Letter - Minister Education and Lifelong Learning to the CEHA re Quarterly Hearing Follow Up - 19 June 2024

19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 3RR

Deputy Catherine Curtis

Chair – Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel Scrutiny Office

States Greffe

Morier House

St Helier

JE1 1DD

Sent by email only 08 July 2024

Dear Chair,

Follow-up matters from the Public Hearing on 19th June 2024

Thank you for your letter of 28th June with some follow up questions from the recent Public Hearing. Please see the answers below and do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.

Further details about any research being undertaken as part of the Future Economy Programme with regards to benefits of and support for nursery childcare and education;

In 2023 the Future Economy Programme published the Strategy for Sustainable Economic Development and the accompanying Delivery Framework. This was further supported with the Barriers to Business report commissioned by the Minister for Sustainable Economic Development to Jersey Business, for which the government's progress response was published in May 2024.

Stakeholder engagement and continuous dialogue on the issues most affecting businesses are integral to the Future Economy Programme's ways of working, as well as making connections across government. Feedback referring to nursery childcare and education are being used to inform the Common Strategic Policy commitments in these areas. Notably, feedback from the economy's largest sector indicates a demand for nursery places and school wrap-around care (breakfast and after school clubs) in St Helier that reflects the working day.

In addition, the Government of Jersey commissioned the ISOS Partnership in 2023 to provide an overview of key messages from UK and international evidence on what an optimal early childhood education and childcare (ECEC) offer looks like for children's wellbeing and development. This evidence base is being used to inform local future policy.

The ISOS report formed a key input into the roundtable events with stakeholders in November 2023 and January 2024.

Participants at the roundtables acknowledged that supporting children and families in the early years is critical for the island as a whole – for the economy today, for the future workforce, for improving early identification of need and reducing the costs of meeting very complex needs at a later stage.

 A list of apprenticeships available on Island;

A copy of the list of the postgraduate courses supported;

Please see below list of post graduate courses that have received bursaries in past 5 years

Biomedical Science

Cultural Studies

LLM Master of Laws Photography

Software Engineering Criminology and Criminal Justice Applied Ecology

Islamic Studies and History Sociology and Ethics of Sport

BPTC LLM

Engineering Mathematics

Psychology of Mental Health

Marine Science

Molecular Cell Biology

Speech and Language Processing

Sustainable Aquaculture Systems

Philosophy & History

Biochemistry

Eighteenth Century Studies

Marine Biology

Chemical Research (Physical Chemistry)

Inorganic Chemistry

Sustainable Civil Engineering

Mathematics

Modern Languages

Conflict Resolution in Divided Societies

Advanced Chemical Engineering

Logistics & Supply Chain Management

Podiatry (Pre-Registration)

Speech & Language Sciences

Composition

Volcanology

Global Health Science & Epidemiology

Economics

Physical & Theoretical Chemistry

Conservation of Historic/Artistic Works & History of Art Economics & Policy of Energy & the Environment Development & Emergency Practice

Translation

Clinical Research

Television Journalism

Public History and Cultural Heritage

Theoretical Physics

Brain and Mind Sciences

Protected Area Governance and Management English

Social Anthropology with Social History

History and Modern European Languages (French) History

Mechanical Engineering

Architecture

Translational Neuroscience

Island Biodiversity and Conservations

Psychology of Mental Health (Conversion)

Clinical Biochemistry

Applied Environmental Geology Fine Art: Painting

Music Composition for Film & TV Publishing

Esports

Human Rights Law

International Development Chemical and Biological Sciences Real Estate

Journalism

Psychology

Medieval and Early Modern French

Details of changes that have been made, or are due to be made to mitigate fire safety risks within school buildings; and

There have been extensive changes and mitigation across the CYPES portfolio with regard to fire safety risks, and following the recommendations detailed in the Fire Risk Assessments carried out in 2022/23. To document every element of the work would take an excessive amount of time – however all identified risks are entered onto a tracking document which details the current status of that risk, the owner of that risk and the risk level. It should be noted that risk mitigation is the responsibility of both the Landlord (JPH) and the tenant (CYPES), dependant on the responsibilities set out in the Service Level Agreement between the two departments. JPH are responsible for building fabric changes to improve fire safety, whilst CYPES are focused on day- to-day operational matters such as Safe Operating Procedures (SOP's), risk identification, auditing etc.

