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WQ.98/2023
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR CHILDREN AND EDUCATION BY DEPUTY M.R. SCOTT OF ST. BRELADE
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 6th MARCH 2023
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 13th MARCH 2023
Question
“For each of the non-fee paying secondary schools would the Minister advise –
- how many places are available for year 7 intake;
- how many applications have been made for year 7 for September 2023;
- how many appeals have been received in relation to allocation of places, and of these, how many have been successful and how many are outstanding;
- whether there is any ability to increase capacity in cases where there is over-subscription, and if so, by how much;
and will the Minister further advise whether driving distance from principal residence to school is factored into appeals for secondary school places and, if not, why not?”
Answer
For the September 2023 year 7 intake:
This year’s intake is significantly larger than average years, primarily due to a high birth rate in Jersey 11 years ago. Additional forms of entry have been opened at Haute Valleé, where there is spare capacity to accommodate this.
In round one of the allocations process places are offered based on the catchment address held by the students’ primary school. In round two, requests made for schools different to the catchment school are considered and where possible allocated. 692 places at catchment school or a different school of choice have now been allocated, this equates to 95% of allocations to catchment schools or a different school of choice.
|
a) how many places are available for year 7 intake; |
b) how many applications have been made for year 7 for September 2023; |
c) how many appeals have been received in relation to allocation of places |
||||
|
Grainville |
182 |
195 |
10 |
|||
|
Haute Valleé |
182 |
156 |
0 |
|||
|
Le Rocquier |
182 |
176 |
0 |
|||
|
Les Quennevais |
182 |
197 |
13 |
|||
c) how many appeals have been successful and how many are outstanding
Year 7 appeals take place week commencing 23rd March, none have been decided and all remain outstanding at this time.
d) whether there is any ability to increase capacity in cases where there is over-subscription, and if so, by how much;
Grainville, Haute Valleé and Les Quennevais are designed to provide excellent education facilities supporting a broad and balanced curriculum, for 7 forms of entry, each with 25 students, total 175 per school. It is possible to stretch this capacity by one student per form giving a total capacity of 182 students.
As part of the planning for the year 7 intake this year I received advice from officers and met with head teachers. Capacity is limited to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education with the wide curriculum offer they deserve. Stretching capacity beyond the design limits of a school results in larger classes, reduced quality of education, reduced ability to target extra support where needed and reduced access to specialist teaching spaces and associated curriculum.
Driving distance from principal residence to school is a factor of appeals for secondary school places.