Is there a master plan for future of post-16 education?

What are the proposals for post-16 education – that key part of the system which will truly determine my child's life choices? I don't seem to be able to find much on how the new Sixth Form College is going to be established. I am concerned that if this essential element gets lost, as we focus on the 11-16 delivery, we may find that we have inadvertently deconstructed a prized part of our state provision. And I will be feeling even more guilt that I've just sat back and allowed it to happen. So forgive me if I work through my understanding and hopefully someone can point me in the right direction for the answers to my questions and allay my fears.

Currently, we have a Sixth Form Centre (with a fully comprehensive intake) comprising c.500 students from all state-funded schools. It delivers A-level and IB diploma/certificates on site and I understand that if a student wishes to undertake a vocational study alongside these qualifications then there is the opportunity to do so thanks to a close working relationship with the CFE. According to the Gov.gg website, in '2016 they achieved a 99.8% pass rate with over 50% being A*-B', and 'performed above their UK counterparts'. To me this is saying that every child is well supported to achieve, regardless of where they studied their GCSEs (brilliant – no need to feel any guilt about the high school my daughter attends).

So initially I could see why ESC wouldn't want to interfere with this clearly very successful institution until 2024. Then I read the PWC report…

Currently the curriculum at the Sixth Form Centre is delivered by teachers also teaching the pre-16 cohort at the Grammar School. This allows the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre to achieve close to the PTR targets set of 15:1 and 10:1. It is extremely unlikely that a completely separate post-16 centre would be as efficient as an 11-18 model attached to a school. Careful consideration therefore needs to be given to how and where post-16 education will be delivered. Only by ensuring that this can be taught efficiently and effectively alongside the pre-16 curriculum being delivered by the three secondary schools will the 10:1 PTR target currently being achieved by the Sixth Form Centre be maintained.

And this is why I'm worried. My question is more fundamental than ratios. Who will staff the new post-16 college and what will happen to the Sixth Form Centre during the transition period?

I am particularly interested in hearing how teachers feel about this; it must be an awful period of uncertainty for them, especially if they had applied for posts to teach their specialism across all age groups. How and when will they choose between teaching at the new 11-16 school and the Sixth Form Centre/new college? Will this prompt any to leave the island to join 11-18 schools?

Apologies for sounding so selfish, but from a parent's point of view, what impact will this have on the quality of teaching for my child at post 16? Should I abandon my principles and look to pay to ensure her a stable educational future? (And we're back to the guilt!)

I really hope that I am indeed missing something and there is a master plan that simply hasn't been shared with us.

I hear much of the financial cost of the new school and the importance of it being disassociated with the Grammar School but it seems to me that we need to be very careful that this insistence on wiping away the links with the past doesn't erode the foundations for our children's future.

This is a new and hopefully exciting time for the island but effective change management needs clear communication and time for review and adjustment. Do we need a brand new school at this juncture (especially when there is not enough money to achieve some of the key aims such as the new primary school, community facilities and autism centre) or should we be working on rebranding our existing schools to retain opportunities for a secure and stable pathway for our children?

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHHELD.