Whether you’re moving to the island with toddlers or teenagers, Guernsey’s education system offers excellence and valuable choice.
Guernsey’s Education System is very similar to the UK. Children up to the age of 18 have access to free education via the State Education system.
States of Guernsey - Education Services
Education in Guernsey is delivered through The Education Strategy, which has been established by the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture and serves as a guiding compass for what the education system needs to deliver.
Even in a small community like ours, the States maintained education system is broad and diverse, covering early years, primary, secondary, post-16, special educational needs and adult learning across numerous sites. The Education Strategy is the glue that binds all this together with one common purpose.
It articulates the ambition and aspiration for the islands' learners through four overarching priorities and describes how these priorities will be realised through a series of more detailed commitments. This helps to ensure the best possible outcomes for all learners so that the education students receive makes a tangible difference to their lives and the community as a whole. Beyond our schools, our education strategy also covers community, professional and business-to-business learning.
The island also has three Independent Colleges that receive grant aid from The States of Guernsey. Ladies College (for girls), and Elizabeth College and Blanchelande College which are both co-educational.
All education settings are subject to independent external inspection through Ofsted or the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) with full reports available on their websites.
Pre-School Education
For a list of Guernsey’s pre-schools, day nurseries and crèches, please visit:
Guernsey Pre-Schools, Day Nurseries & Crèches
In Guernsey, 3 - 4 year olds are entitled to free pre-school provision for up to 15 hours per week, 38 weeks a year (term time only), in the year prior to accessing school.
Free Pre-School Provision Information
Primary Education
There are 16 Primary Schools for children aged 5 - 11 years old in Guernsey. Most students will be allocated a Primary School at the beginning of the school year in which they reach their fifth birthday.
Primary School places are allocated by the catchment area and are at the heart of parish communities.
There are also two Primary Schools for children who are baptised Catholics, two Primary Schools for children with special educational needs and primary provision in the three Independent Colleges.
Children remain in Primary education until they are 11 years old. Thereafter children are able to transition to the island’s mainstream Secondary Schools, where all children are provided with similar opportunities as part of the Secondary School Partnership.
Secondary Education
There are nine Secondary Schools for children aged 11 - 16 years old in Guernsey which consist of three High Schools, the three Independent Colleges and two Special Educational Needs Schools.
Secondary education within the States sector is delivered through the Secondary School Partnership which comprises of three 11-16 schools (Les Beaucamps, Les Varendes and St Sampsons) and a separate Sixth Form Centre which will be co-located on the exciting new purpose-built post-16 campus with The Guernsey Institute (TGI) in the future.
Post-16 Education
There is a high percentage of students who choose to remain in education or training after secondary school, which is in line with those across the UK. Post 16 provision on island offers broad and exciting options for continued learning, including plenty of opportunities to learn new skills via apprenticeship schemes and training courses.
College of Further Education Sixth Form Centre
University & Higher Education
The Guernsey Institute (TGI) is made up of the College of Further Education, the Institute for Health and Social Care Studies and the GTA University Centre.
The TGI College offers:
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Full-time courses, at entry level to Level 3, aimed primarily at school leavers, however applications from mature students are welcomed.
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Part-time professional courses catering for a wide variety of professions, from one-day seminars to longer Higher Education programmes.
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Apprenticeships are available through TGI which provides vocational training for the Guernsey Apprenticeship programme.
For those students who wish to pursue higher education off island, there are opportunities for bursaries and scholarships through private companies. Support funding for full-time higher education degree courses can also be applied for through the States of Guernsey.
For further information about funding for study through the States of Guernsey, please visit:
For information on University and Higher Education in general, please click here:
Special Educational Needs
Education Services recognise that all children and young people are of equal value and have the same basic emotional, social and education needs. The aim of the wide range of services is to provide an education system which is inclusive and where every child feels healthy and nurtured, safe, achieving and active, respected and responsible and included.
There are three special schools for children requiring more specialist support.
- Le Rondin is for primary age pupils with moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and more profound and multiple disabilities.
- Le Murier is a special needs secondary catering for a wide variety of needs.
- Les Voies is for children and young people aged 9-16 that experience Social, Emotional & Mental Health difficulties.
For advice and guidance on special educational needs in Guernsey, please visit:
Curriculum
Schools deliver a similar curriculum to that in the UK through The Bailiwick of Guernsey Curriculum and students access a similar suite of qualifications to those available in England and Wales.
Children access three key stages at Primary School level; Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
Once children move on to Secondary School, aged 11, Key Stage 3 covers Years 7 to 9 and Key Stage 4 applies to years 10 and 11. In addition, pupils study towards GCSEs at age 16 and can then choose to study AS/A-Levels or undertake Apprenticeships thereafter.
In KS4, students study English GCSE examinations and vocational qualifications.
For post-16 students at the Sixth Form Centre, there is a broad offer of A-Levels alongside the International Baccalaureate Diploma qualification. In addition, TGI offers a broad range of Entry level to Level 3 technical, vocational and professional qualifications and apprenticeships.
All schools and settings are subjected to regular inspections that focus on the impact of schools in improving the educational experiences and lives of pupils through learning and achievement.
Independent Colleges
Guernsey has three Independent Colleges which are partly grant aided through The States of Guernsey and all accept pre-school aged children.
Elizabeth College comprises Acorn House Preschool and Infant School, Beechwood Junior School and Elizabeth College Senior School. Acorn House accepts children from three years of age and all schools are co-ed.
The Ladies’ College has historical links with Cheltenham Ladies College and accepts girls from pre-school through to 18 years. When pupils reach Sixth Form, the College fosters a joint arrangement with Elizabeth College.
Ladies College & Sixth Form Centre
Blanchelande College is an independent Catholic college, providing education from pre-school through to 18 years.
Extra-curricular Activities
Guernsey’s schools boast excellent sports facilities, encouraging participation for all and mirroring the island’s healthy lifestyle.
There are lots of opportunities for children to participate in sports, both on and off the water, at a competitive and recreational level. Many after-school clubs also offer various music, dance, drama and youth groups.
Guernsey’s reputation as a safe, family-friendly community encourages children to embrace healthy activity at grass-roots level.