Parents told to face the facts

Wednesday 24th November 2010, 3:00PM GMT.

Education Minister James Reed.

Education Minister James Reed.

PARENTS must accept that there have to be cuts in education funding or face paying higher taxes, the Education Minister has said.

In a letter sent to all parents of school children today, Deputy James Reed said there was no easy solution and that tough decisions had to be made in order for the States to meet its savings targets over the next three years. The choice, he added, was stark – cut public spending or pay more tax.

The minister is due to meet parents in the New Year in a bid to clear up confusion about the proposed cuts to the Education budget and to hear what they have to say.However, he said Education would not escape the cuts and a constructive solution had to be found.


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  1. 1
    Julie

    Well our children do not go to fee paying schools yet the idea that we pay tax towards children that do makes us angry. Carry on going Deputy Reed, people asked for States savings and its time they started to accept them.

    Report abuse

  2. 2
    Alien Sister

    Perhaps he’d also like to explain the ‘asset realisation’ that his department is forcing upon just one of the fee paying schools . It’s soon going to be ‘Parents with NO choice’ .

    Report abuse

  3. 3
    Tony

    This is great example of why the islander is run so badly. We put a man in place who is totally out of his depth, and has no understanding of the situation facing parents in their 30s and 40s.

    Please resign and lets hand the reigns over to someone who knows what they are doing – this is getting embarrassing for for Islanders and Government.

    Report abuse

  4. 4
    No Kid Joe

    I think you’ll find we’ll be cutting public spending AND paying more tax. Oh they might call it something else like GST or social security contributions but we’ll be getting stiffed at both ends either way.

    The alternative of course would be to manage our resources in a prudent manner but this bunch of idiots are incapable of doing that.

    Hence the resurfacing of the avenue, or letting 40 blokes sleep in Portakabins in rotating shifts for the best part of a year, as it’s also known.

    Hey you think it’s tough having kids, try not having them and paying more tax for using less resources.

    Report abuse

  5. 5
    Mandy Marigold

    I’m glad that the Deputy is sticking to his plans!
    Well done, a Politician with the courage of his convictions.
    I really can’t afford to pay anymore tax so if you want your children to go to private school you’ll have to dig a little deeper! or…carry out your threats to put them in a States School….

    Report abuse

  6. 6
    Jersey Teenager

    So eitherway, the public are going to have to pay more.

    Extra GST, raised student fees……. states cutting back on funds so they can build more bronze statues and other pointless things/eye-sores….

    Jersey Monvie….

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  7. 7
    Rudolph Hooker

    Julie@1

    The children have to be educated, it’s the law.
    If their parents want to pay half that’s half the tax payer pays. If the parent doesn’t want to pay that’s the full amount the tax payer has to fund.

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  8. 8
    Desert Fox

    Julie, surely your axe must be sharp enough now and you can stop grinding it, you are getting to be very dull dear…..

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  9. 9
    Warren J

    OK #1, to keep everyone happy, lets cut taxes for all.

    To do this, cut ALL subsidies to Connex, Housing Rebate and other income support provision, and for Education, trim down provision to the bare legal minimum of education to age 16, and of course cut those dreadded ‘subsidies’ to fee paying schools.

    Make Jersey a low tax / low benefit – user pays jurisdiction – Happy with that are we ?

    Report abuse

  10. 10
    Mark

    Mandy Marigold (5) I’m glad that the Deputy is sticking to his plans!

    Well said Mandy. Government that chops and changes at every flicker of protest will dive ever deeper into the red. Stick to your guns James!

    Report abuse

  11. 11
    PrivateSchool Parent

    Here we go again. The great unwashed moaning about their little so and so’s who go to States schools and how they shouldn’t have to pay for private school children.
    Remember that private school parents pay for all of the States school system plus half of their own. Also don’t forget that private school parents make up the bulk of the high income earners, thus paying more tax in general than the poor, who by way of subsidies and hand outs pay next to nothing. I don’t want my children’s IQ diluted by going into one of the sink schools and having to rub shoulders with them. Neither do I wish my Range Rover to be dented or stolen whilst parking at one of these God forsaken places.
    I say to upstanding fee paying parents – Chin up, let us trust in the judgement of our CoM!

