‘We’ve a lot of work to do to improve education’

He has now pledged to make an annual update to the community about how the local education strategy is progressing.

The start of the school year marks 12 months since Mr Hynes was appointed and he had faced a number of challenges, with post-Covid education and Guernsey schools starting to have Ofsted inspections.

One of the most high-profile has been St Sampson’s High failing its first Ofsted report, after being found to be inadequate or requiring improvement across all four judgement areas.

Vale Primary was the first primary school to be inspected, and it fared better, being found to be good across the board.

‘One of these reports was very positive and we are already learning from the things Ofsted told us this school is doing really well,’ Mr Hynes said.

‘The other report highlighted a number of areas where performance is not at a level we would expect.

‘At that school there is a detailed improvement plan in place and we have already started to make changes to ensure that the quality of education improves quickly.’

He detailed the education strategy’s four priorities, which focus on inclusivity, delivering high-quality learning, meeting the community’s needs and providing leadership.

He said that even in a small community the education system is broad and diverse.

‘I like to think of the education strategy as the glue that binds the education system together,’ he said.

‘It is how we know that everyone working in or supporting your child’s school or setting shares the same vision, values and aims to ensure that all learners are as successful as they can be.

‘Everything we do is now linked to these four priorities and the commitments that go alongside them. Everything we do must focus on getting it right first time for your child, and for all children and young people in our islands.

‘Each January, we will tell you and the wider community how we are doing, and what we will be doing next to keep moving closer to achieving our four priorities.’

He said that everyone in education wanted local young people to have the best experience possible.

‘We know we are not there yet and have a lot of work to do, but I hope you can see we have big plans for the future of education in Guernsey and Alderney,’ he said.

‘These plans include the changes already under way to build a new post-16 campus at Les Ozouets, alongside moving to three secondary schools in Guernsey by September 2025. Later this year we will see the demolition of the old St Peter Port School building at Les Ozouets so that construction of the new post-16 campus can begin.’

• For more information on the education strategy visit www.gov.gg/educationstrategy