ESC has admitted that funding the Active 8 programme will be challenging for its predecessors in the States.
Ahead of the June election, each States committee has written an ‘end of term report’ which forms part of a ‘roadmap’ for the island’s next government to follow.
It’s been put together by Policy and Resources as part of an update on the States’ Government Work Plan, with ESC and others contributing an update on work achieved during this term of office and what work it will be handing over to those elected in June.
The report supplied by the Committee for Education, Sport, and Culture focuses heavily on the ‘education’ aspect of its mandate, with no mention at all of any ‘cultural’ contributions made by the committee over the past four years.
Regarding ‘sport’, ESC said “progress has been made on Active 8: A Plan for Sport with workstreams being modified and updated to reflect changing priorities since the initial development of the plan”.
It confirms that the programme is still being delivered in partnership with the Guernsey Sports Commission and the Health Improvement Commission, and that ESC has worked with these partners to ensure that appropriate service level agreements are in place.
Reviewing the governance arrangements ensures the Committee is “better able to evidence value for money (and) demonstrate measurable progress and outcomes against the objectives agreed”, said ESC.
Active 8 was originally given funding for three years by the 2016-20 States, with the funding officially starting in August 2020.
When that came back to the States for renewal in 2023, it came with a £300,000 a year price tag (for a seven year period). P&R said the service should be reviewed instead.
ESC found some money within its budget to keep Active 8 going, but it has now warned that can’t go on forever.
“There remains a commitment to Active 8, recognising that it provides sustainable improvements for the health and wellbeing of the community as well as supporting high performing sports people who want to compete beyond Guernsey; however, funding remains challenging in this area, with revenue constraints impacting the Committee’s ability to support ongoing delivery through grant funding, this will continue to add budget pressures from 2025 onwards,” said ESC in its ‘end of term report’.
Other challenges and priorities for the next States
Elsewhere in its ‘end of term report, ESC has summarised some of its achievements within education settings, and laid out some of the challenges the next committee will have to deal with.
There has been improvements in teacher recruitment and retention says ESC, with ‘push’ and ‘pull’ marketing opportunities being used, which have “attracted a wider range of professionals to apply for roles in Guernsey and Alderney”.
“The process will be further refined for the next recruitment cycle,” said ESC.
However, one issue which is out of Education’s hands is where any teachers will live if they move to the Bailiwick.
“…securing appropriate accommodation, both for short-and long-term requirements, continues to be a significant challenge and a barrier to recruitment and retention,” said ESC.
Attendance rates were highlighted as an issue in Guernsey’s 2024 Education Strategy Annual Report, that was recently published, and this “remains a priority area of focus for the Education Office,” acknowledges the Committee.
It says it receives “regular updates on progress to increase attendance beyond pre-pandemic levels. Education leaders also receive challenge and support on the levels of attendance and steps taken to improve attendance through the Interim Governance Boards”.
On the whole, students regularly attending lessons are showing signs of improvements in English and Maths attainment levels.
“We are more than halfway through a four-year improvement programme for English and maths, significant progress has been made and the positive impact of this is shown through the routine assessment of learner progress,” said ESC.
“Educators are striving to improve further, and continue to set ambitious objectives for themselves to ensure children and young people are able to fulfil their potential.”
