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Results: Student completed ‘coursework from hospital beds’ – BBC News
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How did Jersey’s students do in their A Levels this year? – Bailiwick Express News Jersey
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Jersey Evening Post – Pride of Jersey
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Final call for applications to the Le Câtillon II Coin Hoard Fund – Channel Eye
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Jersey’s Highlands College launches new courses for adults with limited free time – BBC News
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Jersey Evening Post – What Next Supplement
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Jersey Evening Post
Will Jersey finally deliver a new campus for Highlands?
The government has outlined plans for a new further- and higher-education campus in town as part of its 25-year capital investment strategy. But, after years of stalled plans to redevelop the deteriorating Highlands College, will it finally happen this time? Jodie Yettram reports
THE plan to relocate the Island’s only further-and higher-education institution is set out in the Investing in Jersey strategy.
Published this week, the 25-year programme includes a pipeline of projects across housing, public services and infrastructure that will be ring-fenced by a designated fund.
The strategy includes proposals for hundreds of new affordable homes a year, upgrades to roads and drainage systems, investment in sports facilities and the long-awaited redevelopment of Fort Regent.
Today, the JEP will be focusing on improvements within the education sector as part of a wider series looking in depth at the government’s capital proposals.
What does the report say?
According to the Investing in Jersey Programme: “The long-term plan to modernise Jersey’s education and youth facilities includes the phased refurbishment of schools to meet modern standards, the delivery of a new town primary school and the redevelopment of Rouge Bouillon primary school.
“A new Further and Higher Education campus will be built in St Helier, improving access for students, strengthening links with employers and supporting the town economy.
“Investment in youth services will also create safer, more accessible spaces that support early intervention and personal development.”
Why move Highlands into town?
The plan is to move Highlands College from its current campus – spread across 11 buildings – into a single, purpose-built facility in the centre of town.
Assistant Education Minister Carina Alves said the new location would help forge stronger links with employers and bring more people into town each day.
She said:
“A modern campus in a more central location will increase daily footfall into St Helier, therefore supporting retail, hospitality and the wider town economy.”
“Improved links between education and local employers will support skills development and training for key sectors, as well as creating clearer progression routes for students through academic, technical and vocational pathways.
‘‘ A modern campus in a more central location will increase daily footfall into St Helier, therefore supporting retail, hospitality and the wider town economy. Improved links between education and local employers will support skills development and training for key sectors, as well as creating clearer progression routes for students through academic, technical and vocational pathways
“This includes increased opportunities for internships, apprenticeships and community-based projects. Students will additionally benefit from an inclusive environment which provides the space, facilities and flexibility required to meet the Island’s educational needs.”
The government also said that a town-based campus would be easier to reach for many students, particularly those who did not drive. It would also make it more practical for adults to attend evening courses after work, while reducing traffic in the already congested Mont Millais area.
Principal Jo Terry-Marchant said a centralised campus could allow Highlands to bring its services under one roof and make use of commercial spaces around town.
One example being explored is repurposing units at Liberty Wharf for specialist training in sectors like hospitality or hair and beauty. She said: “There are pre-existing sites that could be repurposed at very little cost, and we’ve reduced the space that we’re taking up as a provider. So it’s a win-win, really, economically and socially.
Deputy Catherine Curtis, chair of Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel
“The connections will be so much closer with businesses that it would just make life easier for them and for us, because Highlands is all about training and skills. Whatever your age, it is different from a school, so it has to be really close to employers and to the government.”
What’s wrong with the current site?
Highlands College currently operates across 11 separate buildings of varying age and condition – with only four being fully accessible for disabled students.
Last month, Ms Terry-Marchant wrote to the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, warning that the campus was “outdated, inflexible and no longer fit for purpose”.
She said that “immediate intervention” was required to mitigate “several urgent infrastructure risks” across the Highlands estate, as well as developing learning spaces and improving accessibility requirements.
Speaking to the JEP this week about the Investing in Jersey plan, she said:
“Each time we have a student with an accessibility need, we make it work. It’s often expensive, but clearly it’s the right thing to do. With a modern campus, that wouldn’t be an issue.”
Ms Terry-Marchant added:
“We’ve got a £3.2 million government spend on maintenance. So obviously, if you take the analogy of your own home, you wouldn’t want to keep spending lots of money on repairing it when it would be better to have a new home that was in good condition.”
This was echoed by Deputy Catherine Curtis, who chairs the Scrutiny panel, who admitted to being “shocked to see the conditions that our young people were expected to work in” following a visit to the college last year.
“Water dripping through ceilings being collected in buckets, big holes in the roof, inadequate equipment. Adults are not expected to work in an office space like this. It was a poor reflection on how Jersey values its young people,” she said.
A 2022 condition survey and the subsequent Strategic Outline Case – submitted as part of the 2024–2027 Government Plan for capital projects – identified fire safety risks, faulty boilers and pipework, the need for electrical and heating system upgrades, and the replacement of a damaged ventilation system.
