Wednesday 24 April 2024
General Update
Sir,
Following the Assembly's re-approval of funding for the Transforming Education Programme including Phase 1 of Les Ozouets Campus development, and in light of the update that Deputy Brouard gave at our March meeting on an increase in cost projections for Phase 2 of the Hospital Modernisation Programme, I want to begin by offering reassurances about the construction project my Committee is leading.
Having received the green light in January, we reviewed the Programme scope, business case and budget baseline. This review revealed that despite delays, none of which were in the Committee's control, the Programme remains on track to deliver within its overall cost envelope. This is because we have mitigated inflationary costs associated with the funding delay by closely monitoring, and reducing where we can, costs elsewhere in the Programme. This is good news.
Those of you who know me well will know that I am a keen defender of governance, and make no apologies for that - and nor Sir should any of us here today. I have long made it mine and my Vice-President's business to receive weekly updates from our Programme Director, and I sit on the Programme board. On behalf of the Policy & Resources Committee, Deputy Murray, and previously Deputy Mahoney, have provided formal challenge and oversight as we've begun the task of putting the States Resolutions into action. I am satisfied that TEP is a well-governed programme both in structure and approach.
As for the construction programme, following a tender process we are close to appointing the demolition contract for the old St Peter Port School, and progress is being made towards the main construction contract. We expect on-site activity to commence soon and gather momentum over the coming months. We will shortly be inviting residents in Les Ozouets vicinity to visit the site to be reminded of our plans and underline the efforts we are making to be a good neighbour during the construction phase.
Our transformation programme is about so much more than buildings. A significant number of staff in the Secondary School Partnership have now had their future roles confirmed and this process will complete before schools break up this July.
Sir, IT continues to be a major focus across all phases of education:
· The Guernsey Institute continues to work towards a common IT platform.
· We are deploying new devices for staff in schools and are part-way through a phased delivery of new devices for all classrooms to replace outdated equipment.
· To ensure we integrate this new technology into the curriculum so learners are prepared for the modern world of work, we are rolling out a comprehensive training and development programme for staff.
The Guernsey Institute's adult education offering continues to evolve. It has successfully piloted community-based English and maths programmes, running specialist sessions in the PEH, community centres, the Prison, and hospitality venues, supporting adults who find a formal classroom environment challenging. We are partnering with local employers to offer additional 'English as a second language' classes. All of this supports adults to access other learning and upskilling opportunities. The next step is for TGI to expand this type of adult community learning to include Digital and ICT skills.
Sir, we continue to implement the SEND Review's recommendations. We will shortly complete the consultation period on the draft Code of Practice for children and young people with additional learning needs, ahead of its final review and formal introduction for the start of the 2024/5 academic year, supported by a suite of training for educational professionals.
There is also a renewed focus on the transition between all phases of education for those with additional learning needs. These transitions can be particularly challenging times and lead to long-term attendance and engagement difficulties if vulnerable learners are not given additional opportunities to familiarise themselves with their new learning environment, and professionals are not provided with the right information about how best to meet the needs of all learners joining their setting.
Sir, the 4 th Joyous Childhood Conference is planned for the 7 th September. Its purpose is to inspire the Early Years workforce by sharing examples of innovative and effective practice and facilitate professional development. Collaborative opportunities such as this, have been shown to harness enthusiasm and energise those working in this important sector for the benefit of our youngest islanders.
I hope I have conveyed that it is a busy and very exciting time to be working in education in Guernsey and Alderney, with the system showing signs of stabilising at long last - we still have a long way to go, but we are moving forward!
But Sir, we have a broader mandate. We are in the final stages of our preparations for the Island's 79 th Liberation Day commemorations and celebrations. Sir, one of the many things I have learnt during my time on this Committee it is that you can't please all the people all of the time, but I sincerely hope and believe that there is something for everyone in this year's events, and it was heartening - if not possibly unsettling - to read in a recent editorial that the Guernsey Press might agree with me on this.
On the day itself, in addition to the usual parade, commemorative service and school relay race in the morning, we will have parish-led events - although sadly not in all parishes this time round. The military vehicles cavalcade, sponsored by CA Duquemin, will once again make its way around the island and then form a static display in town for enthusiasts of all ages to enjoy alongside live music and activities and entertainment for children. Castle Cornet will welcome visitors free of charge and celebrations will conclude with a firework display, this year conducted from La Vallette due to the current limitations of the Castle bridge.
And I would like to thank Collas Crill who, once again, is providing hampers for distribution to over 800 islanders.
Plans for next year's events, which will mark the 80 th anniversary of our liberation, have begun in earnest to ensure that the 2025 commemorations and celebrations of our 'national day' live long in the memory of islanders.
