A MOVE to increase funding for schools that have more students with special educational needs has been welcomed by the chair of the board of governors at Haute Vallée School.
Philip Le Claire, who founded the charity Autism Jersey, said he hoped the government would ‘follow through’ on its new funding formula – setting out how budgets are established for the Island’s schools.
Under the old system, costs were allocated to each spending area – such as building maintenance and teacher salaries – but did not reflect the needs of the children.
The new formula means that schools receive further funding if they have more students with special educational needs or low prior-attainment levels, as well as pupils who speak English as an additional language or who have speech and language difficulties.
Mr Le Claire made headlines during a Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel hearing last year, when he handed back a poster promoting the government’s ‘putting children first’ initiative.
He told the politicians in attendance that a Year 11 pupil had asked if the poster could be taken down, saying she did not believe that the government was delivering on the pledge.
However, Mr Le Claire said he felt ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the progress being made by new Children’s and Education Minister Inna Gardiner.
‘Anything that puts more money into education for students that need additional support is great news.
‘The funding model was broken and out of date,’ he added.
He noted that the previous system was ‘based on the classrooms of ten years ago’, when there was not as much recognition of the increased number of students with special educational needs and other learning difficulties.
‘A school isn’t a building. It’s the students, the teaching staff and the community around it,’ he said.
The government has announced that it will continue to work on the formula over the next 12 months.
Mr Le Claire said he was grateful to Deputy Gardiner for ‘getting it across the line’.
The 2022 budget for schools is around £70 million.
However, the proposed Government Plan – which is due to be debated in December – could see a further £6m included for 2023.
‘If Deputy Gardiner and the Council of Ministers keep this momentum going, then the future is bright for children in Jersey,’ Mr Le Claire added.
Deputy Rob Ward, who is also a former teacher, said: ‘We are going to have to wait and see what happens in the long term and how effective [the new formula] is at enabling schools to meet the needs of their children.’
He added: ‘Teachers work miracles every day with the funding that they have.’
