PC Nick Boughay watches Sark School pupil Tia Lalor weave in and out of the markers during her cycling proficiency tests. (0996860)

SIX young volunteers for a cycling proficiency course have paved the way for the subject to become part of the curriculum at Sark School.

The six pupils passed both their theory and practical tests a week ago with flying colours and drew praise from Guernsey Police schools liaison officer PC Mick Chart, who said that despite the absence of virtually any recognised road signs on Sark roads the pupils were as good if not better than their Guernsey counterparts.

Sark School head teacher Sarah Cottle said that she was delighted with how the first course had gone and thanked PC Chart and his colleague PC Nick Boughay for the work they had done.

‘I have noticed that the children’s awareness has improved and as a result of how this has gone, I think we should be planning this into the school curriculum for the future,’ she said.

I have to say that it can’t have been easy doing the theory test with traffic signs that the children never come across here – as far as I know the only ones are a couple near the Visitor Centre warning of an S-bend – so congratulations to the pupils and thanks to the adults.

A very worthwhile exercise.

Chief Pleas sat last week and in my report on one of the debates I referred to the Gouliot Passage between Sark and Brecqhou. I actually got it wrong – no excuses – and should have referred to the Goulet Passage on the east coast just outside Creux Harbour. Sorry about that and I hope I didn’t confuse too many people.

While it was very nice to see Guernsey’s Chief Minister Lyndon Trott – on the basis that it’s always nice to see anyone visiting Sark – if his visit and address to Chief Pleas had a purpose then he managed successfully to conceal it from me.

His speech was long on verbal holiday snaps and name-dropping about who he’d met where on his travels, but it was seriously short on issues that should be concerning our elected representatives.

Not a word, for example, on the practice of legislation enacted in Guernsey States forcing Sark to opt out of it rather than this island’s frequently-stated preference to opt in. Silence also on his views on Guernsey being told by Whitehall ministers and mandarins to get Sark to toe the line on certain matters – something that demonstrates a woeful lack of understanding on London’s part of the true legal relationship between the two islands.

On a lighter note, Conseiller Helen Plummer made me smile when she said that she would have been interested in listening to the ‘old House’ of tenants and deputies discussing lowering the common sexual age of consent to 16 and hearing what the ‘old people of Sark had to say’.

I’ve frequently had similar thoughts over the last 18 months – particularly when I wince as issue after issue is approved virtually without discussion. Despite its drawbacks, the old system wasn’t all bad. It’s just a pity that some of the tenants who’d contributed so much over the years were so hurt by criticism which became personal that they washed their hands of Chief Pleas. Still, we’ve got elections in December and many I speak to cannot wait.

This weekend is another big one for Sark, with the annual sheep race meeting on Saturday and Sunday.

I’m told that those intending to travel should contact Sark Shipping first before setting out as a goodly crowd of people are expected for one of the island’s most popular annual events.

* The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.