Principal’s Update
Dear Colleagues,
This will be the last bulletin of the calendar year as term time staff will break up on Tuesday 19th December.
2023 has been challenging year for us all with the Storm, flooding, aftermath of the Haut Mont explosion, with colleagues directly and personally affected by these events. On a personal note, I am an empty nester now with my children living and studying abroad, I divorced, and my mother died in 2023. So, life has tested us, and we have accepted change as an opportunity to grow.
I am deeply appreciative of all your efforts to continue to make this college a great place to learn and work. I am very proud of the effect we have on island life; just think of the impact of so many of the activities, just a snapshot below:-
- Reviews – UCJ, whole college SAR, Peer Review and JPQ – all about continuous improvement, tri-annual Governing Body external assessment
- New courses – renewables, social recovery for parents in schools and for employers, MA in Education, Future Skills offered to all 6th formers.
- Town Library shared resourcing
- Inter-island student competitions
- Partnerships with the Prison, French Lycée, pan island, Kenya.
- Awards – Rights Respecting, UCJ Graduation, Apprenticeships, 6th form PRIDE, Stars nominations, Long Service
- Engagement – School roadshows, Experience days, Employers forums, growth in sponsorship, Parents and Carer forum, Inclusion Board (strategy and implementation), Jersey Employers Group (Skills Actionable Agenda), HE Advisory Board
- System leadership – Sustainability pledge and emerging status, Student Ambassador new training programme
All in a context of industrial action and recruitment challenges. I am pleased to say we have really narrowed the vacancy gap aiming to reduce the strain of cover for support and academic staff.
So, I look forward to 2024 with confidence and excitement about what the future holds.
I am in Kenya from the 5th of January until the 3rd of February, see the last bulletin for details. Rob Moy will deputise for me. He will line manage the SLT in my absence. Heather will support UCJ, Eilleen Marketing events, Sharon work with Governors, and Tony staffing approvals in Connect (we will still have vacancy panels) and JEG. Seán O’Regan will step in for larger finance payments, but we have processed the vast volume those already by the deadline this month. Any queries, please refer to your line manager or contact Sam, my PA who will re-direct to the appropriate lead.
I am disappointed by the lack of progress in our future campus;
1) Because you and our students deserve better
2) We cannot address future skills demands in buildings which lack flexibility
3) GoJ need to spend £3.2 million on maintenance work in 2025.
So, our challenge is to make the public see the impact we have, harness public pressure to create a space which befits the vital role we have in the island’s wellbeing. Watch this space! Every area of the College has had student resource investment, so we are doing our best, but not the radical change we want and need.
Have a great Xmas break and get some rest. Enjoy the time with friends and family knowing you have “done a job well done” and knowing you are important part of our success.
I will see you at the Xmas party so get your glad rags on and let’s have some fun.
Happy Xmas
Jo