In brief: Victoria College’s Board of Governors has proposed admitting girls to its sixth form, and a public consultation is now open for Islanders to share their views. Education Minister Catherine Curtis launched the consultation, which is a legal requirement before any decision can be taken. A broader question about co-educational fee-paying schooling from primary age is also being put to the public.
A Historic Question for a Historic School
Victoria College, one of Jersey’s most venerable institutions, could be on the verge of a significant change. The college’s Board of Governors has put forward a proposal to admit girls to its sixth form, and Bailiwick Express reports that a public consultation is now under way to gather views before any formal decision is made.
Education Minister Catherine Curtis launched the consultation, inviting students, parents, staff, governors and the wider community to have their say. The process is not merely a courtesy: it is a legal requirement under the Education (Jersey) Law 1999, meaning no decision can be taken until the consultation has run its course.
Two Questions, One Consultation
The consultation covers two distinct but related matters. The first is the specific proposal from the Board of Governors: should girls be admitted to Victoria College’s sixth form? The second is a broader, more forward-looking question: should Jersey families have the option of a fee-paying school that educates boys and girls together from primary age all the way through to sixth form?
That second question is framed as a tool for future education planning rather than an immediate policy proposal, but it signals that the conversation extends well beyond a single school’s upper years. The consultation paper and an online survey are available on the government’s website.
What Is at Stake
Victoria College has educated boys in Jersey for generations, and any move to admit girls, even at sixth-form level only, would represent a notable shift in the island’s educational landscape. Proponents of the change might argue it expands opportunity and reflects modern expectations; those who value the single-sex tradition would no doubt make an equally strong case for preserving it.
The broader question about co-educational fee-paying schooling from primary age adds another layer of complexity. Jersey’s education system already includes a mix of States-funded and fee-paying schools, and any structural change would have implications for admissions, resources and the choices available to families across the island.
The Government of Jersey has not indicated a timeline for when a decision might be reached following the consultation period.
Source: Bailiwick Express
