Brighton College Dubai, Al Barsha South – The Review

Brighton College Dubai launch

It was fitting that the November 2017 launch of Brighton College Dubai was set (albeit unintentionally) to the theme of Mission Impossible that played outside the Armani hotel for the Dubai Fountains. For many schools the scale of ambition set by Brighton College Dubai for its students would be just that. The four commitments for Brighton College Dubai included:

• Delivery of innovation and entrepreneurship within the curriculum. This follows Brighton College UK initiatives that have seen the awarding of a £10,000 prize for outstanding business ideas from students and the registration of two global patents directly from student entrepreneurship. The revenue from businesses and patents developed by the school’s students are shared with the students and students are given 49% ownership in the companies and products they help create. All children will learn business skills including being able to present effectively to large audiences.
• All children will learn, not simply through listening, but by being academically challenged and inspired.
• Brighton College Dubai is built on the foundations of kindness and respect:

“When our children look to the left or right of them I want them to understand that every person is just as special as they are.

I do not want children in our school who look at others around them and perceive them as less valuable than they are.

If every child feels special then they will be happy – and if they are happy they will succeed.”

Richard Cairns. Headmaster. Brighton College UK.

• Brighton College educates children who give back to the world.

“Being private educated at Brighton College Dubai, our children will already have an advantage over most other children in the world. That means they have to give something back.

I would not run a private school if I thought I was just turning out people driven by earning a lot of money.

I would hope that anyone leaving Brighton College schools, if they were in a position of power, would do all they could to act responsibly for others. Otherwise there is absolutely no point in an education. “

Richard Cairns. Headmaster. Brighton College UK.

In our view, as of 2023-2024, all have met, and in spades.

The attractiveness of this school lies precisely in this progressive and holistic set of ambitions – these, as above traversing and embracing business, traditional British values, a love of learning for its own sake not exam results – and, not least, compassion.

Background

Founded in 1845, Brighton College (UK) is a top-tier UK independent secondary day and boarding school offering a British curriculum through to GCSE and A’ Level. The school has a reputation for being forward thinking, even some say radical, within the context of its competing framework of other top, mostly conservative, British public schools. More on this below.

The school was named the UK Independent School of the Year in 2014 in the Independent School Awards and the Sunday Times Independent School of the Year 2012. Its current Head, Richard Cairns was named by Tatler as England’s Headmaster of the Year in 2012. Academically it is top-10 in the UK.

Brighton College is adjacent to its own Preparatory school educating children between 8 and 13 and a nearby pre-prep for younger children between 3 and 8. The Brighton College Dubai campus combines the ambitions, specialism and ethos of each of the schools by phase in all-through provision but will not offer boarding. However, prospective parents should note that the Brighton Schools in the UAE have a very unique way of protecting the benefits of this structure within an all-through school – again, more on this below.

What the Brighton College brand means in practice for Dubai

Brighton College Dubai opened on a new 40,000 plus square metre, 10-acre campus in September 2018, initially offering classes for children from FS1 and FS2 (Pre-Prep) , through Years 1 – 6 (Preparatory) to Grade 9 (Senior School.)

Full Year 13 all-through provision has been phased as the school effectively bedded in provision with absolutely no corners cut. Prospective parents should note that, in giving permission for the school to open at launch to Grade 9, the KHDA showed significant and rare confidence in both Brighton School Dubai owners and management. It was faith that has been rewarded. In June 2023, the first cohort of nine Year 13 students graduated from the College to a spectrum of destinations including  a majority of Tier 1 UK universities.

Brighton College Dubai is home to a circa 800-strong, mixed co-educational boy and girl role and, as with the UK school’s first two Colleges in Abu Dhabi (which opened in 2011) and Al Ain (founded in 2014), was launched with very significant controls in place to ensure the quality of provision and the fundamental ethos guiding the new school. It is worth quoting directly the confirmation SchoolsCompared received directly from the UK parent:

“The Governors of Brighton College concluded eight years ago that a Brighton College education was something that local and expatriate parents overseas would find appealing and so set about establishing its network of international sister schools.

It established Brighton College International Schools (BCIS) to manage their development and to ensure compliance with Brighton’s school operating standards.

Brighton UK selects the head of each sister school and helps to appoint the initial senior management and academic staff.

BCIS works closely with the Heads and senior teams of each school to ensure that they are able to develop as authentic sister schools of Brighton College in the UK, sharing its ethos and values, and delivering an outstanding education that will enable Brightonians to access the world’s leading universities. 

Ian McIntyre, Director of Schools, Brighton College International Schools.

Both existing schools are rated Very Good or Outstanding by the Abu Dhabi inspectorate. Our review of Brighton College Abu Dhabi can be found here. Eventual Bright College role will be around 1800 students.

