Christiana Leased Primary School Students Excel in PEP

Students at Christiana Leased Primary School in Manchester are truly living the institution’s mantra  “the home of excellence,” as evidenced by their strong performance in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP).

The school achieved 76 per cent proficiency for mathematics; 80 per cent for language arts; 83 per cent for social studies and 83 per cent for science, bettering the national averages of 56 per cent, 67 per cent, 58 per cent and 61 per cent for the subjects, respectively.

“We are very proud of the students and extremely proud of the consistent effort,  commitment and the passion of the grade six teachers,” Principal, Aldayne Porter, tells JIS News.

Of the 104 students who sat the exam, 85 were placed on Pathway1, indicating that they are performing satisfactorily and are ready to access the grade seven curriculum.

Fourteen were placed on Pathway 2, which is for students who need some level of support in accessing the curriculum at the secondary level, and five were placed on Pathway 3, which is for students with special needs who require targeted intervention.

Mr. Porter tells JIS News that the school will continue to support the students as they transition to the secondary level.

“As part of our school improvement plan and aligned with one of the strategic objectives of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, we intend to follow up with students where necessary, even after they have left the ‘home of excellence.’ Sometimes, the students go to high school, especially if they are on Pathway 3, and it is easy for them to get lost in the system,” he points out.

The Principal hails the 32 teachers, who serve the student population of 735, as “the best on the island because they really go above and beyond for their students”.

He shares that classroom lessons are tailored to “meet the students where they are”.

“If the curriculum is not modified even a bit to suit the students’ ability levels and their learning styles, then it will be above their heads, and we will just be pushing students through the system,” the Principal contends.

“I have teachers who show such passion and emotion; they try different things just to ensure that the student improves and that is the passion and dedication that all school administrators appreciate and welcome,” he states.

Vice Principal at the school, Vinette Bowen, congratulated the teachers who worked with the students to prepare them for PEP.

“Our teachers worked diligently…to deliver quality, differentiated instruction to meet the diverse needs of our learners,” she notes.

She tells JIS News that in January, the National Education Inspectorate (NEI) conducted a  thorough evaluation of the school’s policies and operations, a careful examination of its records and documents, and interviewed administrators, teachers, students, parents, and board members, and gave the institution a Level 5 rating.

Level 5 signifies an exceptionally high quality of performance, exceeding the expected standards.

“This is a significant achievement that reflects our continued commitment to excellence in teaching, leadership, learning outcomes and school culture, and there is a strong positive association between the NEI scores and the PEP results,” Ms. Bowen notes.

Top student at the school, Ri-Channe Thomas, who will be attending Knox College in Clarendon, says she owes her success to her teachers and parental support.

She pledges to continue to excel to achieve her ambition of becoming a pilot.

Ri-Channe’s mother, Anthoneal Thomas, tells JIS News that she was not surprised at her daughter’s achievement, noting that she worked hard.

“I knew she had it in her,” she says.

Ms. Thomas is urging parents to “put out the effort for their children,” noting “they cannot leave everything on teachers.”

“Parents have their role to play in their child’s life and for the success of your child, as a parent, you have to be there doing the groundwork,” she emphasises.

Top Male student, Rezar Comrie, who will be attending Cornwall College in St. James, thanks his parents and teachers for always encouraging  him to do his best.

His father, Roy Comrie, shares that his son’s grade six teacher had assured him “in  no uncertain terms” that Rezar would do well in PEP.

Mr. Comrie is also urging parents to assist children as best as they can with their schoolwork, and to communicate with their teachers to build a strong partnership that supports the student’s learning and development.