Elizabeth College expansion plans approved

Tuesday 22 January 2019

Elizabeth College will be going ahead with plans to buy Canada Court, after the private school was given permission to expand into its neighbouring site.

The work will be funded by donations from parents, Old Elizabethans and supporters of the school, while the new building will allow the College to improve its offerings across the board with what it says will be far more room for facilities.

When the College first announced its pans, it said it would ideally start moving in before the end of this year, but it does expect the full redevelopment and relocation of some of its faculties to take between five and seven years in total.

The private school plans on using the new space to enhance its facilities in "almost all curriculum areas", but insists it won't be bringing in any more pupils than it would currently have at full capacity.

The early plans talk of an enhanced library and sixth form centre, new facilities for food technology and strength training and also larger teaching areas for "previously constrained" departments.

Plans for what will be in the new building of the school are already underway, but consultation will be carried out with students and experts.

"I am pleased that we have been given a green light to proceed with this important development," Jenny Palmer, Elizabeth College's principal, said.

"We are very excited about the opportunities Canada Court will give us to future proof our facilities and ensure that we are offering the best possible educational experience to our students."

The office building which is next door to the College in Upland Road, is currently in use by the Royal Bank of Canada, which will be moving to Dorey Court, at Admiral Park, sometime in the future. The College was not going to commit to the expansion and purchase plans until it knew the change of use application was approved. It now has been and the school will be preparing for the next stage.

Originally, the main Elizabeth College building was designed to accommodate a maximum of 150 students almost 200 years ago, with other buildings on site even older. A spokesperson for the school explained that modern teaching methods and the increased emphasis on individual and independent study, combined with a wider and more sophisticated curriculum, means that there is a continual pressure for more and better facilities for the 500 plus students at the Upper School: "the purchase of Canada Court is the chance of a lifetime which enables this to happen".

Elizabeth College was originally founded over 450 years ago by Queen Elizabeth 1. 

"Initial plans have been developed to make the optimum use of the expanded site and include both a phased occupation of the new building and redevelopment and/or refurbishment of existing facilities to create the best possible experience for our students now and in the future," the spokesperson said.

"These include much enhanced library and study amenities, an enlarged Sixth Form Centre, year group bases and specialist classrooms for curriculum extensions such as Food Technology and facilities for Strength and Conditioning Training.  The enhancement in space also means that faculties which may have been constrained in the past will now benefit from additional or larger teaching areas. Now that the purchase can proceed, these plans will be refined with input from staff and pupils, as well as from specialist architects."

The continued pressure on fees and ongoing and substantial reductions in States’ funding means that all capital development on the College site in the last 15 years has, of necessity, been funded entirely by donations from parents, Old Elizabethans and other supporters of the College. To complete the purchase, the College intends to launch an appeal to its supporters in the near future.

Chairperson of the College’s Directors, the Very Revd Tim Barker, said: "I am delighted that planning permission has been granted, and warmly pay tribute to my fellow directors and the College staff who have worked so hard on this project. The College has played an important role in Guernsey’s life for many years. It is good that we will have the opportunity to reshape our facilities for present and future generations."

Pictured top: Canada Court in front of the Elizabeth College main building.