Latest news with #RobWard
BBC News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Mobile phones to be banned in Jersey schools from September
The Government of Jersey will not allow mobile phone use at its schools and colleges from the start of September, parents have been ban would include break and lunch times and would apply to all students up to the end of Key Stage 4, said Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning Deputy Rob Ward. In a letter to parents outlining the policies, he said: "Please strongly consider your decision to buy a smartphone or giving an old smartphone to your child."We need to work as a community to educate our young people as to the importance of being safe online." Ward outlined in the letter any breach of school policies where a student actively evaded policy to use a phone would be dealt with according to school behaviour access was discovered of inappropriate sites and content, there would be no hesitation to involve police if it were of a "severe nature", he said devices accessing the internet on the school network would have safe access via safeguarding guidance to parents in the letter included: Ensure there is control over smartphone use and what it is being used for can be accessedIf parents decide to send their child to school with a smartphone, frequently remind them it should be switched off and not carried around schoolIf a smartphone is found in use during the school day, the school is asked to take it from the student and keep it as per policy 'Not one answer' Ward added: "The challenges we face with online safety and appropriate use of future technology will not go away."There is not one answer to solve all of the complications that arise from it."There will be island-wide talks during the week beginning 15 September focused on navigating life online, according to the addition there will be dedicated sessions for parents and guardians, delivered both in person and live streamed on the 16 and 17 September.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Deputies asked to back plans for temporary youth facility
Land earmarked for a new primary school in Jersey could be temporarily used for youth facilities including a skatepark and climbing wall if a proposal is backed by David Warr lodged the proposal for "meanwhile" use of the Gas Place site while plans to use it to build a new primary school are said it was "extraordinary" that due to other sites closing the 5,000 local children would not have a place for indoor activities by the end of about plans to build a school on the site, Deputy Rob Ward, Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, said "I think it's just time to get on with it." 'It angers me' In his proposal, Warr highlighted the closure of youth facilities at Fort Regent for three years, Tamba Park, Amaizin Maze and the town Skate Park. "By the end of 2025 there will be absolutely no free in-door provision in St Helier for 5,000 children."It's quite extraordinary and it angers me to think that this is being allowed to happen."An in-door skate facility combined with other activities such as a climbing wall, a tarmac pump track on Gas Place wasteland could be used by skaters, bikers and wheelchairs plus it's on the doorstep of most of the island's secondary schools." 'Waste of resources' Warr said: "The health and wellbeing of our teenage population which is already problematic post COVID, is being compromised... it affects all of us."Not using this brownfield site now whilst further plans are developed is an incredible waste of resources. "We must do all we can to prevent poor health and wellbeing outcomes rather than waiting three years for them to surface. Surely that is a major policy choice."He added: "I believe that it will be possible to raise sufficient funds through a combination of charitable donations, sponsorship and goodwill." Constable Simon Crowcroft has called for the decision to build a school on the site to be reconsidered due to decreasing birth rates and a lack of open spaces in St for Education and Lifelong Learning, Deputy Rob Ward, said the plans for the school would already be in place if it was not for "constant delay". "We've been through the discussions before," he said."The assembly has voted repeatedly to support the school."What we do have to understand is that the new school will be a replacement for what are buildings that we really don't want out children to be educated in, with a lack of space and green space."I think it's just time to get on with it."The earliest date Warr's proposal could be debated is 8 July.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Maintenance grants to open to students studying online
Young people in Jersey who study degrees online will be eligible for the same financial support as students who go to university in person from September, the government has signed an amendment allowing students studying through distance learning to be eligible for maintenance grants and a higher tuition remain means-tested and dependant on household income but students could apply for grants up to £9,138 for living costs and up to £9,535 towards tuition fees. The minister for education and lifelong learning, Deputy Rob Ward, said the changes would allow more young people in Jersey to study in higher education. Maintenance grants were not previously available to distance learners while the maximum tuition grant would increase from £7,400 to £9, distance learners, grants would be adjusted depending on the intensity of their courses. While the grants will only be available for degree courses regulated in the British change followed similar increases to the household income thresholds from the government. 'Level the playing field' "These changes will ensure young people studying for their degrees off-campus are entitled to the same maintenance and tuition grants as their campus-based peers," said Ward."This will level the playing field and further open higher education as a viable path for more young people in Jersey to pursue. He added: This further contributes towards our strategic priority to increase the provision of lifelong learning and skills development."
