A former student of Blanchelande College has been appointed its Principal.
Alexa Yeoman started at the former convent school in St Martin’s four decades ago.
After completing her studies locally she went to university and then taught at private schools in the UK, including Falcons Preparatory in Chiswick and St Marys in Gerrard Cross, before returning to Guernsey with her family.
Since then, Mrs Yeoman has taught at Blanchelande College – now based at Les Vauxbelets, – for 16 years, and has been on its Senior Leadership Team since 2019.
Her own children have also attended the school.
“I have a long association with this wonderful school as a pupil, parent, teacher and now Principal and I can confidently say that the strong ethos and Catholic identity has remained throughout,” Mrs Yeoman said.
“We call it being ‘part of a family, one of a kind’ which focuses on individual learning alongside a down-to-earth, collaborative and respectful environment.”
Mrs Yeoman’s was Acting Vice-Principal before being appointed Principal by the Trustees and Board of Governors in January 2025.
She said she is “proud to be leading the school into its next phase of development whilst also preserving its unique features and remaining true to its values.”
Blanchelande College closed in 1993 after the nuns which had previously run it were called to serve elsewhere. The PTFA, with assistance from then-Deputy Valerie Renouf, secured the school’s future by opening a new college at Rosaire Avenue which ran in tandem with the convent school for one year from September 1992.
As the college grew it needed larger premises and Blanchelande staff and pupils moved to Les Vauxbelets in 1999.
The college bought the site from the De La Salle Brothers who had previously owned it in 2022, before celebrating its 25th anniversary there last year.
“Blanchelande College has something that is very special,” said Mrs Yeoman. “Not only is it situated in fabulous grounds spanning around 40 acres, which allows us to provide first class facilities, it has talented and dedicated staff who not only uphold high academic standards but understand and contribute towards our culture.”
Blanchelande College has recently opened a new Design and Technology Centre alongside the successful launch of Leiths Professional Cookery programme.
Mrs Yeoman said these initiatives have been greatly beneficial to students and have widened the college’s Sixth Form offering.
She said they are working on plans to develop further Sixth Form facilities to give the growing student body further dedicated quiet study areas and common room space.
“My experience with the school gives me insight into opportunities that will present themselves over the next few years,” said Mrs Yeoman.
“I feel strongly about the unique independent educational offering which Blanchelande provides for the island’s children.”