    Report abuse

  12. 12
    Back to reality

    Julie – there’s no need to be angry – life is too short as it is.. the sort of concerns you are expressing just show a ‘slight’ misunderstanding of the situation.
    We also pay taxes and our children, like all others, are entitled to a place in a states school – we have chosen (for our own particular reasons) to pay for our children to attend a fee paying school. We are therefore paying for 1.5 school places per child and no, we are far from ‘rich’, ‘posh’ or any of the other stereotypes which people have been using in this debate. It is merely our choice and ultimately in effect has meant that non-fee paying schools have space for those who do not make this choice. If everyone, or even a percentage of people who send their children to fee paying schools are prevented from doing so by the subsidy being reduced, non-feepaying schools can look forward to larger class sizes, further pressure on their budgets and so on…. be aware that there are many people in that situation – we are not all chino and pashmina clad, chelsea tractor driving, mansion dwelling types, who as it happens frequent many island schools as is their right!

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  13. 13
    Thinktank

    How about stopping all the handouts to lazy Mums who plan their incomes and other benefits around their kids. I see red when I hear women planning their next kid just to obtain more handouts, translated, that means that you and I doing an honest days work are paying towards these layabouts. If there were no benefits, they would plan their family like any normal worker!

    Report abuse

  14. 14
    Pip Clement

    I can guarantee that the parental axes will be razor sharp and the parents will be madder than ever after a winter season drinking bile.
    The Ministers attempt in the New Year to reason with what will be like a nest of angry hornets should be interesting.

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  15. 15
    please listen

    Julie No1

    Please understand, We only pay extra on top of the allowance per child. your child or my child at private gets the same amount allocated to there education from the tax payer, we choose to send them to a school were we pay extra on top for there education.

    i wish people would stop harking on about the private v public school. Its a choice that i’m sure alot of states school parents would choose fee paying schools if they were able or had a choice to send there kids to one.

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  16. 16
    steve

    Oh no is he still here. Cuts OR face higher taxes? We already are paying higher taxes its not an either or.
    Julie still got her head in the sand, you pay less tax for the children in fee paying schools!! And I as a taxpayer pay more for your children to be in a non fee paying school so im entitled to be more angry at you!!

    Report abuse

  17. 17
    JULIE

    Please do not confuse me with the other Julie (comment 1)!! She appears to be one who still hasn’t grasped how the whole thing works.

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  18. 18
    Fanny by Gaslight!

    I cannot understand all the moans about money over here.Everyones always boasting how rich Jersey is and how “safe” it is for children zzz.

    Even asylum seekers residing in Jersey are driving around in their Wrong Rovers like
    Katie price.

    Ahh!the joys of Jersey,and these children educated
    in public schools or not,are so incredibly polite.

    Report abuse

  19. 19
    Nathan Jordan

    Julie, I don’t really understand where you’re coming from. My parents both paid just as much tax when I went to a fee paying school which was used towards the free states schools, doesn’t that make it fair?

    Not to mention the fact that if parents are forced to pull their children out due to cuts, taxpayers like you and I will have to fund their education entirely, rather than subsidise it!

    Report abuse

  20. 20
    Maurice

    This is a significant U – Turn which he has had to do to save his job. We all know that his colleagues on the COM told him to abort his kamikaze mission.
    Remember at the beginning of October Reed announced (via his infamous press release) his intention to halve the subsidy to fee-paying schools and that the decision had been difficult to make but he had no choice !

    At least now he is being told to engage his brain before opening his big mouth.

    The sad fact is that Mr Reed is out of his depth, a nice guy perhaps, but a lost soul in this debate. Simply a mouthpiece for the civil servants.

