LOOKING BACK: New ‘educational, cultural and social centre’ opens out west

When the new Les Quennevais School opened a few years ago, it was to replace an old school that was falling apart at the seams and had capacity for about half the number of today’s students.

However, when it was officially opened 60 years this month, the original Les Quennevais School was a trail-blazing facility built for an up-and-coming part of Jersey.

In the 1950s and 1960s, development in the Les Quennevais area was widespread. With the population increasing, the need for new schools in the area, including a secondary school, was recognised. Building work began on the school in 1963 and teachers were appointed for the start of the academic year in 1964.

Unfortunately, building work wasn’t complete and the headmaster, J F Watts, after whom one of the school’s houses is now named, dispatched all his staff to the contributory primary schools for a term to help with teaching the secondary school-age pupils.

A brochure sent out in November 1964 to the six feeder parishes for Les Quennevais School feted it as “not just a secondary school but an educational, cultural and social centre for the entire population of the western half of the Island, with a public library, concert hall, gymnasium and workshops”. The headteacher attended meetings in the parish halls to discuss what the school facility could be used for.

Les Quennevais School eventually opened its doors to pupils for the first time on 8 January 1965. Mr Watts told the Jersey Evening Post the day before the opening that “all the staff had been working very hard to prepare the school in time for tomorrow but the contractors still had to give it the final touches”.

The school was to take in 300 pupils and had a capacity for 500, who could all fit into the main school hall.

The report recorded that “there are 12 main classrooms situated in the three-storey tower block and ten other rooms for the teaching of housecraft, needlecraft, art, pottery, metalwork, woodwork, technical drawing, science and rural science as well as a magnificent gymnasium”.

Following Mr Watts’ public engagement, a programme of adult classes was advertised in the same month so that the building was used in the evening.

The school successfully opened its doors the following day although it wasn’t until a year and half later that it was officially opened by the Bailiff, Robert Le Masurier. The ceremony took place on 8 June 1966 in front of a packed audience of guests and parents. The National Anthem was sung by the school choir, accompanied by the school orchestra, with a commemorative plaque unveiled for the occasion.

The report of the Bailiff’s speech said: “It was with the greatest of pleasure that he declared this fine and lovely school open. It was one in which the president and all the members of the Education Committee could take the very greatest of pride.”

The President of the Education Committee, John Le Marquand, thanked the Bailiff for attending and warned him that he was going to be busy as there were another six primary schools that were due to be opened over the course of the next few years.

Guest of honour for the event was Sir John Newsom, who was the chairman of a committee that had produced the influential Newsom Report on secondary education in the United Kingdom in 1963.

Sir John commented on the fact that it was a good idea not to have the opening ceremony of a school straight away and it was important to make sure that everything in the school worked first.

He went on to say that “the teachers were the backbone of the school and Les Quennevais was lucky to have attracted so many good ones”. He also paid tribute to the headteacher, Mr Watts, saying: “You are all jolly lucky to have a Headmaster like this chap!”

Mr Watts in turn offered praise to Sir John. He said: “I was indebted to him more than anybody else for the ideas that inspired the setting up of Les Quennevais School.” Sir John, “had taught them never to underestimate their pupils; to demand the best for them and from them; to broaden their own definition of secondary education and to have faith…Sir John Newsom had set a seal upon the promise of this school and with the help of all Jersey we shall see it fulfilled.”

After this address the school choir and orchestra performed a series of folk songs, the Dean of Jersey gave his blessing and tea was enjoyed in a large marquee on the lawn. An exhibition of the school’s activities was on display for all to see.

The school has now moved along the road but the ethos of the original school remains. The doors to the newly built school were opened to pupils in September 2020 with an official opening by Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, in June 2021.

For more stories from the archives, take a look at the Jersey Heritage Online Catalogue at https://catalogue.jerseyheritage.org/

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