High mountains. In Gap, parents are ready to “go on the attack” to open a class

The small school La Tourronde, at the southern end of the Gap, is no longer so quiet. In the past few months, parents of students have been worried about the coming school year. Already? Yes, for the school year 2023/2024 it is likely to be complicated: the establishment may experience a sharp increase in the workforce. “Constructions are popping up all over the district,” notes Jonathan Mirallès, parent delegate. The recent completion of real estate projects has parents worried about the school’s capacity. In February, a first survey is made to get an impression of the potential workforce: 110 students are announced against 94 at the moment. The pre-registrations from April confirm the figure: “107 submitted files and three exceptions subject to the mayor’s approval”, announces Aurore Sifre, also a parent of a delegated student.

“With more loaded classes it can be more complicated”

Currently, the school has four classes, with an average of 23.5 students in each. By staying in four classes at the start of the next school year, the average would increase to 27.5 students. And the classes grouping more than three different levels would be more. Unacceptable for parents. “What we like at La Tourronde is that the children do a lot of activities and excursions,” explains Aurore Sifre. With more loaded classes it can be more complicated. “It also raises the problem of the deterioration of children’s learning conditions”, says Julie Saunier, parent of a student.

In addition to the concerns, the parents mobilized and alerted the town hall and the national education services in particular in February. But also by designing a sustainable solution in their eyes.

At the moment there is no place for the fifth grade

Their preferred solution: to open a fifth grade. Automatically, the average number of students per class fall to 22, and a single class would group three levels, as for the current year. Except that the school card does not allow for this extra class and that it is not physically found in the school: work had to be done.

The parents are multiplying the agreements with the town hall – which is responsible for the building – and the national education services – which is responsible for the number of classes – to propose the solution with no concrete result at the moment. On 2 June they had another meeting with Mayor Roger Didier, and on 6 June with the academic director of the National Education Services (Dasen) Aymeric Meiss. Expectations are high because staff increases should be repeated year after year given the local city dynamics. “If we don’t have the fifth grade, we go on the attack to be heard,” smiles Jonathan Mirallès.