Two New Primary Schools Planned

Thursday, 20 October 2022 18:09

Two new primary schools in St Helier have been proposed by the Education Minister.

Deputy Inna Gardiner wants to build a new 'two-form entry' school on the former Jersey Gas site within the next four years.

She is also aiming to relocate Rouge Bouillon from Brighton Road to a larger site by 2028, with a decision on that site by the new year.

She says this would benefit a large proportion of the island:

“St Helier is home to a third of our population, and some of the most vulnerable children in our Island – it is absolutely vital that children in town have access to modern, high-quality facilities, and outdoors play areas."

The decision process of new schools was done by looking at how many children would be within a five to ten-minute walk from the site.

The review found three options which are:

- A new school at Gas Place with 30 nursery places and 24 places in an 'additional resource centre' for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

- Moving Rouge Bouillon to a new site between the roundabout and Castle Quay and make the school a three-form entry school

- And extending Play Douet into a three-form entry school.

The Education Minister has also acknowledged that the parish is in need of more green spaces:

"We must also be mindful of the need to ensure the town population have access to green community spaces, whether this be through the creation of new green pockets or through the access to new school facilities beyond the school day."