Guernsey's education system requires improvement - report

Guernsey's education strategy covers all ages, from early years until post-16

Several areas in Guernsey's education system require improvement, according to the island's first education strategy annual report.

Weaker areas included how early intervention approaches were used to provide the best outcomes for learners, it said.

A strong evaluation was also made regarding safeguarding and commitments to engage and work with partners.

Leaders said they were aware some things "needed to be done better".

The report was published by the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, which said it made developing an education strategy a priority when it was elected in 2020.

The strategy covers the system for early years, primary, secondary, post-16, special educational needs and adult learning across numerous sites.

It includes four priorities including: equity, safety and inclusivity, meeting the needs of the community, high-quality learning and excellent outcomes, and outstanding leadership and governance.

The committee said the report highlighted that "in many areas positive progress is being made" but it was also "an honest reflection of where more improvements are still required".

'Will take time'

It identified there was "limited evidence of impact or substantial development required" in three areas.

These were with regard to creating "the best outcomes for learners", "empowering leaders to lead" and "developing a shared culture of trust ... promoting continuous improvement and accountability".

Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, president of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said: "This report is the first of its kind and clearly shows that we have some way to go on a journey of continual improvement, but we know how to get there.

"I need to openly say that it will take us time to get the education system to where we need it to be."

Director of Education Nick Hynes said: "We know that there are great and exciting things happening across many areas of education ... but there are also existing challenges and things we know we need to do better."