Jersey 'needs new school' to replace 'terrible' facilities

Students at St Helier schools are "disadvantaged" compared to their peers in rural parishes, the NASWUT claims

A primary school needs rebuilding because it has "terrible facilities", a teaching union has claimed.

Rouge Bouillon School, in St Helier, Jersey, has had regular problems with leaks and silverfish in the toilets, Marina Mauger from the NASUWT said.

Mrs Mauger argued the situation was unacceptable for students and staff, who had to "put buckets out" in rain.

A review of primary schools would be completed in the next few weeks, the Government of Jersey said.

'Putting children first'

Mrs Mauger said: "They have to put buckets out when it's raining, there's no field space for the children.

"You wouldn't let people live like that, so why should children be in a school like that?"

She said teachers and school leaders did a "fantastic job in a very difficult town school, but with terrible facilities" and "a new school is needed".

She added it was not "too much to expect" from the government to provide outdoor space, given its policy of "putting children first".

Mrs Mauger also argued students at St Helier schools were "disadvantaged" compared to peers in rural parishes.

"Lots of these children live in very limited facilities at home, they live in small flats with no outside play area," she said.

Expanding the school into the nearby fire station has been proposed

Local Deputy Inna Gardiner has called for the school, which has been in its present form since the 1980s, to be expanded into the fire station next door.

She said the school's facilities had been out of date for 30 years and the "limited" space was hurting children who lived without access to outdoor space at home or at school to socialise with others.

However, in March, Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis told the States an unpublished review said moving the station posed a "clear disadvantage and risk to life".

A second review into St Helier schools was due in the next six weeks, Chief Minister John Le Fondre told politicians last week.

The government would look into both reports before "any final decisions are made", he said.

A spokesperson said: "The findings of this review will be considered by the Council of Ministers, and then published.

"This will help support key infrastructure decisions, including around primary schools, fire and rescue, and ambulance."

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