School places petition fails to budge councillors on bulge classes

Campaigners fighting for secondary school places near their homes made sure councillors heard messages from school children who will have to travel miles without their friends.

One parent, Anna Cole, spoke for the “Misplaced 62” – families whose children were not given a place at their catchment area schools Dorothy Stringer and Varndean – at a council meeting today (Thursday 25 March).

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More than 2,400 people signed a petition presented to Brighton and Hove City Council calling for a review of the number of places available at the two schools.

This year Dorothy Stringer did not take a “bulge” class of an extra 30 pupils as it did for the past three years.

Ms Cole said that there were seven secondary schools closer to her home than the one allocated to her son.

Ms Cole added that, after looking at the schools’ numbers, parents found that, as of March 2021, Dorothy Stringer had 1,668 students when it had room for 1,710.

Varndean was also due to be able to take more pupil numbers – 1,500 – once its building work was complete.

She said that parents did not understand why the council’s Schools Working Group had decided not to offer more places at the two schools.

Ms Cole read out statements from some 10 and 11-year-olds, telling councillors that they needed to understand how those children felt about missing out on going to their local school.

Florence, 11, said: “I’m sad and I cry a lot at the moment. I worry at night and I can’t sleep. I want to go to the same school as all my friends.

“It’s just up the road. I’m scared about going to a school where I don’t know anyone. I’m scared about having to get there on my own. I don’t understand, why me?”

George, 11, said: “I’m not great at socialising. I don’t make friends easily so the two best friends I do have are very important to me.

“I think differently to most children and I get a lot of support from them. They make me feel confident and less anxious.”

Enya, 11, said: “I feel isolated. Why am I being treated differently from my friends who practically live next to me?

“I’m extremely anxious and I don’t feel like I can handle nearly two hours on two different buses there and back. Please help me go to a local school.”

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Green councillor Hannah Clare, who chairs the Children, Young People and Skills Committee, said that she understood that it was a distressing episode for families.

She said that the council had been talking with schools to find a long-term solution – but expanding numbers was not possible.

Councillor Clare said: “Taking everything into account, we believe that making the schools even bigger is not going to be the right thing for all our schools but especially for our children, especially in a year where issues of overcrowding have real implications for the health of pupils and staff.

“However, I do appreciate that for the young people and families involved, understanding why the decision has been taken offers small comfort, which is why I give my commitment that we will support every child who has been impacted by the decision.”