10 February 2026
Statement from the Education and Lifelong Learning Minister, Deputy Rob Ward:
“The safety and wellbeing of children and staff is our absolute priority. Jersey’s schools follow
comprehensive safeguarding, security and emergency-response procedures designed to
prevent incidents and ensure a swift, coordinated response if they do occur. I fully understand
that parents may feel anxious, but incidents of this nature are extremely rare. The school
responded swiftly and professionally, and all students remained safe. The school safeguarding
ethos effectively managed the situation yesterday. I am proud of the way the school managed
this serious situation. I want to reassure families that the school will be open as normal and
remains a safe environment for learning.
"All government-funded schools have robust site-security measures in place. These typically
include controlled entry points, secure perimeter fencing, visitor-sign-in systems, CCTV
coverage, and routine monitoring of school grounds.
Staff in every school are trained to recognise safeguarding concerns, manage risk and respond
accordingly.
"Schools carry out regular drills for fire evacuations, and other critical incidents so that staff and
students know exactly what to do.
"We work closely with the States of Jersey Police, who provide specialist guidance and support
to schools, including joint planning, and rapid response where needed. This partnership
ensures that any incident is dealt with quickly and safely, while also enabling schools to
strengthen their procedures over time.
"While any serious incident is deeply concerning, it is important to stress that such events are
extremely rare in Jersey. Our schools are safe, supportive environments, and we remain
committed to continually reviewing and enhancing our security and safeguarding
arrangements.
"We understand that parents may feel anxious when incidents occur, and we want to reassure
families that the systems in place across Jersey’s schools are designed to keep children and
staff safe. Safety is not just a policy requirement – it is a shared commitment across Jersey’s
education system, and it remains our highest priority.”
gov.je