School place lotteries to be rolled out as adjudicator backs policy

Brighton and Hove City Council announced in February that it would allocate places at oversubscribed state schools by lottery, from September next year.

The council decided the controversial method would stop affluent families dominating the most sought-after secondaries.

Wealthier families are said to attempt to buy their way into the best state schools by moving house to be within the catchment area.

Ministers have backed the use of a lottery system, which is recommended in the Government's mandatory school admissions code.

Schools adjudicator Canon Richard Lindley held a public meeting at Hove Town Hall last month amid criticism from some parents about the scheme. He had the authority to order detailed changes or reject the system altogether and devise a new version.

But today it was announced that more than 50 objections raised by parents were rejected, and provisional approval was given to the scheme, subject to a one-year review.

Tory chairman of the city council's children, families and schools committee, Councillor Vanessa Brown, said: "I'm very aware of the concerns expressed by those who opposed the system, and the equally strong concerns voiced by parents in areas of the city who have suffered injustices under the current system.

"However, we know that the new system will not be perfect and for that reason we have always been committed to reviewing it in the light of its operation in the first year. So we welcome the adjudicator's recognition of our commitment to do this."

Parents in the city who protested against the scheme, along with campaign group Schools 4 Communities, had wanted a delay of a year for further research to be carried out.

Hundreds of parents attended public meetings, almost 4,000 people signed a petition, and tens of thousands of leaflets were distributed by campaigners.

Gill Mitchell, leader of the city council's Labour opposition, said: "This is great news and removes any lingering uncertainty for families.

"I am especially pleased that the adjudicator has concluded that a greater degree of social justice is likely to result from these new arrangements, brought in by the Labour administration."