Save St Sampson's Infant School "Update"

THE campaign to save St Sampson’s Infants’ School is not over yet.

Speaking yesterday, before Education announced its closure recommendation, Nick Batiste, chairman of the Save St Sampson’s Infants campaign, said the group would appeal to every States member to have the decision overturned if it did not go their way.

‘We understand any decision to close will be put to the States as a whole, so we will have to take our arguments and concerns to every member and persuade them that closing the school is the wrong decision.’

The PTA has already put its case to the Education board in a lengthy submission. The future of St Andrew’s Primary School was also in the balance and parents yesterday had their fingers crossed ahead of the big decision – and were not to be disappointed.

Denise Prosser has one child at the school, four-year-old Sidney, who is in Reception. Speaking ahead of this morning’s announcement, she said: ‘We have to just hope they make the right decision. There is no way it should close (from thisisguernsey)

This School is a lovely school, my Godson spent his happy first school years there...

Check out thier website

LINKEY

plus sign up on facebook

LINKEY

they need your support.....

signed the petition GD and joined the group.if the figures that they are saving by closing this infants school are correct then it is an absolute nonsense to upset all these little ones .leave the school alone and make your savings elsewhere.

Education officials are highlighting how much they'll save by closing St
Sampsons Infants.

But it could be some time before they actually start seeing the full £250,000
per year.

The department's issued a statement saying the quarter of a million pounds
closing the school will save them are 'net' savings.

Most of it's been put down to staff costs but employees left without a job
because of the closure will stay on Education's payroll while they wait to
fill vacancies elsewhere, as when they turn up.

So it could some time before the department actually sees a drop in the
number of people their paying.

Officials have also said not all those staff will be waiting for other
positions, some will retire or leave as their housing licence ends.

The full breakdown of the schools costs and savings expected, aren't being
made available to the public yet.

An Education spokesperson says 'the detailed workings will be included in
their report when they seek states approval to close St Samspons Infants so
it wouldn't be appropriate to provide them at this stage'. (from Island FM)

ive signed the petition and joined the group.  I went to this school and I have very special memories of this school and I hope that it remains open so other children will continue to have special memories.  Make savings elsewhere and leave this school well alone.

I've signed it too....My godson loved it there ..its a lovely little school...

ST SAMPSON’S might need a dedicated primary school in future, according to a member of the Education Department.

Deputy Mike Collins said he had voted to close St Sampson’s Infants School as the cost per pupil could not be justified. But he said that the Delancey campus, of which the school forms part, could be reworked as a primary school in the longer term.

‘There will be housing in Leale’s Yard and eventually at Belle Greve and I can see that in a few more years there could be a call for more primary education in St Sampson’s,’ he said.

He said the cost per pupil in primary schools was generally around £4,100 per annum – but a little more at St Andrew’s. But at St Sampson’s Infants it was more than £6,000. (from thisisguernsey)

COMBINING infants’ and junior schools offers more flexibility in terms of staffing and curriculum, according to deputy Education minister Allister Langlois.

The department’s report on the primary sector, which was released last week, not only recommended St Sampson’s Infants be closed, but suggested combining Vale Infants and Junior to create a primary school.

Deputy Langlois said it had been primary education policy since the 1980s to try to ensure youngsters did not have to make two school moves – from infants to juniors at seven and then into secondary at 11.

Combining schools also allowed greater opportunities for staff and children, he said. St Martin’s was the first to do it in the early 1980s, followed by Vauvert in the 1990s and then more recently Amherst and Hautes Capelles. (from thisisguernsey)

I am so sorry that the closure of one of our infant schools became a perverse contest which our ever thick media loved. Is the real reason St Sampsons closed and not St Andrews is that there is a high level of english with wealth who live in St Andrews whereby St Sampsons there is a higher level of local middle to low earners. Basically, they never stood a chance.

EDUCATION did not have enough information to decide to close St Sampson’s Infants, according to one of its chief critics.
Deputy Jane Stephens put a series of questions to the department’s minister, Carol Steere, on 27 September and she said it took more than two weeks to get some answers.
‘The time taken to respond and the lack of concrete detail in Deputy Steere’s response suggests that my fears are correct and that what the government website announces as a decision to close the school has been made with inadequate information to back it,’ said Deputy Stephens (pictured), a former head teacher.
‘Now there is a scramble to put a case together to bring to the States. This will seem to many a case of putting the cart before the horse.’
In her letter to Deputy Stephens, Deputy Steere says that the matters she raised would be addressed in the States report on the proposed closure (from thisisguernsey)

EDUCATION has been criticised for taking no advice from planners over its recommendation to close St Sampson’s Infants School.
The Urban Area Plan sets out criteria that need to be met for education faculties to be lost - but Education has argued it does not need to speak to Environment yet because it is not making recommendations on the site’s future use.
An independent report into planning by Chris Shepley last year highlighted the need for planners to be involved in major decisions at the outset.
At the time he was referring to the decision to build St Sampson’s High at Les Nicolles. St Sampson’s deputy Jane Stephens does not believe the department has enough information to make the recommendation for closure.
‘We now know that in their deliberations about the closure of the school, Education has not consulted the Environment Department,’ said Deputy Stephens.
‘The Urban Area Plan in the final sentence of point SCR2 says that Environment will resist the loss of education facilities, “unless the committee in consultation with the Education Department is satisfied that the facilities are genuinely redundant and surplus to future requirements”. Environment has not been consulted, so presumably they cannot resist. On the face of it, the stance taken by Education seems highly disrespectful of procedure.’ (from thsisguernsey)

