Nord Anglia Education has officially launched Oxford International College (OIC) Brighton, a new independent day and boarding school for pupils aged 13 to18.

The Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Andrew Blackman, hosted a special tree-planting ceremony to commemorate the opening of the school, after which the Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Jackie O’Quinn, officially opened the new building before attendees were taken on tours of the school campus.

The school, which will expand to accommodate a maximum of 400 boarding and 100 day students over the coming years, is built upon the model of its sister school, Oxford International College, in Oxford.

OIC Brighton offers pre-GCSE, GCSE and A-level courses for British and international students and has enrolled 160 pupils for the start of term this month.

Tess St Clair-Ford, founding principal of OIC Brighton, said: “We are thrilled to welcome our first cohort of students to our newly renovated Brighton campus as they embark on their learning journey with us. Following extensive investment, all of our students benefit from state-of-the-art facilities thoughtfully designed to support their learning, while our enviable location in the British countryside, close to the city of Brighton and the coast, provides our students with many opportunities to relax, study and stay fit.

“Our passionate teachers, who are leaders in their fields, will guide our students to stand out as pioneers, original thinkers and highly skilled learners. By matching the ambition we see in our students with an equally ambitious and motivated teaching team, we will build a culture of dynamism, making our college an inspiring place for both learning and teaching.”

Andrew Fitzmaurice, chief executive of Nord Anglia Education, commented: “OIC Brighton will be an outstanding school, focused on high-quality teaching and learning, academic excellence and wellbeing. Our new school is an international place of learning dedicated to nurturing students’ global citizenship, confidence, resilience and team spirit.”

“We are a school community with wellbeing at its heart. I truly believe that there is a deep connection between academic progress and strong mental health and wellbeing. This focus on wellbeing is at the core of everything that we do as a school; creating an environment where all our students feel fully supported and ready to take on any challenge.”

Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Jackie O’Quinn, officially opening the new school building