Lack of detail set to mar the schools debate

In doing so he also proposes that a Sixth Form Centre would stay at Les Varendes, and the Guernsey Institute remain at Les Ozouets.

He argues that the culture and identity of La Mare cannot afford to be lost.

'It’s taken them a long time to build this, and it’s something that you can’t just replicate overnight. You can’t buy it, you can’t put a cost on it, and it would be madness to take that away.’

Such a move was perhaps inevitable. Someone in the States always stands up for the ‘little guy’ and La Mare is the smallest competitor in this battle.

Is La Mare as doomed as it may seem? Despite a late protest letter last week from a majority of teachers, they have appeared to have been almost resigned to knowing that their school would be the fall guy in the pursuit of the holy grail of the three-school model. Most of their arguments which have come out since ESC’s report was published appear to be about how the teachers themselves will transition to new establishments.

A month out from that States debate, the secondary and post-16 education debate seems to be in a strange place. Opposition to the plans feels muted – though support could hardly be seen as widespread. Teaching unions do not seem to be united in support or opposition, all apparently seeing both pros and cons in the new approach.

Concerningly, the public appears rather disengaged. No further public engagements planned by Education encourages one to consider that the committee might believe it has the debate already ‘in the bag’ – though States members who are not convinced by the plans say privately that this is far from the case.

More amendments are expected, but it is difficult to see anything beyond a deferral having any chance of disrupting Education’s proposals.

In a debate where criticism is dominated by a lack of detail in the plans, surely simple responses from deputies on the floor of the House to save one school or lose another will also be doomed to fail.