    Report abuse

  21. 21
    Pat

    Reed should resign – he is a joke, an embarrassment, and an incompetant.
    We need leadership and statesmanship

    Report abuse

  22. 22
    Diane

    11 – Private School Parent

    I haven’t enjoyed a post so much in ages. Well done, you have brightened my day.

    Report abuse

  23. 23
    TC

    The States should not be cutting anything from education, after all our children’s education is for the future of our island. Perhaps Deputy Reed could look at university funding/grants and stop the loop hole which allows many ex partners to get out of contributing towards their childrens education therefore allowing single parnets to receive full grants while the ex’s are living a life of luxury – that would put a few bob back in the coffers or perhaps distribute the grants more fairly.

    I suggest that Deputy Reed goes back to milking his cows or digging his spuds, whatever, and takes Julie No1 one with him as she clearly does not understand what this is all about

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  24. 24
    Kat

    i totally understand the fact that JCG and Vic are funded by the states, as all of the fees paid by these school goes into the education pot anyway. However, it’s a disgrace that our tax money is paying for schools segregated by religion. It’s completely un-necessary and should be stopped.

    Report abuse

  25. 25
    Hew G Rexion

    Some of those little state school oiks will never be educated.
    Cut the losses to the tax payer and get them up a chimney soonest.

    Report abuse

  26. 26
    citydoll

    I have 6 kids! I live in a real nice states house wiv parkin and a garden, have a nice big people carrier, plasma tv. my kids go to great states school why should they go to a private school when they get it for free especially as i dont pay tax… i call that good value here here!!!

    Report abuse

  27. 27
    Chris

    Once again the argument between the non fee and fee paying parents starts again. I don’t see what you all have to complain about – my taxes go towards paying for both groups childrens education and I don’t even have any kids! I think it would be much fairer if I and all the other childless taxpayers got to keep our tax that’s spent on education, but we don’t. Ho-Hum….

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  28. 28
    tricky

    Well done james….the facts may be painful but thats where we are! Just ask Ireland or Greece!!. Parents get used to the real world it hurts. If you can pay you should, sell a chelsea tractor or two.

    Report abuse

  29. 29
    Ohhladeda

    Hey Jersey wimps. School kids and students across England have gone on strike about education cuts and higher student fees.

    You lot just grumble about cuts. All mouth, no trousers.

    Report abuse

  30. 30
    cynic

    Time for a confidence vote in this clown?

    COM policy; tax middle earners as much as they can stomach, then increase school fees under the guise of cuts. Also increase charges for States services and pretend they are cuts.

    This lot could not find their own backsides in the dark, with their own hands, let alone GBP100Mio in savings.

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  31. 31
    Lateral Thinker

    If Mr Reed’s plans go through there are a number of choices open to parents willing to pay to get the best for their kids.

    1) Simply cough up the extra cash.

    2)Send your kids to a States School and use the money saved for extra private tuition

    3) Move to an address in the best States Schools catchment area, driving up property prices and keeping the less well off out. (This is what happens in the UK)

    4) Give up, stop trying to do your best for your kids, live off States hand outs, and finally have a quality of life as good as the scroungers.

    I reckon a lot would go for option 2, which doesen’t save the States money, and won’t achieve the levelled down result wanted by the green eyed lefties posting on here either.

    Report abuse

  32. 32
    SUGGESTION

    TOTALLY DISAGREE. We need to make savings by making the education budget better managed.

    Schools are currently allocated an annual budget. When they approach the end of the year, in the knowledge that any surplus cannot be carried over to the following year, the States schools go on a spending spree to make sure they use all their funds for that year. That means, quite literally, schools buy new equipment, desks, computers, etc when there is nothing wrong with the ones they already have. A total waste of money, of which I have first hand experience.

    This is absolutely true, yet nobody seems to do anything about it

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  33. 33
    Jon

    I agree with the argument that parents contribute to the fee paying schools but I can also understand the people who cannot understand why these parents think their children are too special to go to States run schools and pay nothing! Is there a class battle going on here, it reads that way? Whatever, this proposal is too much of a bombshell for some people right now and it should be either means tested, brought in over a much longer period of time. Current children at school right now are exempt or scrapped altogether. Very tricky!

