St Sampson’s to hold meeting, looking to invite other parishes
A PUBLIC meeting will be held to consider the plans for a bigger school at Baubigny, amid concerns that support for the massive education transformation is collapsing alongside an outcry from residents.
Deputies rubber-stamped the financial backing for the scheme earlier this year, but now the douzaines are flexing their parochial muscle.
Five douzaines in the west and south have spoken out against the expansion of Les Beaucamps, and now St Sampson’s douzaine is galvanising opinions by organising the meeting.
Parish senior constable Paul Le Pelley said the douzaine had been inundated with residents’ complaints.
‘Many of the douzeniers are getting calls from people expressing deep concern about what the impact might be of this new school.
‘There is going to be a massive impact on people living in that area, of that there is absolutely no doubt, the school is going to be twice the size that it currently is. It’s too big and too risky and I don’t think it’s a safe environment.’
Mr Le Pelley is a former president of Education, but made it clear that he was representing his parish in his capacity as senior constable.
He is also disappointed about a lack of accessibility to the plans. They are available online but it is not easy to get a proper view of the digital version.
A hard copy can be viewed during working hours at Sir Charles Frossard House.
The format of the public meeting is being worked on, but the date is set for 15 January and it will include a presentation of the plans and a question and answer session.
The douzeniers are looking at whether it could be opened up to Vale and St Peter Port residents as well as people from St Sampson’s.
In September, States members voted by 22-15 to give £77.9m. in financial backing to the two-school set-up.
The plans still have to get through the planning and tendering processes.
A survey carried out by the teachers’ union, the NASUWT, revealed that the majority of teachers are sceptical about Education’s plans to transform secondary schools.
A total of 73% of those who took part in a survey were not confident that Les Beaucamps would provide a fit-for-purpose school, and for the Baubigny site that figure was 64%.
The survey was set to a general context of poor morale, for instance more than half of teachers answered that they wanted to leave teaching altogether.
Vale deputy Mary Lowe said it was time to hit the pause button on the scheme and to listen to the teaching professionals.
‘Education just wants rush, rush, rush and there’s no need for it. It’s not about getting a spade in the ground, it should be about getting the best for our children and grandchildren.’
A spokesman for Education, Sport & Culture said it was collating all the concerns raised and planning a lengthy response.
