THE government broke its own planning rules to install a “critical” safety fence at a school without securing permission after a former student wielding a knife entered the building, threatened a pupil and had to be restrained by staff.
Haute Vallée school have installed a 2.4m high fence around the perimeter of the school after an incident in February, which led to a 15-year-old boy being sentenced to two years and three months of youth detention.
Almost 100 students did not attend school the day after the incident amid safety concerns following the incident, which occurred in the school canteen with more than 200 pupils present.
The 15-year-old boy, who at the time of his offending was 14, admitted a number of offences in May 2026 and was sentenced by the Royal Court in May.
The fence had already been erected, but requires retrospective planning permission, which has now been lodged by the Education Department. The plans said that the fence is necessary to “secure the school perimeter and prevent unauthorised persons accessing the site”.
Supporting documents addressing the Planning Department state that the school is willing to work with the department accordingly.
A letter supporting the application said: “Recently a former pupil was found on the campus with a knife. The pupil was arrested and secured due to the diligence and bravery of the teaching staff.
“It was decided that the fence was critical to safety and security on the site and as a result was installed prior to obtaining planning consent. We are sure that your department will understand the urgency of the works and we will be happy to work with you to regularise the current situation.”
The fence is a green metal grid fence – which is used elsewhere on the school’s site – and similar to those used in other schools around the Island.
“We believe that the impact of the fencing on the area is minimal and that his can be seen best on site”, supporting documents added.