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  34. 34
    The Bean

    How about the States – and this “out of his depth amatuer” face the facts

    a) STOP WASTING OUR MONEY – which after all it is their negligence which has gotten us into this mess

    and

    b) Stop blaming everyone and everything but yourselves. It was the States – against everyones advice and judgement – that introduced the regressive GST and the crazy zero-ten policy which has caused this situation.

    Now you want us to bail you out?

    Havent you seen how many local businesses are closing and number of unemployed – while foreign owned, non-Jersey business owners get taxed ZERO.?

    Report abuse

  35. 35
    GordonP

    If some islanders want a “PREMIUM” service they should pay for it! What about the islanders who decide not to have children and as a result of the tax structure end up paying more in tax for services they will not use at all!

    Report abuse

  36. 36
    Deep

    @18 Fanny By Gaslight

    Bless you for trying but, due to it’s geographical location and the fact that ALL commercial flights/boats into Jersey come from “safe” countries it is virtually impossible to arrive in Jersey and stake a realistic asylum claim. So, let’s hear who you think these people are? Do you mean EU migrants?

    But at least you had a little go didn’t you?

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  37. 37
    Jambo

    James Reed is a plonker Rodney.

    He ultimately wants to end up with just public schools and then the tax payer faces the entire bill for education.

    Seriously – what is the world coming too…

    Stick to farming James Reed…

    Report abuse

  38. 38
    Aukward

    35 GordonP.

    Breathtaking non-understanding of social systems.
    Thank goodness you have been chosen NOT to contribute to the next generation.
    That generation will not only choose your nursing home, be doctors and nurses for you, and bury you, but they will also provide the money through their taxes and social security payments for you. Your measly contributions have been used up on your parents and inflation.

    Please try and keep up!

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  39. 39
    Mick

    I here so much jealousy and lack of understanding. If those parents who send their children to fee paying schools so wish,then surely this is fine. It allows more of the tax payers money to be directed to the non fee paying schools. Therefore allowing the parents who send their children to the non fee paying schools the ability to spend their money on flash cars, nice holidays, nights out, and other material things. These are our chidren, so if we need to pay more to educate them (???????), we must all pay more! From a very proud, small flat living, old van driving, fee paying schooled child, Dad.

    Report abuse

  40. 40
    Richard

    It would be interesting if the Education Minister and the Social Security Minister would tell us the success rate of the States schools in Exams and also how many of the teenagers on the Advance to Work scheme are from States schools.

    Report abuse

  41. 41
    corky

    In reply to 24. Kat

    My daughter is currently at Beaulieu and to quote their website: “Beaulieu is an independent Roman Catholic day school for girls aged 4-18. Girls of other Christian denominations and faiths are welcome.”
    Tell me Kat, how is this religious segregation?

    Report abuse

  42. 42
    mo

    People may not like it, but James Reed is right. Savings have to be made somewhere in education and the obvious place is the private schools subsidies. Jersey states schools are already underfunded compared to the UK, so they really shouldn’t be pared down any more. But subsidising private/fee paying schools is a luxury we can no longer afford. The increases in fees which would result from reducing the subsidies would still leave them much cheaper than the UK, or so I was told. There may be some parents who decide to move to States schools, and there are places for them. The States schools are very good here, they won’t be disappointed.
    Or we could all pay a LOT more tax. And ,as I already pay 18%, I for one don’t want to.

    Report abuse

  43. 43
    No Kid Joe

    35 Gordon P –
    If some islanders want a “PREMIUM” service they should pay for it! What about the islanders who decide not to have children and as a result of the tax structure end up paying more in tax for services they will not use at all!

    Totally agree, I’ll tell you what will happen, those of us who elected to forgoe parenthood will face tax increases which parents will be exempt from for the most part, as per usual.

