A response to the 2024 Brighton and Hove Catchment and PAN review by the Class Divide Teachers Network.

We have important news to share! Brighton and Hove City Council has just announced a review of catchment areas and Planned Admission Numbers (PANs) for secondary schools. This is a significant development that we've been pushing for since our campaign began.

The recent study by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has shed light on a disturbing trend in England's education system - the widening attainment gap between students from low-income families and their wealthier peers. This report resonates deeply with our mission and underscores the urgency of our work.

A message of support for our manifesto from teachers.

No one speaks up for the disadvantaged in our education system like Class Divide, and their manifesto for the UK general election 2024 sets forward a programme that most educators would endorse. Their plan includes simple actions that could transform the lives of those affected.

Our mission is to make Brighton & Hove the best place to go to school if you are a child from a low-income family or community. However, we recognise that achieving this goal requires changes to national education policy. Today, we are proud to launch our manifesto, outlining the five crucial actions the next government must take to ensure children from low-income backgrounds have equity in education.

One of the most exciting things about our action over the last year has been the number of teachers and other education professionals who have got in touch with us to offer their support and tell their own stories about how the education divide in the city impacts them both in the classroom and in their careers.

Class Divide on BBC Politics South East

The day after the FSM vote, our founder and spokesperson was invited onto BBC Politics live to speak about the policy change.

The moment Brighton & Hove became the first place in the country to prioritise children on FSM in the schools admissions process.

The Guardian view on school reform: southern discomfort about the class divide. To fight inequality in a highly unequal city, Brighton council is changing its admission policy. It’s a big, bold move.

We are delighted to announce that proposals to create a new priority category of Free School Meals (FSM) in secondary school admissions were agreed by councillors at Brighton & Hove City Council’s Children, Young People, and Schools committee yesterday.

Parents living in Whitehawk are furious that the cost and availability of bus travel to secondary school is still severely limiting school choice and disadvantaging families and pupils from the area. As the deadline looms for secondary school applications, we demand action now.

Maureen McKenna was Director of Education for Glasgow City Council for fourteen years. Over that period, she led a programme of transformational change that placed the needs of children and young people at the heart of every decision. The efforts of Maureen, her team, and educators across the city led to a 94% reduction in school exclusions and increases in attainment at every level of learning. At this Class Divide event, Maureen shares her experience of creating inclusive schools and an inclusive school system.

What’s that saying, you wait for ages for a bus, then two come along at once. Well, this week it feels like we are still waiting for at least one bus to turn up somewhere on the horizon.

On the 10th of January a draft of Better Outcomes, Better Lives will be presented to Brighton and Hove City Council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee on Monday the 13th of January.