Education Reform Programme (R.159/2025): Executive Response (R.159/2025 Res.) – comments
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STATES OF JERSEY
EDUCATION REFORM PROGRAMME (R.159/2025): EXECUTIVE RESPONSE (R.159/2025 RES.) – COMMENTS
Presented to the States on 5th March 2026 by the Public Accounts Committee
STATES GREFFE
2025 R.159
Res.Com.
COMMENTS
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) presented the Executive Response to the Comptroller and Auditor General's (C&AG) report Education Reform Programme' (the Report) on 23rd December 2025. The PAC has given further consideration to the Executive Response since its presentation following meeting with representatives of the Jersey Youth Assembly to discuss views of younger persons on the topic. The Committee has agreed to present the following Comments:
Recommendations 6 and 8
Recommendation | R6 Publish comprehensive attainment information including a commentary on the context as a matter of routine. |
Risk of Non-Implementation | No specific risk as already in place. |
Risk Profile | Low |
Other Considerations in prioritisation |
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Is the recommendation agreed? | Agree, however this is already in place: Children and young people statistics for Jersey. Continue to |
review what data is published and how it is contextualised. There is no intention to publish league tables. | |
Improvement theme | No specific action at this time |
Recommendation | R8 Apply appropriate programme management disciplines including a focus on tracking outcomes and benefits to future education reform programmes and the investment planned in early years. |
Risk of Non-Implementation | If not implemented, then there may be a risk that change programme does not deliver the intended benefits. |
Risk Profile | Low |
Other Considerations in prioritisation |
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Is the recommendation agreed? | Agreed Ensure ERP follows organisational standards on programme management |
Improvement theme | Strategy and change planning |
Action theme | Actions | Linked Recs | Target date | Responsible Officer |
Strategy and change planning | The Interim Chief Officer will develop a recommended strategy for Ministers to consider, with a supporting change programme (Education Reform Programme), managed within organisational programme standards. | 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9 | Q3 2026 | Interim Chief Officer, CYPES |
PAC Comment:
The PAC welcomes the agreement with recommendations 6 and 8 of the Report, noting these will allow continued review of data pertaining to attainment information and further tracking of outcomes and benefit identification for future education reform programmes.
When discussing the topic of success measurement with the Jersey Youth Assembly representatives (the JYA representatives) the Committee was informed that young people may believe that the current data gathered may be limiting benefit identification and that qualitative measures are as important as quantitative data. The JYA representatives identified that although grades give evidence of overall performance, they do not establish context or personal growth for example:
• a student may achieve more by moving from a predicted U to a D grade
• tests such as CATS are stressful and do not suit all learners
• what a student does extracurricular to academia or after achieving the grade
• personal achievement of those who join schools late
• recognition of those students with Special Educational Needs
• support of young people's wellbeing
The PAC agrees that contribution, effort and participation of students should be reflected when considering the success of education programmes and that attainment information should include greater contextualization. The Committee agrees that the Government of Jersey should also consider looking beyond school achievements to evidence success, for example sporting or community engagement as well as the inclusion of avoidance of negative outcomes such as criminality post school.
The PAC recommends that the Interim Chief Officer, Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department (CYPES), should contemplate how to best gather additional success measurement in a more contextualised way, through more consideration of personalised achievements, during their development of a recommended strategy for Ministers.
Recommendations 1, 2 and 7
Recommendation | R1 Develop and publish an Education Strategy setting out the ambition for delivering a world- class' education system with clarity about targets for performance at all stages. |
Risk of Non-Implementation | If not implemented, then the absence of a refreshed strategy may mean that strategic change in Education is not focussed on agreed objectives, which creates risk of putting a suboptimal education system into place which negatively impacts children and young people, workforce and costs. |
Risk Profile | Medium |
Other Considerations in prioritisation | As noted above, the detail of a refreshed strategy, and what is deliverable, will be subject to any additional resource requirements, which will need to be prioritised alongside other government business by Ministers. |
Is the recommendation agreed? | Agreed The Interim Chief Officer will develop a recommended strategy for Ministers to consider, to be developed with appropriate measurement of progress and benefits. (Link R8, R9). |
Improvement theme | Strategy and change planning |
Recommendation | R2 In the light of the falling birth rate and financial pressures, review whether the structure of the education offer along with selection is affordable for the future. In undertaking the review: • ensure that the role of Highlands College is clear including how it integrates into the education strategy • consider the path to A levels for those who are not selected for Hautlieu at 14 • consider whether the funding that has been allocated to schools is sufficient to drive the outcomes desired; and • consider how schools can achieve more autonomy, in areas such as the letting of contracts, the ability to set fees and the holding of reserves. |
Risk of Non-Implementation | If not implemented, then the structure of any education offer may not take into account the points raised by the C&AG, with the risk of putting into place a suboptimal education system which |
| negatively impacts children and young people, workforce and costs. |
Risk Profile | Medium |
Other Considerations in prioritisation | Dependent on Political approval of options for alteration to the character of a school' as set out in Education Law (Jersey) 1999. |
Is the recommendation agreed? | Agreed in part The structure of the education offer will be developed as part of the Education Strategy (R1) options for system restructure. |
Improvement theme | Strategy and change planning |
Recommendation | R7 Ensure that the remaining projects and continuing outcomes from the Education Reform Programme continue to be driven forward and, in doing so, capture and learn from the areas for improvement identified in this report on a systematic basis. |
Risk of Non-Implementation | If not implemented, then there may be a risk of not delivering the outcomes intended from the Education Reform Programme. However, there is an ongoing intention to deliver appropriate initiatives that will deliver such outcomes, therefore the risk that there may be consequent impacts on children, young people, workforce and costs is low. |
Risk Profile | Low |
Other Considerations in prioritisation | Depending on the overall scope of a refreshed Education Strategy, there may be a need to prioritise certain elements, particularly where additional resources are required to deliver, as these will need to be considered alongside other government business by Ministers. |
Is the recommendation agreed? | Agreed Establish a newly scoped Education Reform Programme (ERP) as the delivery mechanism, for the change required to deliver the education strategy. |
Improvement theme | Strategy and change planning |
Action theme | Actions | Linked Recs | Target date | Responsible Officer |
Strategy and change planning | The Interim Chief Officer will develop a recommended strategy for Ministers to consider, with a supporting change programme (Education Reform Programme), managed within | 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9 | Q3 2026 | Interim Chief Officer, CYPES |
| organisational programme standards. |
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PAC Comment:
The PAC welcomes the agreement with recommendations 1 and 7, and agreement in part with recommendation 2 of the Report. These will aid in setting out the Government's ambition for delivering a world-class' education system, at the same time as reviewing the education structure in the light of the falling birth rate and financial pressures; whilst continuing to drive forward the remaining projects and continuing outcomes from the Education Reform Programme.
