Guernsey Press

Focus on improving the educational success rate of our children

OVER the past months we have heard volumes of what parents, teachers and many others would prefer in terms of which schools they believe should be retained for the continued education of our children.

Published

We have seen the intended preferred proposals of the Education Committee.

But we have heard and seen almost nothing of how these preferences and proposals will further benefit our children over and above what we have today. How will the proposed three or four schools, with separate sixth form college, offer any more to our age 11 to 16 students than our present identical or similar policy for that age group?

We know this policy lags behind the success of UK schools so why incur vast expenditure for more of the same? It does not seem to make sense.

The most successful educational establishments in Guernsey, the colleges, find reason to educate students to age eighteen. With the additional two years of education, their high flyers get the opportunity to go to university while the vast majority of their students also have the opportunity to better their grades in preparation for a more rewarding career. What is it that the Education Committee find so distasteful about that?

We are not wanting the ethos of public schools, we’re simply wanting a proven better deal for our children than we have now and so a better deal for Guernsey.

Whether we are to have a two-, three- or four-school model, I would hope it gives all children the opportunity of an 11-18 education without exception.

So, I am asking parents, teachers, States members and all associated with this most important decision, to focus strongly on how, and will, the Education Committee’s proposals improve the success rate of our children, our schools and thus our workforce. This is no time to stick to personal loyalties to existing schools, or to earlier rash commitments made or to teaching timetables etc.

Please passionately focus on improving the educational success rate of our children. Then decide on the buildings and staff required to deliver this success.

WILLIAM PARSONS

La Maison Verte