It takes a degree of bravery to take on a new role in a new location without ever having been there. But that’s exactly what Daniele Harford-Fox did when she accepted the post of Principal of The Ladies’ College. Her final interview was due to take place in Guernsey, but plans were thwarted by the pandemic and so the school governors appointed Daniele without having met her in person, and she took what she describes as a ‘leap of faith’ and accepted. She has never looked back.
“There’s a phrase that says when you say no to something, you’re rewarded with safety. And when you say yes to something, you’re rewarded with adventure. And we just felt like it was time for an adventure.”
Prior to this new adventure, Daniele (pictured left) was Director of Studies and the Deputy Head of Innovation for a large independent day school near Birmingham. This time around she wanted to move into an all-girls environment.
“I had worked in co-education my whole teaching life and I knew I wanted to lead an all-girls school. I have spent my life watching girls come into year seven full of exuberance, interested in lots of different things. Quite quickly they start to ‘mute’ themselves a little bit. They smile more and say less and start to take a back seat sometimes to boys. So, I wanted to create a space where it didn’t matter that they were girls, where they’re not defined by their gender.
“We have so many different types of students – scientists and artists, introverts and extroverts and they do really extraordinary things because they just never question whether they should. A lot of empirical evidence demonstrates that girls academically perform better in single sex schools, and they also have a stronger sense of belonging. They have higher self-confidence and self-esteem. They stay in STEM subjects for longer. They stay in team sports for longer. And one of my favourite facts is that girls from single-sex schools are more likely to negotiate their pay in their first job. Basically, the research shows that they go on to have happier, healthier more successful lives.”
The Ladies’ College has around 540 students from pre-school to sixth form all based on a single site. The 140 girls in the pre-school and primary school, Melrose, is headed up by Mary Lawson (pictured right) who joined in September 2023. Mary also relocated to Guernsey from a prep school in the New Forest. Melrose has a single-form intake and has a focus on creating a collaborative, family-type environment, as Mary explains:
“We are single-form intake, but our year groups work together on certain projects. So, there is a collaborative element with students and teachers co-working. One-form entry doesn’t mean that a class is isolated. We have a real community, a lovely family feel and keeping the school small is really beneficial for the children and for the staff.”
Daniele’s passion for developing her students’ life skills as well as their academic and other achievements is almost tangible. She questions the validity of the current education system and explains how she aims to weave new technologies and developments into the school’s curriculum delivery.
“I think the thing that’s unique about us, apart from being single sex, is our focus on preparing young people for the future. AI and future technology are posing fundamental questions about whether the education system is fit for purpose. There are really big questions around that. The system was designed 150 years ago. It’s hardly changed. It’s a knowledge-based system designed at the time when there weren’t even public libraries, let alone the internet. And so, for me, there are really urgent questions to be asked about how AI is going to reshape the world and the world of work. What kinds of skills are at the heart of that?
“The students who are coming into my year seven now will come out of school or university in 2035 and everybody I speak to in all different industries say that essentially the world of work will be entirely different. And so, we’re asking really profound questions about that. And looking at what skills our students really need to have.
“Skills development is intertwined within the whole curriculum. So, we look at subjects across the board and think about how we can set them in a real-world context and how we get the students to start thinking about their community.”
Daniele has introduced a new ‘Pathways’ project this term. This gives older students the opportunity to work on real life projects alongside studying for their A-levels. Students are able to elect one of four options – change makers, business leaders, science pioneers or innovators & creators. Daniele is developing partnerships with local business leaders as well as UK universities to support the initiative and is delighted with the positive feedback and levels of support she has received.
“There’s such a wealth of expertise in such a small community. There has been real willingness of businesspeople to jump in to lead a workshop or give a paid internship or offer to help build the curriculum. It is amazing. There is a general community feel and people want to give back to the community that they live in.”
The Ladies’ College academic results speak for themselves – this year’s GCSE students achieved excellent results; 43% of all grades were Grades 8 or 9, 66% 7-9 (A*/A) and 97% of results were within the 4-9 (A*-C) range.
There is no doubt that alongside this, the school’s clear aim under Daniele’s stewardship is to develop rounded young people ready to face the outside world with confidence and the skills to succeed.
