Education visits high schools to get students ideas and thoughts

Friday 04 May 2018

Students from the island's high schools and Grammar School have had the opportunity to meet with the Education, Sport & Culture committee over the last few weeks, as the politicians wanted to discuss the agreed reforms with them.

The Committee outlined its intention to meet students across the secondary age group when ESC President, Deputy Matt Fallaize, wrote to all parents of school-age children in March.

Each headteacher agreed to the visits, and yesterday the committee attended Les Beaucamps High to speak to some 30-odd members of the school council. 

"Because the students are the ones in the system here and now I really think its valuable for them to be able to have this opportunity," Sophie Roughsedge, Headteacher of Les Beaucamps, said.

"I appreciate that some of them won't be affected by the changes around the corner, but they have a really good insight into what it is like to be a high school student. I know some people have questioned why the committee aren't speaking to primary school pupils - the ones who are going to be in the new system - but they don't know what it is like to be in a high school and what is important to people of that age. Saying that, I think they will be speaking to lots of younger pupils down the line." 

The students meeting the Deputies were the members of the school's council, which has a representative from each tutor group, and also some additional students who wished to be involved.

They were split into several groups around different tables, with the members of the committee spending around half an hour on each , discussing what was important in a school, and any ideas or concerns the students had.

"I think it was really helpful and reassuring that the education team came in to speak to us, we got to put across our points about what is important," Jenny Naftel, 14, year 10, said.

"We discussed all of the problems that we thought might occur and we shared some ideas we have - those being behaviour problems, school community and having places to meet as a class or year group," Charlie Brouard, 14, year 10, added.

"I think it definitely really helped just to be able to talk to them one on one."

Deputy Matt Fallaize, President of ESC, said the talks so far had been very helpful, and they still had to visit La Mare de Carteret. 

"I think first of all the area of facilities was something they really put an emphasis on when we have been talking to them, they were all keen to make sure we knew they valued having enough space in the school," he said.

"We also spoke about the support available to students, particularly in mental health issues and bullying, it was important to them that the proper systems were put in place." 

Deputy Fallaize said the next step was for all of the information they had gathered to be compiled so it could be used going forwards.

"The main person that will benefit from this will most likely be the new Executive Headteacher of both schools. We are hoping to make an appointment to that position by the end of May or early June, they will have access to all of the ideas and comments and I imagine it will be of great benefit to them - we are always looking to get as much feedback as we can." 

Below: Deputy Fallaize's comments on why they were conducting the school visits.