Catchment areas to be reviewed due to drop in pupils

Brighton & Hove City Council currently maintains 2,560 state secondary school places

School catchment areas in Brighton and Hove are due to be reviewed because of a continued fall in pupil numbers.

Empty places are already an issue for primary schools, but from 2025 secondary schools are expected to be impacted, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The council currently maintains 2,560 state secondary school places, but expects to need only 2,279 in 2025.

The Labour deputy leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, Jacob Taylor, told a meeting that forecasts showed this number would drop to 2,000 places by 2030.

From September 2025, the council plans to change its admissions policy to give a higher priority to pupils receiving free school meals when choosing a secondary school.

'Geographic spread'

Schools are funded per pupil and, with falling numbers impacting primary schools, Councillor Taylor said this had led to “some difficult action”.

Since 2019, the council reduced admissions to reception classes and two primary schools were told they were closing.

Councillor Taylor said he wanted to keep the current geographic spread of schools and ensure the two secondaries east of Lewes Road stayed open.

The next people overview and scrutiny committee meeting is scheduled for 16 October.