Education structure, accessibility, fair access and inclusion for all, was identified to be a key point of consideration by the JYA representatives. Traditional learning methods and support were also discussed, with representatives identifying library facilities should be reviewed, more individual support for pupils should be provided and that there should be investment in better teaching and teachers.
The JYA representatives outlined the view that opportunities for students at 16 should be reviewed and that both 14+ and 6th form provision should be revisited. JYA representatives also indicated that clear information about subject options at 14+ and 16+ should be available to the public online.
Inclusion and fair access for all was discussed with the JYA representatives also identifying that students should be supported in developing life skills and their practical application (e.g. managing finances). The representatives further outlined that improvement of Project Trident should also be considered, for example whether this should take place at a different age.
The PAC agrees that these are sensible points for consideration and recommends that the Interim Chief Officer, CYPES, should consider traditional learning and support methods, and how to better develop practical life skills during their contemplation of a recommended strategy for Ministers. The Committee adds its agreement to the Comptroller and Auditor Generals recommendation that further consideration of 14+ and 16+ education is needed, and would identify that online provision of choices, including subjects, for public awareness should be progressed.
Recommendations 3
Recommendation | R3 Enhance the delivery plan for the digital strategy to include resourcing and key performance indicators. |
Risk of Non-Implementation | If not implemented, then there may be a risk of undermining access to the curriculum (children, young people and workforce) and/or increased cyber-security risk. |
Risk Profile | Medium |
Other Considerations in prioritisation | Dependent on new funding, which will need to be prioritised alongside other government business by Ministers. In addition, delivery will need to be supported by Digital Services, which is dependent on a strict project prioritisation process across government, so that digital projects can be delivered within available resources. |
Is the recommendation agreed? | Agreed Refresh the Digital Education Strategy, including investment in infrastructure and funding for implementation. |
Improvement theme | Digital strategy |
Action theme | Actions | Linked Recs | Target date | Responsible Officer |
Digital strategy | Refresh digital strategy and develop delivery programme, subject to approval of necessary funding by Ministers and the Assembly. | 3 | Q3 2026 | Interim Chief Officer, CYPES |
PAC Comment:
The PAC welcomes the agreement with recommendation 3 of the Report noting these will aid in enabling access to the curriculum through refresh of the digital strategy.
The JYA representatives outlined that they broadly felt that IT provision was satisfactory, however outlined that there was a lack of a coherent, system-wide digital offering.
The JYA representatives further identified that there was a need for better training for students on use of digital systems, investment in network infrastructure and better access to digital resources for teachers. Example were given of some outdated hardware, insufficient charging points and slow Wi-Fi.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was also mentioned directly by the representatives, particularly relating to use by teachers with the representatives indicating clear guidance on this required.
Relating to digital strategy, the Jersey Youth Assembly representatives indicated that they supported the recent smartphone ban, indicating that clear and consistently applied rules lead to better outcomes.
The PAC suggests that during their refreshing of the digital strategy the Interim Chief Officer, CYPES, should consider digital infrastructure, use of personal devices and guidance for AI use by both students and teachers. The Committee also recommends that the Chief Officer engage with the young persons including the Jersey Youth Assembly in refreshing of the digital strategy.
Conclusion
Overall, the PAC welcomes the Executive Response to the C&AG report Education Reform Programme Report. It appears that this is generally supported by the views of the Jersey Youth Assembly, with the Committee agreeing that the Interim Chief Officer, CYPES, should take steps to consider the following during the development of a recommended strategy for Ministers updating and digital strategy:
• how to best gather additional success measurement in a more contextualised way
• traditional learning and support methods, and how to better develop practical life skills
• digital infrastructure, use of personal devices and guidance for AI use by both students and teachers.