St James has formed an important part of the St Peter Port landscape since it opened in 1818. The brainchild of Lord de Saumarez, it opened as a place of worship for the Guernsey garrison. Having fallen into a state of disrepair, the building became redundant in 1970 and remained closed until a small group of local music enthusiasts began a tireless campaign and secured funding from the Guernsey States for its refurbishment. St James re-opened as a concert venue in 1983.
For many years the venue was known for its classical music events and with its beautiful acoustic, was the preferred performance venue for local and visiting musicians alike. But the challenge of running a profitable venue, with a finite local audience together with the ongoing upkeep and certain limitations of an ageing building has led to a re-think of how the venue is used. If you never thought that a classical piano recital could sit alongside a tattoo show (admittedly not at the same time) think again.
Director of St James Jon Bisson took on his role in 2018. With a background in organising large-scale festivals in the UK and bringing with him a passion for live music performances, Jon set about trying out different types of events to appeal to a wider audience and to improve revenues.
“When I first arrived back on the island, I was very keen on utilising St. James for our children’s charity Sound, which creates live music opportunities for under 18-year-olds. We wanted to run a festival and the team at St James agreed. I was then offered the role of director and here I am.
“I think people work to what they know. St James had delivered fantastic performances over the years, but the market evolves and that had crept up on St James a little. We started programming quite heavily for 2019. We included everything – comedy, theatre, music – just to see what worked just to try and prove the concept. Attendances went up considerably in 2019. But it wasn’t a profitable year. What we quickly understood was with a population of 64,000, the frequency of events is key as people won’t necessarily be able to attend three events in one month.
“Of course, then we had some fun and games for a couple of years, so it was in 2022 when we implemented what we had learnt – a reduction in frequency, so from 10 comedies to five only once a month for example.”
2022 was reasonably successful for St James but since the island – like the rest of the world – was still recovering post-Covid, lower attendance figures were a challenge. Corporate events and meetings previously creating some of the daytime usage of the venue had all but disappeared with companies having proved the efficacy of online meeting platforms and other sources of grants and sponsorships were under inordinate pressure.
Jon and his team set about working out a business model that would guarantee the venue’s future. Repurposing the Dorey Room and moving the bar facility into the main hall was a brave but seemingly successful move. Bar tariffs are kept low and ticket prices as low as possible. Jon has opened St James’ doors to a variety of other organisations to run events free of charge at times when the building would otherwise be empty. So, a motorbike show, a chess tournament and a tattoo show might not have gone down well with Lord de Saumarez but these type of event has expanded the venue’s market and generated café and bar takings from attendees.
Comedians are part of the regular fixtures now. Some great names have been on the stage at St James and this year Milton Jones and Dara Ó Briain have performed. Jon’s goal is to see St James on the list of ‘must include’ venues in the UK for this type of performer. The venue is increasingly being recognised by agents and artists and part of that is because of what Jon described as the traditional “Guernsey welcome” they get when they are here, as well as the venue itself.
The calendar also includes many live music performers including artists who have played at Glastonbury and other major events, as well as local musicians, mirror ball nights and much more. But there remains a strong tradition of classical performances too. Piano recitals, orchestras, choirs, and smaller solo performances in the café. Eclectic is putting it mildly, but this diverse range of styles and genres are co-existing harmoniously under Jon’s stewardship. Challenges are still plentiful with people ever mindful of the ongoing cost of living pressures. So, coming up with new ideas and balancing the books will aways be key. Many local people will feel a personal connection with St James for lots of reasons – whether they got married there, have performed there or had their school assemblies there for many years – it’s part of the fabric of St Peter Port and hopefully here to stay.
Guernsey is certainly not short of places to eat and for a small island of just 25 square miles, we are probably spoilt for choice. So, for a restauranteur, the challenge will always be to find a differentiator to help an establishment stand out from the crowd and offer something new.
Sam Jarrold certainly rose to that challenge when he opened The Hook in 2013. A lover of all things Japanese, the restaurant soon developed a great reputation for its sushi, sashimi, and other Japanese delights. At the time, Sam wasn’t convinced that Guernsey was ready for an all-in Japanese offering, so The Hook offered a hybrid mix of cuisines to cater to a wider audience with two kitchen teams working alongside each other.
