'Evicting teacher will affect pupils'

THE head teacher and PTA of St Andrew's Primary School are backing the case of a teacher who wants to stay in the island. Gisela Hargreaves and her family face having to leave Guernsey after the Royal Court last week dismissed an appeal by her quantity-surveyor husband, Stephen, against a Housing Department decision to refuse a licence extension.

'I question the wisdom of refusing to extend one licence when the probable result will be to issue two more as replacements,' said St Andrew's head teacher Mary Sebire.

She said Mrs Hargreaves was a valued member of her staff, more than half of whom relied on housing licences. 'Continuity is vital in education, especially for the children, but also for parents and staff teams. Our in-service training in Guernsey is excellent but expensive. We spend vast sums of money training five-year licence teachers and lose their expertise as they have to leave the island.'

The Hargreaves and their two teenage children have lived in the island for the past 10 years.

Should Mrs Hargreaves go, said Miss Sebire, it was likely that her replacement would come on another five-year-licence. That would involve the cost of bringing someone over for interview, another trip to visit the school, relocation expenses and subsidised rent.

PTA chairman Adrian Hale said he had not been aware of Mrs Hargreaves' plight until reading of her husband's case in the Guernsey Press, after which he offered her his full support.

'It would be of great concern for me if she was forced to leave, not only because of her teaching experience but because of the effect it would have on pupils,' he said.

'Children get used to specific teachers and it's such a small school with only one set per year and the effect of Mrs Hargreaves' departure would be dramatic.'

Mr Hale and the remainder of the PTA would do everything possible to help her situation.

Housing minister Dave Jones said he could not comment on specific cases.

'The fact of the matter is that the issue of licences takes into consideration several aspects of the housing control laws, not least of which is the population level of this island,' he said.

'Whenever possible, Housing issues employment licences that do not go beyond 50% of the qualifying period for residence.'