One "Choice" is NO Choice!

We believe that every child in Brighton and Hove should be treated fairly. 

The University of Brighton intend to provide a Secondary school for children in the central AND the east of the city which will open in 2018. For the first year, any child in the city can apply.

However, the working party have recommended that the new school should be located in the central catchment from 2019. (Dorothy Stringer/Varndean school catchment which would be increased towards the west of the city to Montpelier Road).

They also recommend that Coldean should be moved into the BACA catchment whilst the other existing catchments would remain the same.

In effect, children in the BACA (Moulsecoomb/Bevendean including Coombe road area), Longhill (Whitehawk, Woodingdean, Ovingdean, Rottingdean and part of Saltdean), PACA (Portslade, Mile Oak) and Patcham (Patcham, Hollingbury and Westdene) will have ONE "choice/preference" whilst children in the central catchment will have THREE choices.

This is unfair and contradicts the School Admissions Code (2014) which states that admission policies should be 'fair, clear and objective".

We, the undersigned, ask Brighton and Hove City Council to end this unfairness and inequity and ask that children from all over the city are given at least two secondary schools in their catchment area so that ALL children have a choice.

This petition will be delivered in January 2017 to;

Richard Barker, Head of School Organisation.

The Working Party.