Guernsey school set to close after States vote

States members voted on Thursday to close La Mare de Carteret High School

A Guernsey school will close after politicians approved plans to build a new sixth form centre.

States members voted 23- 16 to shut La Mare De Carteret High School and back a new sixth form at Les Ozouets.

Attempts to save the school were defeated, with education committee Vice-President Deputy Bob Murray labelling the plans as "well-intentioned" but "unsuitable".

Plans for three 11-18 schools were also defeated.

President of the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, said: "It'll enable us on the committee to start to shift our focus on to really the pure educational outcomes for our island's children because that's been left behind quite a lot actually."

'Levels things down'

It is expected the new sixth form centre will cost the States about £40m.

Education member Deputy Andy Cameron, who previously came out against his committee's reforms, proposed one of the alternative plans that was rejected.

He told the States he opposed the model after hearing the views of teachers and experts, who said it was "operationally impossible to deliver efficiently".

Mr Cameron said: "It levels things down, rather then levelling things up in order to address inequity."

However, he also confirmed he would support whatever deputies voted to approve.

A survey of teaching staff in July found 87% of them opposed plans for a three-school model.

The vote means Guernsey will have three 11-16 schools and a new sixth form centre.

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