Making Brighton & Hove's Schools Work for Everyone
Class Divide's Response to the Council's Secondary School Admission Proposals for 2026/27
Who We Are and Why We Care
Class Divide is a group of local residents, parents, education experts, and community members who have spent the last five years fighting for fair access to education in Brighton and Hove. We're not affiliated with any political party. Our mission is simple: to make Brighton & Hove the best place to go to school if you're from a working class or low-income background.
The Current Situation
Brighton and Hove City Council is proposing changes to how secondary school places are allocated. This matters because right now:
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are being left behind - in some parts of our city, less than 40% of children achieve basic GCSE grades
Some families have choice of multiple schools while others are limited to just one
The number of school-age children in Brighton is falling, which could put some schools at risk of closure if we don't act
The Path to Change: Where We Are Now
In January 2024, Brighton & Hove took a groundbreaking first step towards educational equity. The city council approved a policy ensuring that at least 28% of places in each secondary school would go to children eligible for free school meals - the first policy of its kind in England. This change happened because our community showed up and supported the idea that all children deserve fair access to education, regardless of their background.
While this was an important victory, it left two major challenges unaddressed:
Many families in east Brighton who aren't eligible for free school meals, but still struggle financially, continue to have very limited school choice. Unlike families in other parts of the city who can choose between multiple schools, these families remain restricted to a single school catchment area.
The number of school-age children in Brighton is falling sharply. Without careful planning, this could put schools in the east at risk of closure - exactly where our communities have already lost schools before.
In October 2024, the council asked residents for their views on these challenges. The stark reality is that Brighton's poorest children still do worse than similar children in many other parts of the country. Any solution needs to both improve opportunities for pupils from low-income families and keep all our current schools open and thriving.
When the council published their findings in November 2024, they confirmed that whilst Brighton residents support making our schools more equal and inclusive, there wasn't clear agreement on how to achieve this. Now, the council has proposed new changes to how school places are allocated, and they want to hear from everyone in our community about these plans.
This is why your voice matters now. The decisions we make about these proposals will shape educational opportunities in Brighton for years to come.
The Principles We Support in the New Proposals
Protecting All Our Schools - We strongly support plans to keep all current schools open by carefully managing student numbers across the city. When schools close, it hits the poorest communities hardest.
Fair Choice for Everyone - We believe all families should have a meaningful choice about where their children go to school, regardless of where they live or how much money they have.
Mixed Schools Benefit Everyone - Research shows that when schools have a good mix of students from different backgrounds:
All students do well academically
Disadvantaged students do significantly better
Schools become stronger and more sustainable
Communities grow closer together
The Proposals
Brighton & Hove City Council has put forward several proposals to change how secondary school places are allocated. As a campaign focused on educational equity, we have carefully considered each proposal's potential impact on families across our city, particularly those from working class and low-income backgrounds.
Proposal 3: Setting the allocation of Free School Meals (FSM) at 30%
The Council proposes using a fixed 30% figure rather than a changeable city average for FSM priority places.
Our Position: We strongly agree with using a fixed 30% figure rather than a changeable city average for FSM priority places.
Why We Support This: This change makes a complex system simpler for everyone to understand and implement. While it might seem like a small technical adjustment, it provides much-needed clarity for schools planning their admissions and for families understanding their options.
Currently, Brighton & Hove's FSM rate at primary school varies across the city, from as high as 60% in areas like Whitehawk to around 15% in some city centre schools. A fixed 30% at secondary target provides stability while still supporting meaningful integration.
Important Safeguard: We request that this figure be reviewed if the city's average FSM percentage exceeds 30%. This ensures the policy continues to serve its intended purpose of creating more balanced school communities.
While setting a fixed FSM percentage creates a strong foundation for fairness, it only addresses part of the challenge. Many families who don't qualify for free school meals still face significant barriers to school choice. This is why the next element of the proposals is so crucial...
Proposal 4: Introduction of new admission priority - Open Admission
The Council proposes introducing an Open Admission priority for families living in single school catchment areas.
