About Guernsey Grammar School & Sixth Form Centre

Guernsey Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre is a mixed school of approximately 1,000 students. Within the one institution it fulfils two roles for the education service of Guernsey. In Years 7 to 11 it is a selective school providing an appropriate curriculum taught at high levels in accordance with the requirements of The Guernsey Curriculum Statement for students in the top 25% of the ability range. In Years 12 and 13 it offers a Sixth Form College academic education which is open to all island students who meet the entry requirements of a minimum of four GCSE Grades C, a succesful interview and a good school report. The Sixth Form provides for its 500 students a wide range of 28 ‘AS’ Level courses, continuing to ‘A’ Level, and a broad enrichment programme of personal development. These two sectors of the school work closely together and support one another, forming a very strong single community.

Standards of achievement are high. At GCSE Level almost all students will gain at least 5 grades of C or above, with the average being above 9. Generally 52% of all grades are A or A*. Last year’s ‘A’ Level pass rate was 100% with 65% of all grades being A or B. About 70% of students proceed to Higher Education in the UK and the remainder generally enter employment locally, predominantly in the Finance Industry or the Civil Service.

The school has an experienced and well-qualified specialist teaching staff of 80 full-time and 8 part-time teachers, supported by a committed team of non-teaching ancillary staff.

The accommodation was purpose-built to high specifications and opened in 1985, with the addition of a brand-new £5.5m Sixth Form Centre in 2005. The buildings provide a modern, exceptionally pleasant and well-resourced environment for staff and students alike. Following the island’s high investment in ICT facilities, the school has 370 workstations available for its students and a laptop for every teacher, enabling the development of e-learning. The school is set in lovely surroundings in the centre of the island surrounded by playing fields and mature gardens.

A noted feature of the school is the friendly atmosphere of co-operation that exists and the supportive relationships among all who work there. An Inspection Report of 2002 concluded: “There are a number of excellent features relating to the school’s purposeful and friendly ethos and the quality of teaching and learning. The Sixth Form is a particular strength of the school, as are students’ attitudes and behaviour. Levels of attainment are generally above average when compared with UK selective schools.”

The school continues to grow, develop and adapt to changing educational circumstances and is at an exciting stage in its evolution. The aim of the school is to provide a stimulating and challenging education which instils moral and spiritual values and offers a happy and successful experience.

Jeff Smith

Head Teacher

2010