Three of the four ‘partnership leads’ – who will play a central role in one of the biggest ever reforms of education in Jersey – have been appointed.

Vicki Charlesworth, John Baudains and Joanna Pearce have been chosen as part of a two-year-pilot scheme designed to strengthen collaboration, inclusion, and leadership across Jersey schools.

The government has redesigned the way schools work with the central Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department and among themselves in part because of an independent report, published last October, which was highly critical of the quality of provisions for pupils with Special Education Needs and Disabilities.

All non-fee-paying schools will be clustered into partnership based on ‘west’, ‘east’ and two in St Helier. Which lead takes the helm of which partnership will be decided when the fourth person is chosen. It is understood that the process is in its advanced stages.

Vicki Charlesworth is headteacher of Les Landes School, a position she has held for 13 years, and was leading headteacher across St Peter and Les Landes Schools between 2020 to 2022. Previously, she was deputy headteacher at St Luke’s School and d’Auvergne School, and as a teacher at Mont Nicolle School. 

She is a governor at Beaulieu Convent School and a member of the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce.

John Baudains grew up and was educated in Jersey. Following the completion of his teaching degree at Exeter University, he returned to the island and has worked within education in Jersey his whole career. 

As a teacher, he worked at Mont Nicolle School and later Grouville School, teaching right across the primary age range. Mr Baudains became a headteacher in 2012 and has led several schools, initially Mont Nicolle School, then La Moye School. 

Between 2020 and 2022, he was the leading headteacher of a partnership of two schools, La Moye and Bel Royal.

Joanna Pearce moved to Jersey with her family in June 2024, where she began working as a senior adviser within CYPES, focusing on school improvement, policy, and curriculum.

She previously served as a primary headteacher in England and as head of teaching and learning across a group of schools.

More recently, as a primary English consultant, she worked with a wide range of schools and partnerships, delivering professional development and leading long-term improvement projects across the UK and internationally.