A PETITION supporting the 62 children who have been left “scattered” across the city due across the city amid a shortage in school places has been handed to the council.

Some Brighton children in the Varndean and Dorothy Stringer catchment areas have been left facing “commutes” due to limited spots at the schools.

The petition claimed the council had known about the additional demand for the pupils in this September 2021 intake.

Signed by more than 2,000 people, the petition asks the council to review the number of secondary places available at the schools in hopes the devastated children would not be left having to travel more than three miles every morning.

Chairwoman of the Children, Young People and Skills Committee councillor Hannah Clare said demand is expected to exceed supply again next year.

However, in 2023, numbers are expected to be well under the published admission numbers.

She added that expanding schools in the city when the extra spaces are not needed is not ideal and assured families they can appeal.

In 2018, the council decided not to go ahead with plans for a new secondary school on the basis of additional capacity being provided by existing schools.

The council said the plans were being abandoned as secondary schools had offered to take additional pupils. Funding was freed up to support this.

Cllr Clare was asked why the money was not being spent to support the children, like the previous three years.

She said there is the health risk due to the physical amount of space and there is not the capacity to offer extra spaces.