Select a region
ESC’s attempt at an “apparent increase in control” over Guernsey's three grant-aided colleges is being resisted by two deputies, who have published two extensive amendments to ESC’s Education Law Review.
The Policy Letter is being debated during this week’s States debate and sees ESC attempting to update the decades old Education Law.
Deputies Lyndon Trott and Simon Fairclough believe the direction of travel in the Education Law Review seems to suggest an increased level of control over the independent schools' sector.
Additionally, that “an increased level of control, prescription and direction by ESC and/or the Director of Education over the independent education 7 sector (which for this purpose includes the grant-aided schools) would suggest ESC has concerns that the independent education sector is not functioning as it should.
“Evidence from the grant-aided colleges’ inspection reports suggests otherwise.”
To combat this the two deputies have submitted two amendments, comprising of dozens of alterations to the Policy Letter that would reduce ESC’s oversight of the grant-aided colleges, arguing that these schools already have systems in place to guide their governance, curriculum and data sharing policies.
One of the changes would be to enshrine the definition of an Accredited Independent School in law.
The amendments have been welcomed by the three grant-aided colleges; Elizabeth College, The Ladies College and Blanchelande College.
In a joint statement they said: “[We] are proud of the educational provision we offer the island and fully support the amendments that Deputy Lyndon Trott and Deputy Simon Fairclough have proposed.
“The colleges have worked closely together and recognise that an intensive period of consultation with our governors and directors, a range of Deputies and with ESC, has meant that the amendments have been submitted later than preferred.
“The colleges have a consistently excellent record of providing education for almost a third of the young people on the island and believe the amendments will help to ensure that we will continue to be an integral part of Guernsey’s educational landscape.”
Pictured top: (L-R) Deputies Trott and Fairclough.
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.