St Sampson's High School and co-located special school, Le Murier, are together known as Baubigny Schools. Opened in 2008, the project to build these two schools represented the largest capital building project undertaken by the States of Guernsey at that time.
This £37m construction project formed the first phase of the reorganisation of secondary education. It also continued the reorganisation of special education following the opening of Le Rondin School & Centre in 2005 for primary age pupils.
Contractor RG Falla Ltd began on site in July 2006 and both schools were handed over to the Education Department in August 2008.
The new St Sampson's High School provides modern, appropriate facilities for up to 720 students between the ages of 11 and 16. It replaced the existing St Sampson's Secondary School and allowed the closure of St Peter Port Secondary School in July 2009. The new school is set out over two storeys with the general classrooms located along a central street and the specialist classrooms and science labs located in one of three two-storey blocks to the rear of the central street.
Le Murier Special Needs Secondary School is co-located with the mainstream school, sharing a central block of facilities including a sports hall, six-lane swimming pool, gym, climbing wall, changing rooms and covered atrium.
Outdoor grass and synthetic sports pitches are shared between the two schools and are available for community use out of school hours.
Le Murier can accommodate up to 130 pupils with a range of learning difficulties between the ages of 11 and 16, although in some cases pupils may stay on until they are 19. Le Murier has its own entrance, headteacher, teaching and social facilities and identity. Its co-location with St Sampson's High School allows all pupils and staff from both schools to interact, share resources, expertise, teaching and learning strategies and best practice, as well as helping to break down preconceived ideas about the different types of disability and difficulty. The co-location of the two schools on the same site encourages pupils to live and work together in school and helps prepare them to play a full part in society and Island life.