Move on nine years and Fukku appeared in the Arcade in St Peter Port. Sam explained how his second venture came to be:
“We had a chef working at The Hook who was really keen on ramen, which is one of the main focuses of the Fukku menu. The concept behind Fukku was to create somewhere that was a bit more fun, informal and was more suitable for a quick lunch with a lower price point. Fukku was something totally new that Guernsey hadn’t seen before. It’s doing really well. We’ve built up a good lunch trade and the evening trade’s picking up too. The location is perfect for what we’re doing but it’s not big enough.”
Fukku’s success has tested the marketplace sufficiently for Sam to take the next step. His head sushi chef is joining forces with him and opening a Japanese restaurant in Smith Street in the old Guernsey Post Office building – the second iteration of Fukku. The Hook will focus on its European menu and the Japanese kitchen team will relocate to the new premises.
“We’re nearly 11 years down the line and we don’t want to stagnate. We want to really focus our menus and step up to the next level and bring something new again to Guernsey,” said Sam.
The ‘new-look’ Hook relaunched earlier this summer with an adapted menu, focusing on open fire and grill Basque-style cooking.
Another key aspect of Sam’s food ethos is the provenance of his ingredients. Anything he can source locally he does, and then this is supplemented by carefully selected suppliers in the UK with sustainability being of paramount importance.
“The emphasis we place on the source of our ingredients is both from an ethical point of view and also with regard to taste. Farming techniques, grass feeding, slow maturing – all these are important factors when we are looking for suppliers.”
As far as the new restaurant is concerned, planning applications are in and work is set to start once the final obstacles have been crossed. Capacity will be around double offered in the current Fukku location and will include an informal eating area as well as a ‘dining room’ plus a takeaway facility. Whilst for most of us it’s the former Post Office, some may remember a café on that site some years back. Inarguable is the building’s ideal location and great open frontage for Sam’s Japanese venture. Fukku’s popular dishes – ramen and sushi – will stay on the menu with scope for the chef to develop and try out different elements of Japanese cuisine on Guernsey palates. Food will also be prepared on teppanyaki style grills. And with research having been done in various London restaurants to create a truly ’Japanese vibe’ we can expect something really exciting from day one.
And 11 years on from the inception of The Hook, Guernsey seems ready for Fukku phase two.
“I think there’s definitely scope to broaden the cuisine offering in Guernsey,” said Sam. “There are a lot of good restaurants here and we’re looking to add something new. We could keep going with our existing concept but eventually it will become tired.”
Sam has worked in the hospitality sector for most of his adult life – as a youngster during his holidays in Christies and then as a young business owner when he ran The Townhouse bar in the High Street. He doesn’t see himself as a serial entrepreneur but more as someone who saw opportunities and seized them when he could.
Does he have anything else up his sleeve in the longer term? Nothing concrete but the words ‘breakfast’ and ‘good coffee’ were mentioned – watch this space!
Guernsey is one of those places that’s very easy to get to, but almost impossible to leave. As anyone who has moved here from elsehwere will tell you, the island has a magnetic charm that is impossible to ignore. Antonia Thomas, Local Market negotiator at Swoffers, came to Guernsey for a couple of months, a decade ago. The rest, as they say, is history.
“It was only meant to be for three months…”
As the saying going goes, if I had a pound.
Day-to-day, I so often hear this explanation as to why someone is living in Guernsey, and it always makes me smile knowingly. Just over 10 years ago, I left London for “the rock”, trundling down Brixton Hill with my huge, borrowed suitcase, having just told my flatmate that I would see her in a couple of months. However, the months flew by and before I knew it, I had permanently swapped SW2 for GY1.
I now proudly possess a Guernsey passport, but more importantly, an undoubtedly better quality of life. In 2020, the States of Guernsey produced a ‘Better Life Indicators’ report which gave an overall impression of quality of life in Guernsey compared to other jurisdictions, via a set of internationally comparable indicators. The island did incredibly well across the board, but frankly, nothing beats the feeling of successfully escaping the office at 4pm to make it to the beach fifteen minutes later. How’s that for a stat.
Let’s start with safety. Guernsey and its Bailiwick neighbours have some of the darkest night skies in the world – Sark was designated an International Dark Sky Community – but no need to be afraid of the dark, as our island is incredibly safe with one of the lowest levels of burglary, and other crimes in general. Amateur astrologists can venture out exploring without the need to lock, well, anything.