    Now watch some numptie post saying that we are paying retrospectively for our own educations.

    Report abuse

  44. 44
    Numptie

    Ever think you are actually paying retrospectively for your own education? :)

    Report abuse

  45. 45
    Inverted snobs

    “If some islanders want a “PREMIUM” service they should pay for it!” Err, they do. They pay fees on top of their taxes.

    Report abuse

  46. 46
    jerseydaz

    If you want your child in private education when the state provides perfectly good schools, well you should expect to pay the full cost and no subsidy. Another word for these parents is “elitest”. I suggest another option however.The growing market in donor organs, i believe we have a spare 50 odd complete sets not doing to much which i’m sure we could sell if we exclude the brains.

    Report abuse

  47. 47
    Mark

    PrivateSchool Parent (11) I don’t want my children’s IQ diluted

    Too late now to worry about IQ. Your child either has intelligence, or is lacking in intelligence, no amount of education will change that fundamental fact!

    Report abuse

  48. 48
    Leah Holmes

    #38 Of course you’re assuming Gordon hasn’t already saved up plenty for his old age :-D Childfree people do tend to plan ahead! Still, I do think we should pay for education, we used it after all.

    #11 I know, perish the thought! Can you imagine if your child was shown up by a very intelligent States’ school child? Oh the shame! I’m sure being shown up by a fellow fee-paying child isn’t AS bad. Your child’s intelligence level is pretty much set by the time he goes to school and if he/she has good traits and is actually smart then he/she could do very well in a States’ school. If, of course, he/she’s not so capable then maybe he/she is better off in a fee-paying school. Contrary to what #15 says, there are people who can send their children to fee-paying schools but either they choose to not or the child doesn’t want to go there. It clearly upsets some people to realise this, goodness knows why. When the children get to university only snobs will care what school they went to and no-one with a brain wants to socialise with snobs (all talk, little substance).

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  49. 49
    Aukward

    48 Leah Holmes re Gordon! He may have saved up for his old age but can he be his own geriatric nurse and undertaker? That would take some pre-planning. Alternatively , the next generation of educated people might help him out.

    Report abuse

  50. 50
    Real Truthseeker

    Just in local store. Boy from Vic and boy from Grand Vaux – about same age, next to each other reading the paper (the Grand Vaux boy of course had to read out aloud). He read the JEP cover as “Bomb Square…”, and the Vic boy corrected him.

    This is a perfect example of the failed states school system, and how the fee-paying schools should get even more of a grant, as they are the one’s educating the States school children – not the teachers, they are too busy finding ways to argue for a wage increase or when to strike, in between planning for holidays!

    Report abuse

  51. 51
    DB

    To Richard 40 – that’s not nice what you have said. Well let me tell you that 2 States educated family members are both in Uni and doing very well thank you with no grant. My friends child went private and is now retaking exams at Highlands, the private school didn’t want to know. It’s down to the child if they want to learn regardless if you go private or States. Please respect States educated children even if they haven’t been able to get a job it’s probably due to the current economic climate.

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  52. 52
    Irate parent

    Private School Parent 11
    I am outraged after reading your comments.We are higher earners and after much consideration turned down a place at a private school and opted for the states system instead.My daugher loves her school and we chose it believing that she has the potential and ambition to succeed wherever she went.We also believe that it will give her the chance to become a well rounded person with empathy for people from all walks of life. I went to a fee-paying school myself so have seen both sides!
    You have only proved that money can’t buy you manners!!!

    Report abuse

  53. 53
    Local Farmer

    37 ‘He ultimately wants to end up with just public schools and then the tax payer faces the entire bill for education..
    ‘..Stick to farming James Reed…’

    Jambo, might I suggest that you stick to what ever you do if you don’t really understand what ‘public schools’ are (unless you are in America).

    Report abuse

  54. 54
    Exiled St Ouennais

    James Reed, take a deep breath and find some courage. It is now time to publish the exam results for each and every school.