How would it be funded?
The government has said the move could be part-funded by selling the current Highlands site for housing.
Paul Wylie, chief officer of the Cabinet Office, said:
“The real benefit is what you do with the site on the top of the hill because it is prime estate for good-sized suburban housing for families.”
Ms Terry-Marchant said that the plan to ring-fence the funding for the new campus gave her more confidence than previous proposals.
“This Investing in Jersey programme will ring-fence funding, not just for Highlands, but for other major projects that the Island needs. It means that every time there’s an election, we won’t start from scratch again.
“This is the first time that there’s a public document that highlights the campus as a priority. To me, that’s a step change, and I’m very hopeful and positive.”
She explained that previous efforts to redevelop the campus were delayed due to the pandemic and other capital projects.
A 2016 feasibility study recommended a partial rebuild and an outline business case was approved shortly before the pandemic.
In 2018, former Highlands College principal Steve Lewis unveiled an ambitious plan for a £60 million revamp. The proposal was to rebuild a modern campus on the existing site, while keeping the historic 1896 Turner building. However, the project was paused as other capital projects, including the new hospital, were prioritised.
In 2022, a town masterplan included the possibility of relocating Highlands College to the existing General Hospital site after the new hospital was completed at Overdale – but that option was not pursued.
What other education projects are planned?
Alongside the proposed Highlands move, the Investing in Jersey strategy includes other investments in school buildings and youth services.
The government has said it will “carry out a phased refurbishment programme for all public schools, beginning with those in the poorest condition or where demand is growing”.
A new town primary school is planned at the former Jersey Gas site on the north side of town, which the government said aimed to address “current capacity pressures and ensure access to modern, inclusive facilities”.
A 3D drawing of how a new town primary school on the former Jersey Gas site could look, with links to the existing Millennium Town Park on the left and St Saviour’s Road on the right
Meanwhile, the government has also said it is to redevelop Rouge Bouillon School, replacing “outdated accommodation” with new facilities that support a “better learning environment”.
The government has backed plans to redevelop the former Ann Street Brewery site into a new youth centre – which would include a rooftop football pitch, dance studio, boxing gym, climbing wall, sports hall, sensory room and counselling and multi-use spaces. The centre would also become the new home for the Youth Enquiry Service (YES), which provides advice and support to young people and is currently based in Colomberie, while the project is intended to meet what the government has described as a “long overdue” need for youth facilities in the north of town.
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Can Jersey sustain its construction industry without more investment?
At the very least Jersey needs to match fund the capital given to the technical with that supplied to the academic both pre- and post-16.
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Construction has an economic multiplier of 1.68, meaning that for every £1 spent £1.68 circulates back into the local economy
THE construction industry is the fourth largest employer in the Island, employing around 5,300 people. The industry includes everyone from brickies to architects and from plumbers to electrical engineers.
As a whole, they contribute 7.2% to the Island’s GVA. In terms of Community Wealth Building, construction has an economic multiplier of 1.68, meaning that for every £1 spent £1.68 circulates back into the local economy. There are around 1,400 businesses, all are local. 84% are small to medium enterprises, employing fewer than ten people. Of the total number of employees, around 15% are from off-island, principally seasonal workers and specialist trades where there are no suitable skills available in the island.
Construction starts with the developer. They buy up the land, architects design and then the construction work is put out to tender. All but one of the Island’s developers are local. The Jersey Development Company is one. It is a rarity, as it is owned by the government. Its profits are fed back to the States. There is little financial leakage. In respect of Community Wealth Building the return is not just financial (around £27million per annum). The company design with the community in mind. From pavements and promenades to children’s play areas and other local amenities. It is a key anchor institution.
If we want a job doing on the house, we get some quotes and pick the one that best suits our needs. Within the construction industry much the same applies, it is called procurement. A job is put out to tender; firms apply and the one that best meets the criteria is chosen. For smaller firms, the protocol is at best over-complicated and has led the Public Accounts Committee to recommend a simplified tendering process. It appears to be even-handed.
But is it? A cursory look at the gov.je website shows few available construction jobs. Is this because the work is drying up or because contracts have been assigned without going to tender? What, on the surface, would appear commensurate with community wealth building, by employing local may, at times, be nepotism. In 2024, there were 142 procurement breaches across all the States departments (source PAC Report 2025). These remain confidential. Due diligence and open accountability would help quash any conjecture.
Like any self-employed business, trades are subject to vagaries that are often outside of their control. Despite forward planning and a healthy rainy-day fund things can still go awry. Said business agrees a fee for a job. Planning may delay the project. In the meantime, costs of materials and wage demands rise. Even the most efficient businesses feel the strain. This is why there have been a number of high-profile closures in the construction industry in recent times.
