Brighton schools fail to make the grade

Brighton and Hove's local authority schools have completely missed out on new tables created by The Times newspaper - fuelling concerns parents will look elsewhere for more highly rated provision.

The lists, which feature the top 500 state primary and secondaries as well as the top 500 independent secondaries and 250 independent preparatory schools, have been released at the same time as think tank Policy Exchange has declared wealthier parents are increasingly looking further away from home or turning away from the state sector altogether to find good schooling.

Policy Exchange head of research Sam Freedman said: "Ordinary families often end up dissatisfied because their children can only be accommodated at failing schools."

The tables, based on exam achievement, showed five state schools in East Sussex and fourteen in West Sussex were rated among the best in the country..

Catholic and Church of England schools featured prominently among them.

Families in Chichester, Horsham, Billingshurst, Crawley, Uckfield and Wadhurst will all have cause for celebration after seeing at least two state schools in their areas included.

The county's highest rated state secondary was Claverham Community College in Battle, near Hastings, which also recently received an outstanding rating from Ofsted.

The top state primary was Holy Trinity CE Primary in Lower Beeding, near Horsham, considered the 16th best small school in the country.

Brighton and Hove City Councillor Vanessa Brown, chairwoman of the city's Children and Young People's trust, said she was disappointed by the tables.

She said: "Considering what good Ofsted scores we have had lately, I am surprised and disappointed by this. We have had a lot of schools rated outstanding in inspections recently, far more than elsewhere in Sussex."

Mark Bannister, a member of Brighton and Hove parent campaign group Schools 4 Communities, said it would be foolish for families to make choices just on the back of the tables.

He said: "Parents definitely take tables into account but I don't think they are the be all and end all. It would be madness not to visit schools and see them for yourself."

He added that he felt Brighton and Hove had a number of good schools.

The top rated independent school in Sussex was all girls Towers Convent School in Upper Beeding, near Steyning.

Headmistress Carole Baker said the secret of the school's success was a nurturing atmosphere and an excellent staff of teachers.

For more information about education in your area visit www.theargus.co.uk/localinfo SUSSEX'S SCHOOLS WHICH MADE IT INTO THE LIST
(First figure=Rank 2006, second figure=Rank 2007, Name of school, Category)
BRIGHTON AND HOVE
90 147 Brighton College, Brighton - Independent mixed secondary
122 83 Roedean School Brighton - Independent girls secondary
143 121 Brighton and Hove High GDST Junior School, Hove - Independent girls preparatory
193 182 Brighton and Hove High School GDST, Brighton - Independent girls secondary
412 404 St Mary's Hall, Brighton Brighton - Independent girls secondary
EAST SUSSEX
29 20 Groombridge St Thomas' CE Primary School, Groombridge - State mixed primary
38 9 Claverham Community College, Battle - State mixed secondary
82 212 Sacred Heart Preparatory School, Wadhurst - Independent mixed preparatory
96 311 St Philip's RC Primary School, Uckfield - State mixed primary
165 150 St Leonards-Mayfield School, Mayfield - Independent girls secondary
171 167 Eastbourne College, Eastbourne - Independent mixed secondary
186 197 Bricklehurst Manor School, Wadhurst - Independent mixed preparatory
224 n/a Skippers Hill Manor Preparatory School, Mayfield - Independent mixed preparatory
310 375 Battle Abbey School, Battle - Independent mixed secondary
345 397 St Bede's Senior School, Upper Dicker, Hailsham - Independent mixed secondary
346 290 Uckfield Community Technology College, Uckfield - State mixed secondary
347 321 Moira House Girls School, Eastbourne - Independent girls secondary
466 425 Lewes Old Grammar School, Lewes - Independent mixed secondary
483 475 Uplands Community College, Wadhurst - State mixed secondary
WEST SUSSEX
10 12 The Towers Convent School, Upper Beeding - Independent girls secondary
16 29 Lavant House, Chichester - Independent girls secondary
16 n/a Holy Trinity CE Primary School, Lower Beeding, near Horsham - State mixed primary
45 n/a Loxwood Primary School, near Billingshurst - State mixed primary
96 74 Burgess Hill School for Girls, Burgess Hill - Independent girls secondary
119 181 St Margaret's School, Midhurst - Independent mixed preparatory 120 n/a Aldingbourne Primary School, near Chichester - State mixed primary
146 138 Christ's Hospital, near Horsham - Independent mixed secondary
158 178 Lancing College, Lancing - Independent mixed secondary
185 n/a St Richard's RC Primary School, Chichester - State mixed primary
221 239 Farlington School, Horsham - Independent girls secondary
224 n/a Worth School Turners Hill - Independent boys secondary
233 n/a Dorset House School, Pulborough - Independent mixed preparatory
237 224 Ardingly College Junior School, near Haywards Heath - Independent mixed preparatory
266 405 St Paul's RC College, Burgess Hill - State mixed secondary
273 296 Hurstpierpoint College, Hurstpierpoint - Independent mixed secondary
315 224 Ardingly College, Haywards Heath - Independent mixed secondary
322 387 Hazelwick School, Crawley - State mixed secondary
327 246 Bishop Luffa School, Chichester - State mixed secondary
352 192 Our Lady of Sion School, Worthing - Independent mixed secondary
375 508 Bosham Primary School, Chichester - State mixed primary
386 361 Steyning Grammar School, Steyning - State mixed secondary
389 n/a Imberhorne School, East Grinstead - State mixed secondary
393 494 St Philip Howard RC High School, Bognor Regis - State mixed secondary
406 312 St Mary's C E Primary School, Horsham - State mixed primary
430 n/a Holy Trinity CE School, Crawley - State mixed secondary
450 374 The Weald School, Billingshurst - State mixed secondary
451 445 Seaford College, Petworth - Independent mixed secondary