Parents are turning to private education for their children.

Figures revealed that nearly one in seven of the city’s children now attend a private school.

The figure is twice the national average, according to the statistics released by the Department for Education.

At secondary level, the proportion is even higher at more than 20%. Department of Education figures for 2011 reveal 3,060 secondary school students are educated independently compared to 12,196 in state schools.

In the rest of Sussex, 10% of the children are educated privately.

Labour spokeswoman for education, Councillor Anne Pissaridou, said the figures showed the city’s state schools were not good enough.

She said: “As has already been reported by Argus, the academic performance of the city’s secondary schools is still not good enough and over the past few years has slipped below that of inner city London boroughs so we fully support the measures now in place via a special Commission to raise achievement.

“Coalition Government policy is reducing the amount of funding going to schools and eroding the ability of local councils to support schools and plan admissions.

"It has also relaxed the restriction on class sizes. These damaging policies must be reversed if the vast majority of the city’s children are to receive the best education that they deserve.

“Given all of that it is unsurprising that parents who can afford to are paying for private education and this is clearly the government’s aim.”

But Richard Cairns, the head teacher of Brighton College that has 1,485 children on its books, said the growth of the independent sector was a huge positive for the city.

He said: “Significant numbers of children are being educated at no cost to the local taxpayers, helping to keep council taxes down for everyone and allowing more public money to be devoted to state schools.

“Brighton College is also one of the largest private employers in the city with 400 employees and a major supporter of the local economy in Kemp Town.

“We are also spending significant sums on new buildings at the moment, providing much-needed additional employment in these troubled economic times.”

Councillor Sue Shanks, chairwoman of Brighton and Hove City Council's education committee, said the figures showed the inequality in the city.

She said: "Personally I think it is an indication of the inequality in our city and across the south east generally.

"Our schools provide a good education and results are improving. The benefits of a comprehensive education are wider than cramming for results."