Sark may offer more on-island secondary education

Politicians in Sark have been asked to approve plans to offer children aged 14-16 (Years 9-11) a secondary education in the island.

The school currently provides education for the island's children from the ages of three (optional) or four to 13 with older children continuing their education either in Guernsey, where they have to stay with host families during term-time, or at a boarding school in the UK.

Sark's education committee said it had consulted with parents between October 2024 and March 2025 and taken advice from specialists in developing the proposal.

Chief Pleas is set to meet on 15 April to vote on the suggested change to Sark's education law.

The government plans to fund the places at the school as well as offering "financial assistance to parents with children attending any approved school" to cover school fees and lodging costs.

The education committee said they planned to use "an online provider" for creating an on-island secondary education.

Sark School had previously educated Year 9-11's, but Chief Pleas decided that from 1 September 2019 that would no longer happen.

There have also been difficulties in finding ways to effectively send children to Guernsey for secondary school, with a lack of host families.

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