Big differences in class size as ESC faces primary test

Vale Primary will divide 56 pupils into two classes, an average of 28, whereas St Mary & St Michael will have just 15 children in its single reception class.

Although there will be a total of more than 200 spare places in the year group, the uneven distribution of space between schools, coupled with a declining birth rate, leads to vastly different average class sizes across the island.

The previous Education Committee won the States’ support to postpone a review of the primary phase which it was originally meant to complete by 2022, but new president Paul Montague has indicated willingness to re-examine the size, location and viability of primary schools during the current political term.

‘I am prepared to vote for school mergers or closures if clear, disinterested evidence demonstrates they will both raise educational standards and reduce costs,’ he said during his general election campaign.

‘Decisions must be based on sound research, ensuring improved outcomes for students while making pragmatic use of public funds.

‘Short-term unpopularity must not deter necessary, evidence-based change for the long-term benefit of our children’s education.’

Deputy Montague, a secondary school teacher and senior union official before his election to the States last month, said he wanted a review of primary schools to learn from ‘what worked and what did not’ during the restructuring of secondary education in recent years.

Vale’s reception classes have been among the smallest in the island during the current academic year, at an average of 20.7 pupils in each of three classes, but it will operate only two classes from September after the previous Education Committee cut its third class, following a small reduction in the number of children enrolled to start at the school, from 62 to 56.

Across the States’ 11 mainstream primary schools in Guernsey, there will be an insignificant increase in the average size of reception classes, from 22.41 to 22.68.

Figures provided last month initially indicated unexpected growth in the number of children entering States’ reception classes in September, but a like-for-like comparison only of mainstream primary schools in Guernsey – excluding special schools and St Anne’s in Alderney – shows that 431 children are enrolled to start compared to 437 at the equivalent time last year.

The other four deputies elected to the new committee last week hold mixed views about merging or closing primary schools, but on average appear to be less enthusiastic about the idea than the Assembly as a whole.

None of the four were among 16 successful election candidates – nearly half of all those elected – who provided either a clear commitment or a strong indication of support for closures or mergers.

Deputy Andy Cameron, one of only two members of the previous committee who held his seat at the general election, said before polling day that he would prefer to see spare places in primary schools used for the expansion of pre-school education.

Deputy Jayne Ozanne said that mergers or closures should be only ‘a measure of last resort’, while Deputy Sarah Hansmann Rouxel declined to support or oppose them before a review of the primary phase, which she said was ‘urgently needed’.

Deputy Aidan Matthews indicated that he would be willing to merge smaller schools to keep them open and said that ‘innovative approaches can make small schools efficient and some parents prefer this’.

The next-largest reception classes in September, with an average of 27.5 pupils, will be at Hautes Capelles, which had the largest during the current academic year.

La Mare de Carteret will run two classes, with an average of 16 pupils in each, and La Houguette will continue with one reception class of 19 children.

The other mainstream primary schools in Guernsey will have reception classes with between 22 and 25 children.