Plan to move 130 education staff to sixth form

The Sixth Form Centre at Les Varendes is moving to La Mare de Carteret

The States of Guernsey is planning to move 130 education staff to the Sixth Form Centre at Les Varendes after it moves to La Mare de Carteret High School in September.

Most will be visiting teachers working between schools, including staff from the music service, youth commission and sexual health teachers, said the States.

The States said the Sixth Form Centre was being moved "because there simply isn't the room to accommodate what would be approximately 1,300 students" at the site "without significant reconfiguration".

Deputy Yvonne Burford says that instead of moving students, extending Les Varendes to accommodate a predicted increase in numbers "would have seemed to be a lot more sensible".

'Efficient'

Burford said she was "quite shocked and surprised" at the moving of staff to Les Varendes.

"The fact that we've come up with a plan where we've moved all of the sixth form to La Mare de Carteret in order to put education staff into a purpose-built sixth form really does seem rather strange," she said.

The States said: "While there isn't the space currently to retain almost 400 students and staff of the Sixth Form Centre, there is enough space to house various services with a combined 130 staff, many of which are peripatetic in nature so in reality there will be far fewer on-site at any given time.

"It was identified that it would be both an efficient use of the space and be a great hub to deliver professional support services into schools and as a training venue for States of Guernsey staff."