Listen to value of no selection

I offer some positive personal experience, as a proud Guernsey man, and an experienced former high school head teacher in the UK and Guernsey, in the hopeful anticipation that common sense will prevail, that informed expertise and experience will prevail over prejudice and ignorance, that the views of caring and enlightened individuals prevail over those who have a vested interest in the maintenance of inequality and segregation.

In my UK high school it was known well in advance by the 225 young people admitted each year, by both their parents and by the primary and high school teachers, that they would be attending the school at the start of their Year 7.

The parents of these young people did not give a first, let alone a second, thought to their children not attending their local high school – their positive mindset and support for the school community have contributed hugely to its continued successes inside and outside the classroom to the present day.

So – no intolerable pressure on pupils, parents and teachers preparing for the 'selection process', no need for 'private coaching', if affordable by a few, no 'looking down' on one section of the community by another, no dreadfully anticipated 'results day' for 10- or 11-year-olds.

My colleagues turned this into positive advantages and developed a highly successful programme of structured liaison with our 20 feeder primary schools.

We were fortunate to have a particularly strong science department, with amazingly talented, mainly young and energetic staff. They were timetabled for one afternoon each week to receive a group or groups of pupils and their teachers from one of our feeder schools to carry out practical scientific investigations, so the young people got to know even better a high school they had already become very familiar with through the positive experience of their sisters and brothers as well as a series of other linked educational experiences including drama, sport, music and quizzes – what's not to like?

There are many sorts of school and school systems, some thrive and work well, others 'tick over', some struggle – one key indicator of a successful school in any system is the quality of leadership and management, plus the ability of school leaders to be able to appoint high quality teachers and support staff, and also the freedom to be able to manage resources creatively and without the undue influence of central control.

Complementary such reforms would further ensure that Guernsey's young people would be presented with the opportunities they all deserve, as well as providing the necessary skills and qualifications to deliver success for Guernsey in an uncertain economic and political future.

I simply cannot conceive of the continuation of a 1940s/1950s system of education in 21st century Guernsey that sees young people educated together up to the age of 10 or 11 in their primary schools, then go their separate ways and have different educational experiences at the secondary stage, yet be taught the same curriculum and be brought together again at the age of 16 – can you?

GEOFF DUPORT,

Address withheld.