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Details have been published about plans for the merger of La Mare de Carteret High School and the former Guernsey Grammar School.
From September, the Grammar school site will be known as Les Varendes High School.
A poll of staff and students at the Grammar and La Mare de Carteret High schools found just over half wanted to call the new school Les Varendes, rather than St Andrew's High which was also suggested.
Students from La Mare de Carteret will begin to join their peers at Les Varendes before the two schools are fully merged in 2025.
To facilitate the necessary changes, staff at the two schools will be working closely together over the coming months and years to support the merger with the senior leaders of both schools at the forefront.
They will be working with a 'New School Design Team' which will include students and other staff members so as many views as possible are brought into the decision making processes during the merger.
78 students put themselves forward to join the team
The ones who were chosen will be helping to develop the new school’s culture and identity, including helping to create a new uniform for Les Varendes High School.
Verona Tomlin, La Mare de Carteret High School Principal, said it's all about ensuring the new school brings together the best qualities of the current schools.
Pictured: Verona Tomlin is the Principal of La Mare de Carteret High School.
“The bringing together of our two schools presents an exciting opportunity," she said.
"We are going to be creating a new culture, identifying new values, and ensuring we create a school which benefits all of our staff and students. Of course, La Mare de Carteret and the Guernsey Grammar School already have many individual qualities so we will be drawing on all of those good things for the new Les Varendes High School.”
The last selective cohort at the Grammar School will be finishing their secondary education this summer. Principal of the Guernsey Grammar School & Sixth Form Centre, Kieran James said a new name will befit the new school.
“As our current Year 11 cohort – the last to enter our school through the selective system - is moving on to post-16 study at the end of this academic year, it is the right time to rename the school.
"As we become fully comprehensive, we will continue to work with our colleagues and students at La Mare de Carteret High School to ensure that every member of the new school we develop will feel a sense of identity and belonging. I look forward to working with colleagues and our students across both schools.”
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