I couldn't agree more with Kristan Akerman who said she was effectively given no choice of schools for her daughter (Letters, May 7).

My daughter also missed out on a place at both Elm Grove and St Luke's primary schools and has been offered a place at Fairlight Primary School.

I live about 500m from Elm Grove, which according to the local education authority is too far away. This means that in September we will need to continue our journey each day past Elm Grove to get to Fairlight - complete madness.

I'm Brighton born and bred, as is my daughter and her father. I now find myself in the position that if I want my daughter to go to a school that doesn't underperform I either need to pay inflated house prices to live on top of the school gates, marry someone who has a child who already attends to get in via the sibling rule or leave my home town altogether.

I will now sit patiently on a waiting list with the other 200 or so parents who didn't get into Elm Grove - with zero chance of getting a place.

The appeals process would appear to be a complete waste of time and energy.

No wonder people opt for independent schools.

  • Kerry Burnett, Sandown Road, Brighton

Like Kristan Akerman (Letters, May 7), we also have a four-year-old daughter who is starting school this year. After a lot of consideration and looking around the schools we submitted our form with three preferences - St Luke's first, then Elm Grove and then Queen's Park.

We have been given a place at Fairlight Primary, even though this was not one of our preferences.

I feel that the whole system is completely unfair.

When buying our house we thought it would be a good area knowing we were going to have a family and knowing that there was a choice of good schools all within a short distance.

The local education authority tells you before you apply for the schools what a huge decision choosing a school is and before making your preference you should visit the schools, read their Ofsted reports and prospectuses to ensure you choose the best school for you and you child. What is the point in any of this if you aren't going to get one of the schools you want?

This has caused us so much stress and worry at a time which should be fun and exciting for us all.

  • Sarah Ray, Carisbrooke Road, Brighton

I feel it is a great shame that the "golden halo" effect is now affecting primary schools in addition to secondary schools in the Brighton and Hove area (Letters, May 7). While I sympathise with Kristan Akerman's situation it is a tragedy that league tables, coupled with Ofsted reports, affect parents' choice when primary schools are generally of a good to high standard.

What the tables do not reflect is that Fairlight is a primary school with a mixed intake in competition for pupils with other nearby primary schools that draw in higher ability children. It also tends to receive children from outside the area where the parents have not received their preference and look for the earliest opportunity to move them out again when a place becomes available.

I am happy to say that all three of my children attend Fairlight and I am more than satisfied with the standard of education they have received so far.

  • Sam Reeve, Park Crescent Terraces, Brighton