Brighton College Admissions Tutors
Academic preparation without losing sight of the child behind the application
Brighton College has become an increasingly popular choice for families looking for strong academics alongside a broad, modern school culture.
Its admissions process is interesting because academic assessment is deliberately combined with opportunities for staff to meet and interact with candidates.
That gives pupils more than one chance to show what they can do.
Brighton College 11+ entrance process
Applicants for Year 7 currently attend an Academic Assessment Day.
Assessment covers:
- English;
- Mathematics;
- Verbal Reasoning;
- Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Candidates are later invited to an Interview and Activities Day.
Children take part in activities and have two short interviews with members of staff.
This makes preparation more varied than simply practising an 11+ paper.
Brighton College 13+ admissions
Year 9 is Brighton College’s principal entry point.
The process begins early, with candidates sitting the ISEB Common Pre-Test.
Those progressing are invited to an Orientation Day in Year 6.
The day currently combines:
- activities;
- interviews;
- written English assessment;
- written Mathematics assessment.
Offers are then made while pupils are still relatively young, well before they actually join the College in Year 9.
How do we prepare for Brighton College?
The first stage is diagnostic.
We ask:
Where would this pupil lose marks today?
The answer may not be the same as their weakest school subject.
A child can achieve excellent school grades but struggle with speed.
Another may be strong mathematically but misunderstand dense written questions.
Another may perform brilliantly in lessons yet become anxious in formal assessments.
A good programme addresses the actual cause.
Brighton College interview preparation
Because pupils have opportunities to meet staff as part of the admissions process, confidence matters.
But there is an important difference between confidence and performance.
We do not want children entering an interview thinking:
“Which impressive thing am I supposed to say now?”
We prefer:
“I’m having a conversation and I’m allowed to think.”
Tutors can develop this through discussion of:
- favourite subjects;
- reading;
- hobbies;
- sport;
- creative interests;
- school life;
- things the pupil has recently discovered;
- questions with no obvious correct answer.
How can my child improve their chances of Brighton College entry?
Start by building strong English and Mathematics.
Then develop reasoning.
Then add assessment technique.
Interview preparation should come later, once the child has enough confidence and experience to hold a genuine conversation.
Parents sometimes reverse this process and worry about the polished interview answer before fixing an obvious weakness in fractions or comprehension.
The foundations matter first.
Is Brighton College the right fit?
Brighton may appeal to families who want academic ambition without choosing a school purely because of centuries of tradition.
Its location is also part of its character.
For some pupils, being in Brighton and close to the sea gives the school environment a different feel from a London day school or more isolated country boarding school.
A good fit might be a pupil who:
- enjoys strong academics;
- values a broad school life;
- likes a lively environment;
- wants plenty of co-curricular opportunity;
- is comfortable in a modern co-educational community.
Families considering boarding should, as always, assess boarding readiness separately from academic suitability.
Brighton College Admissions FAQs
Yes, the current 13+ route starts with the ISEB Common Pre-Test.
Current assessment includes English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Yes. Interviews form part of both the relevant 11+ and 13+ processes.
Successful candidates are invited to an Orientation Day involving activities, interviews and English and Mathematics assessments.