From bumps in the night to bumps requiring medical attention, our healthcare is quick to access. You can very often secure a primary care appointment within 24 hours. Our hospital, colloquially known as the PEH, is clean and safe, and whilst often at capacity, never ‘full’. No corridor wards, free parking, and an enviably available A&E.
Much like our famous Guernsey milk, our island politics has its own distinctive flavour, quite different to what is currently being consumed in the UK. Writing this on UK election day, whatever colour milk top the UK decides (did you know that whole milk here is red versus the mainland blue), change – and potential instability – is certainly on the menu. Guernsey is globally renowned for being politically stable; a favourable business environment that operates under its own, well-established jurisdiction.
I’m penning this whilst flying home. We’re coming into land, and I’m struck by the island’s beautiful coastline, the numerous bays and beaches. The distinctive shapes of the Bailiwick islands evoke such a sense of pride, each with their own traits and communities. There is a palpable sense of community serviced by numerous charities and organisations coordinating the efforts of an army of volunteers. The sporting opportunities here are endless; sea-swimming, cycling, running, football, boules and pétanque – sports clubs at all levels. Last year’s highly successful NatWest International Island Games were a showcase for local sporting achievement, exceptional considering the relatively small size of the island’s population.
I feel incredibly proud, and lucky, to call Guernsey my home. It’s not inconceivable that you could too. Place your trust in Swoffers to find your perfect home. See you on the beach!
Most people living in Guernsey will have been aware of the massive fundraising campaign and the subsequent total redevelopment of the Grow site in recent years. But most would equally be totally surprised (in a good way) at the scale, quality and ambition of the ‘new-look’ property, which aims to future-proof the charity for the next few decades.
Grow was established in 1984 providing sheltered occupation for adults with learning disabilities and difficulties who worked in the vinery learning horticultural skills, growing tomatoes and then flowers and selling their wares to the public. Parents and carers knew that attendees were in a safe secure environment. The vinery (the word used locally for greenhouses, emanating from their original use to grow vines) still remains at the very heart of Grow, but within the new development there is also a training café and a fully-equipped carpentry workshop where attendees – known as ‘the crew’ – develop, self-confidence, life and employability skills which will enable many of them to move on to full or part-time employment.
Marguerite Talmage, a director of Grow, explained how the new vision came about.
“About 15 years ago, the then board of directors realised that the greenhouses where Grow was operating were no longer fit for purpose. So, they decided that the best option was to redevelop the whole site.
“When the new development was being planned, we realised that there was an opportunity to include a lot more than just horticulture. So, we have the training café where the team is developing the crew’s occupational skills, both front of house and in the kitchen, plus the workshop. We take a holistic approach, developing life and personal skills in things like dealing with the public, communication, as well as the skills they need to work in the commercial sector such as handling the till and so on.”
The crew – currently totalling around 40 – generally work on a rotation basis, spending several weeks in the café, and then moving to the vinery and/or workshop. If they show a particular aptitude or interest in a certain area, they can choose to focus on that with the aim to move into longer-term employment.
The vinery itself is a hive of industry. The compost is made on-site, and all plants arrive as plugs to be brought on for sale individually or for inclusion in the fabulous troughs or hanging baskets for which Grow is renowned – all without the aid of herbicides or pesticides. In the workshop, crew members learn carpentry skills, creating everything from planters to on-site signage. Planters are created from re-purposed pallets alongside other items such as bug hotels and bird and bat boxes – showcasing the sustainability and environmental ethos that underpins the whole operation.
The perhaps unexpected element of the development is the extended facilities in the community hub. Small local charities linked with the disabled sector can rent office accommodation at affordable rates; there are meeting rooms for hire, an extensive events space, as well as a training kitchen for the crew to learn basic skills before heading to the café. There is also a chill out area for crew and a quiet room – all finished to the highest specification.
Marguerite explained that they make no apology for that:
“We wanted to future-proof the facility for the next 40 years. We knew that we would only have one hit at doing something like this, so we had to make it work and last.”
