Shortage of places in popular schools means disappointment

Education is one of the buzz words of the Labour Government. But with several schools in Sussex still failing, the scramble for places at

league-topping establishments is as fierce as ever.

Letters have already gone out allocating school placements to children across the region. Parents who do not get their preferred choice for their child feel a mixture of shock, anger and confusion.

Lesley Hixon looked at the schools lottery and its effect on parents and children.

Brighton and Hove Council is proud of its award- winning school admissions guide.

All parents are sent the 50-page document which describes the schools, the selection procedure and how to appeal against a decision.

But when one Brighton mother opened a letter saying her five-year-old son was being offered a place at a primary school at the opposite end of town she felt helpless.

She and her son, a severe asthma sufferer, live in a property which backs on to the playground of a local primary school.

She said: "I was shocked. It would be virtually impossible to live closer to a school than we do and yet they want him to go to one miles away.

"My son gets into asthma loops. Walking there every day in the rain and cold will make him seriously ill.

"I explained his illness when I filled in the options form but they have taken no notice.I want to appeal but I don't know where to start."

Maura Franks, of a new paid consultancy which advises parents on appeal hearings, said: "Many parents find themselves in desperate need of guidance and want to be put straight on what to expect. Some do not even realise it is a formal procedure.

"Council staff do their best to explain and try to be helpful, but it is the fear of the unknown. They can only spend limited time with parents and when they do get into the appeal it can be a real shock."

Last year there were 221 appeals lodged against places in primary and secondary schools in Brighton and Hove.

Around 68 per cent of those against secondary schools were successful, as were 37 per cent against primary schools.

Last year 427 appeals were lodged in West Sussex, of which 27 per cent of secondary school and 40 per cent of primary school appeals were upheld.

In East Sussex there were 291 appeals with a success rate of 45 per cent and 49 per cent respectively.

In Brighton and Hove, a baby boom more than a decade ago is making competition tougher than ever for places at good secondary schools.

Action is being taken in the form of expansion programmes at Blatchington Mill, Hove Park, Varndean, Portslade Community College and Longhill School.

But until the work is completed these schools will continue to be over subscribed.

Recently The Argus highlighted how more than 30 parents at Middle Street School failed to get their first, second or third choice for their child, with many being allocated places at troubled East Brighton College of Media Arts.

Middle Street School does not fall into any particular catchment area and parents felt their children were being offered places at the failing school in a bid to raise standards. Many plan to appeal.

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove Council said it considered all its schools "good schools" but accepted competition for places at the popular ones was tough.

She said: "There is a shortage of places at our popular secondary schools at the moment. Expansion programmes are in place but in the meantime we are having to manage as best we can and trying to be fair to all parties.

If parents are unhappy, the appeal system is in place and is completely independent of the education department. If the appeal panel decides in the parents' favour we have to accept that."

Priority is given to children with siblings already at the chosen school, those living in the catchment area and those with medical or other special needs.

But the spokeswoman stressed most parents in Brighton and Hove did get what they wanted for their children.

Last year 92 per cent of parents in Brighton and Hove had their first preference met at primary school level, 97.2 per cent at junior school level and 97.2 per cent at secondary school.But for the unlucky ones these statistics provide little comfort.

In Worthing, parents are taking action because a number of pupils at Thomas A Becket First School have failed to secure places at the Middle School.

One mum said: "We were warned the middle school was smaller but we thought we would get priority. Children from other first schools in the area have been taken over ours.

"When your children are settled at a school with their friends, you don't want to disrupt them.

"We realise the school only has places for so many children but at the same time you want the best education possible for your child."

The appeal committees meet at the end of May for secondary school places and late June and early July for primary and infant places.

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