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Considering Brighton Girls’ for your daughter? We’ve collated everything you need to know about 11 plus entry. Find out how to apply, what’s on the 11 plus exam, and the best way to help your child prepare.
About Brighton Girls
Brighton Girls is a private day school for girls aged 4–18 in the city of Brighton, East Sussex. The school is a founding member of the GDST (Girls’ Day School Trust) and aims to help girls learn without limits.
Students at Brighton Girls study a broad yet balanced curriculum, with a range of subjects including computer science, dance, food preparation and nutrition, and philosophy, religion and ethics. Sixth form students run a successful STEM programme for younger pupils, which includes projects such as robots and First Lego League, 3D design and print, and preparing for the CREST Awards or the Big Bang Competition.
Beyond the classroom, students can enjoy over 100 clubs and activities, including boxing, eco, coding and skateboarding. Sports teams compete locally, regionally and nationally in netball, hockey, football, cricket, gymnastics and athletics. Girls from Year 7 to 11 are encouraged to take part in the Temple Project Qualification (TPQ) each year – an enrichment programme which provides grounding for the sixth form Extended Project Qualification encourages girls to pursue their own interests, develop intellectual curiosity and complete their own projects.
Head: Ms Rosie McColl
School type: private day
Address: Brighton Girls, The Temple, Montpellier Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3AT
Age range and gender: 4–18, girls only
Number of pupils: 550
National league table rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 235
A level results: 71.2% A*–B
GCSE results: 69.3% 9–7
Key info for Year 7 admissions
Admissions contact: [email protected], 01273 280 280
Open day: 23rd September 2023 – see all dates online
Overview of entry process: written assessments and interviews
Registration deadline: 29th October 2023
Assessment date: 2nd December 2023
Brighton Girls fees and financial assistance
The tuition fees at Brighton Girls range from £5,511 per term (Year 7) to £5,690 per term (Year 13). Lunch costs £248 per term, and activities and trips cost £36 per term.
Financial assistance
Brighton Girls and the GDST are committed to giving every bright and eager girl the opportunity to access outstanding education, regardless of financial circumstances. A limited number of means-tested bursary awards – known as Brighton Awards – are available to pupils joining in Year 7. For more information and details about how to apply, visit the school website.
Scholarships
Brighton Girls also awards scholarships at 11 plus entry. These are awarded based on talent in a particular subject and are not means-tested. Girls may apply for up to three scholarships.
Academic scholarships: all girls who take the 11 plus assessment are automatically considered – a separate application is not needed.
Art scholarships: available to girls who can demonstrate a passionate commitment to, and genuine interest in the arts.
Dance scholarships: applications are welcomed from girls who are working at Grade 3 or equivalent in at least one genre.
Drama scholarships: available to girls who can demonstrate a passionate commitment to, and genuine interest in drama and performing arts.
Music scholarships: applications are welcomed from girls who are able to play at Grade 4 or 5 standard. Music scholarships also include vocal scholarships.
Sport scholarships: available to girls who can preferably demonstrate experience in a variety of sports, with performance required in at least one of the school’s major sports (athletics, gymnastics, hockey and netball). Sports scholarships also include skateboarding, gymnastics, and football scholarships.
Brighton Girls term dates
The term dates at Brighton Girls for 2023–24 are:
Autumn term: 7th September – 14th December 2023
Half term: 23rd October – 4rd November 2023
Spring term: 3rd January – 28th March 2024
Half term: 12th–16th February 2024
Summer term: 16th April – 5th July 2024
Half term: 27th May – 31st May 2024
Brighton Girls 11 plus admissions process
The main intake to Brighton Girls is through 11 plus entry. Girls who join Year 7 come from all over Brighton and Sussex, as well as Brighton Girls’ Prep School.
1. Visit the school
If you are considering Brighton Girls for your daughter, it’s best to book a family visit first. The school holds several open events throughout the year, and can also arrange private tours and virtual tasters.
Whole school open days include a personal family tour with a current student, a talk from the headmaster and pupils, and opportunities to meet senior members of staff. Find out more about upcoming events on the school website.
2. Apply for 11 plus entry
Once you have visited Brighton Girls and decided to apply, you will need to complete the 11 plus registration form. A non-refundable fee of £100 will be charged, which covers the costs of administration and the entrance test.
The registration deadline for entry in 2024 is 29th October 2023. If you are applying for a bursary or a scholarship, you will need to indicate this on your daughter’s application form.
3. 11 plus assessment day
All registered girls will be invited to the Brighton Girls’ 11 plus assessment day. For girls applying for 2023 entry, the assessment day will take place on Saturday 2nd December 2023.
Girls will be tested in four subjects:
The verbal reasoning test is designed to measure your child’s ability to reason and solve problems with language and written information. It will test skills such as reading fluency, vocabulary knowledge, phonological awareness, logic and problem-solving, and attention to detail.
4. Interview
Every child who has been registered for 11 plus entry will also have an interview. Brighton Girls will be in touch with you to arrange a time and date, and they will also write to your daughter’s current school for a supporting reference.
Interviews are one-on-one and take place with a senior member of school staff. The interview is not designed to be a test, but an opportunity for the school to get to know your daughter better – and for your child to find out more about the school.
No interview, or school, is the same. However, you might be interested in reading our article about private school interviews to get an idea of the sorts of questions your child might be asked.
5. Offers
Brighton Girls will write to you in early February with the outcome of your daughter’s application. If your child is offered a place and you decide to accept, you will need to pay a £750 deposit. This will be automatically refunded after your daughter leaves the school, minus any outstanding amounts.
You’ll be sent a welcome pack and an invitation to a Welcome Day held in June. Your child will also be given a buddy to help her settle into Year 7.
Top tips to apply to Brighton Girls
Brighton Girls is an academically-selective school and is looking for girls who can demonstrate potential and a curiosity to learn. Here are our top tips to help your daughter prepare for the selection process.
It can be tempting to jump straight into practice papers to prepare for school exams. However, this is not an effective way to learn and can cause children to feel demotivated.
Your child should have a good understanding of the content they’ve been taught in Year 5 before testing their knowledge with practice papers. Using a ‘little and often’ approach when recapping content is key, as our brains encode new information more effectively when dealing with smaller ‘chunks’ of information. Experts recommend study sessions should last no longer than 30 minutes for children aged 10–11.
Exam support & free resources
Looking for more information? Visit the Atom blog to find out more about entrance exams, learn how to develop key skills, and download helpful resources.
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