Select a region
A £40m school without air-conditioning or opening windows will be closing every afternoon this week – with the issues not due to be fixed before the summer holidays.
Les Quennevais Headteacher Sarah Hague said the school had “no option” but to send students home yesterday afternoon as temperatures rose above 30 degrees outside due to the “significant risks” of not being able to cool the building properly.
Ms Hague had last year raised the matter with Jersey Property Holdings – which is responsible for the maintenance of public properties – but it was not resolved in time for summer.
Newly elected Education and Infrastructure Ministers Inna Gardiner and Tom Binet visited the premises yesterday to meet Ms Hague and "see the impact of the high temperatures on students and staff."
Following the visit, Deputy Gardiner explained that a "new cooling system was due to be installed at Easter, but the equipment did not arrive in time for the work to be completed before the summer term."
Although standalone air conditioning units have been set up around the school, a decision was taken alongside the Director General with responsibility for Education, Rob Sainsbury, yesterday that it should close at 13:10 every day this week.
In an email to parents and guardians explaining the situation last night, Ms Hague expressed her thanks for the "many messages of support... as we navigate our way through the high temperatures in school."
Pictured: Ms Hague's email to parents last night.
She confirmed that Sports Day and the Whole School Awards Ceremony would still be taking place - but with both moved to Thursday and Friday morning respectively - "as we do not want students to miss out on these key events."
"I am so grateful for your understanding, goodwill and continued support. It means a great deal," she concluded.
Deputy Gardiner said that she would "continue to review the proposed improvements to make sure they function effectively, and provide an update later this month".
The new Education Minister added that she will "continue to work with Deputy Binet and officers to find a suitable long-term solution."
Pictured: Jersey's new Education Minister, Deputy Inna Gardiner, said she was monitoring the situation.
Temperatures are expected to reach 29 degrees today, 24 on Thursday and 26 on Friday.
Jersey's Met Office is also forecasting temperatures as high as 36 degrees on Monday.
Heatwave forces £40m school closure
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.