Requete leader rejects ESC Herm amendment
THE deputy leading a campaign to save Herm School from closure has said he is ‘not interested’ in an attempt to amend his requete which was published yesterday by Education, Sport & Culture.
David De Lisle, pictured right, wants the States to direct ESC to reverse its decision to close the school on a one-year trial basis.
His requete – and ESC’s amendment – are due to be debated at next week’s States meeting.
If approved, ESC’s amendment will offer the States three options.
The first proposes the formation of a working group to oversee a one-year trial during which primary school-aged children living in Herm would travel to school in Guernsey.
The committee said that one of the seven deputies who have signed Deputy De Lisle’s requete could sit on the working group to help represent the views of Herm residents.
The committee wants the other two options in its amendment to be put to a vote only if its first option is rejected.
The second option seeks agreement from the States that if Herm School remains open, it should provide education only for children in Reception and Years 1 and 2.
The third option would see education provided at Herm School for all primary school-aged children.
Deputy De Lisle ruled out supporting ESC’s amendment.
‘I’m not interested in it and the residents of Herm are not interested in working groups or pilots either,’ he said.
‘There’s only one way to go and that is what is in the requete.
‘I’m concerned for Herm’s sustainability and its workforce if the school is closed.’
ESC member Sue Aldwell said her committee’s original decision to close the school as a one-year trial would provide children living in Herm with the same educational opportunities as children in Guernsey.
‘In the new academic year, there are four children who would be educated in Herm, across three year groups,’ said Deputy Aldwell.
‘When you’re educating such small numbers across several year groups, there are many barriers to successful teaching and learning.
‘If the States is determined to continue providing education in Herm without the evidence from the pilot to inform that decision, they need to understand that we will need to invest resources so that the provision is more equitable with that received by children in Guernsey.’
