Education & Community Programme

Rothschild & Co Education Programme

The Rothschild & Co Education Programme takes events and visiting authors into schools across the island to support learning and inspire new ideas.

Authors included in our 2021 schools programme were:

• Kate Gilby Smith - in person talks at Les Beaucamps, La Mare High, Blanchelande, Ladies College and Elizabeth College Junior School.
• Maz Evans - virtual talk at Hautes Capelles School.
• Victoria Robinson - in person talks at St Martin's, Notre Dame and La Houguette.

With thanks to the Schools Library Service for their assistance in coordinating this programme of events in schools.

Emma Beardsell – Head of English:

“Daljit Nagra was excellent! In his interactions with students after the talk, he showed honesty and encouragement in fostering the talents of young writers, encouraging them to write journals and enter writing competitions.”

Anna Quick – Librarian:

“I was involved with Daljit Nagra’s visit to the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre. Daljit is a very good communicator with sixth formers, having been a teacher himself, and he talked engagingly about his life and work and read several passages, including a very funny and spirited reading of his poem Singh Song (a GCSE set text). The response from students was very positive, including some good questions, and I know that this visit inspired at least one student to start writing poetry themselves.

It is really encouraging when speakers from outside visit the island schools, as an individual school cannot organise this by itself, due to flight costs.”

Siobhan Burke, La Houguette School Teacher

“Our session with Ross this afternoon was fantastic. He had amazing presence and strategies with the children. Many thanks.”

Peter Sargent

“I just wanted to say thank you for organising Duncan’s visit today. The stories really have helped to develop an understanding of what it was like to be in the Channel Islands during the Second World War. I know that the children enjoyed the talk and it will definitely support the work we are doing in Year 6.”

Emma Stafford-Bell – Exams Officer and Development Secretary:

“We were absolutely delighted that we had the opportunity for Rangan Chatterjee to come into Blanchelande College to talk to our pupils. His talk was very relevant to the age groups he spoke with and I believe that he really made an impact on the children he spoke to. After his talk, he was talking to pupils and teachers and was very happy to answer questions.”

Hilary Richardson – Librarian:

“I can give you a one word quote: "inspirational" or a phrase: "the best speaker we have had in the Ladies' college library". Both of these are absolutely true. What an amazing lady Mimi is. Thanks for organising this for us.”

Hannah Jones. 12

“It was really interesting and really inspirational. I’d like to try harder, using her motivation”

Amelia Le Prevost, 12

She would use her story as inspiration of her own sporting activities.

“it’s incredible how she can motivate herself so well. My sport is swimming, so I will use that to be faster and push my limits”

Julie Herbert – English teacher:

“The feedback from students and teachers has been very positive.  Murray managed to engage even our most challenging students. Our students asked a few tricky questions but these were handled well by Murray.”

Pupils:

“‘funny’, ‘Great how he included the pupils’ , ‘excellent sense of humour’, ‘wish it was longer’ and ‘I would have liked to hear more poems.’”

Other teachers:

“‘The pupils were thoroughly engaged’

‘I thought he grabbed students’ attention quickly and sustained it well. His own story of how his interest in poetry grew was inspirational.’”

Berto Fernandes, 10 said

“I just loving drawing. It was fun to meet the people from the comic book, they have a cool job”

Anne Niven, Guernsey Literary Festival volunteer

“Telling difficult stories about migration, refugees and climate change through comics is a great way to education them. It’s also a fantastic way to get children into reading”

Emma Beardsell - Grammar, Years 11-13

“We enjoyed the education programme and the students gained a great deal both from Lucy Christopher’s writing workshop and from Joelle Taylor’s slam poetry performance during Friday lunchtime.”

Andy Carey - Elizabeth College, 6th form

‘It was a genuine pleasure to be involved, and the boys really enjoyed the talk from Professor Brown. Thanks so much for all your help with the organisation, and I hope the College and Literary Festival can work together in a similar way in the future.’

Tammie Harris - Les Beaucamps High, Years 9-10

‘Thank you for giving us the opportunity to host such a brilliant athlete. She was really great and the students very much enjoyed it.’

Alessia Orme - Notre Dame Infants, Year 2

‘The children absolutely loved meeting Sophy. They learnt so much from her about her books and the way that she draws her characters. They were really inspired by her and they all want to have a go at illustrating their own made-up stories they have been doing. It was very well organised and very smooth!’

‘On behalf of Guernsey Prison, I would like to thank-you for arranging Erwin James’s visit to the prison as part of this year’s Literary Festival. Erwin’s talk was excellent and I know those who attended, really enjoyed it. We had some great feedback from both staff and prisoners. We very much appreciate the opportunity to have guest speakers visit the prison, and look forward to any other potential opportunities that may arise in the future.’

Anne-Marie Elliott

Pathways Administrator, Guernsey Prison, States of Guernsey