School kids need community,
not commuting.

This parent group opposes the Council’s proposed changes to admissions arrangements and advocates for a transparent, evidence-led approach to improving educational outcomes from Brighton and Hove Council.

Current Situation

The papers have been published in advance of the full council meeting on Thursday 27th February, and we have posted our initial response to the proposals.

This is a vital moment to try to influence Councillors before they make a decision. We need as many people as possible to make their concerns known to Labour councillors and Labour MPs in Brighton and Hove.

  1. Email all the councillors to let them know your thoughts and concerns
  2. Message your Councillor via the Contact my Councillor form
  3. Email Chris Ward MP for Kempton and Peacehaven chris.ward.mp@parliament.uk Peter Kyle MP for Hove and Portslade peter.kyle.mp@parliament.uk and Sian Berry MP for Brighton Pavilion sian.berry.mp@parliament.uk
  4. Email Councillor Bella Sankey, leader of the Council bella.sankey@brighton-hove.gov.uk
  5. You could copy your email to Councillor Jacob Taylor Jacob.taylor@brighton-hove.gov.uk and Councillor Gill Williams gilliane.williams@brighton-hove.gov.uk deputy leaders of the Council, and Councillor Emma Daniel, member of the Council responsible for children and families Emma.Daniel@brighton-hove.gov.uk. You could also copy your email to other Councillors. See this list of the responsibilities of all the Cabinet members.
  6. Spread the word to other people who might be affected by these proposals!

When writing to Councillors or your MP, you do not need to fully understand the details of the proposals. They are complex and it is unlikely that the Council fully understands the implications of its own proposals! Writing is likely to be most effective if it focuses on how you feel your family would be affected. You could ask your Councillor or MP questions about anything you would like explained.

Questions you might want to ask

There are lots of questions to ask, but here are a few ideas.

  1. What are the chances of my child getting into a school in their catchment area if they don’t have a sibling link and aren’t eligible for free school meals?
  2. Why does the Council not say anything about what would happen to the large number of children who would not get a place at a school within their catchment area?
  3. Why does the Council believe that children who don’t get into their catchment area schools should have to travel to the schools that are furthest from where they live?
  4. Is it true that the longest journeys children would need to make under these proposals would be much longer than the longest within catchment journeys under the current admissions arrangements?
  5. Did the Council realise that these proposals would mean that a child without a sibling link who lived in the Stringer/Varndean catchment area would have a very low chance of getting into either school? Did the Council realise that an equivalent child living outside the catchment area might have a higher chance of getting in?
  6. Why is the Council seeking to reduce the number of places in the Stringer/Varndean catchment area at the same time as increasing the number of students through the boundary change?
  7. The proposal would require children forced out of their catchment schools to travel long distances to the schools that are furthest from where they live. Isn’t this proposal Option B (which received very negative feedback) in disguise?
  8. We know that there is a significant problem with increased mental health issues and anxiety for children. How does the Council see forcing children to attend a school far from their community, and breaking up their friendship groups as a way to tackle this issue?
  9. We know that levels of absenteeism is a predictor of attainment, and also that there is an issue of persistent absenteeism in schools. Is there a risk of longer travel leading to even higher absence rates and worse attainment as a direct result?
  10. In a December Cabinet meeting it was stated that car use as a way to travel to school in the city is increasing, and that this trend needs to be reversed. Won’t these proposals increase congestion? 
  11. Why did the Council not provided a clear, accessible set of consultation papers as per its own Equalities Impact Assessment?

Information for Parents

Read the proposals in detail.

Read a comprehensive fact sheet.

We hosted an online event, on Thursday 9th January, to talk through some data and analysis. You can watch the recording here.

See a previous deputation speech we made to Brighton and Hove City Council Cabinet on the 5th December where we argue that the council would be consulting on flawed plans with serious unintended consequences.

Read the Analysis

Read our latest Visual Explainer of the second iteration of the proposal. You can access our Google Sheet which explores how the admissions priorities play out for 2026 and check the working yourself.

Professor of Urban Analytics, Adam Dennett has been collating evidence and research around these current plans since the very start of the engagement, please read his latest analysis regarding the link between attendence and attaniment:

Please also see his prior reports:

There is also a fact sheet covering the key points from these pieces of work.

Advice for those concerned about SEND provision in the proposals.

A recurring message from parents we’ve spoken to is how these changes would affect children who need extra educational, physical and emotional help, for whom the location and means of access to their school is critical. Brighton and Hove Council have said little more than “We will comply with our statutory duties” which is deeply concerning.

The following organisations may be able to give you further advice on your rights and ways to ensure you get as much support as you can for your children:

Contact Us

If you would like to contact us, then please email contact@parentsupport.group