Thursday 20 August 2020
The Committee for Education, Sport & Culture has today launched a public survey to capture islanders' views on the relative importance of different priorities for secondary education.
Members of the public are asked to provide their views on a range of priorities, including the optimal number of students at each school site, factors to be taken into consideration for any transition from the current model of secondary education to a new one decided by the States, the relative importance of a range of facilities and the structure of sixth form provision.
The public survey follows similar surveys completed by hundreds of staff in education during the summer term. Feedback from the public will feed into the analysis of each of the four secondary education models the States have directed are included the review. The survey results will support further consultation being carried out over the autumn term with staff of the four mainstream secondary schools.
Workshops to be held with secondary staff will aim to develop the best possible version of each of the four models to allow the States to make an informed decision about the future model of secondary education.
The public survey, which will run until 11.59pm on Sunday 27th September, can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/gsysecondaryreview.
Deputy Matt Fallaize, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said:
'During the early phases of the review our focus has been on consulting with staff, particularly those that work in the mainstream secondary schools. We have captured the views of hundreds of education staff about the relative importance on a range of priorities and this feedback, which we published in July, has helped shape the initial analysis of the four models the States directed we review.
'A series of workshops will be held with groups of staff representing the four mainstream secondary schools in the first half of the autumn term where they will have detailed discussions about each of the models as we seek to develop the best version of each. This will ensure the States have all the information needed to make an informed decision on which model it considers best for Guernsey.
'But we also want to hear from other stakeholders so that their views can be taken into account in a meaningful way. The survey we are launching today gives members of the community the opportunity to have their say. This is not about simply stating which of the models you like best. There will come a time - once all the analysis work has been done - when the whole community will be able to answer that question. However, this stage of the work is about helping us to develop the best possible version of each of the four models.'
In addition to this public survey, the Committee is developing plans to consult with secondary students during the autumn term. Discussions have been held with the Youth Commission about how best to capture the views of students about their priorities for secondary education.
The Committee also intends to meet with staff from Les Voies and Le Murier during the autumn term to discuss the review. Presentations to parish representatives and the island's business groups are also intended for later in the review.
