Guernsey school's 'coursework gaps' investigated

Extra time is being given to ICT students at La Mare de Carteret school following the announcement

An investigation has begun after a Guernsey school reported gaps in students' final year coursework.

La Mare de Carteret High School notified parents that gaps had been found in its ICT students' work.

The island's Education Department said it would attempt to establish the reasons for the problems and prevent them from occurring again.

The school made headlines in 2011 after figures showing a poor GCSE pass rate were released by the department.

In a letter to parents dated 22 May, head teacher Vicky Godley said the school would devote extra time and resources to helping students complete their coursework.

She said: "It is imperative that the compulsory units... are completed in their entirety in order to gain a qualification."

Ms Godley added: "This is not a situation we want for any student in the final weeks of their time with us."

Guernsey's Education Minister Robert Sillars said his department would support the school with the measures it was taking to rectify the situation.

He said: "There is an investigation that we've started, and I'm not allowed to mention how that's going or where we're going with that.

"I don't think it's appropriate to comment on that until we get to the end of the investigation."

Deputy Sillars added: "I'm very disappointed on behalf of the students."

He said his department had contacted the exam board dealing with the course - OCR - and said he hoped the board would take the situation in to account when issuing marks.

A review of Guernsey's education system was released in January, following poor GCSE results at a number of the island's secondary schools.