A school in Guernsey has received national recognition for its use of technology.
St Sampson's Infant School has gained the Becta Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Mark.
Becta is the government-funded body in the UK responsible for promoting the use of ICT in schools and colleges.
St Sampson's is the third island school to receive the accolade - Castel Primary School and the Vale Infant's School were awarded the mark in July. (from thisisguernsey)

Parents have vowed to fight to save a Guernsey infant school which has been threatened with closure.
It follows an announcement by the Education Department that it intends to close St Sampson's Infant School to save money.
The school's parent teacher association (PTA) met on Monday evening to discuss what could be done.
Christine Guilbert, the PTA chairwoman, said despite the shock, everyone was positive the school could be saved.
The school has recently been awarded the Becta Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Mark in recognition of its computer technology. (from BBC news)

Parents and teachers in Guernsey have kick started their campaign to save St Sampson's School from closure.

The Education Department will recommend to the States in January that children should be transferred elsewhere and those in the St. Sampson's catchment area will go to Vale Junior School instead.

The Education Department want St. Sampson's Infants to close to save money in its budget. Minister Carole Steere still needs to persuade the States that closing is the right thing to do.

But the PTA isn't giving up without a fight.

One of the main issues parents at St. Sampson's School have with sending their children to Vale Junior School involves safety when taking their children to and from school. The roads are busy and with St. Sampson's children coming here too it could get worse.

Christine Guilbert, St. Sampson's Infants PTA, told channelonline.tv; "At present at St. Sampson's infants school people choose to walk to school, its healthier from an environmental point of view its much safer and just leaving our cars at home is very good for the environment as well. But walking to Vale School would be impractical."

St. Sampan's PTA held a meeting last night and more than 40 people turned out to give their thoughts on the impending closure. Education chiefs believe by shutting the school they will save thousands of pounds that could be spent on other projects within Education.

But the PTA believe the positives that the school brings to its pupils outweigh the cost implications.

Belinda Davies, St. Sampson's Infants PTA, told channelonline.tv; "St. Sampson's is a really special school. It's uniqueness is typified by the real uniqueness the school has. Its a small school, but the quality of teaching and learning I've seen already is second to none."
(from Channelonline)

PARENT power is being drafted into the battle to save St Sampson’s Infants’ School.
Its PTA has regrouped and this week, with just two months to go until the States decides the closure-threatened school’s fate, it is stepping up the fight to keep it open.
Campaigners are hoping they can persuade deputies to vote against the Education Department’s recommendation when they meet to have the final say in January. Parents warn the closure could disrupt their children’s education, as well as hit the whole area.
‘Our main aim is to try and persuade deputies to support keeping the school open and we’re going to do this by keeping its profile high and by raising the issues and impact its closure would have on our community, other communities and our children,’ explained PTA deputy chairman Belinda Davis.
The school is still reeling from the announcement in September that it had been earmarked for closure.
It followed a major review by Education, started back in January, which found St Andrew’s Primary to be a more viable long-term prospect on several grounds including the number of pupils and cost savings of £250,000.
St Sampson’s, which has three classes - Reception, Year One and Year Two - had no PTA when the review began but formed a committee to campaign for its survival. In September, some of the founding members resigned but a new group of parents has picked up the gauntlet. (from BBC News)

St Sampson’s Infants’ School PTA members, standing with their children, aim to take action over Education’s proposal to close the school. Adults from the left are Christine Guilbert, Belinda Davis, Tracey De Carteret, Sadie Rosamund, Hayley Mechem, Cathi Robin, Mike Robin, Katie Mauger and Alison Fox. Children from the left are Oscar Fox, Caitlin De Carteret, Max Guilbert, Isabelle Davis, all 4, Luca Ferbrache, 7, Alexia Rosamund, 6, Brandon Wallace, Madison Mauger, both 4, Caleb Fox, 6, and Courcy Robin 4. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0675503)

ST SAMPSON’S Infants’ PTA is hoping to organise an island meeting in January to help save the school.
It is waiting for the release of the January Billet and plans to dispute some of the Education Department’s findings which recommend the school’s closure and suggests that future pupils attend Vale Infants.
‘We’re waiting to inspect the Billet before we comment,’ said its deputy chairman, Belinda Davis.
However, she said several PTA members had been questioning the arguments laid down by Education, such as its projections for a declining birth rate and consequent drop in the number of pupils. After viewing records at the Greffe, Mrs Davis said they had shown a static birth rate since 2000 rather than a decline and she said that new housing developments in the school’s catchment area were likely to boost future pupil figures.
‘There are an awful lot of building projects, such as those near Leale’s Yard and in Church Lane, and they won’t be all single-occupancy properties, there will be families moving in. We need to establish exactly what kind of housing is going to be there.’
Over the next 10 weeks Mrs Davis said the PTA was expecting to be extremely busy raising the profile of the school’s plight. (from thisisguernsey)