A MAJOR teaching union has backed plans for a new town school ahead of a States debate which could see the proposals shelved in favour of expanding a St Helier park.
Marina Mauger, NASUWT Jersey secretary, said pupils and teachers in town “desperately need that school”.
The government has confirmed plans to build a new facility – which will replace St Luke’s, Springfield and La Passarelle primary schools – at the former Gas Place site.
However, campaign groups have called for the Millennium Town Park to be extended to provide more green space for St Helier.
Ms Mauger said the three existing schools are “defunct” and that she “fully supports the Education Minister” in pushing forward with efforts for a new school.
She added: “[The head teachers] of those schools do an amazing job given what they are dealing with, but [a new school] needs to be built.”
As part of the government’s 2026 Budget proposals, which are set to be debated next month, the Gas Place site on Tunnell Street would be bought for the “nominal amount” of £1 to progress plans for a new town primary school.
Even though no official planning application has yet been lodged, more than £12 million has been set aside for the new two-form entry school in the proposed Budget.
But a proposition lodged by St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft earlier this year asked ministers to assess the need for a new town school in favour of an extension to the park, in light of Jersey’s changing demographics and falling birth rate. Mr Crowcroft’s proposition is set to be debated by the States Assembly next week.
The Council of Ministers yesterday urged States Members to reject the request for reconsideration for the site.
In official comments, ministers cited the Town Primary School Review 2022, which was commissioned to assess sites for a new primary school in St Helier.
“After consideration of over 30 potential sites, the outcome was to build a new two-form entry school on the Gas Place site,” the comments said. “Site selection was based on right size, right location (catchments, walking distances, outside play spaces, new housing developments) and meeting building standards.”
The document added that the Bridging Island Plan specifies the former Jersey Gas Place site is safeguarded for “educational use” and “any alternative development of this site will not be supported unless it can be demonstrated it is no longer required for educational purposes”.