Our Position: We support introducing an Open Admission priority for families in single school catchment areas.
The Current Problem: There is a stark and unjustifiable divide in our city:
Families in more affluent areas have multiple school choices
Families in areas of higher deprivation are restricted to a single school
Wealthier families can effectively "buy" school choice by moving to certain areas
This creates a two-tier system within our state-funded education
Our Journey to This Position: Initially, we advocated for all catchment areas to become multi-school catchments. While this wasn't supported by the majority during the initial phase of this review, we see the Open Admissions priority as a meaningful step forward even though it is a compromise.
Under the current system:
FSM-eligible families in Whitehawk have limited chances at oversubscribed schools
Non-FSM families in the same area have virtually no chance at oversubscribed schools, regardless of preference
Addressing Concerns: Some oppose this change, arguing it creates uncertainty for families in multi-school catchments. However:
No child is currently guaranteed a catchment area place
The Open Admissions priority would give families in single school catchments additional choice for the first time
Families move from neighbourhoods in single school catchment areas either into the city centre or out of the city entirely as their children reach secondary school age to access greater school choice, this change could reduce that movement and make communities more sustainable
The benefits of breaking the link between property prices and school access outweigh temporary uncertainties
Greater social mixing in schools benefits all children
Essential Supporting Infrastructure: For this system to work fairly, we need:
Quick, affordable, and safe transport options by September 2026, including direct routes to schools so travel time is kept to a minimum
Special consideration for children with additional needs
Transport timetables that allow participation in after-school activities
Having established the principle of expanding choice through Open Admissions, we need to consider exactly how many places should be available through this new route. This isn't just about picking a number – it's about finding the right balance that creates meaningful change while maintaining stable school communities…
Proposal 5: Setting the Open Admissions percentage
The Council proposes dedicating 20% of places at each school to Open Admission priority.
Our Position: We support setting the Open Admissions priority at 30% of places at each school.
Why This Percentage Matters: It means that 30% of places will go to children not in catchment and give more families in single catchment schools more choice.
This change will further weaken the relationship between property prices and access to oversubscribed schools and it represents another shift, following the Free School Meal priority change, toward a more equitable system
This balance maintains school stability while creating meaningful change for families living in neighbourhoods who have had limited choice for many years
Creating more equitable access through FSM priority and Open Admissions is essential, but these changes don't exist in isolation. They need to be supported by careful management of school sizes across the city. This is particularly important as we face declining student numbers, which brings us to one of the most practical aspects of the proposals…
Proposals 6 & 7: Reducing Published Admission Numbers (PANs) at Blatchington Mill and Dorothy Stringer Schools
The Council proposes reducing the number of places available at these two large secondary schools.
Our Position: We strongly support reducing admission numbers at larger schools, in the context of this consultation, this is limited to Blatchington Mill and Dorothy Stringer.
The Context: Brighton faces a significant decline in student numbers. These schools expanded their intake during previous periods of growing student numbers. Now, as student numbers decline, it's appropriate that they participate in necessary reductions. This reflects fair and reciprocal management of our city's school places.
Why This Matters:
School funding follows pupils
Without planned reductions, declining numbers hit disadvantaged schools hardest
This can trigger a "spiral of decline" that's nearly impossible to escape
Even with reductions, these schools remain among the country's largest
Breaking the Cycle: We believe no school can truly succeed if others in our city are left to struggle. This isn't just about numbers – it's about creating a sustainable system where all schools can thrive.
While the case for PAN reductions at our largest schools is clear, we need to take a more nuanced approach when considering schools that serve our most disadvantaged communities. This is particularly true for Longhill High School, where the context and challenges require special consideration...
Proposal 8: Reducing the Published Admission Number (PAN) at Longhill High School
The Council proposes a reduction in Longhill's admission numbers.
Our Response: We agree with this proposal, but with important qualifications about protecting the school's future viability.
