WORK is ongoing to address dozens of ‘serious’ fire risks identified in 15 schools – but the Education Minister says the government is ‘on track’ to fix the issues by the beginning of the new school year.
In total, 50 risks were identified when assessments of Children, Young People, Education and Skills buildings were conducted over the past 18 months.
Work being carried out includes installing walls around staircases to reduce the risk of fire spreading, installing additional emergency lighting and clearing obstructions, such as coats hung on hooks in corridors and circulation areas, to aid evacuation.
The government is also replacing PCs with laptops to minimise risks from computer suites housed in corridors, and upgrading non-slip matting and handrails to meet modern requirements.
Education Minister Inna Gardiner confirmed that the assessments were designed to ‘identify risks so that we can put mitigations in place and improve the working environment for children and staff’ and not to ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ individual buildings.
Following those assessments, ‘short-term operational mitigations were put in place for the previous academic year’ and 22 risks were resolved, she explained.
But, as of early August, 28 risks across various buildings needed ‘additional mitigations’.
‘This meant that CYPES and Jersey Property Holdings – as landlord – needed to do additional work,’ the Deputy added, saying that this was due to be completed by the end of this week.
Deputy Gardiner said: ‘All are on track to be mitigated by the start of the autumn term, in time for students to return to schools.’
She added that ‘because the work is ongoing’, there was no ‘final figure for the cost’ but one would be provided ‘in due course’.
She continued: ‘Ensuring the safety of children and staff in our schools is non-negotiable. Many of our school buildings (some of which are heritage buildings) were built before current fire regulations and were designed to accommodate a smaller number of children, with a narrower range of needs. Head teachers in these schools have worked hard to make the best use of the space available to them, and this includes repurposing spaces to provide the best possible facilities for pupils.’
Some mitigations involved minor changes to room layouts and exit routes.
Teaching union representative Marina Mauger, of the NASUWT, said that she was ‘perfectly sure that the department takes such risks very seriously and they will have contractors in to ensure everything is safe for staff and pupils by the start of term’.
‘If they aren’t ready, the schools won’t open,’ Mrs Mauger added.
‘If a building doesn’t meet fire regulations and Jersey Property Holdings, who are responsible for school buildings, deemed it to be a risk, the department would simply close a school and the children relocated. They would never put a child at risk.’
THE SCHOOLS
d’Auvergne, Grands Vaux, Grouville, Jersey College for Girls, La Sente, La Moye, Les Landes, Samarès, Springfield, St Luke’s, St Mary, St Saviour, Trinity, Victoria College Prep, Victoria College Jersey.
