JEP EXCLUSIVE
SEVERAL parents of neurodiverse children who went to Victoria College have contacted the JEP to share their experiences, which they say included segregation, unchecked bullying by other pupils and the ‘managing out’ of their boys from the school.
The parents were prompted to speak out following this newspaper’s coverage of an independent review, published in October, into the quality of provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities in all government-run schools, which concluded that “the current leadership, organisation, systems, strategies, oversight and accountability arrangements in relation of inclusive education in Jersey are not sufficiently effective”.
The report identified “positive intentions” and “pockets of good practice” but added that “strategic planning, leadership, system cohesion and the implementation of inclusive education remain underdeveloped and inconsistent.”
It stressed that “pupils with SEND typically reported that they feel comfortable with their school and most parents reported having a positive relationship with their individual school.”
However, review also found that “a significant minority of parents reported feeling that the mainstream education system is outdated and often unwelcoming for children with SEND.”
The parents who contacted the JEP said they had tried to resolve issues with Victoria College and the government, but they felt that their concerns had not been addressed.
In response to the parents’ comments, the Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department and Victoria College told the JEP in a joint statement that they took all matters relating to the wellbeing, safety and inclusion of children extremely seriously, and they were committed to listening to families, learning from lived experience, and working together to strengthen support for children and young people.
One parent told the JEP that she has reached out to the newspaper “to contribute to an understanding of a broader pattern in how neurodivergent boys are treated at the school, rather than to pursue any personal grievance”.
Giving an example of their own experience, they said that their child had been sanctioned differently to a non-neurodivergent child and safeguarding concerns were “effectively disregarded”.
The parent said: “Since speaking about what happened, I have become aware of other families whose neurodivergent children experienced very similar treatment. This strongly suggests a systemic issue rather than a series of individual errors.”
They added: “I am not raising this to attack particular staff members but to highlight the need for proper understanding of neurodiversity, fair and consistent disciplinary procedures, and safeguarding processes that genuinely protect pupils.
“We had to fight to obtain recognition of my son’s neurodivergent diagnosis, and even after this, the support provided was minimal and ineffective, and even lead to harsher sanctions.”
- Read the full story on pages 8 and 9 of today’s JEP.