Things are still moving forward. There is a large retail space not yet open, which will create further potential employment opportunities for the crew. And while the new development is a world away from Grow’s origins 40 years ago, the organisation’s founder, the late Maurice Lihou MBE, will have an area dedicated to him and his wife when their ashes are re-interred in a dedicated memorial garden.
The obvious ongoing challenge for any charity, and particularly one of Grow’s size and type, is funding. Its annual operating costs are around £700,000. A grant from the Employment and Social Security Department, plus revenues from plant sales, the workshop, and the training café go some way to covering that sum, but fundraising, donations and legacies all still play a vital part. A 40th anniversary ball in September is one of the main fundraising events this year, and there are plenty of other ways to get involved.
Throughout the entire facility, there is a fantastic atmosphere. The commitment and positivity of the staff are tangible; the crew are demonstrably enthusiastic and proud of what they do. Plus, the café has a real buzz and serves a great coffee – definitely worth putting on the ‘must visit’ list.
Grow continues to fulfil an extremely important role in the Guernsey community. The new development has created an incredible facility of which the island should be proud.
Swoffers has weathered various market conditions over the years, but the turbulence brought about by rising interest rates presented particular obstacles in 2023. The housing market faced increased pressure, affecting everything from property demand to mortgage affordability. But as Swoffers’ Open Market negotiator Alex Stuart explains, interest levels from relocators considering Guernsey remains high, and activity levels are increasing again.
Q: What was 2023 like for property sales?
A: Open Market sales were reduced in 2023, indirectly due to increased interest rates and inflation. But enquiries from people wanting to relocate to the island remained high but for some applicants the ability to do so depended on other factors such as selling their existing property or business, which was made more challenging due to the economic climate in the UK. Positively, Swoffers was still responsible for 64% of Open Market agency sales during 2023.
Q: What lessons did you learn?
A: That our unrivalled experience and having the largest team of skilled negotiators is invaluable. It is clear that Guernsey is still an attractive destination appealing to lots of potential relocators; we were in contact and did many viewings with applicants looking to move to Guernsey.
Q: Your sales figures were still remarkable considering the economic conditions, especially in comparison to the rest of the industry. What do you put this down to?
A: On the Open Market, we are a team of five experienced negotiators who work hard for our vendors. We have a substantial number of contacts and good relationships with all intermediaries on the island, which allows us to deal with enquiries across all levels of the market.
Q: What makes Swoffers different?
A: We have a deep understanding of the market we work within, as well as a very powerful website and marketing techniques that enable extensive reach. We are very proud of our global digital presence. Over the last twelve months our website had more than 1,000,000 visits. While modern technology is a great benefit to us, I feel it is important to say that we also still value using traditional techniques and pride ourselves on keeping in contact with our clients and applicants be it by simply having a conversation over the telephone or a face to face meeting.
Q: Does panic ever set in when the market drops? If not why not?
A: I don’t believe panic sets in when a market drop happens. Activity reduces as people take a step back to consider the situation, which is often a global event. Generally, the reasons for market activity reducing affects everyone. Vendors and applicants understand that market activity can be affected by external factors, panic does not set in, but people may be more considered before making moves within the property market.
Q: What have the first few months of 2024 been like for you?
A: The start of 2024 has been positive for us. Once again, we are proud to have dominated the open market and to the end of Q1 we have been responsible for 81% of agency sales, including the most valuable open market sale so far this year. As we head through spring and into summer, we expect activity to increase further.
Q: Why do you think confidence is returning?
A: After the unprecedented levels of activity during and after the covid pandemic, it was inevitable that activity levels would reduce. This reduction in activity was more notable due to the rapid increase in interest rates and inflation last year. Settling interest rates and inflation, and acceptance that rates are unlikely to drop to the ‘artificially’ low levels they were previously, helps confidence return to the market.
Q: As we approach the UK general election has there been more noise from relocators considering Guernsey?
A: Yes, this has been a factor for some of our relocators. Historically, the potential of a change in government to Labour has been positive for Guernsey. We expect enquiry levels to increase this year due to this factor, most likely once a firm date has been set for the election.
Q: How do you see the rest of the year and into 2025 looking?
A: Due to a culmination of the factors that I have touched on already, we are optimistic that the rest of this year will be positive for the open market. Guernsey is still a highly attractive destination for many people seeking high quality of life, safety and security, and a favourable tax position.
