‘Unacceptable conditions’ at La Mare need £700k to fix

The work will happen in time for the start of the new school year in September.

Education, Sport & Culture president Matt Fallaize said the site has suffered from ‘consistent under-investment’ in the past.

Following the vote on education in the States last year, the four secondary schools will be reduced to a single mixed-ability school operating over two sites. The sites have yet to be confirmed.

Work at La Mare de Carteret will include major refurbishment of the high school’s mobile classrooms, full window servicing and unit replacement, painting and decorating of classrooms, circulation and offices.

Both ESC and Policy & Resources said they recognised immediate investment in the schools was vital in advance of the restructuring of secondary and post-16 education agreed in January.

‘Anyone who has visited the schools at La Mare de Carteret will have been both impressed by the drive, culture, and leadership, and dismayed by the facilities,’ said Deputy Fallaize.

‘For too long the students and staff have had to work in unacceptable conditions as a result of consistent under-investment.

‘This has been allowed to happen on the premise that completely new facilities might be just a few years away, but our committee does not believe it is acceptable to maintain the facilities in their current condition any longer.

‘I do not wish to create false expectations and suggest that these short-term works are capable of replicating a newly-built school.

‘All students in States-run secondary education will ultimately be in modern, first-class facilities and that will happen as soon as reasonably practicable.

‘However, in the short term the programme of works we have approved can deliver a visibly better learning and teaching environment at La Mare de Carteret by the start of the new academic year in September. That is the clear objective we have set our officers.’

The move was welcomed by head teacher Vicky Godley.

‘We are pleased with the investment in our buildings, which will enhance our learning environment.

‘It is vital that students and staff are supported during this transition period and these improvements, which are greatly needed, are welcomed by everyone connected to the school.’

Gus Paterson, who was appointed as Education’s chief secretary in February, visited the schools soon after and was shocked by the poor conditions.

‘Improvements to the facilities are long overdue and the agreed plan will see the refurbishment of mobile classrooms along with a lot of other works in both buildings, including the purchase of essential school equipment.

‘We anticipate delivering some of the smaller packages of works in the May half-term, with the majority of the works carried out during the summer holiday.’

In early 2016, the then Treasury and Resources Department used its delegated authority to approve a request from the Education Department for ‘urgent repairs’.

A budget of £1.65m. was approved, but £1m. went unspent and was returned this term to the Policy & Resources Committee.

‘As minister of the then-Treasury and Resources Department, I was supportive of the request to invest £1.65m. in urgent repairs to the school,’ said P&R president Gavin St Pier.

‘I was surprised when £1m. funding remained unspent and was returned to Policy & Resources.

‘Our committee agrees with the assessment of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture that it is unacceptable to continue expecting students to learn and staff to work in such conditions.’