More parents are choosing to send their children to independent schools despite record rises in fees.

The number of pupils in the fee-paying sector has grown for a record ninth successive year as wealthier parents turn their backs on state education.

In Sussex, the scramble for places has become so intense some of the top day schools are oversubscribed.

The figures are published by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents 1,277 of the biggest fee-paying schools.

The numbers of pupils at independent schools in Sussex grew by 0.4 per cent to 19,450 during the year ending in January - a net rise of 71 pupils. This is despite a 5.9 per cent drop in boarding numbers.

Simon Smith, the deputy headteacher of Brighton College, said: "We are pretty well subscribed at the moment and I have seen someone this morning who wants to come, so I suppose in that sense we are over-subscribed. And we are fairly full for September 2005.

"Certainly there is a demand for this sort of education. It is very unusual at this time of year to see parents who want to gain places for September."

The rise came despite a record hike in fees, averaging almost ten per cent across Sussex compared with 9.4 per cent nationwide.

ISC director David Woodhead said: "While the overall growth in numbers is smaller than in recent years, it must be seen in the context of substantially higher fees attributable to an unusual combination of cost pressures on schools."

The ISC has blamed rising fees on a huge increase in the schools' contribution to teachers' pensions and a one per cent rise in employers' National Insurance contributions.

Other costs included rises in charges for Criminal Records Bureau checks on staff and, for boarding schools, new charges for welfare inspections.

The annual census was published as parents across the county were receiving notification of the next fee rises, due this September.

While smaller than last year, these are still expected to be more than three times the rate of inflation at up to seven per cent.

The increase in day pupils at Sussex independent schools, 2.7 per cent, was almost ten times higher than the national average increase of 0.3 per cent and many times the rise of 0.4 per cent across the South-East.

Mr Woodhead said: "Nine years of continuous growth represents a huge achievement for independent schools.

"There is no evidence parental demand for the excellence they represent is diminishing in any way and their only limit is capacity."