Intolerable rated risks identified from the Fire Risk Assessments, were mitigated during the summer of 2023. This allowed the affected schools to remain open, with either urgent building works being completed, or SOP's being implemented. The schools affected by these were;

Grouville Primary School

Les Landes Primary School St Saviours Primary School Victoria College

Victoria College Prep

La Passerelle Primary School Jersey College for Girls D'Auvergne Primary School Janvrin Primary School Springfield Primary School Trinity Primary School

Works due to be completed fall into the two categories as explained previously – Operational (CYPES) and Building Works (JPH).

CYPES -

i)  Continued quarterly audits across all CYPES properties to review fire safety procedures and fire prevention measures. These audits cover a number of items such as weekly Manual Call Point testing, SOP's, sterilised areas with fire loading removed, fire exits unobstructed, staff training.

JPH -

1. Undertaking design work for all schools requiring building adaptations to reduce or remove the identified fire risk rating.
2. Provide options for these works and agree with the school representative to obtain sign-off from the school and CYPES. To date, approximately 20 schools have had design work signed-off.
3. Where necessary, produce both Building Byelaws and Planning Applications and submit.
4. Understand available budget to be made available from Treasury.
5. Once designs are completed, cost plans are being produced. This will then allow both CYPES and JPH to prioritise the works, to fit within the available budget. This should be known by the end of July.
6. From this, the works will be packaged and depending on the value, the works will be put out to competitive tender or awarded under the Contractor Framework agreement.

Discussions are continuing on a regular basis between CYPES and JPH to complete the design phase on the remaining CYPES properties.

List of property maintenance or management issues for properties occupied by CYPES that have been unresolved for one year (or longer).

As already stated, there is a Service Level Agreement between CYPES and Jersey Property Holdings, which determines the maintenance responsibilities for both Landlord and Tenant. The majority of maintenance responsibility (in particular – Statutory obligations) sit with JPH. Therefore, it isn't possible for me to answer this question fully.

CYPES responsibilities are more around internal appearance, specialist equipment, safeguarding, DDA compliance etc. To my knowledge, there aren't any significant unresolved maintenance or management issues across the CYPES portfolio. Urgent H&S, Safeguarding works are dealt with swiftly by the Programme/Project Team.

My Ministerial office team will make contact with you to facilitate Panel visits to government and non-government nurseries as soon as possible.

Minister, please could you share your thoughts about the "Right to Play" campaign progress report September 2023 by the Jersey Youth Parliament?

Since the publication of the progress report in September 2023 the Jersey Youth Parliament have now completed their final report and recommendations.

How is Government taking on board the findings and feedback from this campaign? The Government has compiled an initial response to the report which detail this.

The Youth Parliament's 2023 report referred to their thoughts for Fort Regent. Please could you confirm if the Youth Parliament's ideas have been put forward for consideration by Government?

This question would be best directed to the Minister for Infrastructure who has responsibility for Fort Regent.

Can you tell us in detail about any Ministerial conversations you've been involved in about play spaces in Jersey?

Primarily the conversations I have been involved in take place with children and Head Teachers when visiting schools. These discussions have heightened my awareness of the lack of play

space for town schools. School play space is not all climbing frames and equipment, there is a significant requirement for large areas of soft and hard space to play ball games and other activities. St Luke's and Springfield schools, to name just two, simply do not have this space. Outdoor play space requirements are one of the key drivers for the new town school at Gas Place.

Please can you clarify how play spaces' fits into your remit and crosses over with other Ministers?

As Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning I see my remit covering play spaces in schools and colleges. The wider provision of play spaces' outside of education facilities is not within my remit.

Can you tell us more about what the play policy says about play area design? / How are play areas designed?

The draft Play Policy focusses on the right to play, defining play and its importance, what children need to play and the challenges to play. It is not a play space design document and does not cover items such as greenspace or planting.

Who does the design work?

Individual schools will lead the design work when making improvements and may engage with a specialist play organisation to support this. The CYPES team can also assist when required.

What is a typical budget for a play area / how is this agreed?

Budgets will vary from school to school as often any development or enhancement to play space will take the opportunity to encompass other improvements (not related to play) at the same time. For example, a play space might be updated or installed and at the same time new perimeter fencing is installed, but this cost is not directly attributable to the play area itself.

Due to commercial sensitivity and the wide difference in costs based on different designs and requirements I am not able to advise what a typical budget is.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Rob Ward

Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning

D +44 (0)1534 440152 E R. Ward 2@gov.je