Brambletye School

Brambletye School was founded in 1919. It is located in the Sussex countryside, 1.5 hours from London. The main school building is located on its own 57-hectare forest estate, next to the reservoir.

There is a strong sense of community at the school. Brambletye is a school based on family tradition, there is a deep sense of mutual assistance and support for each other. Children learn to enjoy the successes of other students as well as their own, to respect and be kind to others. Make friends from different age groups. Children's happiness and safety – the main concern of the school.

Children leave school as confident, happy young people who love learning, enjoy theatre, games and music, have interesting hobbies and are involved in numerous school communities.

The school has about 300 students.

Director (for 2024)

Will Brooks, education - Durham University (BA in English Literature), Keele University (MBA in Educational Management), University of Buckingham (Postgraduate Teaching Certificate)

Famous school graduates

• Benedict Cumberbatch, actor (TV series “Sherlock”, films “Doctor Strange”, “Power of the Dog”), twice nominated for an Oscar
• Jeremy Moore, commander of British ground forces during the Falklands War in 1982
• Nigel Morritt Weis, leading expert on the plant life of the four islands of Tristan da Cunha
• Sergeant David Raikes, World War II pilot and war poet
• Sir Christopher Nugee, Judge of the British Court of Appeal
• Lieutenant General Richard Nougey, head of climate change at the Department of Defense

Key factors

• 42% of students enter high school with scholarships (academic, art, theater, music, riding and sports).
• Graduates enter top high schools: Brighton College, Charterhouse, Cheltenham College, Eton College, Harrow, Marlborough College, Radley, Oundle, Stowe Uppingham and others.
• Strong teaching staff. Three main qualities required of teachers – Exceptional subject knowledge, classroom management, and ability to inspire children in and outside the classroom.
• Excellent equipment, huge opportunities for practicing a wide variety of sports.

Equipment

Brambletye School is located in a large country house in its own forest. The school has a specially built arts center, a library, a large theater with 270 seats with music rooms, and science laboratories.

The school has excellent sports facilities: an ultra-modern multifunctional sports hall with badminton courts, a fencing track, a climbing wall and an indoor shooting range.

And also:

• Indoor heated pool
• 2 squash courts
• 3 tennis/netball courts
• 7 fields for football and rugby
• 5 cricket fields
• Golf course
• 300-meter track for athletics

Program

Brambletye school teaches a curriculum leading ultimately to the Common Entrance examinations for entry into high schools or the Scholarship examinations at age 13+. Starting from grade 5, lessons are taught by specialized subject teachers, and students are divided into groups according to their abilities. In 5th grade, children begin Latin.

Students who need additional help with their studies can take individual tuition. For those students whose first language is not English, additional language classes are offered. All students are assessed annually in English, mathematics and cognitive abilities using objective assessment tests.

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation in a residence on the school grounds. Homes for boys and girls are located in the main building. The doamas are very bright and modern, with common rooms for relaxation. Educators, mentors and teaching staff, the director and his wife, parents and students - all participate in the life of the boarding house and influence its character.

Sport

Every child, from the most capable athletes to those who want to play for themselves, will develop important skills in their sport. It's teamwork, resilience, and the ability to handle both victories and defeats.  Opportunity for every studentnika playing sports is important for his social and physical development. Brambletye places such a high value on sport that there is an hour of play each day, as well as physical education classes and a variety of extracurricular activities. Each child can represent the school as part of a team, for example in a friendly football match or in the IAPS netball national final.

Main sports at school:

• Football
• Rugby
• Cricket
• Netball
• English rounders
• Hockey
• Lacrosse

Other sports:

• Squash
• Tennis
• Swimming
• Running
• Athletics

At the school you can also practice fencing, shooting, chess, rock climbing, taekwondo, badminton, table tennis, golf, gymnastics, horse riding, basketball, sailing. As well as modern dance and ballet.

Additional activities

Artsdepartment has an excellent reputation for outstanding results and students are consistently awarded scholarships to high schools. Art and Design and Technology at Brambletye are taught by qualified professionals and practicing artists. All students study drawing and painting, printmaking and 3D product design. Every year an exhibition is held where each student of the school exhibits their work. Art auction raises money for charity.

Theatre classes are popular at school. Children gain their first stage experience, gaining confidence by performing in front of their peers and families. The school encourages this confidence, so by the time they leave Brambletye they develop a love of public speaking. One of the most important skills they can learn.

Children take part in at least one production every year. Many children take LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Drama) exams and perform in concerts, poetry competitions and debating groups. There are many more informal events, such as talent shows, cabaret and others, which the children organize themselves.

Music plays a huge role in the lives of students. The school is taught by 3 music staff and 16 visiting music teachers. All children attend at least one in-class music lesson each week, where topics range from graphic scores, calypso, samba, music theory, film scoring and many more. It is a fun and educational curriculum that allows for flexible, fun and creative music making, while also providing the opportunity to introduce children to a variety of genres and composers.

Approximately 85% of children attend at least one instrumental or vocal music lesson per week, which is a phenomenal number. With such an extraordinary number of individual music lessons, it is not surprising that the school has a huge number of extracurricular ensembles in which children actively participate. The ensembles include three choirs, two orchestras, a large concert orchestra and a wind ensemble. School-wide concerts are being held – grandiose events in which the whole school takes part.

Cost, 2023-2024

£10,095 - £10,330 per semester.
There are 3 semesters in the academic year.

Included in price

• Training
• Accommodation and meals

Additional charge

• Registration fee - £100
• Deposit – cost of 1 semester
• Air travel
• Transfers to/from/airport
• Visa
• Educational company services
• Selection of a guardian, which is a mandatory requirement of a British school

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