Balanced intake leads to a healthy school

From Bob Fairhurst, headteacher, Haute Vallée School.

THE non-fee paying schools sector has had to withstand a barrage of disrespectful comment, half-truths and downright lies over the past week.

It has left many of our students, parents and teachers hurt and confused over the motives of some contributors to the media. So let’s bring one very big motive right back out into the open. We are in the middle of a consultation period to consider the question – should the taxpayer continue to heavily subsidise the fee paying sector schools? Not an easy argument to win on the face of it, as the majority of parents who are taxpayers (59%) send their children to the non-fee paying sector – but here goes.

Argument 1: The fee paying schools are very good schools. Yes, they are, no question.

Argument 2: It would be wrong to increase the fees of these schools out of the reach of parents whose children are already there. A lot of people would agree on compassionate grounds.

Argument 3: Just look at the alternative – the non-fee paying sector – or ‘Dunceville’ as one private school parent writing to the JEP describes us. Disrespecting us reinforces their argument, or so they misguidedly think – and it’s become almost an Island sport for a vociferous minority to disrespect us.

So, who are you going to believe? People like myself, a head teacher with 38 years of experience (spent in all types of UK schools, comprehensive, selective, all boys, all girls and mixed) who say that a 43% selection rate by ability – the highest in Britain – is damaging Haute Vallée School and needs to be reduced, or people like Senator Perchard who wants to up the subsidy taxpayers provide to fee paying schools, by creating more bursaries and thus increasing the selection rate on the non-fee paying sector. We can’t both be right.

It was untrue for Senator Perchard to state in his letter (JEP, 1 March) that the regular inspections of Haute Vallée School are not conducted by qualified Ofsted inspectors. The inspectors engaged by Education to inspect Haute Vallée work for Serco, who have the contract for Ofsted inspections in the UK Midlands area. Let’s just add that to the list.

Taxpayers, please wake up to the real agenda and see through all this righteous indignation and the half truths. Those of you who have children in Jersey non-fee paying schools need to protect them from excessive selection, on the basis that a balanced intake school is a healthy school.

Defend your schools against those in this Island with narrow vested interests who would so freely disrespect the non-fee paying schools sector. This sector is staffed by committed and hardworking teachers, with wonderful students and supportive parents. That’s the real truth.

Grande Route du Mont à l’Abbé, St Helier.