Future schools should be given independence

It is a relief that the current proposals will be reviewed and, hopefully, changed considerably.

One point that needs discussion and which has not been in the spotlight so far is whether we really want all our States secondary schools to be deemed to be ‘one school’ and thus, effectively, run from the central bureaucracy with no real independence.

Far better, one would have thought, would be to look at the UK’s successful grant-maintained and free school models which have proved to be very successful. Under those arrangements, there would be a headmaster and board of governors for each school. Each school would be funded by the States, but the headmaster would control expenditures, hiring and firing, school hours, etc. and, to some extent, the curriculum.

So the States schools would run on a model similar to our colleges but without fees. I think it fair to say that the colleges have achieved creditable results.

Of course, nothing like this will be considered by the current States but, hopefully, after June we will have a less doctrinaire and more pragmatic majority in control of this.

As an aside, one has to be amused by the States now asking for our comments on a proposed Education Law Review. Will that be like the Grammar School ‘consultation’? Ignore the 62% majority to keep the Grammar School on the basis that the wrong people voted. I guess we shouldn’t waste our time and electricity engaging with this one.

JOHN DYKE

Les Effards,

Rue de la Foire,

Castel,

Guernsey,

GY5 7DJ.