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The “divisive” system that allows students to change school at the age of 14 should be reviewed, a new report has found.
The Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, led by Deputy Catherine Curtis, yesterday published a report that set out a series of recommendations aimed at bettering the secondary education system following a six-month review of the island’s provision.
Chief among the panel’s suggestions was a call for the Government to reconsider the policy that allows the selective transfer of students to Hautlieu School at age 14.
The panel described this policy, which is unique to Jersey, as "divisive" and potentially harmful to educational inclusion.
Pictured: Chair of the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Catherine Curtis.
They said that it causes “both optimism and anxiety” for students – with the removal of academic high achievers from non-fee-paying schools often creating challenges for those “left behind”.
The panel also found "no evidence to show if it is the optimum way to structure the secondary education system".
Deputy Curtis said: “While some embrace the opportunities it offers, others experience significant stress and uncertainty.”
Public opinion on the 14-plus transfer to the academically selective secondary school is sharply divided.
Of the 329 responses received by the panel during its consultation, perspectives were evenly split.
Supporters argued that the transfer offers academic advantages and a chance for high-performing students to thrive in a specialised environment.
Critics, however, felt that it undermines educational equity, depletes non-selective schools of high-achieving students, disrupts learning for those who transfer, and leaves those who remain feeling excluded and disadvantaged.
Teachers who responded were more likely to feel negatively towards the system due to concerns about inclusion and student morale, whereas students who responded were more likely to feel positively towards the system and to to see it as a chance for a fresh start.
The report read: “In summary, views on this were that: there were benefits for some, for who it provided a new start of additional opportunities for students to achieve their highest potential, whereas the concerns cited were that removing the top tier of students had negative implications for the students who did not have the opportunity to move and was an issue that impacted on inclusion.”
In another submission, a local think tank said the 14-plus transfer policy led to student disruption, uncertain academic benefits, and potential damage to the morale of teachers and students who do not transfer.
The Policy Centre Jersey said: “There is no clear evidence-based rationale for the unusual and unique selection at the age of 14.
“Students who move to Hautlieu are initially disrupted, and interestingly some return immediately to their original school.
“There is no measure of how others may feel that stay at the school. Do they all perform better in this environment rather than continuing at a school they have been at for probably three years?
“The morale of teachers and the wellbeing of students who ‘failed’ to get in is a known impact. This possibly harms the outcomes at the originating schools.
“This is particularly impactful at Grainville, Haute Vallée and Le Rocquier which supply a large number of the intake to Hautlieu.”
Pictured: The Social Mobility report critiqued Jersey's selective secondary school system as a "structural barrier to achieving inclusive education”.
The think tank also expressed this view in a report published earlier this year, where it was argued that Jersey’s secondary school system needs to be reformed to make it less selective.
The Policy Centre Jersey’s Social Mobility Report said there was currently a “structural barrier” in education to those from disadvantaged backgrounds – which was due to the high proportion of students attending fee-paying schools, and the transfer of pupils at ages 14 and 16 to Hautlieu.
“This has an impact on diversity within other secondary schools and in the development of students’ self-confidence and aspirations,” the report warned.
While Education Minister Deputy Rob Ward admitted earlier this year that reviewing the 14-plus transfer is not a priority for the remainder of his term, he acknowledged the need for discussion.
“I would like to start the dialogue before the next election,” he told the panel during a meeting in July.
“If we are going to provide the range of qualifications that now exist elsewhere, we have to be more flexible.
“Whether the transfer at 14 is the best way to achieve this is something we need to agree upon as an island.”
The scrutiny panel's recommendations include a review of the transfer process and increased collaboration between schools.
They propose setting up “centres of excellence” for certain subjects and introducing free sixth-form education as potential alternatives.
Pictured: Education Minister Deputy Rob Ward.
These measures, the panel argued, could help mitigate the divisive effects of the current transfer system.
The panel's investigation is part of a broader review that produced 29 findings and 24 recommendations regarding secondary education funding. It can be read online HERE.
The Scrutiny Panel is chaired by Deputy Curtis, with panel members Constable Mark Labey, Deputy Beatriz Porée, and Deputy Helen Miles.
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