The two subjects most likely to come up in today's dinner party conversations are probably house prices and children's education. So if you are invited to dine in Brighton or Hertfordshire, expect some heated discussions on the way new schools admissions policies have undermined a time-honoured way of getting a decent, free education for one's children - moving next door to a good state school. And if other areas follow Brighton's lead, brace yourself for similar conversations across the country.

Brighton & Hove City Council has changed its secondary school admissions rules so that you can no longer guarantee your children a place at a school of your choice simply by buying into that school's catchment area (see box).