazing zip wire at the Eden Project and I learned how to surf for the first time – with admittedly limited success!).
Aran, far right, surfing, during his Year 8 trip to Cornwall
“I do miss the strong community feel of Sompting Abbotts where everyone knows everyone. I also miss the teachers! Quite aside from their brilliant academic teaching, they knew each one of us and I felt part of a big family. ”
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