"New sixth form college and cut subsidies to fee-paying schools" - outgoing minister

Tuesday 30 September 2014

Jersey needs to turn Hautlieu into a free sixth-form college and phase out subsidies to sixth-formers at the fee-paying schools as part of a major reform of the Education department, says the outgoing minister.

Deputy Pat Ryan says that working with other ministers in a “ministerial oversight group” has actually slowed down progress at education – and he has criticised some of his ministerial colleagues for going back on their words and failing to support the department.

But Deputy Ryan’s views will not go down well with parents of children at the fee-paying schools, who would face far higher fees if the subsidies that support their children’s education at sixth form level were taken away. His comments came in a frank and candid email to election candidates that has been leaked to the media, after the education system came in for a bashing at a pre-election Institute of Directors event last week.

In it, he says that cutting the department’s budget by 2% to help fill the deficit could hit the Trackers Apprenticeship scheme, a planned “Pupil Premium” scheme to help disadvantaged children and a new programme to improve school standards.

He has called for a commission of politicians and experts to work on reforming the Education department.

Deputy Ryan wrote: “We urgently need a free sixth-form college, and realistically because of investment we have already made, it has to be at Hautlieu.

“I can't imagine it anywhere else. Expansion of Hautlieu will need funds not only capital but year on year revenue for teachers.

“Also it would seem incongruous to continue to fund sixth forms in the four fee-paying schools, for that perpetuates the competition for students among the five existing providers that forms the basis of the lack of critical mass at each school and for the limited choice and inevitably, cooperation limiting fundamental dynamic of the existing 'A' level providers.

“Over time, say about three to five years of reduction in sixth form grant, this should fund the extra needed at Hautlieu.”