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16
WQ.214/2018
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION
BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 23rd OCTOBER 2018
Question
Further to the answers to Written Questions 160/2018 and 181/2018, in which it was shown that total expenditure in 2018 on education in the non-fee-paying 11 to 16 schools was on average £4.4 million per school and that expenditure in the same year (including fees) at Victoria College and Jersey College for Girls was £7.6 million, will the Minister explain how this difference is justifiable in light of the objective stated in Proposed Common Strategic Policy 2018-22' (P.110/2018) to "narrow education attainment gaps" and state what action, if any, will be taken as a result?
Answer
The funding for Fee Paying Schools and for States secondary schools are calculated using the same model. The difference being that the States only fund 48.5% of the Fee Paying School. The Fee Paying schools then use school Fees to balance their expenditure.
Officers were unable to identify where previous answers have indicated an average expenditure per year of £7.6 million for Victoria College and Jersey College for Girls. I understand the Deputy may have used published fees from the school websites to calculate the £7.6 million but without knowing the detail of the calculation I cannot comment on its accuracy.
There are a number of factors that prevent a direct comparison between funding for fee paying and non-fee paying schools, several are listed below and will justify some difference in expenditure between fee and non-fee paying schools:
- Fee Paying schools are for ages 11-18 and non-fee paying are for ages 11-16 only.
- The per pupil cost is higher in years 12 & 13 which are not taught at 11-16 non-fee paying schools.
- Fee paying schools have an average of 25% of their students in years 12 & 13.
- Fee paying schools have to fund premises occupancy costs, non-fee paying schools do not pay occupancy
- Average number of pupils in the four 11-16 secondary schools was 666, while in the fee paying schools was 705
Narrowing of education attainment gaps will be achieved by improvements across a wide range of factors which influence it. Financial factors are of course a consideration but are just one part of a range of complex issues we need to understand and resolve working with our stakeholders over this term of Government.