Jersey's Highlands College campus 'no longer fit for purpose'

The college provides further education courses in a range of subjects, from culinary arts to hospitality and tourism. Credit: ITV Channel TV

A report has exposed that funding for education at Jersey's Highlands College is outdated and 'unfair', and that its campus is 'no longer fit for purpose'.

The Further Education and Skills Actionable Agenda was published by the Education Minister, Deputy Inna Gardiner, and overseen by the Population and Skills Ministerial Group.

It highlights a need for the curriculum to be updated more frequently to match the needs of the economy, employers and students.

According to the report, classrooms and other teaching spaces are 'inflexible and expensive to maintain'.

It suggests multiple options for the re-provision of the further education college, including developing the existing campus, and the potential use of external facilities for training.

The Education Minister has proposed that the college campus could be split into different sections based on the various subjects that students can study.

These would include a Hospitality Academy, Engineering Academy and a Business School.

The aim is to attract more overseas students, with the report suggesting that these students could be housed in residential accommodation for the new hospital at Overdale.

The report also sets out the government's intent to increase the school leaving age to 18, and up to 25 for young people with special educational needs.