It’s been another successful Random Acts of Kindness Week. The Smile for Georgie Foundation partnered with Swoffers and Island FM to provide a different act of kindness on each day.
On Monday, it was free coffee for passers by in Town, courtesy of Dino’s Coffee Bike, with day 2 providing unsuspecting visitors to the Green Hut in St Martin’s with delicious hot food on the house.
On Wednesday love was in the air, as Swoffers staff handed out roses to commuters for Valentine’s Day, while on Thursday we were putting smiles on children’s faces. We were at The Mallard Cinema with Autism & Me Guernsey, where the children were treated to cartoons, movies, and as much popcorn as they could eat!
Finally, on Friday, we gave a donation to the GSPCA to help them take care of their residents.
Throughout the week there was also a competition on Island FM for a lucky winner to receive free flights with Aurigny.
The Smile for Georgie Foundation was launched in 2018 and aims to make a difference within the local community through random acts of kindness and ‘smile-raising initiatives’. We certainly saw plenty of those last week.
Swoffers has been involved with the charity from the beginning; the joint initiative has gone from strength to strength, with a greater public awareness and an increasingly impressive range of goodwill gestures that benefit the wider community.
Swoffers and The Smile for Georgie Foundation look forward to working together in future years to ensure each Random Acts of Kindness Week is more memorable than the last.
https://www.smileforgeorgie.org.gg/
Steve Haines bought Beaucette Marina in 2005. He was already planning to relocate to the island and had developed a love for both Guernsey and Beaucette over years of cruising in local waters. Purchasing Beaucette, where he now lives, combines his natural entrepreneurial bent with his love of boating.
‘I bought Beaucette as a lifestyle business. It will probably never make lots of money but the payback for me is that I absolutely love it here. It’s my home. A lot of people who relocate here have boats. That was certainly one of the drivers for me.’
Steve Haines is no stranger to building a successful business. He set up a greeting cards company at the age of 23 which went on to enjoy an annual turnover of around £10m. Then, in his own words, he “got bored” so diversified into the gift market and the turnover peaked at £58m. The company has just reached its 35th birthday and Steve, while still the major shareholder, leaves its day-to-day running to someone else and is able to concentrate his efforts on developing Beaucette.
Steve’s first priority was to bring the marina’s maintenance up to scratch, so he invested in new pontoons and various other fixtures that were in urgent need of replacement.
‘I have invested a lot of money to get it where it is now. The marina has everything it needs now from a health and safety point of view.’
Since then, he has focused on realising his vision, which is to move Beaucette on from being just a marina to more of a ‘destination’ for both locals and visitors alike. As well as its 90 berths for visiting boaters and permanent residents, Beaucette now has number of shepherd huts, pitches for camper vans plus five floating cabins which Steve believes will be particularly popular with staycationers.
‘They are actually high-quality ski chalets and I was convinced we could make them float. If they can float here with the tidal changes and sea movement, they will certainly float on a lake and so this has opened up a new market for the suppliers. They have a life expectancy of about 25 years. They haven’t leaked or shown any structural weakness so have proved a good investment.’
The restaurant is the hub of what Steve describes as the Beaucette community. It’s where permanent marina residents meet for a drink, walkers stop for a morning coffee and where locals visit to eat. The restaurant cooks with as much local produce as possible with provenance being a key aspect. This ‘community hub’ atmosphere is part of the longer-term vision.
‘A normal marina is just like a car park for boats. Beaucette is not just a marina. People sometimes come here for two nights and stay for a month using this as their base. For boat owners, St Peter Port marina can be noisy, so it’s a different experience here altogether.’
Looking ahead, Steve wants to expand the business with more shepherd huts, more floating cabins, as well as looking at other ways to take full advantage of the marina’s location to create experiences and memories for locals and visitors alike. Incorporating wellness activities, guided walks, boat trips, foraging and wild swimming are all in the plan.
‘We have a good team in place to make it work and we can now grow without having to increase the team very much at all. We have the foundations to build the business. Having the right team is everything and for the team to understand the goals and where we are heading is key.’