It is worth noting that, in 2014, Brighton College Al Ain, a school not without its teething pains, was awarded the highest grade ever achieved by a new school in Abu Dhabi – an accolade that has followed all Brighton Colleges in the UAE.

Prospective parents should note too the expertise of Brighton College in opening new schools also extends to an extraordinary 20-acre all through school, Brighton College Bangkok, which opened to pre-prep phase in September 2016.

Brighton’s motivation in broadening international access is driven by three passions: to enable the College to offer Bursaries for those otherwise unable to afford fees; to accelerate the UK school’s building programme to further enhance facilities for children; and to establish a significant endowment fund for future generations of children.

We would expect Brighton College Dubai to establish a bursary programme in future years, this intrinsically part of the UK school’s ethos and cultural dynamics. We will update parents on this as we learn more.

The curriculum is resolutely British and traditional with children sitting both IGCSE, A’ Level and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).

Unique features

Prospective parents should note that one of the very unique and special features of Brighton schools in the Emirates, and one designed to replicate the feel, ethos and achievements of the UK parent schools, is their choice to divide each phase schooling with its own Head. This is an expensive investment to make, but what ensures is that each phases school life is designed around the needs of children at their respective ages. In practice this means that each school has three Head of Schools falling under a single guiding Principal.

There are some other really interesting features of the UK school, some of which will not probably travel to the UAE, which are important for prospective parents to be aware of because they go to the heart of the meaningful ways Brighton’s reputation in the UK is designed around each child – and often at odds with the conservatism of some other Tier 1 old British public schools. Examples of these include Brighton’s very different approach in its early years saw a ban on corporal punishment and the idea of true democracy extended from student election of the Head Boy to choice of Captains in school teams – and even sport remained voluntary. This did change later, but arguably that liberal child-centric remains definitive of the school.

Modern examples of this include the decision in 2016 to allow choice for all students, boys and girls, of which uniform to wear that best represents them to respond to gender dysphoria;  and the school’s passionate arguing for co-educational education on the grounds that girls in particular may suffer difficulties forming relationships with boys later as a result of being schooled separately.

Whilst it is difficult to read into existing schools the degree to which UK culture travels, both of Brighton’s existing schools in the UAE have been graded Outstanding in their personal development of children and broader student care and welfare.

Parents should must not expect mirror images of the UK schools on cultural grounds, but, can expect, rather, successful melding of East and West and seamless integration and appreciation of the cultural context of the UAE and broader Arabic culture, language and history. Brighton College Dubai is notable in this regard for tits outstanding (150 activity-strong) ECA programmes, and Social Studies programmes, both of which go beyond academics in developing the whole child in a broader context.

Leadership

“Marco Longmore was without doubt the outstanding Headmaster of his time in the City before joining us at Brighton College Dubai.”

Richard Cairns. Headmaster. Brighton College UK.

Founding Head, Marco Longmore, a 47 years-old Scot, studied history and politics at Edinburgh University. His 26-year teaching career started in the early 90s at George Heriot’s School and by 1998 he had risen to become Head of History at Head Masters Conference (HMC) George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. The role provided the foundations for his high profile move to the top-tier HMC Alleyn’s School in Dulwich, London as Deputy Headmaster in 2005.

In 2008 Mr Longmore returned to his beloved Scotland to take up the position of Headmaster at the prestigious Edinburgh College, a role which saw him pioneering the transition of one of the country’s most famous single-sex boy’s schools to a full co-educational educations boys and Girls to age 18. As importantly, the role saw him steering the school away from the excesses which historically defined much of the UK’s public schooling towards a kinder, more liberal view of education and whole child development.

Interestingly, Mr Longmore was recruited as Founding Head of Brighton College Dubai in part on the basis of his being known to, and personally recommended by Richard Cairns, the highly respected and longstanding Head of Brighton College in the UK. There was a real sense that the appointment to Brighton College Dubai had to be more than right – this is an important school for the Group given its profile and parents should take some security from his appointment. Mr Longmore is married with two children.

Mr Longmore has been outspoken in his genuine commitment to both the British but also local cultural context of his school which he sees as a unique benefit and differentiator for children as they grow to young adults making their way in the world:

“At the core of all that unfolds at Brighton Colleges around the world, you will find one simple ideal… we want the very best for our children.

Brighton College will be the most forward thinking school in the UAE. We will offer a traditional British education – but a forward thinking one.

Our boys and girls will rank in the best in the world. We will deliver academic excellence with the very best teachers who are passionate. We have proven that we can make that vision a reality through our students in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.

A key focus will be our delivery of Arabic language. Our children will achieve remarkable and outstanding results.

A unique advantage for children who join us at Brighton College Dubai comes with the unmatched benefit of our partner, the Centre for Excellence in Arabic, Language, Culture and the Arts.

The support we will give in the provision of compulsory Arabic elements to our curriculum will be unrivalled.

Life in Dubai, its rich culture, history and place in the world will be explored throughout our curriculum for all children with real commitment – and will be valued.

