Grade-Six Students At St. Ann’s Bay Primary Ace PEP Exam

Grade-six students at the St. Ann’s Bay Primary School in St. Ann have demonstrated their remarkable academic prowess, achieving outstanding success in the 2023 sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination.

Of the 146 students who sat the examination, close to 90 per cent were placed at their school of choice, which included St. Hilda’s High, Knox College, York Castle High, Westwood High and Ferncourt High schools.

In an interview with JIS News, Principal of the institution, Trevor Cole, said the students’ stellar performance has not only brought pride to the school but also established them as frontrunners in educational excellence within the parish.

“Our students this year would have done better than the cohort last year. It is evident. When we did a scan of the summary sheet, we saw that most of the students would have performed at the proficient level, which is what is required at this level to ensure that they possess the requisite skills to transition to high school,” Mr. Cole said.

He noted that in light of the post pandemic challenges students faced, teachers “strategised to ensure that we get maximum out of them”.

Expressing utmost pride in the students’ accomplishment, Mr. Cole shared that their exceptional results are a testament to their dedication, hard work, and the unwavering support of their teachers and parents.

“Having looked at the results, now I can say we are quite proud, and we are pleased and thankful that our students have come through for us. They have come through for themselves, their families and for this country, and I am sure that having completed their years at primary school, they will move on to high school and be impactful just as well,” he said.

That sense of pride was also echoed by grade-six teacher and grade coordinator, Paul Campbell, who noted that through a combination of engaging classroom instruction and individualised support, teachers equipped students with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to excel in the PEP examination.

He said the performance of several students surpassed expectations.

“It was a year of hard work. We moved towards subject teaching, which I think was an advantage for us this year, where we had teachers concentrating on a particular subject so it gives a little bit more focus, so I think that would have assisted with the performance,” Mr. Campbell said.

The students, too, are basking in the glory of their outstanding performance.

Leading the pack of high achievers is 11-year-old Daniel Hall, who secured the coveted top-boy spot and will be attending York Castle High come September.

He told JIS News that he was thrilled with his outstanding results, which reflected his hard work.

“I feel good because I got very high grades. I got three highly proficient and one proficient. My parents were very excited,” he said.

Meanwhile, the school’s top-performing girl, Aaylia Miller, who secured a spot at St. Hilda’s High, said she is happy with her performance.

She said in preparing for her exams, she ensured she immersed herself in the lessons taught at extra classes.

“I tried to be at all the classes that my teacher was keeping every day, and once in a while I would look to a book. My parents were quite happy, and my parents are always supportive…,” she said.

Another high-performing student, Chrishauna Robinson, who was placed at Westwood High in Trelawny, said she was not surprised by the outcome of her test results.

“I was very happy, although I already knew that I would be going to that school. I was confident that when I opened my result, I would see that school (Westwood High School),” she said.