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REVEALED: Gov plans for two new town primary schools

REVEALED: Gov plans for two new town primary schools

Thursday 20 October 2022

REVEALED: Gov plans for two new town primary schools

Thursday 20 October 2022


Build a new school at Gas Place by 2026 and rebuild Rouge Bouillon school on a different site by 2028 - those are the recommendations revealed today in a new government report, along with redeveloping Plat Douet school.

It was published today by the Infrastructure, Housing, and Environment (IHE) Department, following a commitment from the Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner.

It includes details of the options for potential school extensions, re-development, or potential sites where new schools could be built.

It also considered how each site would affect the proportion of children who could walk to school in 10 minutes.

Following this analysis, the preferred options are:

  • build a new two-form entry school at Gas Place, including a 30-place nursery and an Additional Resource Centre (ARC) for Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH) for up to 24 children;

  • develop Plat Douet into a three-form entry school; and

  • replace Rouge Bouillon at a new site as a three-form entry school, to be identified in the area between Rouge Bouillon roundabout and Castle Quay.

rougebouillon.jpg

Pictured: Rouge Bouillon School will be replaced at a new site with a new school somewhere in the area between Rouge Bouillon roundabout and Castle Quay.

The CYPES Department has formed a list of requirements for the construction of new town primary schools, which have been detailed in the report.

It explains that school sites must be large enough not only to accommodate high quality teaching spaces, but also the co-location of services, and sufficient outside space for children to play.

Deputy Gardiner said: “St. Helier is home to a third of our population, and some of the most vulnerable children in our Island – it is absolutely vital that children in town have access to modern, high-quality facilities, and outdoors play areas.

“Having kept up momentum on the publication of this report, I will be recommending to the Council of Ministers that a new school needs to be built centrally at Gas Place next to Millennium Park. My aim is for the new central school to be complete in four years time – in 2026."

Inna Gardiner.jpg

Pictured: Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner.

She continued: “I am aware of the significant interest and concerns from Islanders in finding a suitable replacement for Rouge Bouillon School – and we are in active engagement with various stakeholders to look into a suitable new site between Rouge Bouillon roundabout and Castle Quay. I intend for the new school to be complete in 2027-28, and will provide a decision in the new year.

We must also be mindful of the need to ensure the town population have access to green community spaces, whether this be through the creation of new green pockets or through the access to new school facilities beyond the school day.

“Alongside this, we will need to develop Plat Douet School to maximise its potential and meet the growing need for school places. We need long-term solutions to an ageing school estate in town, and we must continue progressing this work at pace to ensure our children are able to learn, grow and thrive at their school.”

However, Chief Scrutineer and Reform Jersey Leader, Deputy Sam Mézec of St. Helier South criticised the report via Twitter with a tweet querying why the conclusion did not identify a specific site for one of the schools after 18 months of work.

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