A survey organised by the Education Committee showed that just over half of staff in States schools had thought of quitting, but the figure reached almost 90% among lecturers and managers at The Guernsey Institute.
Concerns about safety and safeguarding are the main reason for staff being so unhappy, according to a whistleblower from the organisation who has provided extensive information to the Guernsey Press over the past few weeks.
‘Our students deserve a safe and supportive learning environment, and currently they are being let down,’ they said.
‘Safeguarding problems, among many others, create a stressful, unsafe environment for staff and students alike.
‘Staff retention is declining rapidly. Last year, 38 staff members left, and already five have resigned this year.
‘The high turnover and lack of support from senior management directly affect students’ safety and education. Staff are overworked, undervalued and increasingly scrutinised.’
Louise Misselke, the principal of TGI College, formerly the College of Further Education, insisted that safeguarding and staff wellbeing were taken seriously by the organisation.
The college’s last Ofsted report, published two years ago, stated that students felt safe and safeguarding arrangements were effective.
But the whistleblower claimed that many staff and students now felt increasingly unsafe and unsupported and provided a range of example incidents which Education declined to refute when approached for comment earlier this week.
In one incident, two members of staff were repeatedly kicked and punched by a 16-year-old student who had previously been identified as unsuitable for the college. The whistleblower said the student had since been allowed to return to the college while the members of staff remained signed off.
‘Despite calling the safeguarding number, no immediate response was available as the designated safeguarding lead was on another site, delaying intervention during what could have been a tragedy,’ said the whistleblower.
‘I believe the public deserves to be aware of issues affecting the safety and quality of education provided.’
Other alleged incidents included parents being called to the college to remove their child due to the absence of safeguarding staff, and a male student with a history of sexual assault attending classes with female students involved in complaints against him.
The University and College Union, which represents staff at the TGI College and has been involved in the concerns raised, declined to comment when approached earlier this week.
