A Part of Society

Brighton College works hard to be a kind and caring community which looks out into the local surroundings in Kemptown and Brighton, as well as beyond to national and international contexts.

We are conscious that the attitudes pupils develop at school will remain with them throughout their adult lives, and so we foster a culture in which our pupils appreciate their responsibility towards other members of society.

The extent of the pupils’ commitment to contributing to others in the school and the wider community is outstanding.”

— Independent Schools Inspectorate 2021
Inspection reports

How we make a difference

Each of our 15 Houses supports its own local, national and international charities every year, chosen by the pupils. Each term we have a Home Clothes Day where pupils can pitch the charity they wish to support to the College community, who then vote on what to support and how to allocate the £2,000 raised each term.

We also have College-wide support of charities including those working on LGBT issues, World Aids Day, global literacy and ending poverty. Once a year, the whole College participates in Make a Difference Day.

You can read more about our work on social inclusion, education equality and environmental activism in our social responsibility report.

£140k raised for charity each year by pupils at the College

1,200 pupils and staff volunteer on Make a Difference Day

100 charities and community projects supported by the College

Getting the whole school out on Make A Difference Day is like a whole village rocking up on one day to do something good.”

— Rachel Hughes (Assistant Head: Outreach and Partnerships)

Make A Difference Day

As well as raising huge sums of money for local, national, and international causes each year, the last Wednesday in September sees every pupil and member of staff take part in the College's annual Make A Difference Day.

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Serving the community

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The Community Service programme has been running for nearly 50 years. Today, 150 pupils volunteer each week in a variety of placements and a range of activities. Feedback from teachers is consistently the reflection that the pupils relish the opportunity to make a consistently meaningful impact on the world around them.

Some of the initiatives in which we are involved include Green Team, individual befriending, lounge visits, Dementia Friends, Blind Veterans, Small Acts of Friendship, Tea and Company, Hospital Radio, dog walking, fundraising, Men in Sheds, Precious Plastics, Maths Club, Minimus Latin Club and charity shop work.

Thanks to the efforts of our pupils and staff we engage in an incredible 328 days of community service per year.

Frequently asked questions

How will my child be able to engage with charity work?

Our Make a Difference Day, when every pupil and teacher goes into the local community to help charitable causes, is representative of our attitude that every individual can have an impact on society.

We also encourage pupils in the Lower School (Third Form) to think of local charities they can support from the moment they enter the College. Our Social Entrepreneurship project gives each pupil £10 as a seed capital to start a charity fundraising initiative.

There are many other programmes of action, often set up by the pupils themselves. These include pupils giving their own time to assist at hospices, provide language lessons, and work with different charities. Our Sixth Form are able to take part in our Community Service programme, getting involved in a variety of initiatives across the city.
What charitable work experience is available at the College?