BBC News
05-06-2025
- BBC News
La Passerelle students reported missing nearly 300 times
Students from a school set up to support children with additional needs have been reported missing to the police by their parents and carers 291 times between September 2023 and January Passerelle was set up to support students who struggle to attend mainstream school because of a range of issues such as high anxiety.A parent, who we are calling Paul to protect the identity of his child, said the school's decision to mix neurodiverse children with children who have been in trouble with the law was leading to students going missing and taking part in anti-social Passerelle and education minister Deputy Rob Ward said no students have been reported missing from the school during the day, but if pupils leave the school site, staff will follow the pupil and keep them in sight until their parents arrive. The States of Jersey Police declined an interview request and were unable to tell the BBC how many students the 291 incidents related to.A separate BBC Freedom of information request found that there are 61 pupils at La Passerelle secondary and 15 students at the primary school. Paul's child has autism and joined La Passerelle after struggling in mainstream education because of their and his wife were told La Passerelle would provide a caring, nurturing environment for their child but he said: "It's turned into a nightmare and we bitterly regret putting them into the school."Paul explained that after a few weeks at the school his child went from being "mild mannered to being confrontational with authority". 'A toxic mix' Paul said his child became friends with children who had been in trouble with the law and because of their autism they would "mimic behaviour to fit in".Paul felt the decision to put children with different complex needs in one small school led to a "toxic mix".He said: "The children who had been in trouble with the law had a huge influence on the neurodiverse children including my child."The children who had criminal behaviours, their way of getting their fix was to be chased by the police, to be out overnight… to get reported missing by their parents and carers, and they encouraged other students to come out with them." Paul said his child would often go missing with other students after school but there were several occasions where they went missing from school premises during the said: "Some of the students who were suspended were actually coming up to the school to actively encourage other students who were in school to go missing and that happened a couple of times with my child."Another parent told the BBC her child and other children were going missing both during and after school hours. She said her child started to go missing after becoming friends with children who had been in trouble with the law. When asked if their child should be taking more responsibility for their own behaviour, Paul said: "It's well-known that some autistic children do go missing, they do get involved in anti-social behaviour, they have no idea or consequences of what they are actually doing."For us as parents it's a daily battle to protect our child from the behaviour they become involved with. We have even moved house but it's made little difference." Paul thinks the education department needs to be doing more to help neurodiverse children: "There are a lot of parents in similar situations to us who are just pulling our hair out with education."Education are not listening to us or our children and they're not providing the right environment for our children to flourish and to be educated." The school and the minister for education and life long learning declined to do an interview but they sent the BBC a joint said: "No students have been 'missing' or 'reported missing' by school during the school day from La Passerelle."Non-attendance is recorded when pupils do not arrive at school and following a multi-agency update, school will then be made aware that the pupils have been reported as missing."Parents are always notified if pupils leave the school site, and the staff will support by following the pupil and keeping them in sight until their parents and carers are able to arrive."All pupils who attend La Passerelle have neurodiverse needs and staff work alongside parents, carers and partner agencies to ensure each pupil's individual needs are met."
ITV News
13-05-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Two-thirds of Jersey's schools went overbudget in 2024 with more than £2 million overspent
Newly released figures have revealed that nearly two-thirds of Jersey's government-funded schools went overbudget in 2024, leading to a combined overspend of more than £2 million. It comes as the number of children needing additional support has more than doubled since 2017, with the island's largest teaching union branding the situation "dire" and "unsustainable". Jersey's Education Minister, Deputy Rob Ward, says: "The reason for this is that the need is increasing. "For example, records of needs have gone from 212 in 2017 to over 500 last year and those require support: that support is expensive and we have to spend that money." The data from a Freedom of Information request revealed Grainville Secondary School had the highest overspend of £553,315 in 2024, while Grouville was the highest primary school with a deficit of £262,964. Victoria College went overbudget by £128,867 last year and has sent a letter to parents to notify them about an above-inflation 6.5% increase in fees from the Autumn term. It says the rise is necessary due to staffing expenses and funding for pupils with Special Educational Needs, stating: "These costs are driven in part by an increase in staff costs based on existing delivery models and influenced by Government of Jersey pay agreements; and in part due to an increase in non-pay related costs of running a school. "Grant funding allocation from the Government of Jersey is not sufficient. Essentially, the Government should fund 47% of the average cost of a pupil at another GoJ school – we do not believe this funding model is currently being met. "Funding for some of our pupils with Special Educational Needs is insufficient. Some students have their support prorated to 47% while others receive 100%." Deputy Ward explains the budget overspends will be sorted: "The deficits will be dealt with over the term of the year, that's why those figures which look good in the press are somewhat misleading. "We are doing everything we can, I am an advocate for funding of schools, and we need to look into the future in what way we are going to meet the growing need across our estate. "I would always like to see the budget increased, that's my role, I'd like us to see more opportunity to do the best that we can for every child in this island. "We need an intelligent and informed discussion about funding, rather than conflating lots of different figures, which I think can be quite disappointing for schools when one school is paid off against another, so I'd like that to end and let's have an intelligent conversation." Arguing schools are not prioritised, Marina Mauger from the NASUWT teachers' union says: "I just think that if we are going to truly live on an island that puts children first, then education should get the bulk of funding, not the minority. "The thing that is going wrong is that schools historically have been grossly underfunded by the Government. "When I have teachers ringing me and saying, 'We are not allowed to print, we are not allowed to photocopy, the school can't afford it', something is drastically wrong to get to that place on a very wealthy island." Also commenting on the figures, Deputy Jonathan Renouf adds: "The minister says that it is largely driven by an increase in Special Educational Needs, and I think what we would like to see is a little bit of accounting to show where the money has actually gone and how much of it. "He is asking for more, he says education has been underfunded, so we need to understand before we can go down that road, I think, we just need to see what has happened to that money so far."