Special Considerations for Longhill: Unlike the larger schools, Longhill serves communities with specific needs and challenges:
Many local families currently choose schools outside the area
The school is actively working to build community trust and improve outcomes
As our school system becomes more balanced, we anticipate more local families choosing Longhill
Essential Safeguards: For this reduction to work, the council must:
Maintain sufficient capacity for future growth
Support current improvement initiatives
Resist any pressure for further reductions
Keep the school on its current site
Proposal 9: Changes to Catchment Areas
The Council proposes redrawing several school catchment boundaries, including changes affecting the Whitehawk community.
Our Response: We agree with the proposed changes.
Understanding the Historical Context: The closure of COMART school in 2005 left deep wounds in the Whitehawk community. Any changes to catchment areas must be viewed through this lens of historical inequality and community impact.
Benefits of the Proposed Changes:
Provides Whitehawk families with access to a wider range of schools
Creates natural pathways for community integration
Maintains important connections with existing local schools
Supports the broader vision of a more integrated city
Making These Changes Work: Success requires careful attention to:
Developing robust transport solutions
Supporting families to understand and navigate their new choices
Recognising that change brings both opportunities and challenges
Committing to monitor and adjust as needed
These proposals work together as a complete package for change. Each element supports the others:
Fixed FSM percentages provide stability
Open Admissions create opportunity
PAN reductions protect school sustainability
Catchment changes break down barriers
These six elements of change - FSM allocation, Open Admissions, balanced percentages, managed school sizes, protected community schools, and redrawn catchments - form an interconnected web of reform. Each piece supports the others, addressing both immediate fairness and long-term sustainability. Together, they offer a practical pathway to the more equitable education system our city needs.
Proposal 10. Increasing the number of preferences available from 3 to 4
This proposed change will give families more preferences when they apply for a secondary school place for their child.
Our Response: Class Divide strongly supports this change.
Benefits of the Proposed Changes:
More choice for families will have more incentive to visit a wider range of schools and see the great education taking place in our city
Families currently living in dual-school catchment areas will have greater school choice
We do think the council should consider increasing the number of preferences further to 5.
Final comments
Every day in Brighton, we see both the human cost of our current system and the possibilities for change. We hear it in the voice of Beth from Whitehawk, describing how postcode prejudice shapes her children's chances: "It's very much, oh no, not Whitehawk... Don't tell me you come from Whitehawk." We see it in the frustration of parents like Dave, trying to navigate limited choices for his grandson with additional needs.
But we also see profound hope for the future. At Longhill High School, headteacher Rachelle speaks of the "brilliant" children and "amazing" staff who challenge the myths and misconceptions about their school every day. As she says, "The school itself is a lovely place to be. It's a great place to work. It's a great place to learn if you're a child."
These proposals aren't just about numbers and catchment lines. They're about children like those in Whitehawk, where currently less than 40% achieve basic GCSE grades. They're about parents who felt "sick" when first seeing proposed changes, but came to understand that protecting advantage at any cost doesn't create the kind of city we want to live in. They're about creating the kinds of schools that Professor Stephen Gorard describes - places that show children what society could and should be like.
The council's proposals offer a practical pathway to change. But more than that, they offer a chance for Brighton to live up to its progressive values. As Sammy Wright reminds us in the first podcast episode of our latest series, this isn't just about individual children's education - it's about "what we're doing to ensure that their adult life is lived in a society that has shared values, and a joint commitment to coherent and equitable growth."
Years from now, when we look back at this moment, what will we tell our children about the choices we made? Will we say we were brave enough to create real change? Will we say we built a city where every child, regardless of their postcode or family income, had a fair chance at a great education?
The consultation is open until January 31st. Your voice matters in this debate. These proposals aren't perfect - no change ever is. But they offer a real chance to build the kind of education system our city deserves - one that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.
Because ultimately, as we've learned through five years of campaigning, when we build an education system that works for our poorest children first, we create better schools for everyone. That's not just a slogan - it's a proven reality that could transform our city's future.
Let's be the city we claim to be. Let's make Brighton & Hove a place where your postcode doesn't determine your potential.