The “solution”, if that is the right word, for delivering Arabic effectively is focusing on the passion of language and its context – we can use the experience we have garnered from both Abu Dhabi and Al Ain but we will use that in conjunction with all the benefits that will come to our students from the new Centre for Excellence.

But let me be clear, understanding the cultural background to language is critical. The diaspora of our school will be citizens of the world -and it is our mission to ensure that when they leave us they will understand the culture in which they have been educated.”

We will strive to turn out well-educated, respectful and intellectually curious men and women who are ready to step forward in life, taking a full, active and positive role in both the UAE and wider world before them.

My ambition is that our students will walk forward in life with confidence, not arrogance – and, wearing their success lightly, will go forward from our school to graduate from our school to leading universities of the world and beyond to play their part in the communities and world they will be part of.

I believe that in 2018 Brighton College will come to Dubai to found the very best education that can be provided. Our pupils will have a will to do – and a soul to dare. Dare to achieve to be the best they can for themselves – but also to work for the common purpose in Dubai and the UAE – and as citizens of the world.

Marco Longmore. Founding Headmaster. Brighton College Dubai.

Current Head Master, Simon Crane, follows the tradition of recruiting internally to ensure outstanding delivery of the ethics that underpin a Brighton education.  Prior to his appointment as Head Master at Brighton College Dubai, Mr Crane was Head of Senior School and Deputy Head Master at Brighton College Abu Dhabi.

BSO Outstanding

Read our full story on the BSO Outstanding accreditation achieved by Brighton College Dubai here.

Read the full report below:

Facilities 

Facilities include a dedicated Learning Resource Centre; iconic back box theatre for performances; sports hall; outdoor pitches; 25M swimming pool shallow practice pool, football pitches and hard courts, tennis courts, full size 400m athletics track and a full-size rugby pitch. Brighton College Dubai also has a fully fitted out Fitness Suite open to both students and parents.

Although part of complex that includes Bloom World Academy, this is a self-contained Tier one premium school from design to delivery and it would be misleading to look at the school as one hub of a super-campus.

One factor we would note with regards to the new Dubai school is that it has the space to ratchet-up (outstanding) facility provision still further, particularly compared with the Abu Dubai school which is somewhat constricted by its city centre location. We expect investment to increase as the school roll approaches capacity.

Fees

Brighton College Dubai is firmly positioning itself in the ultra-premium category of elite school Dubai fees. This should not be surprising given that its British parent is one of the most expensive independents in the UK. Fees run from 57,800 to 95,250 AED in Year 13.

Bottom line? The SchoolsCompared.com Verdict 2023 – 2024

Brighton College Dubai is one of those schools that finds its natural fit in Dubai. It is also a school that we believe should give prospective parents confidence in its being shortlisted. The Abu Dhabi and Al Ain schools have a history of being ranked Outstanding – and the Dubai school, with just two inspections behind it, is on track to achieve equally.

Parents should note that Brighton College is an academically selective school. Whilst it has proven itself to be genuinely committed to investment in, and delivery of outstanding provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) – and English as an Additional Language (EAL), it is selective too in those children it will accept with special needs – and all children must be sufficiently academic to pass its entrance examinations and testing at the same standard. This, to some degree, explains the small school dynamics of its current role. Education here is challenging, a lot is expected – and the school is choosy so that no child that joins is ever left behind.

Prospective parents of children with academic potential at the least should be looking at Brighton but it may not prove the best fit for less able, or mixed ability children. This explains why currently its schools do not provide for alternative more vocational post-16 curricular including BTEC, although our view is that there is, even in academically selective schools, a role for technical education in both ensuring choice and the ability of school’s to best meet the broadest needs of children in the the digital, post-industrial economy. British education is heading towards a Baccalaureate that will remove the distinction and schools do need to catch up. Read more here on why.

Whilst it is early days, we have Brighton College Dubai has made a very strong impact on the UAE’s Tier 1 educational provision – it sets one or two new benchmarks too. We are particularly impressed with investment in entrepreneurship ( certainly the registration of patents by its UK children is exceptionally inspiring) and core human values of empathy, compassion and kindness.

However, pricing in the UAE is under pressure for ultra-premiums, and competition very intense. We would like to see Brighton College Dubai set itself apart by even better leveraging the more culturally acceptable, but still  radical, progressive differentiators of its UK school. Values really do matter. The commitment to inspiring a deep appreciation of the value of Arabic language and the contribution of Arabic culture to the modern world, a widespread and lamentable weakness of most British schools in the UAE, is certainly an impressive place to start. A focus on the extraordinary, but different, abilities of both girls and boys too would pay dividends. In a world riven by inequality, Brighton is a school that can make a difference.

One of the most outstanding new school launches of recent years, the best of already mountainous achievements are yet to come.

Highly recommended.

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