Battle gets under way for future of secondary schools

In a bruising debate, which will continue today, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, the leader of the bid to ‘pause and review’ the two 11-18 schools, said she had never seen such unrest.

‘Nearly 6,000 people have signed a petition, nearly 3,000 people have marched, 90% of teachers and support staff and five douzaines have come out against the one-school-on-two-sites plans.

‘This is the biggest uprising and demonstration of professional and public opposition to any policy that the island has seen.’

Education, Sport & Culture was fighting to keep its two-school model alive, and so far the indications are that the votes will be very close.

The complex debate seems to be heading towards a face-off between the two-school model and the ‘pause and review’ requete.

Those two positions faced a number of challenges, with seven wide-ranging amendments and tactical voting playing a part.

The first challenge was an amendment from Deputy David De Lisle which asked for three 11-16 schools at Les Beaucamps, St Sampson’s and La Mare High with a separate sixth form college at Les Varendes.

That move was resoundingly defeated, after it was criticised as belonging to the wrong millennium and not being cost-effective nor educationally optimal.

Debate was under way last night on the second amendment from Deputy Gavin St Pier, which asks for a three-school model to be drawn up and compared to the two-school model.

A seventh amendment was placed late in the afternoon from deputies Jonathan Le Tocq and Al Brouard, calling for three 11-18 schools.

Kicking the whole debate off, Deputy Dudley-Owen blamed a crisis in education on a ‘serious political blunder’ two years ago when States members made a vital decision ‘on the hoof’.

She added that it was a ‘collective failure’ and they all had to take responsibility for it.

‘We must ask why we as a body politic allowed the alternative model to be voted through without the normal checks and balances that apply to all other major policy proposals that come to this chamber, which are rigorously researched, checked, and shaped by consultation with key stakeholders.

‘Why didn’t we at that time want to know whether the plan was affordable, that it provided a case for change, that it was viable, that it could be delivered successfully?

‘We are all culpable for letting the community down on this one decision, whether or not we voted for it.’

Deputy Dudley-Owen presented her ‘pause and review’ requete as the only solution to solving a catastrophe in confidence.

The charged debate showed a very divided States, and the result is predicted to go down to the wire.

Deputy Dawn Tindall was in the chamber, even though she has been suffering from bronchitis and could barely speak, indicating how close the votes are expected to be.

• More States coverage on Page 4 of today's Guernsey Press