The Assembly has already agreed to fund the project at an estimated cost of £7.5m., but there are understood to have been difficulties securing contractors to carry out the work this summer, as planned.
The Guernsey Press recently submitted questions about the current anticipated cost and timetable for the refurbishment, which was planned as part of the final stages of the merger between La Mare de Carteret and Les Varendes high schools, but the Education Committee said it was unable to provide details yet.
‘The tender processes for a lot of this work are still ongoing and therefore the committee cannot comment for commercial reasons,’ said vice-president Sam Haskins.
At the final States meeting of the term, Education president Andrea Dudley-Owen will be asked to set out the work due to be carried out at Les Varendes and whether it is on budget and on time to accommodate additional students who will move there in September following the closure of La Mare de Carteret.
Deputy Dudley-Owen will also be asked whether any space in the current sixth form centre at Les Varendes will be available for use by the adjacent 11-16 school when A-level students are relocated to their new temporary home at La Mare de Carteret this summer. It was recently reported that the sixth form centre at Les Varendes will shortly be re-purposed at a cost of more than £1.7m. to accommodate about 130 staff from the Education Office, Music Service and Youth Commission and sexual health teachers, in a move criticised as ‘fiscally and morally irresponsible’ by Education member Deputy Andy Cameron.
Days later the Guernsey Press revealed that Education’s long-term plan to build a sixth form centre and sports facilities at Les Ozouets was expected to cost up to £50m. – twice as much as previously estimated.
The committee has now provided reassurances about its major capital project which is already under way – the construction of The Guernsey Institute at Les Ozouets for which funding of £76m. was agreed last year.
‘The current cost of phase one of the build on Les Ozouets remains within the agreed cost envelope,’ said Deputy Haskins.
‘The Guernsey Institute will open and be fully functioning in September 2027. However, we are hopeful that some parts of TGI will be able to move on site from Easter 2027.’
Deputy Haskins said that re-purposing La Mare de Carteret for sixth form studies was also proceeding according to plan.
Education will also face a question about that project at tomorrow’s States meeting.
‘The works to ready La Mare de Carteret for sixth form learning were planned over a two-year period, making use of school holidays to ensure minimal disruption to the high school,’ said Deputy Haskins.
‘The Minor Capital Management Board approved funding for the works in 2024 from minor capital, the total expenditure for which was £73,000. In December 2024, as part of the Transforming Education Programme, the Policy & Resources Committee approved funding of £283,000 which enables works planned for 2025 to be carried out in preparation for the sixth form centre move in September.’
He added that £179,000 of that cost was on items which would be expected to move with students and staff if the next States Assembly agrees to go ahead with a new sixth form centre at Les Ozouets.
Deputy John Gollop has also submitted questions to Education ahead of tomorrow’s States meeting.
His questions concern a recent decision to withdraw the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to students starting at the sixth form centre in September.
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