    Report abuse

  55. 55
    Leah Holmes

    #52 I know it sounds patronising, but well done. Your child’s happiness plays such a big part in their willingness to learn and, this is key to how successful they will be at school. My parents gave me the choice but it was me that didn’t want to go to a fee-paying school. A good few of my friends turned it down too and most of us did go on to study Medicine or Law at excellent universities. One went to Oxford but the rest of us weren’t interested, probably for the same reasons fee-paying schools didn’t appeal.

    My cousin had no option but a fee-paying school and she was bullied far more than anyone else I know, and far more than she had been at her original school, her crime was being 7 academic years ahead of her physical age.

    Still when parents claim that it shows they love their child more, are more interested in their child’s education or are providing their child with “the best education”, then maybe they are just trying to cover for other inadequacies. Or maybe their child isn’t as capable as youur daughter and really needs the lower teacher-child ratio. Just one perfect teacher can be life-changing for a child and since every child and every teacher is different some people will find that teacher in a States’ school and others in a fee-paying school.

    Report abuse

  56. 56
    Leah Holmes

    #11 “let us trust in the judgement of our CoM” That little gem pretty much sums up the intelligence of your entire post!

    Report abuse

  57. 57
    Deep

    @Real Truthseeker

    I know that you do it to elicit a response, but really, what is it you are hoping to achieve by posting comments such as your last?

    I can’t see that as a valid point, firstly becuase it isn’t. And secondly because it plainly isn’t true. I fuly understand that posting comments on here lets you wait and see how you have managed to rile people you most probably wouldn’t have the courage to insult and demean to their faces. And I’m sure you feel very big and clever afterwards.

    Just in order to get it in first, yes, I did go to a States school before you try to formulate that into some form of witty resopnse about why I find you a bit of a sorry individual.

    Report abuse

  58. 58
    Rovral

    In a way, James Reed is a farmer. He is sowing the seeds of discontent at the moment. Those seeds will grow into something which stands to eventually destroy Jersey’s excellent education system. I suppose, in farming terms, that the education system is a potato crop and Deputy (500 votes) Reed’s antics are analagous to blight or a particularly prolific strain of colarado beetle.

    Report abuse

  59. 59
    Lee homes

    Ah. As always we can expect our resident busy body Leah Holmes to put in her tuppence worth. Is there nothing that she has not done or got an opinion on? Hers must be the most boring house in jersey.

    Report abuse

  60. 60
    Privateschool parent

    Irate parent 52.
    Well if you can plainly afford to send your child to a private school then it seems very selfish of you not to do so. Not only do you put the future of your child at risk by allowing her a sub standard education but also sponge off the taxpayer when you don’t have to.

    Report abuse

  61. 61
    Too True

    @ 47 & 48 re 11

    Actually IQ is not set at birth and,although 11 is being facetious, 11 is quite correct.

    IQ is just one scale which is used to measure intelligence. There are other assessment tools which are also used these days. However, many scholars are firmly of the view that IQ tests give biased results which unfairly assess the performance of those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

    Further, within the field of developmental psychology, most now recognise that intelligence and academic performance can be attributed to both nature and nurture. In other words, it is not just the child’s genetic make-up which is important. Home and, necessarily, school environments all have a part to play.

    Contrary to popular belief, as IQ only measures certain types of performance, a person can be trained to perform better in those areas and therefore achieve a higher IQ. AT ANY AGE.

    In other words, your child’s IQ will definitely be affected by their education. What education cannot affect, however, is POTENTIAL. For all of us, there is indeed a limit to what we can achieve.

    Report abuse

  62. 62
    Leah Holmes

    #59 Oh dear, I congratulated someone on doing what was best for their child rather than succumbing to how it will look to their friends. How terrible of me :-D

    I would imagine some the houses of some of the fee-paying commenters on here would be far more boring, imagine a house where all you care about is keeping up with your peers. Miserable!

