Colleges agree new grant terms

Friday 18 January 2019

The details of the new funding agreement between the States and Guernsey's private colleges have been released - putting an end to any hopes of academic selection making a return at the three schools.

One of the conditions states that; "the College shall not expand any schemes or introduce new schemes which will involve academic selection for any students."

Each of the colleges have assessment processes for students to go through before taking up spaces in the senior schools but all state they are not means of academic selection.

Other conditions include Key Performance Indicators the colleges must meet. A review meeting will be held annually between the Director of Education and the College principals to ensure that is happening. Those key performance indicators include the number of children with social, emotional, and behaviour disorders who need assistance and those who don't.

The grants were only confirmed to the colleges once they agreed those terms. 

Pictured: The conditions agreed in the college's funding agreement. 

This funding agreement will come into force from 1 September 2019 until 31 August 2026, but anyone who had hoped the colleges may introduce academic selection for funded placements at any of those schools, will be disappointed 

As above, one of the conditions of the funding contract states that the colleges should not expand any existing scheme or introduce any new scheme involving academic selection. 

All three have told Express they will continue to select pupils for places in their secondary schools based on other factors. 

Pictured: Elizabeth College. 

Elizabeth College said it does not allocate places based on academic ability but any prospective pupil must pass an "age-standardised entrance assessment which is designed to assess whether the student would be able to benefit from the style of teaching and curriculum taught at Elizabeth College."

"Where places are over-subscribed, they are allocated based on date of registration and some other criteria (siblings etc) which are laid out on our website (admissions tab). They are not allocated based on academic performance," said the school. 

Elizabeth College also confirmed it does not have any scholarship places which pay fees. However, it does have a Music Scholarship scheme, called the Gibson Fleming Music Scholarship, for pupils at the Upper School. "This is a largely prestigious scheme with a very modest associated financial award (£100pa)," the spokesperson said. 

With the 11+ being discontinued, Elizabeth College said it now has an additional 23 places for fee payers each year from this September, with some space remaining for the school year starting then.

Pictured: The Ladies College. 

The Ladies’ College said its financial structure doesn't create surpluses which would allow it to run a bursary or scholarship programme, and, "in addition, any selection by academic ability for a bursary or scholarship would contravene the recently signed Grant Agreement."

The College used to assess girls in March of Year 6 for a place in 'Remove' (Year 7) but that is now changing.

"Without the 11+ to consider in our process, we have just written to parents who have their daughter registered to start in 2020, to invite their daughter for assessment this May, for a place at The Ladies’ College in September 2020.

"It is our intention to assess in Year 5 (and Year 6) each academic year and to offer places, so that a place in Senior School is secured early and Junior School can be completed. We will continue to use age-related assessments, so that we can be confident that we have the resources available to meet a student’s needs and to manage the transition process effectively for each girl."

Pictured: Blanchelande College. 

Blanchelande College also said it doesn't have any existing academic scholarships and agreed that the terms of the Grant Agreement now prohibits any such  schemes of academic selection.

Like the other two colleges, Blanchelande has an entrance assessment system, said Robert O'Brien, Headteacher. 

"This system does not operate on an academically selective basis as it does not offer places on a ranking of results. The current assessment system ensures that all pupils who join the College will be educated in a learning environment that is suited their needs. 

"Blanchelande is immensely proud of its wide ability intake and the superb results that students of all abilities achieve relative to their ability. Our summer results were outstanding once again and our recent ISI inspection report rated us as 'excellent' across the board," said Blanchelande's Headteacher. 

Pictured top: Guernsey's three private colleges.