In the letter, chief education officer Justin Donovan confirmed that head teacher Jacqueline Bell-Cook is currently away from school as she is ‘not well’ and is due back in the new year. He added that there was ‘no other reason’ for her absence.
Mr Donovan also acknowledged concerns about the high turnover of staff after being contacted by a ‘number of’ concerned parents. He said there is ‘regularly teacher turnover’ in Jersey primary schools and La Moye was not exceptional.
In the letter, dated Monday 5 December, which has been passed to the JEP, Mr Donovan said: ‘The first point is to confirm that the head teacher, Mrs Bell-Cook, is away from school because she is not well and for no other reason. I am sure you will join me in wishing her a speedy recovery. She is due back in school at the start of the new year.’
In 2009 around 200 parents of children at the St Brelade school signed a petition addressed to the Education Department about the appointment of Mrs Bell-Cook, who came from the UK.
The parents were angry that she had been brought in to replace long-standing deputy head Mark de Luca, who had been filling in on a temporary basis. Mr de Luca now works at Rouge Bouillon primary.
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