    #60 Maybe she wants her child to learn how not to be an elitist snob. Maybe she wants her child to have the type of nature that allows her not only to work in business but also, should she choose, to be able to work in fields that deal with helping the worse off better their situation! The kids at the fee-paying school where my ex taught played a game called “chase the poor kid”, I certainly wouldn’t send a child into such a hateful environment.

    Report abuse

  63. 63
    Incognito

    Well it is coming to pass.
    Three primary faith schools will be two by 2012 .50 Years of fantastic community provision wiped out.

    Parents at faith schools (not De La Salle by the way so that reduces the options somewhat), should ask Terry Le Sueur ‘What have you done for my daughters education?’.

    If the answer isn’t ‘sold it down the Swanee, to reside in portacabins at the Grainville site’. Then he is in parliamentary language’ being ‘flexible with the actuality’. Does that make him a sleeping dog?

    Report abuse

  64. 64
    ted

    Leah, it has eventually come out…it’s all about your ex!

    Report abuse

  65. 65
    canuckbean

    Stop the bitching between the fee and non fee- paying parents please – some people can’t afford to send their kids to fee- paying schools.I experienced both systems as a kid and was genuinely happier in the state system -and yes I managed to get a degree and now work as a nurse in Canada.My children went to states school in Jersey and got a very good education,there are good and bad schools in both sectors-just you pay for something doesn’t necessarily make it better.I was also a parent govenor at my kids’ school for a while and got to understand and appreciate the pressures and constraints that teachers face – I get increasingly dismayed at the bickering that goes on on these pages – stop squabbling and start working together Jersey.People have a right to make the choices they do,just as we did by leaving-just because it may not have been the choice you would have made,it does not make it wrong!

    Report abuse

  66. 66
    James Wiley

    The answer is obvious…

    Privatise all States schools and give each parent the choice of which school should receive the £6,000 that it will cost to edaucte a child if we didn’t have to pay for the education department Civil Servants and their expensive independent consultations which come up with stupid ideas on just how the civil service can get even more out of hand.

    It’ll never happen, it would be unfair to bad teachers who might be able to be identified if their results were published.

    Report abuse

  67. 67
    Leah Holmes

    #64 What’s it got to do with my ex? :-D He’s only one of 5 people I know who taught at a private school at some point in their lives, and we’re still great friends.

    What it’s actually about is that some idiots on this island think money = happiness or money = love. They also assume that poor people are only poor due to lack of intelligence or lack of hard work. Unfortunately some of these people are also raising children. I think it’s pretty atrocious, bordering on negligent, to raise a child in an environment where there is such a lack of proper values. How is their child going to feel if it falls on hard times through no fault of its own and ends up poor? How will it face its peers (who likely hold the same silly opinion). It’s no way to raise a child, if you think it is then I feel really bad for your children.

    #49 Note the bit where I agreed we should pay for education (we used it too). Also, remember that the future generation will ONLY do those jobs if they are remunerated for doing so! They won’t do it out the goodness of their hearts.

    Report abuse

  68. 68
    Real Truthseeker

    Deep at 57 – it was exactly what happened at Fri lunchtime.

    Perhaps you should actually look at what you are contibuting to the dbate, rather some ill conceived attempt at an argument to make yourself feel better about your educational background.

    Next time, please contribute and make a REAL point, rather than just slagging off others.

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  69. 69
    Would he face a bean

    Sounds like a load of old nonsence, Jim at *66. I am not sure what the best way would be to (ahem) “edaucte” (as you say) one’s child but your thinking appears to be as muddled as your spelling!

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  70. 70
    Real Truthseeker

    Forget the parents facing facts – it is the teachers which need to. Demanding pay rises earlier this year. Astounding if it weren’t so selfissh.

    Sure there are good and bad teachers, but I bet the good teachers weren’t promoting this, they were getting on with their jobs. Those demanding pay rises only do so because they are selfish, uninformed, have no understanding of the current climate, and therefore should not be in teaching!

