Access to FE
Adult Education
Art & Design
Art, Media and Performance Level 2
Apprenticeships
Building & Construction
Built Environment
Business Administration
Business Studies (BTEC)
Creative Media
Engineering
Finance
Flexible IT Learning
Foundation Learning
Hair & Beauty
Health & Early Years
Hospitality & Catering
Information Technology
Leadership & Management
Motor Vehicle
Offender Learning
Performing Arts
Princess Royal Centre for the Performing Arts
Sport
Student Services
Teacher Education

ESOL
Learning Support
Literacy Workshop
Mathematics Workshop
Skills Development

A brief history of the Guernsey College of Further Education

The first evening classes provided by the Education Council started in 1922 when the headmaster of the Boys' Intermediate School, Mr Fulford, (affectionately known as 'Fluffy') established classes in English, French, Arithmetic, Geography, Bookkeeping and Shorthand. In the first year there were 116 enrolments

Classes continued steadily until 1940 when the German occupation severely disrupted education. Half of the population, including most of the teachers, were evacuated to England. However, even under these difficult circumstances, evening classes continued at the Guilles Alles Library where subjects on offer included German, French Bookkeeping and Agriculture.

In 1947, Mr Fulford retired and the following year the Education Council appointed a Mr Roberts in the full-time position of 'Further Education and Youth Officer' with a budget of £648.00. In 1950, by which time there were almost 1000 enrolments in 70 classes, Mr Roberts was replaced by Mr McVay, who continued in his post until 1967.

During the sixties, local employers began to take a greater interest in vocational training and put pressure on the Education Council to provide better facilities for such training.

In 1968 Mr Mike Hutchings was appointed as 'Further Education Officer' and the following year, after consulting with local employers, he placed proposals before the Council for a Technical Training Centre offering day courses in a range of classes, including Carpentry, Electrical, Motor Engineering, Plumbing, Horticulture and Hairdressing.

The centre opened in 1969, with 5 full time lecturers teaching in poorly equipped, converted rooms within the Education Council building. Initially there were 213 apprentices in 11 day release classes and it quickly became clear that purpose built premises were required.

In 1970 the States approved the expenditure for such a building and in 1971 the Technical Training Centre was renamed the Guernsey College of Further Education. The first Principal, Mr. Charles Hunt, was appointed, and the full-time staff numbers were increased to ten. The purpose built premises at the Route des Coutanchez were completed and occupied by the College during the academic year, 1975/6.

In 1986, the College had outgrown its main site and moved some classes into the old Boys' Grammar School at Brock Road. This was intended as a temporary measure for no more than five years! In 1992, the College was given the use of Grange House which is now used by the Art & Design programme area.

In 1995, the College established a Management Centre to deliver bespoke courses to local companies. In 1998 the Management Centre merged with the Finance Studies programme area to create the Guernsey Business School, offering a range of courses to local industry.

The first phase of the redevelopment of the College of Further Education onto a single site is now complete following the opening of the new Performing Arts Centre on the St Peter Port School site at Les Ozouets. Following the closure of the existing secondary school in July 2009, the College will temporarily relocate some courses into the vacated school buildings, adjacent to the Performing Arts Centre. Funding needs to be allocated for the necessary conversion works to enable the school buildings to be used to deliver some of the College of Further Education’s courses. Since September 2008, the College is also using the vacated St Sampson's Secondary School buildings at Delancey for some courses. This move has enabled the College to vacate some of its satellite sites including Grange House and Longfield. The move to the Ozouets site will allow the vacation of the Brock Road site. The College will remain at its Coutanchez site until a new campus including workshops, a training street, teaching facilities for ICT, art and design and sports studies is built on the St Peter Port School site. The construction of this new campus is dependant on the availability of States funding.

Since the early seventies when the main site was opened, the College has continually responded to the community's needs and now employs the equivalent of over 75 full-time lecturers as well as a considerable number of part-time staff. In the academic year 2007/8, over 3000 students enrolled on vocational courses as well as 3000 students on the Adult Education Programme.