Academic selection would return under a proposal for the States to fund up to 30 places a year at the colleges.
Deputy John Dyke will lead an amendment to this week’s college funding debate which if successful would direct Education to report back on the options by September 2026.
“This amendment does not seek to impose any financial arrangement for the funding of the Colleges, but instead directs the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture to return to the States with proposals that will enable States funding for a limited number of places at the Colleges,” it states.
“The number of places to be proposed is requested as a series of options, in a range, and the amendment allows for flexibility such that different allocations for each College, should each institution have differing capacity or other constraints on availability.”
It would mean some kind of bursary or open access scheme.
“The Colleges have historically been and remain an integral and integrated part of Guernsey’s education system. The presence and success of the Colleges is widely considered a key enabler for the island’s economy,” it states.
“However, the ending of the previous scholarship scheme which operated alongside the 11+ in a selective education system has created a situation where access to the education they offer is restricted to fee-paying students, which is considered by the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture to be a cause of social segregation in the education ecosystem.
“Enabling a form of Open Access would increase social mobility and reduce social segregation.”
Open Access describes a bursary funded by governments, with the specific aim of opening access to independent schools to families who would otherwise not be able to afford the fees.
The amendment proposes using some form of means testing, with a sliding scale so that mid-income families could receive partial funding, making a co-payment for the remainder.
“The guiding principle is to enable access to the Colleges based on merit rather than ability to pay.
“In reality, an element of academic selection is likely, as funded places are likely to be substantially over subscribed.
“Testing need not be on the basis of general ability, as subject specific attainment could be decided, to facilitate talented pupils from all backgrounds to enter the island’s top performing schools.”
Funding would depend on the detailed requirements, ranging from £1.6m a year after seven years if the average was 50% funding up to a theoretical maximum of £3.2m.
“Take deputies and officers out of school partnerships”
Another amendment now being proposed is aimed out how collaboration between the colleges and the States-sector develops.
It is proposed by Deputy Heidi Soulsby who wants partnerships to be developed directly by the senior staff at the schools rather than involve deputies or Education officers.
“Initially, the proposal is for a High School to partner with a College, at Principal level, with a view (initially) to establishing collaborative arrangements at the Principal and governing body (or equivalent) levels, at each school,” her amendment states.
“Once working relationships have been established at those levels, the expectation is that, through shared working, communication and relationships at the Principal and governing body levels, other collaborative working arrangements, including with the Sixth Form Centre, will be identified and established for the benefit of secondary age children.
“It is believed that this collaborative process should start organically, at a school- to-school level.”
A summary of the partnership working undertaken would be involved in Education’s annual report under the proposal.
The colleges’ funding debate takes place during the States meeting which begins today.
