School warns fee increase still falls short of covering rising costs

A leading fee-paying school in Jersey has warned that a forthcoming rise in tuition charges will still leave it short of covering day-to-day expenses.

Victoria College, which educates boys aged 11 to 18, is set to increase its termly fees by 3.8% to £2,989 from September. However, in correspondence to families, governors’ chair Susana Rowles said the uplift would not be sufficient to balance the books, leaving the school running at a loss.

Other fee-paying institutions on the island, including Jersey College for Girls and its preparatory schools, are introducing the same percentage increase.

The revised fee structure was determined by Rob Ward, Minister for Education, alongside Elaine Millar.

Rowles indicated that the school would need to adopt tighter financial controls in the months ahead to improve its long-term position. While efforts would be made to limit any impact on pupils, she acknowledged that some adjustments to provision may be unavoidable.

According to government figures, the higher fees are expected to generate an additional £81,000 in 2026 and £241,000 in 2027. Both colleges already receive public funding from the Government of Jersey alongside income from fees.

Rowles added that the college would work closely with the Children, Young People, Education and Skills department to explore alternative funding streams to address spending pressures not covered by the current settlement.