Education in Jersey

In the 1590s, Laurens Baudains, a wealthy farmer from St. Martin, lobbied the monarch and the States of Jersey to support a scheme for the establishment of a college. The aim of the project was to instruct the youth of Jersey in "grammar, Latin, the liberal arts and religion". In the 1860s, the ancient grammar schools of St. Mannelier and St. Anastase closed and their endowments were later used to fund scholarships at Victoria College. The education of girls in Jersey from the mid-19th century lagged behind provision for boys. Victoria College had been opened for boys, on the pattern of English public schools, in 1852. The well-to-do and the élite classes continued to employ governesses or to send their daughters to schools in France or England; other classes relied on the existing elementary schools in Jersey. Jersey people of influence gathered at the Grove Place Wesleyan Chapel in Saint Helier on 28 November 1879 and decided to set up a limited liability company to further a plan to provide a college for girls in Jersey. Towards the end of the 19th century Catholic teaching and nursing orders – the De La Salle brothers, Jesuits and Little Sisters of the Poor – settled in Jersey. In 1894, the Jesuits bought a property called Highlands, which later became Highlands College. In 1917, the De La Salle Brothers founded De La Salle College, Jersey.

In 2012, it was announced that the headteacher of Hautlieu School would also become the head of Highlands College, after the retirement of Highlands' Principal and Chief Executive Professor Ed Sallis, OBE.[6] This is did not happen.[7]

From spring 2017, the qualification system used in Jersey changed in line with the changes brought in in England. GCSEs are now graded 9-1 rather than A*-G and there is less coursework.[4]

Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged 5 to 16, either at school or otherwise, with a child beginning primary education during the school year they turn 5.[8] Parents may have up to 20 hours Government-funded pre-school education for up to 20 hours for 38 weeks per year during school term-time for any child that will turn four years old during the academic year.[9]

Government-provided schooling and sixth-form education are paid for by taxes. Independent schools on the island receive subsidies from the Government. A child is of compulsory school age throughout the period beginning on the first day of the school term in which the child’s fifth birthday falls and ending on 30th June in the school year in which the child attains the age of 16 years.[8]

The compulsory stages of education are broken into a Foundation Stage (covering the last part of optional and first part of compulsory education), four Key Stages, and post-16 education, sometimes unofficially termed Key Stage Five, which takes a variety of forms, including 6th Form, which covers the last two years of Secondary Education in schools.

6 schools and colleges provide options for post-16 education.[10] 66% of all students attend Government non-fee paying schools. Around one-third of students attend schools where fees are paid.

Jersey has a college of further education and university centre, Highlands College. As well as offering part-time and evening courses Highlands is the largest sixth form provider in the Island, and works collaboratively with a range of organisations including the Open University, University of Plymouth and London South Bank University. In particular students can study at Highlands for the two-year Foundation Degree in Financial Services and for BSc Social Sciences, both validated by the University of Plymouth.

The Institute of Law is Jersey's law school, providing a course for students seeking to qualify as Jersey advocates and solicitors. It also provides teaching for students enrolled on the University of London LLB degree programme, via the International Programmes. The Open University supports students in Jersey (but they pay higher fees than UK students). Private sector higher-education providers include the Jersey International Business School.