Union wants La Mare Sixth Form Centre plan scrapped

The National Education Union wants the committee to announce quickly that it will keep A-level students at Les Varendes – the site of the old Grammar School – rather than temporarily relocating them to the west coast from 2025.

The union’s call follows the States decision to reject a goods and services tax and de-fund ESC’s £130m. reorganisation of secondary and further education, under which the committee intended to build a new sixth form centre as part of a post-16 campus at Les Ozouets.

‘If there is no definite funding for building at Les Ozouets, moving the Sixth Form Centre to La Mare de Carteret can no longer be considered,’ said a spokesman for the NEU.

‘Investment will be needed at the current Sixth Form Centre and Les Varendes High School to enable 11-16 and post-16 provision on that shared site.

‘This needs to be confirmed as soon as possible to build confidence for pupils, parents and staff.’

The number of students at Les Varendes in Years 7 to 11 is expanding as La Mare de Carteret closes as a secondary school. Education believes that keeping sixth form students there as well would require an extension to provide additional teaching space of 470 sq. m., at a cost of at least £7.43m., although those figures are disputed by some deputies.

Following last week’s de-funding decision, the Policy & Resources Committee has quickly ruled out any suggestion of a U-turn to fund Education’s large capital projects.

But it would be free to use its delegated authority to support a smaller investment in existing school facilities.

‘The States Assembly has made its decision on the funding of capital projects and P&R, like all States members, must accept that decision,’ said P&R yesterday.

‘Of course, it means there is now yet more uncertainty for secondary and post-16 education in Guernsey and this is something ESC is having to look at urgently.

‘P&R will support them as much as possible, while accepting the States’ position on capital funding.’

Education has admitted that it remains uncertain about the future location of the sixth form centre.

ESC president Andrea Dudley-Owen said yesterday that she remained ‘confounded’ by the States’ decision and that she was thinking of staff, students and parents.

‘Our committee will need to take the next few weeks to consider all options available to us,’ she said.

‘Doing nothing is not an option, which we have consistently advised the States, as we have simply run out of viable real estate in which to deliver education.

‘I want to reassure staff, students and their parents that, as soon as we have concluded the review of options, we will communicate with them directly to explain our proposed next steps.’

Deputy Aidan Matthews, who failed with a late amendment to keep the Sixth Form Centre at Les Varendes, said yesterday that he was ‘dumbfounded’ that ESC had no contingency plan without GST.

‘There has been no attempt to save costs by de-scoping the sixth form centre from the Les Ozouets campus project. The figures provided by ESC showed that up to £10m. of savings were possible throughout this year by considering this simple change. The island’s taxpayers, parents and students should be shocked by this as well,’ said Deputy Matthews.

‘ESC has been playing roulette with the island’s finances and education provision. Their numbers haven’t come up, but the losers will be the island’s youngsters. Sixth form students are now set to suffer years of sub-standard conditions at La Mare de Carteret while perfectly good facilities at the former Grammar School already exist.

‘The committee must immediately reverse its plans to use La Mare de Carteret as a sixth form centre. If it is unwilling to do so, it should step aside and allow a new committee to bring stability to education.’

The NEU said it was disappointed there was now more uncertainty for students and staff in schools. It hoped ESC could work speedily with other politicians to develop what it called ‘a meaningful plan’.

The University and College Union, which represents staff in further and higher education, was unavailable for comment. But the NEU said the two unions were concerned the Guernsey Institute had been left in limbo.

‘Those genuinely concerned about the future economic prosperity of the island must make some difficult choices now. Investing in education is investing in our future,’ said the NEU.