Grade 3 students performing at, or above grade level, on diagnostic exams in the 2023/24 school year, increased by more than 6% in both numeracy and literacy. This growth was supported by our Saturday Academic Booster Program, funded by American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), in addition to an intensive school-wide focus on literacy during school hours.
And we didn’t stop there…
On the Grade 4 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams, we saw a 5% increase in the number of students categorized as Mastery in Numeracy compared to the previous cohort. This was the first year our Grade 5 students sat PEP exams. As a cohort, the percent of students classified as Proficient in Language Arts increased by 39 points from Grade 4 to Grade 5. In Math, this increased by 10 percentage points. Our Grade 5 students have set a benchmark for future years, highlighting opportunities for us to target this school year.
Our Academic Booster Programme was designed to provide tailored lessons to students needing different support levels as they prepared to sit the Grade 3 diagnostic exams, and the Grades 4 and 5 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Exams. With AFJ’s support, students attended extra classes on Saturdays, received a healthy lunch and were transported home safely.
Our first set of students will sit the Grade 6 PEP exams in 2025. We’ve got work to do to make sure they are ready – and we know our Saturday Academic Booster Program is the best way to do just that!