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Education changes come in cheaper than expected at £157million

Education changes come in cheaper than expected at £157million

Monday 01 July 2019

Education changes come in cheaper than expected at £157million

Monday 01 July 2019


The Committee for Education, Sport and Culture has said the forecast initial spend on implementing its so called 'two-school model' will be significantly less than anticipated.

The Committee will be asking the States for £157.3 million total capital funding to spend "securing the future" of secondary, further and higher education in the island.

ESC President, Deputy Matt Fallaize said: "These are big numbers but they represent a significant reduction on the figures presented to the States in January 2018 when the Assembly was advised that the new model of education would cost around £165 million in capital costs.

"These reductions have been achieved partly through the use of more realistic space specifications and partly through rigorous examination of what is required to achieve educational transformation of secondary education," he said. 

Matt Fallaize ESC

Pictured: Deputy Matt Fallaize.

The previous Education committee was tasked with working out the potential cost of a two-school model in 2017, with estimates between £93 million and £135 million depending on which sites were used and other variables. 

We now know that Les Beaucamps and St Sampson's High School sites are to be extended to accommodate the two-school model. During the States debate on the future structure of education last year, deputies were told that the capital cost of extending those two sites would be around £100million.  

The current ESC Committee has now announced that it will ask the States for a maximum of £69 million to extend the two sites.

two schools colleges beaucamps st sampsons

Pictured: St Sampson's and Les Beaucamps High schools. 

A further £47.5million will be needed to develop The Guernsey Institute at Les Ozouets, which brings together the College of Further Education, the Institute of Health & Social Care Studies and the GTA University Centre.

Initially that had been estimated at a cost of up to £67million.

The full details will be included in a Policy Letter which the Committee will now submit later this week.  In total the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture is asking the States to approve £157.3 million of capital funding to deliver the future structure of secondary, further and higher education agreed by the States last year.

Financial modelling has been based on minimum and maximum requirements for each element of the programme, with the maximum needed quoted.

This figure has been broken down as follows:  

  • Up to £69 million - redevelopment of St Sampson’s High & Les Beaucamps High  
  • Between £13.5 and £22.4 million – redevelopment of the Mare de Carteret Primary School (depending on whether it is a two or three form entry)  
  • £47 million for the Guernsey Institute at Les Ozouets campus.

The remainder of the capital funding requested will cover transport, professional fees, programme team and the implementation of the digital roadmap.  

Deputy Fallaize said the latest figures reflect savings made.

"I am delighted that we have been able to demonstrate this level of recurring savings, whilst at the same time improving the offer in our 11-18 schools for example. Our Policy Letter sets out how this will be achieved.  

"The capital funding requested will enable the current Committee, and indeed every future Committee, to deliver an exceptional education system that removes the current inequality in provision experienced by our students; puts their educational needs and wellbeing at the centre of everything we do; and will ensure that they are provided with opportunities that allow them to develop personally and contribute to the social, economic and cultural life of the Bailiwick."

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