This is not life or limb but is something that's brought great sadness to our daughter.
On 1st March our daughter, along with other Year 6 Primary school children up and down the country, received news of which secondary school she'll be going to. Where we live in Brighton and Hove a lottery system is used - mainly due to the fact the two most central Brighton schools - the only ones in our immediate catchment area - are the most popular and are often over-subscribed. Our Daughter had her heart set on one of these two schools, having very close friendships with a couple of children who started there already and are now Yr7's (what we used to call first-year seniors). Her peers in her class and year at her current Primary school also almost unanimously selected this same school as their first choice too, and there's been much excitement and anticipation in the last few months leading up.
When the emails came out to parents on March 1st we learned that our daughter didn't get any of her 3 choices of school (you must choose 3) and instead had been offered a school a long way away, well outside of the city. I had to break the news to her as we left the playground while around us her friends were each learning their news and chattering excitedly about where they'd each be going. We later found out she was the only child in her class not to be offered a place at one of their preferred schools, and the only child in the whole year to be allocated the school she has been given. She would be leaving behind all the friendships she's built in Primary school (some really lovely kids) and starting over again. On top of that, nurturing new friendships- especially outside of school time would be hard for her, as most of the children who attend this school live in its vicinity, which is a 30 min drive away for us.
We've tried to explain to her that she's not been singled out and it's purely random, but it's hard for her to understand with her being the only one. At the age of 11 these things really matter, and while I know as an adult that unexpected turns in life can sometimes work out for the best or make us stronger, I still can't help feeling gutted for her that she won't be making that transition with any of her other friends. She's an only child, and so the importance of those friendships to her perhaps runs a little deeper too.
The Council have known about the current population spike for a number of years of course due to census data and the numbers coming up through Primary, and this situation was predicted. Two years ago it was announced a new secondary school would be built to cope with the additional demand, but after many promises this would be open in time for this September's intake, they announced in the Autumn that it would not be going ahead. The two main secondary schools were opposed to this new school at the time, and both offered to increase their intake by an additional class each for the next three years, until the pupil numbers are predicted to decline again. One of them has kept it's promise for this year, but the other has deferred that promise until next year.
There are just 37 other children across the whole city in the same situation as our daughter who've been scattered to schools across the city and beyond.
I'm asking a small favour of each of you to sign the petition below, asking Brighton & Hove council to reconsider their position. All that's needed are 1,250 signatures and that will allow us as parents to give a presentation at the next Council comittee meeting and hopefully enable at least some of these kids to start school along with their friends. There's no stipulation that those who sign must live in the area or be affected by this directly, so I'd be hugely grateful if you could lend your support by adding your name:
https://phantom.brighton-hove.gov.uk...TPID=21654301&
Many thanks
Graham
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Originally Posted by Jeremy67
Thanks guys, yes we’ve spoken with Caroline Lucas our MP who lobbied the council heavily last year to change their policy on this issue, but ultimately she was unsuccessful. Brighton Council is Labour led, and even though she’s an MP she obviously didn’t have the clout.
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