Deputy Matt Fallaize (pictured), President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said it's work that has to be done, and it should be done as soon as possible. 

"Since being elected earlier this year the Committee has been clear that if primary education is to continue at La Mare de Carteret then it must be in a new purpose-built school because the condition of the present school building is simply not up to a suitable standard."

He said that as far as his committee is concerned they are not prepared to consider closing the primary school at La Mare de Carteret so investment is needed.

"All of the options for primary education which the Committee is prepared to take forward include maintaining primary education on that site. The school community at La Mare de Carteret is eager to know the Committee’s position on its future and weare very pleased to confirm that during 2019 we will seek the approval of the States to redevelop the primary school as soon as resources allow."

Deputy Fallaize said his committee could have delayed making a decision on redeveloping, or even closing, La Mare de Carteret Primary school until they had resolved the ongoing situation with the secondary schools - but he said none of them wanted to do that.

"In January the States were presented with proposals to delay making a decision on the future of la Mare de Carteret Primary School until 2021 at the earliest. The new Committee believes this delay is unnecessary and intends to ask the present Assembly to approve the redevelopment of the school."

With regards the plans for the future of secondary education, pupils, parents and staff are still waiting to hear which two sites will be used going forward now the 11+ has been abolished and the island is moving towards an all ability system of States provided education. 

The four current sites are La Mare de Carteret, Les Beaucamps, St Sampsons and the Grammar School. While initially they are all expected to be used as catchment schools during a transition period, it is expected that two of the sites will be utilised in the long term - or the States could consider building new schools, including possibly at La Mare de Carteret.

However, Deputy Fallaize said no decisions have yet been made on that and it is being kept separate to any decisions on the future provision of primary education.

"I think it is important to clarify that the Committee’s decision on the future of primary education at La Mare de Carteret is a completely separate matter to the future sites for secondary and post-16 education," he said. "No inference should be drawn about the future sites for secondary and post-16 education from this announcement about primary education. As previously stated, the Committee is considering which two sites to use for secondary and post-16 education and will make an announcement on this before the October half term this year."

Kim Hutchison; Headteacher at la Mare de Carteret Primary School, said:

"I am absolutely delighted that the Committee recognises the need to expedite the rebuild of La Mare de Carteret Primary. Despite excellent teaching, our buildings are simply not delivering the quality learning environments that the whole school community is entitled to. This is a step in the right direction towards achieving a purpose built building that will enable our teaching and learning to achieve the educational demands of the 21st century."

Pictured top: Students at La Mare de Carteret Primary School recently took part in the Sport Your Trainers day organised by the Guernsey Sports Commission