Oxford International College Brighton welcomes its first students

Distinguished guests joined students and staff at Oxford International College (OIC) Brighton last week (8 September) to celebrate the opening of the new independent day and boarding school for students aged 13 - 18.

Leading the celebrations was His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Andrew Blackman, who hosted a special tree-planting ceremony to commemorate the opening of the school. The Ligustrum lucidum tree, planted during the ceremony, symbolises strength, resilience, and endurance, all attributes that OIC Brighton students will develop. Following the tree-planting event, the Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Ms Jackie O’Quinn, officially opened the new building before attendees enjoyed tours of the school campus.

The school, which will expand to accommodate a maximum of 400 boarding and 100 day students over the coming years, builds upon the successful model of its sister school – Oxford International College – in Oxford, which was ranked the number one performing independent school for A Levels in England in 2023 (the Telegraph).

OIC Brighton, which offers pre-GCSE, GCSE and A level courses for both British and international students, has welcomed more than 160 students from across the globe to start their academic journey at the school this September.

Tess St Clair-Ford, Founding Principal of OIC Brighton, said: “We are thrilled to welcome our first cohort of students to our newly renovated Brighton campus as they embark on their learning journey with us. Following extensive investment, all of our students benefit from state-of-the-art facilities thoughtfully designed to support their learning, while our enviable location in the British countryside, close to the city of Brighton and the coast, provides our students with many opportunities to relax, study and stay fit.”

The College’s curriculum will prepare students for entry into their university or career of choice with emphasis on academic excellence, and career and personal development, to ensure that students achieve their full potential. Students will undertake OIC’s unique Super Curricular Programme, which goes further than traditional extra-curricular programmes and offers students career-related activities alongside sports, charity work, and arts clubs.

Principal St Clair-Ford continued: “Our passionate teachers, who are leaders in their fields, will guide our students to stand out as pioneers, original thinkers, and highly skilled learners. By matching the ambition we see in our students with an equally ambitious and motivated teaching team, we will build a culture of dynamism, making our College an inspiring place for both learning and teaching.”

As the College is part of the Nord Anglia Education family of schools, its students will also reap the benefits of the group’s collaborations with renowned global institutions, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Commenting on the opening, Andrew Fitzmaurice, CEO of Nord Anglia Education, said: “OIC Brighton will be an outstanding school, focused on high-quality teaching and learning, academic excellence, and wellbeing. Our new school is an international place of learning dedicated to nurturing students’ global citizenship, confidence, resilience, and team spirit.”

St Clair-Ford added: “We are a school community with wellbeing at its heart. I truly believe that there is a deep connection between academic progress and strong mental health and wellbeing. This focus on wellbeing is at the core of everything that we do as a school; creating an environment where all our students feel fully supported and ready to take on any challenge.” 

Discover more about OIC Brighton at its Open House on 16 September. Register to attend: https://oicbrighton.com/open-house/