lotus eater

I agree. Labour, and especially Brown, did everything to keep themselves in power. They are not the altruistic social democrat party they once were and I hope people will see Brown for the opportunist he really is. I can't believe the amount of debt we've racked up and how many jobless people are not being helped into work. What are all these young adults and teenagers with kids I see wandering around Brighton living on........very adequate benefits at the expense of the working suckers? Many of these jobless are his electorate, if they could be bothered to vote.

".piecemeal..". I was brought up in the so called 'worse housing' near the sea in the 1950s-60s There were many families living there rather than itinerant, benefit claiming occupiers that inhabit the area now. In fact, St Margarets House is in the footprint of where I went to school and Churchill Square where my father had a shop and we lived above. I can understand why many families are outpriced by Brighton n Hove and that's because most of the buyers are coming from London London is now awful to live in- I lived there 35 years and was pleased to move back There are many, like me, who have realised high prices on their London properties and just want to get away - Brighton n Hove offer the best alternative outside of the Captital

Interesting panel. Can't wait to see the sparks fly between Melanie Phillips v George Galloway.

That property was never worth more than £650,000 anyway. Tongdean Lane is nothing like Tongdean Ave or Road. The Brighton side of Dyke Road Ave has always been cheaper than the Hove side. I don't know why but the data suggests this.

...and she didn't get where she is via the secondary state system. Because of the demise of many good Grammar schools, Mr Lotus Eater & I nearly bankrupted ourselves sending her and her brother to good independent secondary schools.

Because IMHO that system works best, doesn't cost anything and sorts out the academic from the non academic. The non academic can then be trained in a trade or take the arts route or if they are late developers, can achieve later. How many times do I have to repeat myself. My daughter didn't get into a Grammar school at 11, which was upsetting for her at the time, but she is just about to qualify as a solicitorafter having taken a science degree . The fact that she failed to get into an academic school probably gave her more incentive to achieve.

If you look at my earlier post, I say it was 'probably' easier to get into a Grammar School in Sussex , which includes Brighton & Hove, Worthing, Eastbourne etc. Children in rural Sussex travelled to the nearest town that had a Grammar School, which happens now with Comprehensives. You seem to keep trying to reinforce your point of view without actually reading what I post. If a child was capable, (read academically able) they would have got into a Grammar school. Capable could mean capable of cooking, good motor skills or sport...tha't not the same as academically capable. Also in my earlier post I say Comprehensives' with 'streaming' (unlike your excrutiating grammer 'streamlining' which has a completely different meaning) should work but don't as the the benchmark is much lower. In an academically selective school the general level of attainment is much higher. That is also why children from top Comprehensive school streams do not get into the best universities. More 'working class' children (like me) were in Grammar schools and able to achieve. There were at least a third of pupils in my class that had free school meals and subsidised uniforms. Hope the above illustrates my answer i.e without Grammar schools there can be no academic meritocracy.

...nor can you prove it wasn't proportional. Having lived both in Brighton and London with children, it was certainly easier to get into a Grammar school in Sussex. The competition in London is phenominal.

What about Woodingdean (borders of) or roads off Elm Grove, are they that expensive?

Nowhere I've mentioned is THAT far from Brighton n Hove. You should try crossing London to a good local school (which I had to do with my 2), then Shoreham/Peacehaven is not a long journey. I have a friend here in Hove whose son goes to a school in Lewes, although he's now 15. Whereabouts in Brighton does your child go to school and what's your budget? I'll try to locate a reasonably priced area for you.

I agree, the prices are unlike anywhere else on the Soath Coast. I don't think Brighton & Hove prices will ever get back to the early 90s sort of level as we're now a 'city' and more young people find it desirable to live here. Most under 40s seem to be moving to Shoreham, Peacehaven, Worthing etc as they just can't afford a decent place here. I was shocked at how similar are the prices here to good areas in London. Have you tried looking further out like above?

IMO I would jump in now before the good weather and interest rates go up. If we have a change of government in the Spring, that might make people feel more optimistic and that combined with better weather will push the prices up. There are still some sellers desperate to sell (job losses couldn't sell last year) so bargains to be had...worth looking and negotiating. We bought last Spring, although Mr Lotus Eater wanted to wait until Oct 09...glad we didn't.

Yes, primary evidence. I was here during that time. There were Hove County (Girls' & Boys') Varndean (Girls' & Boys') Brighton & Hove High School and Brighton & Hove Grammar School for Boys (now BHSVIC) =6. I've seen the benefits of Grammars and disaster and social engineering of Comprehensives here. My friends at Secondary Moderns did just as well as friends from Grammars.

You should check your posts before you quote things as facts. In the 1960s there were at least 6 Grammar schools in Brighton and Hove for boys and girls and the same pro rata in Sussex and London. In order to get into a Grammar school, there was a minimum pass mark and any child from a primary school could sit the exam, regardless of ability. There was no luck in the process. The exam was mainly based on reasoning to assess IQ, which couldn't be taught or tutored. Some children who managed to get to Grammar school levelled out and didn't achieve their potential whilst some who went to Secondary Moderns were able to study later if they had the ability and drive. The same is true today and if anything the Comprehensive system has failed which, in theory, should work, but hasn't. The Chinese model is probably the best:- see earlier post 2178 by Tired of Waiting. It encapsulates everything I'm trying to say.

Doesn't the site UpmyStreet have details of local schools etc?