All-ability schools will improve achievement, says union

As States members are today due to debate Education's proposals for the future of secondary education, which includes scrapping the 11-plus and moving towards a one school over four sites model, the union welcomed the proposal to educate secondary school students on an 'all ability basis.

The union is the largest teachers' union in Europe with members in all the island's secondary schools.

'Experience in the UK and elsewhere has shown that educating all abilities of children together improves the general standard of achievement without any detriment to the more academically able,' said NUT regional secretary responsible for the Channel Islands, Andy Woolley.

'Countries such as Finland which is consistently held up as a model of excellent achievement for its young people and comes at or near the top of the international league tables for academic achievement have a completely non-selective system of education and their school students thrive

'All Guernsey's Primary Schools are all ability already and nobody seeks to question this – the extension of this to Secondary Schools would be a very positive step.'

He said if Guernsey's politicians took the 'bold but positive step', the union believed it could work with the Education Department to resolve issues around the transition and the establishment of a new all-island institution.

'The interests of local communities and of our members who teach in the current schools can be protected by careful planning and ongoing discussion with all interested parties including teachers and their representative trade unions as the scheme develops,' he added.