It's a long standing practice in the UK, especially in urban areas, that better off parents will buy properties close to highly performing schools in order to get their children into that good school, writes David Lawrenson.

As a result, the additional demand for property inside good school catchment areas has pushed up house prices close to the good schools and depressed them outside those areas.

But all this is about to change.

Brighton & Hove City Council has recently changed its secondary school admissions rules so that being close to one of the good schools is no longer a guarantee that your children will get into that school. Herts Council plans a similar move.

These local authorities hope that this will help people from poorer areas who don't have the financial muscle to buy into (or rent into) the areas close to the good schools.