New School: Brighton College To Open In 2020

Brighton College plans to open a nursery and primary school in Singapore in September 2020. The prestigious British independent school hopes to offer a very British education to students aged 18 months through to 11 years, subject to regulatory approvals from Singapore’s Ministry of Education.

The sister school of Brighton College UK (pictured), which is one of the UK’s top independent schools, will partner with leading global schools’ group Cognita to open the new co-ed day school next year.  The school is set to open in the same year as another prestigious British independent school, North London Collegiate School (NLCS) Singapore, which is due to open its campus for children aged three to 14 years old in August 2020.

Which other schools are opening, relocating and expanding in Singapore in 2019 and 2020? Click here.

The campus will be within walking distance of the Lorong Chuan MRT station, in the North East town of Serangoon; it will have capacity for 550 students.

The College's youngest students, aged 18 months to five years, will attend Cognita’s Early Learning Village (ELV), which is located next to the Australian International School campus, also in Serangoon.

Brighton College will lead the educational philosophy, school ethos and UK curriculum of the new school; we can expect it to replicate the authentic Brighton College experience from the academic rigour of its British curriculum through to the traditional house system. Cognita, which operates more than 70 schools across eight countries – including Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the UK – will manage the day-to-day operation of the campus.

The founding principal for Brighton College (Singapore) will be Paul Wilson, who joins the school from Brighton College in the UK, where he has spent the last eight years.

Commenting on his appointment, Wilson says: “My family and I are delighted to be moving to Singapore: establishing a school in such a dynamic and successful country is a very exciting opportunity.

“My vision for Brighton College in Singapore is for a forward-looking school that prioritises emotional well-being and fosters a life-long love of learning: a school where pupils look to the needs of their classmates, but are also engaged with their local community and are aware of global issues; a school where pupils are resilient, confident and grateful for their opportunities; and a school where teachers stoke the children’s natural curiosity, fuelling their desire to investigate and understand the world around them.

“It is a privilege to put these fundamentals in place, enabling pupils to take full advantage of the next stage of their education.”

Click here for the latest updates on the opening of Brighton College (Singapore).

Singapore will become the fifth international campus for Brighton College, which has one school in Thailand (Bangkok), and three in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain). Richard Cairns, headmaster of Brighton College UK, said the partnership with Cognita will bring many benefits for the new school in Singapore.

“Collaboration and the sharing of best educational practice are central to Cognita’s philosophy. The ability for Brighton College (Singapore) to connect with Cognita’s extensive global network of over 70 schools across three continents is a powerful advantage.

“These connections will enrich the experience of students as well as staff, helping foster a dynamic and successful school that offers a great fit with Singapore and both the Brighton and Cognita groups.”

Cognita already has two schools in Singapore – Stamford American International School (SAIS) and Australian International School (AIS) – but this will be its first British school here. In 2017, it opened the Early Learning Village, which claims to be the world’s largest pre-school, on a campus that is shared between AIS and SAIS.

Michael Drake, Cognita’s CEO for Asia, adds: “The possibilities from two great educational organisations coming together are truly exciting. We are delighted to be introducing this leading British educator to complement our successful US and Australian schools in Singapore. We look forward to the positive impact Brighton College will have here in Singapore.”