It’s clear that Steve has put a lot of himself into the business. While he was travelling around the world in his own boat, he collected ideas that could work for Beaucette, and as a regular visitor to marinas he has simply asked himself what sort of services he would expect to see. He is clearly determined to offer that ‘something special’ and to go the extra mile for his guests and believes that the little things really matter.
‘I think that you can always tell the difference when a business owner is doing something just for the money or if they really love what they are doing. For me it’s all about thinking about what I would want from a destination like this. I want people to have a real experience and make memories here at Beaucette.’
Steve Haines
For an island with a population of around 64,000 Guernsey offers a wide choice when it comes to private education options. Two of the three independent secondary schools have become co-ed in recent years and developed their curricula to embrace the ever-changing needs of students and parents.
Robert O’Brien is the Principal of Blanchelande College having relocated to Guernsey in 2016 with his wife and three children to take up the post. The school has 460 pupils from age 2½ to 18. Enjoying an attractive rural setting in St Andrew’s, Blanchelande re-opened its sixth form in September 2020 as Robert explained:
‘We have seen rapid growth in numbers sine 2016 and as a result there was increasing pressure from parents for us to re-open the sixth form to be able to offer students a pathway right through to 18. We were delighted to open it in 2020. We have had two rounds of A-level results so far, which have been excellent, with all students getting into their chosen universities or gaining good apprenticeships with quality local employers.’
The sixth form only has 26 students currently, but the college offers a surprisingly wide choice of subjects – 21 in total – with a strategy to develop the offering based on what they describe as a ‘bespoke’ approach.
‘Our offering for 16 to 18-year-olds is bespoke,’ said head of sixth form Matthew Noble.
‘We want to be able to offer subjects that the students want to study. We are looking for opportunities to grow our offering so that it’s attractive to our own students and to those joining from outside.
‘This approach also helps us focus on staff’s interests and passions. So, for example I teach languages, but I also have a background in law and so we will be introducing a law A-level next year and we will be the only school on the island offering it.’
Aside from the academic side of Blanchelande life, there is a very clear focus on ensuring students develop life skills that will prepare them for either university and/or employment. Sixth formers can take a 40-week ‘Confident Cookery’ course; for those more enthusiastic budding chefs, there is the opportunity to undertake a Leith’s Level 3 qualification in professional Cookery which is taken alongside A-levels.
Senior students also complete an Extended Project Qualification which many top universities like to see on an applicant’s CV. In addition, the college has introduced its own ‘Sixth Form Diploma’ which requires students to collect and complete a range of experiences and activities under specific headings (including academic, physical, service to others, cultural communications, and work experience)
‘In order to be competitive we need to focus on the holistic development not just academic side of our students and to equip them with the skills that they need to succeed at A-level and beyond,’ said Robert.
‘When people imagine what life might be in Guernsey, especially if they are coming from a city, they are looking for somewhere where their children can roam, flourish and feel safe and where holistic education is available – and that, I believe, is what parents find at Blanchelande.’
Elizabeth College has recently benefitted by a brand new wing – Perrot Court – named after its benefactor, which was opened in February this year. The new wing has been built on land that was originally gifted to the school by Queen Elizabeth I, so it has come full circle. It is linked to the rest of the campus by the ‘bridge’, which was a key requirement of the development, as Principal Jenny Palmer explained:
‘When we were speaking to the architects this was very important. We wanted it to make sure Perrot Court became an intrinsic part of the campus. We now have single level access on both sides. A key focus for the new development was to look at a student support hub,’ she said.
‘Downstairs there is a library which is co-located with learning enrichment. Alongside that is a well-being hub, and a room where students can have one-to-one meetings with mentors or counsellors plus quiet spaces where they can read or study.’
Sixth formers at Elizabeth College benefit from an academic partnership the college enjoys with The Ladies’ College. This broadens the choice of subjects available and enables the college to deliver the students’ choice of subjects within the timetable.
For Jenny herself, the school holds a special place since she was one of the first group of six girls admitted to the sixth form in 1992. Having developed a successful teaching career in the UK, when the role of Principal came up she didn’t take much persuasion to apply.
‘It’s an amazing place. The atmosphere, the values, the focus on the breadth of opportunities for students – it all aligned with my own educational values.
‘We are lucky to also have two fantastic sports grounds, the College Field and the Memorial Field which people sometimes forget because we are based close to town – which in itself has its benefits.
