Guernsey secondary education reforms: Further union talks offered

The total cost of the transformation of the Les Beaucamps and St Sampson's high schools is expected to cost up to £157m

Further talks have been offered to teaching unions after open letters from Guernsey States secondary school staff called for a halt to current reforms.

The plans for a single 11-18 school on two sites - the current St Sampson's and Les Beaucamps high schools - have been approved by the States twice.

Education President Matt Fallaize said discussions with staff had already led to some changes to the detailed plan.

He said he would like to see talks continuing and more changes explored.

Deputy Fallaize said: "The States have twice determined the policy direction and set the financial boundaries for the education reforms, but within those boundaries we will use whatever flexibility we can find to support and reassure teachers through the period of transition to the new model of education and beyond."

'Peddling a myth'

Of political moves to halt the current reforms so alternative systems can be considered he said: "It was never going to be easy to implement educational reforms on this scale.

"The challenges of reform will remain even if some deputies preparing a requete pretend that kicking the can down the road will magically produce an education model supported by a majority of teachers and a majority of the public.

"They are peddling a myth and nearly five years of endless debate and procrastination about the future education model risks becoming five more years or even longer."

An online petition calling for work to stop on the current plans and other systems to be considered has been signed by more than 4,000 people.