It is imperative that the Island maintains a steady flow of trainees from within its shores. However, the number of young people entering the profession is being eroded in a number of ways. With the cost of living being so high, families and their children are leaving the Island, taking their expertise – potential or actual – with them. Competition for new recruits is fierce, with many seeking better salaries and security in the finance industry. There is a myth that plumbers etc. earn more than those in finance. The call-out charge for a tradesperson is around £55 per hour. Do the maths and the yearly salary looks very inviting. But that hourly charge is not as inviting as one might think. Tradesfolk are generally self-employed, have to buy their own materials and pay other employees out of that bill. And then folk would have to get their hands dirty!
The introduction of the living wage has significantly compromised the apprenticeship scheme. The wage differential between young recruits and established staff has narrowed, putting a financial burden on smaller firms that they cannot afford. Many work on small profit margins and so they are having to shelve their apprentices. Bear in mind that small companies lose an apprentice for one day a week to college and work time from an experienced employee charged with mentoring. This is leading to a shortfall across all the trades, pushing up prices as a result. Around 2% of the construction workforce are apprentices and that number has fallen by around 9% in the last year, according to a recent FOI.
It has been well publicised that the facilities for construction trainees at Highlands are not fit for purpose, with leaky buildings and out-of-date equipment (At the time of writing 53 essential jobs have been identified, with 48 of them being priority one and two). But encouraging students to seek a career in construction starts long before they reach the age of 16 and sit their GCSEs.
There has long been an imbalance within mainstream education, with the academic taking preference over the vocational. There are signs that the emphasis is beginning to shift, with a push towards STEM subjects (Science and Tech included with English and Maths) and DEC (design, engineering and construction). However, progress 8 and its insistence on prioritising a Maths/ English bias is still education policy. So, too, the inequality of resources, favouring the academic (cheaper to have just books rather than expensive construction equipment), notwithstanding the lack of teachers in DEC subjects. Manchester with its M-Bacc has grasped this nettle and is putting in the resources but Jersey’s education department is some way behind the curve. It has a big decision to make. Facilitating DEC subjects is not cheap. At the very least it needs to match fund the capital given to the technical with that supplied to the academic both pre- and post-16.
Can Jersey sustain its construction industry without investment? There are always going to be smaller jobs but, posthospital construction, what next? Fort Regent? A wind farm off Corbiere? The apparent demand for housing may help but we are only nine by five. Do we cover the whole island in concrete? Conflicting pressures are tacit. Where does the balance lie?
Colin Lever is a retired teacher and education specialist, SEND consultant, and commentator on educational and community issues. He also contributes musically to Repair Cafés and charity events and is currently writing and producing a comedy sitcom podcast.
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£80m per year plan to invest in Jersey’s infrastructure – Island FM
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New fund to underpin 25-year capital expenditure programme – Jersey Evening Post
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University College Jersey offers first master’s degree – Jersey Evening Post
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30 July, 2025
University College Jersey launches its first Master’s Degree – Channel Eye
University College Jersey (UCJ) has launched its first ever master’s degree, the Master of Research (MRes) in Island Studies.
The two-year programme will be delivered in partnership with, and accredited by, the University of Plymouth.
The course is due to begin in September 2025 (subject to enrolment numbers) and is designed for working professionals who wish to enhance their expertise within island contexts.
Kate Hobbs (pictured), Highlands College Vice-Principal for Curriculum and acting Head of University College Jersey says: “We are delighted to introduce a new Master’s of Research (MRes) programme at University College Jersey (UCJ), marking a significant milestone in our expanding higher education provision. This postgraduate qualification reflects our commitment to academic excellence and research-led learning, and we are proud to be delivering it right here in Jersey.
“The MRes is a strategic investment in the island’s future. By equipping islanders with advanced research skills and the ability to tackle real-world challenges, this programme supports Jersey’s ambition to grow as a centre of innovation, knowledge, and professional development.”
The MRes Island Studies combines academic study with practical application, offering blended learning of both taught modules and an independent research project. Students will explore a wide range of topics relevant to island life, while also gaining critical research and analytical skills essential for leadership roles.
Year One includes three taught modules:
- Advanced Research Methods: Equipping students with the tools to conduct rigorous, impactful research.
- Research Ethics and Island Communities: Exploring the ethical dimensions of research in small, interconnected island settings.
- Island Studies: Examining the cultural, economic, environmental, and historical uniqueness of islands through an interdisciplinary lens.
Year Two is dedicated to an independent research project, allowing students to engage with real-world issues in local island communities. The project encourages original thought, applied research methods, and a contribution to academic or professional understanding.
The MRes is structured to support career progression and professional development, with a strong emphasis on critical thinking, strategic analysis, and ethical practice. Whether in the public, private, or voluntary sectors, graduates of this programme will be well-positioned for leadership roles requiring research-led decision-making and insight into island dynamics.
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University College Jersey opens first Masters Degree – Island FM
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