Charlie Smith High School Pushes for Greater Success

Buoyed by a 75 per cent pass rate in English Language in the 2025 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, students and staff at Charlie Smith High School are working towards even greater success next year.

“Indeed, it is something that we are all happy about,” Principal, Christopher Wright tells JIS News.

“I believe that we must use that as an impetus… to improve academic success not only in the traditional academic subjects but the practical subjects, as well, because we want our children, our students, to leave and be marketable at the end of their five or seven years in whatever area they choose,” he says.

The institution, located downtown Kingston, was one of 56 institutions placed under the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information National School Learning Intervention Plan (NSLIP), to address learning loss due to COVID 19.

The school’s pass rate in English had dropped to 13.1 per cent in 2024.

Through targeted interventions under NSLIP, including extra classes, the students were able to get back on track to celebrate a 75 per cent pass rate in this year’s CSEC exams.

The Principal tells JIS News that with the support from the Ministry, the school implemented enrichment classes, extra lessons were held face-to-face and online on weekdays and weekends, with teachers giving freely of their time.

The focus was not only on English but all subject areas.

“I have signed in on a Sunday, I have signed in on Saturday, and they [teachers] are there. I don’t know how they find the time, and I have to say that they have never asked for anything,” he notes.

“They are highly motivated and want to see the children do well, and they believe that they can make a difference, and they are true to that,” Mr. Wright says, citing the Head of the Mathematics Department, who travels in from Mandeville every day.

“So, it is just a big group effort to see the children [do well]”, the Principal tells JIS News.

He says that the hard work paid off, with each student passing more than four subjects in this year’s CSEC.

“I think it is just like a reward for the work that has been done, and all of us, everybody, feels proud about that,” he adds.

“But we’re always going to want more,” he tells JIS News, noting that the teachers are up to the task.

English Teacher, Stacy Williams tells JIS News that the staff “worked tirelessly” with the students and the students themselves were determined that they wanted to do well.

“So, it was very easy to work with them, because they showed interest. I was here early most mornings from 6:30 to meet with the students who wanted assistance,” she shares.

Head of the Mathematics Department, Techniann Hewitt-Stanton, says the teachers are willing to work with the students.

“No matter what level they are, we are here to bring them from that point to where they should be. They have the potential and I want them to know that I believe in them. I am willing to make that sacrifice to help them achieve their goals,” he says.

Head of the Technical and Vocational Department, and past student, Kevin Clarke, tells JIS News that the school achieves 100 passes in vocational subjects each year.

He notes that students have been sitting the City and Guilds exams for the last three years, with a 100 per cent pass rate for those exams as well.

“So, we have the students getting an external certification from the CSEC level, and also at the City and Guilds level, and we are looking forward now to incorporating the National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training, (NCTVET) certification in the school external examination body,” he reports.

For President of the Rocket Science Club, Lanceford Britton, the marked improvement in CSEC English is a source of pride.

“I felt very excited,” he says, thanking the teachers and other volunteers, who assist with Saturday classes. Among those taking pride in the school’s achievements is front gate security and past student, Christopher Powell (Chris Pow), who enthusiastically greets visitors with “welcome to Charlie Smith High School, the gold and brown”.

He tells JIS News that it is part of his duty as a “proud product of this school,” to ensure that all the 380 students are protected.

“You have to make them know that we are family, it starts from here,” he states.

For Vice Principal, Latoya Laing-Smith, the school is on an “excellent path right now, and we are looking at growth in all areas”.

“Charlie Smith is on the rise; that is what we were chanting for the year, and so we are seeing that happening now. We are strategic in looking at all the various departments, but the focus right now is on maths and English, though we are still trying to improve in areas that we need to,” she states.