Sir, many of us have a soft spot for Beau Sejour Leisure Centre which is fast approaching its 50 th birthday. It might remind us of our youth, or family time with our children. But sentimentality aside, we need to objectively question the priorities for this community leisure facility and develop a sustainable, strategic target operating model for the future. This is the focus of the Beau Sejour Leisure Centre Sustainability Review, which commenced with high-level initial consultation with key stakeholders. The 'themes' identified from this consultation inform the next phase of the Review which aims to be completed during 2025.
Through you Sir, may I congratulate and thank the Guernsey Indoor Bowling Association for their significant efforts in supporting the island to host the World Bowls Indoor Championships this week, and thank you Sir for hosting the Opening Ceremony. With 57 competitors from 30 countries, we are once again showcasing Guernsey and our world-class sporting prowess far beyond these shores.
In February, Island Archives, along with other stakeholders, including the Priaulx Library and the Greffe, signed a contract with FindMyPast to digitise close to 250,000 documents including civil and parish birth, baptism, marriage, death and burial records; and along with cemetery records and occupation ID records; at no direct cost to the taxpayer. These digitised documents will be available worldwide, enabling people to explore their Guernsey ancestry. Maybe some of them will visit to learn about their Guernsey heritage first hand.
Sir, now returning briefly to education's transformation programme, I'd like to thank the many Members who attended a discussion session last week, where we continued to explore the complex topic of education governance. This and the other sessions we've held over the last six months will inform refreshed proposals for a new system of education governance as part our work to revise the proposals for a new Education Law.
For Members who were unable to attend, and for those listening in, I'm pleased to report that alongside developing proposals for the future, we are not standing still when it comes to the active governance of our twenty education settings. Our Interim Governance Boards continue to support and challenge schools and settings leaders, with over 90 governance meetings already undertaken since the inception of this work in Summer 2021, to ensure we understand what is going well and what needs to improve in every setting, and we are seeing positive, meaningful change as a result.
Sir, Members will have seen in the media last week that both Hautes Capelles and St Mary & St Michael Primary Schools have been judged to be 'good' across the board by our external inspection partner, Ofsted, bringing the total number of schools inspected to 13. The remaining seven will be inspected by summer 2025.
Sir, when I've rightly been asked questions about our inspection results by political colleagues, some seem to interpret a 'good' judgement as though good in this context means 'just about good enough'. That is not what it means at all. Taking primary schools as an example, in addition to His Majesty's Inspectors looking at safeguarding, each school is evaluated in five areas:
· Quality of Education;
· Behaviour & Attitudes;
· Personal Development & Welfare;
· Leadership & Management; and
· Early Years Provision.
In total across these five areas there are 64 descriptors of what 'good' looks like. To get 'good' judgements in all five areas, which a number of our Primary schools have now done, they must be consistently and securely performing well across almost all of these 64 descriptors.
what type of organisation is inspected, where and under what framework, Ofsted's inspection reports will almost always identify weaknesses, or areas for improvement. Where these weaknesses are minor, and where school leaders demonstrate an awareness of them and can evidence they are making rapid progress to address them, a good judgement can still be given. If the weaknesses are more significant, or if the Leadership team is less aware of them, so is not already actively addressing them, a 'good' judgement will not be given.
I cannot stress enough that our bespoke inspection framework, unique to Guernsey & Alderney, demands a lot of our education workforce. It is not easy to get a 'good' judgement in all evaluated areas, and it is entirely right that our schools, school communities and The Guernsey Institute are proud of, and celebrate, these successes. Of course, as important as applauding success, we must look at how to make things even better, and it is no accident or coincidence that Our Education Strategy has as its strap line 'Aspiring to excellence' which is the highest judgement our schools and settings can obtain.
Are we there yet? No. We are not consistently 'good' across every descriptor in every setting - yet; but through the governance work that I've referred to, we have built an interim framework that promotes an honest and open relationship with our senior leaders. We know the strengths and areas for improvement in all our settings, and we are confident all of our leaders have clear plans to reach a consistently 'good' standard and then, to aspire to excellence.
Sir, in striving for that excellence, we absolutely recognise that the greatest influence on outcomes for learners are the teachers or lecturers supporting them. In a very competitive labour market, the recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers and lecturers remains challenging in many subject areas including the sciences, English, maths and construction trades. This situation is not helped by our high cost of housing; however, a renewed and targeted multi-platform recruitment campaign is underway and early indications suggest this new approach is increasing the level of interest in our vacancies.
It will be some months before we can assess whether this translates into securing staff for our schools and TGI, but this, combined with the workforce development strategy currently being produced for our staff, will help to promote Guernsey and Alderney as attractive places for high-quality teachers and lecturers to continue their careers, and to inspire our students so that they become life-long learners and active contributors to our economy and community