Hove & Brighton primary schools

[adie]

Hi there

We are thinking of moving to Hove, to a house close to the Hove Park. We don't know very much about the primary schools in the area ... can anybody recommend good primary schools? And is it possible to get into Brighton schools from Hove.

Adie

What school year(s) are you looking for? Because so many people have moved from London in the last number of years, there is huge pressure on Brighton&Hove schools (it's a Unitary Authority hence a single LEA so you could be offered schools in either Brighton or Hove). My SIL is 800 meters from Davigdor Infants in Hove which is really popular and she only got her son into reception for September because they made a third reception class! She was told that 10 meters further and he wouldn't have got a place. The situation is similar with Y3 as there are quite a few separate infant and junior schools in Brighton and Hove.

I lived in Brighton for 12 years so am familiar with the schools at the other end of town but have no direct experience of the Hove schools (other than knowing the Davigdor has been the most popular school in Hove ever since I've had kids). The trouble with B&H is although the majority of primary schools are good (most people comparing them with London schools think they're fantastic), there are a few that you definitely would not want to send your kids to. Obviously these always have spaces. The LEA's obligation is to offer you A school place - you can express a preference but B&H are very clear that you do NOT have the right to choose a school. If you were considering private in that area there are some good choices and if you are looking for spaces in years other than R and Y3 you might get lucky and find a space in a school you like. You need to get down there and get looking though if you're thinking about September!

If you can come up with any names I'll ask my SIL for you. I've been hearing about the trauma of school admissions for her and her Hove friends for months now

Hi

We have a 1 year old and 3 year old daughter who is due to start pre school here in this Jan (09) and reception Jan 10, so I would need to get her reception application in this Sept.

It sounds like a complete gamble with the schools.. cos it seems the catchment areas change from year to year...we also we have to rule out all faith schools.

S that leaves us with:

Davigdor - 0.85 miles away
West Hove - 08.6 miles away
Stanford - 0.9 miles away
Goldstone - 0.9 miles away
Hangleton - 1.19 miles

Have you tried contacting the Family Information Service - they may be able to give you information on what the catchment areas were for this year. I heard that my dd's school (in Brighton) had 90 applicants for 30 places this year.

My feeling is that you have to live really close to the more popular schools in Brighton to get in atm, and it is probably the same in the Hove Park schools, but I don't know about schools near Hove Park though.

I wanted to try to get into Stanford for dd2 but it was hopeless!

I don't think you would get into schools in Brighton if you lived in Hove - I think you have to live on the doorstep of the popular schools, although it is possible to move further away once you are in - I do know someone who travels to our school from Hangleton, but she lived nearer when applying. I would suggest renting at first to get a school place (if you can't find anywhere really close to the schools to buy).

Hey Pollanna - congratulations on no.5 Thought your kids were at BC - did you move them?

Davigdor is the one everyone wants adie, has been for yonks. It's supposed to be quite arty. I've never heard anyone say a bad word about it tbh which is pretty amazing! I think 810m was the catchment limit this year (school admissions will tell you exactly), but that was with them creating a third reception class which they have said they won't do next year. West Hove was the one lots of my SILs friends were offered that they're turning their noses up at. I know at least one mumsnetter on here whose kids to to Stanford so hopefully she'll come along. I looked at it years ago and didn't like the head teacher, but she is gone now. I know quite a few kids who go/went there and parents were generally happy with it. Funny, it used to be a really undersubscibed school and took kids from a long way away but as Pollyanna as found it's obviously changed.

Not sure where you're moving from, but there is only one intake in Brighton&Hove in September, so if your 3 year old turns 4 by 31st August 2009 she'll be in reception in September 2009 (they start either full time if they turn 5 before Christmas or part time until the term in which they turn 5). For entry Sept 08 the closing date for applications was 1st February 08 so you have plenty of time.

The whole school admissions thing in Brighton gets a bit hysterical tbh, and is very influenced by a lot of middle class parents who can't believe that they won't get what they want if they stamp their feet hard enough. I also thing you have to be wary of schools with such a great reputation they don't feel they have to try too hard any more. I took my eldest out of Elm Grove which is one of the schools everyone is desperate to get into on the other side of town. When we started it was a school "on the up" after some very mediocre years. By the time we left it was massively oversubscribed, and it had lost a lot of the great things that attracted us to it in the first place as it was so crammed.

If you do decide to rent as Pollyanna suggested be aware that B&H changed their sibling preference policy some time back and you will only get sibling preference for subsequent children if you are still within a certain distance of the school. Also, if you have to apply again for a linked junior school you would have to meet the normal admissions criteria at that time.

blimey I didn't know that about sibling policy.

Hi Sunny -thanks! I still have 2 children at BC , but the others will be going state at least for primary. (can't see how I can afford all 5 at BC ). I have one at a church school now and hopefully the others will follow, although admissions there are a bit worrying too now.

stanford is considered the best primary now by most of the mc parents here. you have to live so close to it now. (and I have reservations because it is so big, but the ofsted report is glowing).

You need to come here Pollyanna - very generous siblings discounts in private Christian and Catholic schools! Ours is totally free for no. 5!

Thanks Pollyanna and Sunnydelight for your comments and guidance.

I think the rental market will be the way forward for us at the moment, not least because there are hardly any family homes for sale anyway in Brighton anyway!

Davigdor sounds like a great school .. I love the idea of the arty aspect and Stanford I have heard being bounced around.. so they probably are the ones to go for!