Education Sport and Culture

Education

  • I would be looking for education to deliver on the Mulkkerin report outcomes (finally)  with regards to governance boards and head teachers having more control over how to run a school. I would also be looking for delivery of the changes to the education law that have been too long delayed.

  • I would be looking for a clear improvements in the Education Strategy to include pathways for key workforce requirements.

    Guernsey currently has to import significant numbers of teachers, doctors and nurses (to name just three sectors). Equally, there is no clear horizon scanning done by education on predicted workforce requirements (within the published strategy documents). If AI (or any other workplace driver) is going to change workforce requirements, how would we know? What would we do differently if it was important to change? If Guernsey wants to build more houses, what are we doing to upskill construction workers or bring more into that sector? If we need more care workers for the elderly (due to the demographic bulge), what are we doing to make that a viable career path? If we need more farmers because food prices explode and its cheaper to grow our own, what do we do?

    We need horizon scanning and we need educational structures in place to pivot to needed skills. The world is changing quickly and we need to be able to change with it quickly.

  • In the push for equal outcomes, this has led to removal of excellence pathways. Teachers are no longer able to teach in ways that support those who needed it and challenge those pupils who need challenging. This is leading to a path to mediocracy with teachers being pushed to only deliver basic pass grades for all, rather than pushing for the best outcomes possible. Clear pathways that stream students by ability need to be re-established.

  • The 2017 redesign of the Guernsey curriculum is viewed by many teachers as a significant step backward. Current criticism is that the curriculum is designed around the idea of churning out as many pass grade GCSE’s as possible, rather than designed around good educational and critical thinking outcomes. Whilst a wholesale redesign of the curriculum is unlikely to be feasible in the short term, there are, I am informed, steps that could be taken to change the curriculum in the short term to re-introduce better outcomes for students that stops teaching being treated as an exam machine and brings back real exploration, discovery and enjoyment.

  • I would be looking for policy that can reduce class sizes. Policies recently brought in are designed to cut cost and treat education as a business rather than designed to deliver best educational outcomes. Whilst cost of delivery is important, the most important deliverable of the education department is a quality education.

  • Education often begins at home. I would be looking for education to start educating parents on best practice with regards to early learning, student home support and guidance for how to help your kids prepare for exams.  This does not need to be heavy handed or teaching parents to suck eggs. Some clear accessible guidance that spells out the educational benefits of certain practices at home, would be very beneficial.

  • Given the declining birth rates, primary school provision needs to be prioritized to reduce cost burdens of capital expenditure and operational expenditure. This will depend on requirement forecasts but could help to free up operational costs on ongoing budgets. This will require hard decisions and I would need to see clear reasons for changes, but changes are necessary.

SPORT

I would like to understand the current committee’s views on the Active 8 plan and its funding solution. The Active 8 plan forms part of a clear holistic plan to improve the mental and physical fitness of islanders (the fitter we are, the less we need to spend at the doctors). For example, will the committee seek to fund it through the closure of Herm School? The last known budget requirement for Active 8 was £200K. The last known cost for Herm was £200K. Which has more social and economic benefit to the bailiwick as a whole? I appreciate it would be nice to have Herm School open. But if it is cheaper to educate in Guernsey (as it is for young people to be flown to Guernsey from Alderney for A levels) then that strategic decision must be made.

Culture

Guernsey has a long history of cultural endeavor. With the Guernsey Music Service, the significant access to performance and non-performance art across all age ranges, Guernsey consistently punches above its weight. Did you know that in 2025, there were three Guernsey people in principal roles in west end theatre productions? I personally have played opposite two of them in Guernsey amateur productions. And that is just theatre. We have several world class composers on the island. We have world class musicians and visual artists.

Given the significant cultural output of the island, we should be looking to maximize this. Cultural investment is currently targeted in the enterprise and investment scheme. I would like to see an update to the Culture Strategy that looks to turn our local talent for producing talent into an export.

How might that be achieved?

Collaboration between vocal coaches, music service, pop music schools, theatre schools to develop an international offering. If we can produce three west end performers in 2025 with just local talent, what would we achieve if we had an international offering?

We have a growing film industry growing here in Guernsey. Can we utilize those roots to grow independent film making here in the Bailiwick? Could we see a filming studio established?

Guernsey Eisteddfod is often cited as a very high caliber event by visiting adjudicators (having entered similar competitions in the UK, I can say confidently, it is just as high quality and more varied and diverse in its offering). Can we make it a cultural event across our geographical area (south of England, Jersey and France)?

Guernsey has a unique relationship with France and Victor Hugo. Could we have a seasonal production of Les Miserable or The Hunchback of Notre Dame available to cruise ship passengers and French tourists during season?