Varndean College is a sixth form college located in Brighton & Hove that serves the needs of sixth form students and adults.
The college was founded in 1884 in York Place, Brighton, as a boys' Secondary School and moved to its current site (overlooking the city and the sea) in 1932, later attaining grammar school status, becoming Varndean Grammar School for Boys, administered by the Education Committee for the County Borough of Brighton. In 1972 the first girls were admitted to the school (a small number of girls attended A level physics classes at the school in 1970–71), and in 1975 it became a sixth form college under its first principal, David A.G. Turner.
Varndean Grammar School for Boys
1884–1901 Edwin H. Lethbridge (died 1932)
1902–1932 William J. Stainer (died 1937)
1932–1963 Eric J. Hutchins (died 1972)
1963–1970 John E. Mollison
1970–1975 David A.G. Turner
Varndean College
1975–1988 David A.G. Turner
1988–2006 Alan Jenkins
2006–date Dr Philip Harland
Varndean College is situated on Surrenden Road in the northern part of Brighton. It shares the Surrenden campus with Balfour Junior School, Balfour Infants School, Dorothy Stringer High School and Varndean Secondary School.
The Old Varndeanian Association exists to maintain a network between former pupils and students of both the school and college, as well as former pupils of Varndean Girls' School. The association maintains contact with thousands of Old Varndeanians and organises regular reunions and other functions.
Bobby Barry, musician
Tommy Fraser, footballer (Brighton and Hove Albion)
Darren Freeman, footballer (Brentford, Fulham and Brighton and Hove Albion)
Lucy Griffiths, actress
Natasha Kaplinsky, television presenter
Russell Martin, footballer (Wycombe Wanderers, Peterborough, Norwich City,
Lisa Francesca Nand, journalist and broadcaster
Dan and Tom Searle, twin musicians from the Brighton based band Architects
Rebecca Stephens, musician
Tasie Dhanraj, actress
Chris Nightingale, sports presenter
Hobbie Stuart, singer
His Honour Judge Anthony Niblett, Circuit Judge
Rt Rev Walter Hubert Baddeley, Bishop of Melanesia, Whitby and Blackburn
Trevor Bish-Jones, chief executive from 2002–09 of Woolworths Group
David Blanchflower CBE, economist
Frank Bridge, composer
David Collings, actor
Percy Ford, Professor of Economics from 1926–59 at the University of Southampton
Prof Anthony French, Professor of Physics from 1964–91 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, worked on the Manhattan Project
Dave Greenfield, Stranglers (keyboards) 1960–67
Dr Spencer Hagard, chief executive from 1987–94 of the Health Education Authority
Harold Foster Hallett, philosopher
Norman Hammond, archaeologist and Archaeology Correspondent of The Times since 1967
Alan Hart, chief executive from 1985–89 of the Equal Opportunities Commission
David Hills CBE, Director-General of Intelligence from 1988–93 at the Ministry of Defence
Major-General Sir Ralph Hone, Governor of North Borneo 1949–54
Neil Hook MVO, Ambassador to Turkmenistan from 1995–98 and High Commissioner to Swaziland from 1999–2001
Prof Malcolm Levene, Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health since 1989 at the University of Leeds
Des Lynam, television presenter
Steve Ovett, Olympic athlete
Ian Ritchie CBE, architect
Simon Schaffer, historian
George Schwartz, Economics editor of the Sunday Times from 1961–71
Paul Scofield, actor
Peter Sharpe, Chief Constable from 1994–2000 of Hertfordshire Constabulary
Prof Colin Smith, Professor of Spanish from 1975–90 at the University of Cambridge, Editor from 1976–81 of the Modern Language Review
Prof Kenneth Stacey, Professor of Microbiology and founding director of the Biology Laboratory at the University of Kent
Rear Adm Michael Stringer, 1965–67
Rt Rev Martin William Wallace, Bishop of Selby since 2003
Prof Albert Weale, Professor of Government from 1992–2009 at the University of Essex
Mike Winch, Commonwealth Games shot-putter and national coach
Eric James, Baron James of Rusholme, High Master of the Manchester Grammar School (1945–62) and first Vice-Chancellor of the University of York (1962–73)
Prof Eric Shepherd, Professor of Investigative, Security and Police Sciences at the City University, London. (1955-60)