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  71. 71
    Twinkle Fairies

    Post 63 Incognito
    Where is this information from? I have heard nothing and have two daughters at this school and a good friend on the staff. No letters have come home and nothing on the web site. Why are more people not angry? Is the information coming out after the 60th anniversary celebrations? I am worried as I have one daughter about to select some options – should she move? So does that mean that Grainville will close? This makes no sense at all.

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  72. 72
    Hard Working father

    Having read a number of comments I am suprised as to peoples misunderstanding of the type of parent who send children to Private schools. I have 2 girls who started their education in a public school, however when a place became available at a private school even the headmaster of the public school encouraged us to change schools as he put it “she will get more than just a good education”. I have 2 jobs one in the day and one at night time once they have gone to bed and my wife works school hours and weekends to be able to afford their education, we do not drive a fancy car or have a big house but we want to give our children the best start in life. Is this wrong. This will change with the proposed cuts as we have been doing our sums and we will not be able to afford private education and therefore will move back into the public schooling sytem whereby my children are fully funded by the states. Financially we will be better off but will my children?

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  73. 73
    Incognito

    Twinkle Fairies. Hopefully people will be absolutely incandesent at this , and even more so that it is being constructed as a ‘fait accompli’.

    If you have a connection at the school perhaps you should ask them ‘when’ the letters should have gone out. Although you could envisage why the governors might be loathe to ‘Kick a hornets nest’ before the end of term.

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  74. 74
    prog3

    Some interesting comments here but no one has picked up on the Educations biggest failings.

    1. The department is hugely overstaffed

    2. parents who divorce have their childrens university fees paid for by the tax payer – the education dept only take the income of the parent the children are living with (usually the mother). This is a huge expense to the taxpayer as there a thousands of divorced parents in Jersey where the fathers icome is not taken into account. The education dept have this strange idea that a divorced couples income has reduced considerably after divorce. The biological parents should be jointly responsible for their childrens university education.

    3. School results should be published so that responsible/caring parents can make informed choices where they send their children to school.

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  75. 75
    Nathan Jordan

    Well said hard working father! My father sweated blood to put my brother and I through public school; this idea it’s a luxury only enjoyed by the well off is a myth. NJ.

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  76. 76
    Incognito

    Twinkle Fairies.. As you have seen today ,they still don’t want to tell you the truth.Perhaps after Christmas?

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  77. 77
    C Le Verdic

    #75 ‘My father sweated blood to put my brother and I through public school’

    I am sure that you would have phrased that differently (and correctly) if just you, alone, had been put through public school.

    Join me at the back of the class, Nathan!

    Also, think of the confusion you have probably caused to a good half of our readership who think that public schools are free!

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  78. 78
    Anon

    Incognito and twinkle toes

    What could you possibly mean by
    What you have seen today?

    I am a parent at 1 of these schools and have heard nothing still. Noone is telling me anything.

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  79. 79
    Twinkle Fairies

    Incognito: no information today? Will we have some soon? Nothing on the web site too. As I say I am worried about the future and my daughters options. I would like to know what is happening.
    Anon: same situation, the only bits I know are from Incognito. We are all in the dark here.

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  80. 80
    Darcy

    Why do people with money have to judge those worse off? ‘Private school parent’ was quite offensive with their comments. Maybe they should’ve been taught by their parents not to tar everyone with the same brush!! There is good and bad in all walks of life and just because you have money it does not mean you are better or more superior to those who don’t. My friends 4 children all go to States schools and they are some of the nicest children you could wish to meet, very well mannered and non-judgemental. Also they are all doing extremely well at school because they are keen to learn and enjoy it. The thirst for knoweledge and encouragement from parents goes a long way…

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  81. 81
    C L' Observant

    Surely, Darcy and all the others who can’t see whats staring them in the face, ‘Private school parent’ was taking the mickey at #11?

    The entire post reeks of satire.

    The line about trusting the CoM confirms this, does it not?

    Quote:
    ‘I say to upstanding fee paying parents – Chin up, let us trust in the judgement of our CoM!’

    C Le V.

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