‘The college offers great pastoral care, high academic standards the combined cadet force which develops key leadership skills plus lots of extracurricular activities and great traditions in sport, drama, science. We enable students to embrace all opportunities available, for them to discover something that might become a passion. I can’t speak highly enough about the privilege it is to work with these young people and with the staff and parents. It really is a special place.’
The consensus among swimming groups and clubs is that numbers of people enjoying outdoor swimming all year round in the UK are on the up.
The pandemic seems to have boosted interest even further with this increasingly popular activity proving a useful antidote to loneliness and isolation. Outdoor swimming presented an opportunity to get some exercise, explore the local countryside and even visit new places in search of different waters.
Guernsey is no exception. Min Henry was herself someone who enjoyed a dip, usually in her favourite spot at Pembroke. Back in 2020, she found herself post-swim in November, sitting on the beach wondering if any of her friends might fancy joining her for the occasional swim during the winter. So she set up a Facebook group page there and then. The following weekend, around eight people joined her. Now the group, Guernsey Swim All Seasons, has an incredible 3,800 members, something Min herself would never have foreseen.
‘We started off organising a group swim on Saturdays. Then added a midweek swim at 6.30pm to allow people to get there after work. Since then, we have had trips to Lihou, ‘sunset & soup’ swims, evenings in Herm as well as an annual dinner.’
The ethos of the group is that everyone is welcome, irrespective of ability.
‘I would never have described myself as a swimmer,’ Min said.
‘I always stayed within my height but then I bought a float board and that gave myself the confidence to go a bit deeper. But at every group gathering, there are always people of all abilities. Some will want to stay in the shallows, others will set themselves a goal to swim to a bobber and back. It’s just a really a wonderful social thing.’
The group has welcomed a number of people new to Guernsey and Min is always keen to extend a warm Guernsey welcome to newcomers to the group and to island.
‘We have a welcome team who look out for new people. We put out a welcome board and make sure that no one is left swimming alone. For anyone new to Guernsey, our ‘buddy swims’ might be a good first step. Every evening some group members will post where and when they are swimming the following day, so that others can join them in a small group or just two or three people. It’s a great way to meet new people and create new friendships.’
Min spends a lot of her time running the group, now supported by a committee of eight. Her efforts have been recognised both locally, when she won the Guernsey Pride Inclusion and Diversity Award in 2022, and nationally when she was featured on BBC’s The One Show as recipient of The One Big Thank You for supporting her local community.
The next step is to establish the group as a charitable entity. In the three years since its inception, the group has raised an impressive £28,000 for local charities though merchandise and cake sales.
The benefits of sea swimming are well documented. It can improve fitness, reduce stress and anxiety, improve alertness and is good for the immune system. For Min, the feeling she gets from a swim can be summed up in two words: “pure joy.”
Lucinda Meadows, sea swimmer
‘In November 2022 we decided to make the move to the beautiful island of Guernsey. Swoffers was instrumental in finding the perfect house. Meeting people was proving difficult for me, I love the outdoors and had watched groups of people swimming through the winter at Pembroke and Salerie Corner and being in awe of them.
I started swimming in May by myself. I made a great song and dance while getting in the water but thoroughly enjoyed it. I was aware that swimming by yourself is not always sensible and tried to make sure there were people around or in the water too.
In July, at the opening ceremony of the Island Games, we were sitting at the Terrace enjoying a glass of wine when a lady by herself came and joined us, and in true Guernsey style we started chatting. She told me all about Guernsey Swim All Seasons and how to find them on Facebook. I sent a request there and then and have not looked back.
My first group swim was incredible, a large number of men and women of all ages chatted and laughed as I peered round the wall at ‘the slabs’ at Pembroke. There I met Min Henry for the first time. She greeted me with a big smile and a very warm welcome. She introduced me to a few people, all of whom were lovely. We stood on the steps for a photo, me hiding at the back! Then we all piled into the sea.
I had never envisaged swimming out to the yellow bobber but did and loved every second of it. The noise of chatter and laughter in the water was lovely. From this day I have swum most days with people from SAS, group swims, buddy swims, very early morning swims (not my thing!) and am still swimming.’
Min Henry, founder of Guernsey Swim All Seasons
