Elizabeth College has no plans for more pupils

Speaking in the wake of the announcement that the school would start becoming fully co-educational from next year, Mrs Palmer said that there were no plans to increase the number of students.

Currently there are 88 places available in each year, she said, although the school was not full at present.

‘Effectively, we will absorb girls into that number,’ she said.

‘But if there’s demand it [increasing the number of places] is something we may consider.’

Meanwhile, The Ladies’ College said that the first it knew of the plans for the boys’ school to go co-educational was on Monday afternoon and it was ‘actively reviewing this decision’.

On the same day that news of Elizabeth College’s plans went public, contracts were passed on its purchase of the neighbouring Canada Court building.

Mrs Palmer said that the site’s occupant, the Royal Bank of Canada, will be leasing it back from the college for the next six months.

But she said that the purchase of the site was not a reflection of plans to increase student numbers.

‘The bank purchase is absolutely about extending and improving our facilities for the number of students we’ve got.’

She said that it was possible that some parents might not want the school to change to co-educational.

‘If parents do want to choose a single-sex school, we might see people taking their sons off-island, which would be a great shame,’ she said.

‘But I hope the addition of girls will enhance the fabulous offer that we have at the moment.’

Former students have so far welcomed the idea.

‘The responses we have received so far since the announcement from members of the Old Elizabethans group have been really positive,’ she said.

Emails to this effect had been received from the group’s president and chairman.

‘A lot of the “old guard” have received the news positively and I’ve been really really pleased.’

With the existing co-educational elements at primary and sixth form level, the school had already seen benefits, such as the ability to develop relationships.

‘Our junior school has been co-educational for a very long time,’ Mrs Palmer said.

‘It is very much a part of the environment at Elizabeth College Junior School and we’re very excited to see girls coming through all the way from two-and-a-half to Year 13.’

Boys and girls working together prepares them for a world that is itself co-educational, she said.

Elizabeth College and Ladies’ College have shared their sixth forms for several years, and Mrs Palmer said that she did not foresee the planned changes affecting this.

‘Ashley Clancy [Ladies’ College principal] and I are in conversation and we have a really positive working relationship,’ she said.

‘I hope that the sixth form partnership with Ladies’ College will continue.’

Before the school goes fully co-ed, some facilities will need to be extended. The college had a rolling works programme and this linked to the new site at Canada Court.

There were already changing facilities for girls in the sports hall and suitable toilets around the site, and adding to these will all be part of the work that is to be done in the transition period.

‘We have the period of transition to work out all of these things,’ said Mrs Palmer.

‘We’re working with architects on Canada Court and there are plans to develop a number of aspects including a performing arts space.’

Food tech is also on the cards as a new subject for the school, following feedback from both students and parents.