Catalogue description Varndean College, Brighton, formerly Varndean Grammar School for Boys, previously known as the Municipal Secondary School for Boys and originally as York Place Board School

For minutes of the Brighton School Board, 1884-1903 see R/E 2/1/11-30; for minutes of the governing body of the Municipal Secondary School, 1897-1912 see E/MA/29/2-6; for minutes of the governing body, Jan - Jun 1913 see R/E 2/16/1; The governing bodies of the Brighton Secondary Schools reported to the Higher Schools sub-committee until 1949 and to the Secondary Schools branch of the schools committee thereafter. At first a single board of governors superintended the Boys and Girls Secondary Schools but by 1974 there were several boards with jurisdiction over groups of schools including Varndean. For minutes of the Municipal Secondary Schools and their successors amongst the minutes of the sub-committee, 1913-1973 see R/E 2/7/5-6, 9-22, R/E 2/12/1, R/E 2/22/1-6; for fee books, 1933-1942 see R/E 2/37/2; for title deeds of 14-16 York Place, acquired by the Brighton and Preston School Board for the school site, 1677-1966 see R/C 4/450-452; for title deeds of 1-2 Trafalgar Court, Trafalgar Street and part of the garden of 99 Trafalgar Street, acquired by the Brighton and Preston School Board for the school site, 1768-1924 see R/C 4/454-456; for contract for the erection and completion of the new secondary school for boys and caretaker's house by Messrs F J Wilson and Sons, 1929 see R/C 33/9; for file concerning the use of Varndean Holt for classes of emotionally fragile pupils, of handicapped pupils from Patcham House Special School, of foreign children needing help with English, of hearing-impaired children, of pregnant school girls and of Hove teachers, 1975-1980 see R/E 2/68/36; for file concerning the provision of free transport to children attending the school, 1951-1976 see R/E 2/68/38; for file concerning the creation of Sixth Form Colleges, 1979-1980 see R/E 2/68/88; for correspondence and estimates concerning the laying out of the playing fields, 1924-1925 and 1934 see DB/D 62/63; for photograph showing the construction of the playing fields, 1920s-1930s see DB/D 83/25; for papers of Professor N M Comber of Leeds University, Honorary Vice President of the Old Varndeanian Association, 1949-1953 see AMS 6261; for copy of headmaster's annual report, 1912 see ACC 6883/32; for additional papers see ACC 6266 & ACC 6678; ACC 7902 (Old Varndeanians' Association); for a history of the school see ACC 7902/17

Varndean College, Brighton, East Sussex

Records transferred 24 May 1993 (ACC 6091), 10 Jan 1997 (ACC 6962)

York Place Board School was opened in September 1884 under the Brighton and Preston School Board. In June 1886 an application was made to the Science and Art Department for recognition of the upper section of the school as an Organised Science School. In September 1886 the standard VII boys were united with the ex-standard boys to form part of the Organised Science School, by then officially approved. By 1899 the main school was known as York Place Higher Grade Board School. In 1903, following the 1902 Education Act, the school came under the control of the Education Committee of the Borough of Brighton. In 1905 the school was reorganised with one department only and became known as the Municipal Secondary School for Boys. The Municipal Secondary School for Girls was transferred to a new building in Balfour Road in 1926 and is now (May 1993) known as Varndean School. By 1932 the Boys' School, then known as the Varndean Municipal Secondary School for Boys, was in new premises in Surrenden Road. In 1963 it became the Varndean Grammar School for Boys and in September 1975 became the Varndean Sixth Form College (mixed entry) in Surrenden Road