New policy to improve educational equality profiled in national report

Recent school admissions policy changes in Brighton & Hove have been profiled as examples of positive action that local authorities can take in a national report focusing on tackling equality in education.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and The Difference’s 'Who is losing learning? Finding solutions to the school engagement crisis' report outlines potential solutions to the rise in absence and exclusions and the special educational needs crisis.

Fairer education system

Councillor Jacob Taylor, Deputy Leader of the Council, who attended the launch of the report last week, said: “Our new school admissions policies will help us create a fairer education system and ensure the long-term sustainability of our schools.

“I’m incredibly proud that our Free School Meals priority admissions policy has been profiled by the IPPR and The Difference as an example of how local authorities can take action to address inequality in their schools, and build a better future for their young people.”

Improving equality across the city’s schools

To tackle the unequal representation of disadvantaged children in secondary schools, we’ve introduced a free school meals priority across all community secondary schools in the city.

For the academic year beginning September 2026, we are also introducing an open admissions criterion to increase choices for more families across the city. This policy will reserve up to 5% of places in our secondary schools for pupils who live in single-school catchment areas.

We will also be changing the Published Admission Numbers (PANs) at Longhill High , Blatchington Mill and Dorothy Stringer schools to reflect falling pupil numbers in the city – as well as changing the catchment area boundaries at Longhill High, Dorothy Stringer and Varndean schools.