Education keen to speak to La Mare de Carteret staff
EDUCATION is looking to engage with La Mare de Carteret High School staff about proposed changes to the secondary system.
The committee announced last week that it had chosen Les Varendes over La Mare de Carteret as the third secondary school for the three-school scheme.
The decision has caused some discontent at the school in Castel, and some staff at La Mare were unhappy about how the information was announced on a Friday afternoon.
Education, Sport & Culture president Andrea Dudley-Owen said the committee was communicating with staff.
‘The committee believes engaging directly with staff, rather than going through the media, is incredibly important,’ she said.
‘We are focused today on continuing with our plans to speak to La Mare de Carteret High School staff face-to-face.’
La Mare de Carteret High School principal Verona Tomlin said some in the school community would take time to accept the latest recommendations.
‘The future of secondary and post-16 education is such an emotive subject, so it is completely understandable that staff, students and parents within the La Mare de Carteret High community have strong feelings about the committee’s recommendation to use the other three secondary schools for its new model,’ she said.
‘Some will already have resigned themselves to this change, but others will feel a real sense of disappointment and will need time to adjust. My role as a leader of this school is to support all staff, students and parents and I’m committed to doing so.’
She said she had a productive meeting with Deputy Dudley-Owen and vice-president Deputy Bob Murray.
‘We very much have a shared desire to ensure appropriate support is put in place after the States has made the final decision on the model, and to consult and engage with the staff at La Mare and its wider community as any changes are implemented.
‘Plans are already in place for the committee to engage with staff in-person, and I know my colleagues will welcome this.’
The policy letter for the new three-school model is expected to be published a week Friday and the issue will be debated by the States in July.
