The new centre, based at the former La Mare de Carteret High site, opened on Thursday, but already a list of issues have been put to the Education Sport and Culture Committee about the day-to-day operations of the building.
‘While no one thinks that La Mare de Carteret is the perfect site for the Sixth Form Centre in the long term, I know that everyone involved with this process has worked hard to try and make it the best it can be,’ said committee president Paul Montague.
‘There have been many improvements to the site over the summer which should not be disregarded. The project plan included 250 separate items that have been executed over the summer.’
Technology has been causing problems for students, and Deputy Montague said that there were IT problems at the beginning of every year, but permissions had been rebooted over the weekend and he expected that problems would now be resolved.
Students said that they found the shared student and staff lunch space to be uncomfortable and uninviting, while their new cafeteria had just five tables with two seats each.
One said that they feel like they are intruding a space that clearly was not designed for them.
‘Students can eat in the cafeteria, study hall and both outdoor courtyards. There was a problem on Friday during the second lesson when about 150 students had independent study at the same time,’ said Deputy Montague.
‘This is a timetabling issue that we have been told is being resolved.’
The committee has also clarified that detentions were not being issued, but students were being asked to make up missed time if they are excessively late to lessons.
They are asked to attend catch-up sessions if they have not completed work by the deadlines set, which is considered good practice for the workplace.
The La Mare de Carteret site offers just 36 car parking spaces for almost 500 students, with nine additional spaces beside the playing field, which students said was unworkable for those who drive. Education said that several public parking lots had been identified nearby for student use.
Deputy Montague admitted this was a time of ‘massive change’.
‘I have no doubt that my colleagues working in that centre, I’ve worked with them for many years, I know they’ll be able to get these students on board. The toilets are the top issue for me. It’s a basic fact of dignity, the building is pretty scruffy, but we’re not going to be wasting taxpayers’ money enhancing the exterior.
‘The outside classrooms are perfectly functional, I’m encouraging parents to go on Thursday and have look round, I think they will be pleasantly surprised.’
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