How community secondary school places will be decided for 2025 to 2026

The council is introducing a priority for children who are eligible for free school meals for applications in September 2025.

Which children will get priority

If a community school receives more applications for school places than it has available, a list of 7 rules is used to decide which children get offered a place first.

These rules are known as school admission priorities.

Read our school application guides for more information.

1. Looked after children and all previously looked after children

This includes those children who appear (to the Brighton & Hove City Council) to have been in state care outside of England and stopped being in state care because they were adopted.

A child is regarded as having been in state care outside of England if they were in the care of, or were accommodated by:

• a public authority
• a religious organisation
• any other provider of care whose sole or main purpose is to benefit society

'Previously looked after' children are children who were adopted (or subject to child arrangements orders or special guardianship orders) immediately following being 'looked after'.

To show your child fits in this priority you will need to provide proof of your child’s status.

2. Children who have a medical or social need

Some children have a medical or social need that can only be met at a specific school. 

To show your child fits in this priority you will need to provide independent evidence that shows why your child’s needs can only be met at your preferred school.

3. Children who have a sibling link and live in the catchment area

Sibling link includes brothers and sisters as well as other children in the home who share the same main address.

The main address is usually where your child is registered with a doctor.

4. Children eligible for Free School Meals and living in the catchment area

Your child's main home address needs to be in the catchment area and they must be eligible to receive free school meals.

View some frequently asked questions about the free school meals priority. 

5. Other children eligible for free school meals up to the city average

Your child must be eligible to receive free school meals and live outside the catchment area. 

The number of places in this priority are limited so that the school has no more than the average number of free school meals children allocated under the free school meals critieria.

View some frequently asked questions about the free school meals priority. 

6. Children who live in the catchment area

Your child's main home address needs to be in the catchment area.

You can check secondary school catchment areas on our school map.

7. Other children who apply

Other children include all children who do not meet any of the criteria listed above.

Pupils living outside a schools catchment area and eligible for free school meals who are not offered a place under priority 5 will also be included in this criteria.

Tie-break

If more children in each priority apply than there are places available computer software is used to randomly decide who should be offered a place first.

Other schools

Church voluntary aided, academy and free schools use their own rules to decide which children get offered a school place first.

More information

View our school application guides for more information.