Written Questions May 2006

WRITTEN QUESTIONS TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE BY THE CONNETABLE OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 16th MAY 2006

Question 1

Would the Minister inform members –

1. whether officers and members of the former Education, Sport and Culture Committee attended the m organised by the Parents Action Group in the Town Hall on 13th July and 22nd September 2004, at which conce were raised about the States' policy on early years child care and, if so, how many members and officers, and members?
   2. whether the Minister of Education, Sport and Culture, or the former Education, Sport and

Committee, received representations by letter or email from members of the Parents Action Group or Jerse Years Association about the States' policy in early years child care, and/or suggestions as to how more equi provision might be achieved and, if so, when were these received?

3. of the exact date when the decision was taken to build a nursery unit as part of the rebuilding of St.

Primary School?

Answer

1. Three members of the former Education, Sport and Culture Committee and three officers attended

meeting at the Town Hall on 13th July 2004. Three members and four officers attended the meeting on the September 2004. The members who attended one or both of these meetings were, Senator Michael Vibert , Deput Fox, Deputy Judy Martin and former Deputy Julian Bernstein.

2. Representations in respect of the States' policy for early education and care were received from

the Parents Action Group and the Jersey Early Years Association prior to 30th September 2005, the closing da consultation.

3. The decision to continue building nursery classes at provided primary schools was taken by the St

18th February 1997, when the former Education Committee lodged its Proposition in respect of Child Care Provi Whilst the former Committee had been considering the refurbishment of St. Peter 's School for some time, formally submitted as a bid to the Capital Development Plan on 24th March 1999.

Question 2

Would the Minister supply a detailed breakdown of the capital and revenue costs provided on 25th April 2006 relation to the nursery unit at the new St. Peter 's School?

Answer

The capital costs of £225,000 were determined by calculating the savings that would accrue to the project if the nur class was not built. As the nursery unit is an integral part of the specification for the building a detailed breakdow costs would need to be undertaken by the quantity surveyor. This would incur additional fees.

The revenue costs at 2005 values would be:

1 x Nursery teacher £43,952 2 x Teaching Assistants £42,040 1 x Lunchtime Supervision £ 2,000 Total: £87,992

It is likely that further costs of approximately £9,000 per annum would be borne by the school's budget in res supplies, services and premises.

Question 3

Would the Minister indicate whether he intends to fulfil the pledge made in the consultation document, Inves Our Future: a vision for early childhood education and care for children in Jersey (R.C. 54/2005), that follow consultation period which ended on 30th September 2005, all the responses received would be used to assis formation of more detailed options for the future which, it was stated in the report, were due to be published 2005 and, if so, when will he do this?

Answer

As I indicated previously in my answer to this question on 28th March 2006, the development of an Early Chi Education and Care strategy is a complex piece of work partly because it involves predictions based on signi uncertainties including the availability of additional States funding but also because any resultant model nee dovetail with the new Income Support System due to be introduced in 2007.

Discussions continue between the Departments for Education, Sport and Culture and Employment and Social S to develop proposals which will be presented to the States in due course. However, I would remind members vision of the former Education, Sport and Culture Committee, set out in the document "Investing In Our Futur an aspiration to take effect in 2008.

----------

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE BY THE CONNETABLE OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 28th MARCH 2006

Question

Would the Minister confirm whether a nursery unit is being created as part of the planned redevelopment of St. Primary School and, if so, would he explain the reasons why given his recent admission that the current sys allocating a limited number of free places in States day-nurseries is inequitable?

Answer

I confirm that a nursery class will be built as part of the planned redevelopment of St Peter's Primary School. the States approved the strategy of the Working Party on Child Care. This included a recommendation that the Education Committee continue its programme of developing nursery classes at provided primary schools.

In 2005, the former Education, Sport and Culture Committee declared its intention to continue with this strategy 2009 when a nursery class at St. Peter 's School would be completed.

The inequity in the current system is not caused by the provision of nursery classes but by the fact that there sufficient free places across the Island for all three and four year olds.

----------

1240/5

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE

BY THE CONNETABLE OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 25th APRIL 2006

Question

Would the Minister inform members –

1. (a) of the date when the decision was taken to build a nursery unit as part of the rebuilding Peter's Primary School?,
2. (b) supply the capital and revenue costs for the nursery unit?
3. (c) whether discussions were held with the Parish over the feasibility of using existing prem the area to avoid the expense of new build?
4. (d) whether he took into account the impact of the new free States nursery on private nurseries in the West of the Island?

Answer

1. The decision to build a nursery class as part of St. Peter 's Primary School was taken by the former Ed Committee in 1999 when it made an unsuccessful bid for its inclusion in the States Capital Programme. A fur was agreed by the Committee in December 2002 and, early in 2003 this scheme was included in the States programme.

In October 2005, the Committee agreed a feasibility study for the scheme and in February 2006 the M approved the submission to a detailed planning application.

2. (b) The cost of the nursery class will be £225,000. The annual revenue cost will be £90,000.
3. (c) Discussions have not taken place with the Parish over the feasibility of using existing premises area because the intention is to provide a nursery class for educational reasons; to prepare three and four year ol starting school.
4. (d) The policy to continue building nursery classes to provide young children with an educat experience was approved by the States in 1996. These classes offer a term-time only experience during school ho is anticipated that many working parents will continue to need the year round, all day child care provision off the private sector.