Non-voting ESC member approached to stand in as director of education

The West deputy was concerned about the way retired former Blanchelande principal Andrew Warren and Les Beaucamps High School head teacher Sophie Roughsedge were appointed as director of education and seconded head teacher respectively.

Deputy Fallaize said that the director of education post was advertised only internally and to the grant-aided colleges.

‘Two applications were received, both of which were from current employees of the States of Guernsey. Both met the criterion of having a teaching qualification,’ he said.

‘As a non-voting member of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, Mr Warren was present at the committee meeting when the job description was presented and subsequently agreed but, as a non-voting member, he did not approve either the job description or terms of employment. The post was advertised on civil service terms and conditions.

‘The salary had been externally evaluated prior to this recruitment activity.’

Shortlisting for the role took place in May, with workshops and interviews. The decision was then deferred and then neither of the teachers was appointed. But Mr Warren did not vote on that decision.

Deputy Fallaize said that Mr Warren had not put himself forward for the role and he had not been asked to consider applying when the other applicants were in the running.

‘Following the panel’s decision not to make an appointment, Mr Warren was approached by the president and vice-president of Education, Sport & Culture to explore whether he would be willing to consider a fixed term appointment as director of education. This was done with the full knowledge and support of the committee.’

While Deputy Dudley-Owen described Mrs Roughsedge as deputy director of education, Deputy Fallaize said she was a ‘seconded head teacher’, who was part of the project team to transform education. It was a new, temporary post.

‘The role requires a qualified and experienced teacher with significant senior management and leadership experience gained in an educational or related field, as well as a thorough knowledge and understanding of education management and curriculum development in an 11-18 setting; and substantial experience of current practice in secondary and post-16 education,’ Deputy Fallaize said.

He confirmed the job had not been advertised locally.

‘The post was agreed as a secondment to add to the multi-disciplinary skills mix required by the project team,’ he said.

‘With any secondment there is an expectation that the secondee will return to his/her substantive role in due course, and this situation is no different.’