Douzaine supports transformation plans but more teachers say no

Thursday 30 January 2020

The Vale Douzaine has gone against the trend set by many other parish bodies and has said it supports the planned transformation of secondary education, but staff at Le Murier School have joined their peers and have said they are almost unanimously against the plans.

St Sampson's and Castel Douzaine, which represent the parishes where the two new colleges will be developed under the Lisia School model, have both said they want the States to 'pause and review' the transformation plans.

A requête lodged yesterday by Deputies Andrea Dudley Owen, Rob Prow and Carl Meerveld, is calling for just that to happen - and with the election looming in June, if the requête is successful it could mean a new Education, Sport and Culture committee is elected to take forward the transformation of secondary education under an all-ability model.

Pictured: Deputies Andrea Dudley-Owen, Rob Prow and Carl Meerveld have laid a requête calling for a 'pause and review' before any more work is done on the plans for transform secondary education.

The requête, which can be read HERE, says the States should direct ESC to "not enter into any contractual obligations" regarding the proposed redevelopment of either St Sampson's or Les Beaucamps high schools, while instead asking the current ESC to compile a report before the end of this term of government so the current States can compare viable models of non-selective secondary education.

The reqête has been signed by seven deputies. The three named above as well as deputies John Gollop, Mary Lowe, Jeremy Smithies and Laurie Queripel.

Before the requête was published on Wednesday afternoon, the Vale Douzaine had said its members, elected by parishioners to represent their views, are not in favour of the proposed 'pause and review'.

Instead the Vale Douzaine said its members  "by a considerable majority expressed the hope that Education would be able to continue working towards implementing the proposals without any further delay."

Pictured: Part of the statement issued by the Vale Douzaine. 

In its statement, the Vale Douzaine's Senior Constable acknowledged many people may be surprised by its stance.

Richard Leale said: “I recognise that many people will be disappointed that the Douzaine hasn’t come out and opposed the proposals, but members sought to look objectively at what the States has already approved, taking into account that the planning process should address concerns relating to the size of the school buildings and whether that’s adequate for the number of pupils, and the safety of the traffic proposals.

“In addition, a formal business case has to be made if the planning hurdles are cleared and Policy and Resources has indicated that, although it has delegated authority in this regard, it is likely to refer the final decision back to the Assembly.”

The statement said that Mr Leale also added that "although opposition appeared to be widespread, the Douzaine had not received significant feedback on it and concluded that the silent majority could be said to be  generally content for the current proposals to go ahead."

Pictured: Le Murier School.

Among those opposing the plans are the vast majority of staff at Le Murier School.

The secondary school caters for young people with a variety of needs, and is based at Baubigny, sharing a campus with the current St Sampson's High School. The two schools share many facilities but are run separately.

In a statement issued by staff at Le Murier, and shared by Deputy Neil Inder on Facebook, they said "recent communications in the media have not reflected the views of the staff team at Le Murier, and our staff would like to make our concerns known."

They said that a staff ballot was held, with 48 people out of a possible 67 responding. 97.9% of those responding "voted in favour of supporting the requête because as a staff we feel more time is needed to look into some of the concerns which have not been addressed for our students – all of whom share a site and sports facilities with St Sampson’s High School."

Some of the concerns raised by Le Murier staff focus on access to sports facilities, the timings of the school day, traffic management, emergency services planning, staff parking and the school's 'village project' which needs outdoor space so the students can work on their life skills and independence, but which is currently on hold because of the planning application for St Sampson's High.

To read the statement issued by Le Murier staff in full, click HERE. 

Statements issued by the island's other secondary schools can be read here, including those issued by St Sampson's staff and La Mare de Carteret staff.