Berkeley Students On “Pathway To Success”
In highlighting the recent accomplishments of Berkeley Institute students — which included a 92% pass rate for the 296 Berkeley students who sat IGCSE/GCSE exams — the school said “Berkelyites continue to excel academically and display amazing talent and leadership potential” and are “on pathways to success.”
“The establishment of The Berkeley Institute was ground-breaking and extraordinary 118 years ago in its mission to provide a quality education for all, regardless of race and gender,” the school said.
“Initially, ‘all’ had some tacit limitations and referred to those who could afford tuition and those who could pass the entrance examination. Once, a selective or elitist institution, The Berkeley Institute is today a comprehensive, aided-school with doors open to all students regardless of ability.
“The Berkeley Institute is the largest senior school on the island, boasting a student population of 729 students, as of September 2015. This academic year, 296 Berkeley students sat 602 IGCSE/GCSE exams [3-5 times as many students as tested in the private schools].
“The pass rate for this number of students was 92% A*-G. This is quite phenomenal given that the school does not select test-takers and everyone is required to test by the Ministry of Education.
“There was also an increase in the number of students who attained an A*-C in any given subject. Last year, there were 40 students in this category and this year 172 students achieved a pass rate of A*-C in at least one subject.
“This is exciting results for students, parents/guardians, and for the school’s hardworking and dedicated faculty and staff. These results speak volumes to the possibilities of public education and specifically of The Berkeley Institute to promote student success.
“The Berkeley Institute’s commitment to students is to provide pathways to success for all. For some students, success means being equipped to join the workforce upon program completion, for others it may mean attending vocational training and for others yet, it will be mean embarking on a university career with multiple degrees in sight. For all students, success should ultimately encompass making a significant and unique contribution in local and/or global communities.
“Since January 2014, The Berkeley Institute has collaborated with Bermuda College and the Ministry of Education to enable eligible students to earn an associate’s degree while completing senior school. Last year, two S3 students certified their high school programme by the end of June 2015 and will graduate in June 2016 with both an Associates’ degree and their high school diploma.
“As of fall 2015, an additional ten S3 students have entered that pipeline as senior school students at The Berkeley Institute who are simultaneously full time dual enrollment students at Bermuda College. This programme will continue to grow.
“The Berkeley Institute now also offers AP courses in English Literature, English language, Biology, French, and Calculus. The school is phasing in additional AP courses with the goal of creating an Advanced Programming Center to provide opportunities for academic excellence in the public sector.
“Students at The Berkeley Institute continue the legacy of the school’s extraordinary mission by taking advantage of these great opportunities. Berkelyites continue to excel academically and display amazing talent and leadership potential; they are on pathways to success.”
92% at A – G. Anything below C is a fail. The percentage that were between A-C seems very small for a first world education system.
Please present the facts clearly and stop inflating results news. These kind of D – G results have no currency and the optimism that this creates is not helpful. Actually, these are poor results compared to other jurisdictions. The Falkland Islands another British Overseas Territory have much better results.
Well done to the A-C. We need to help the rest of the students achieve age related expectations.
296 students sat 602 exams (about 2 each). In the UK and the private schools here students sit around 10 each. Also most schools in the UK publish results based on 5 or more A*-C.
Education needs fixing here and quickly. UBP, PLP and OBA don’t care. Ministerial salaries afford private tuition fees.
All sounds peachy until the real world comes into play.
Same thing happens with job applications. “What university did you say you went to? What did you say your degree was in?”
“Berkelyites continue to excel academically”
You have to admire the confidence. Crisis? What crisis?
I would be embarrassed to admit those results to the public. Every student should get at least 5 A*’s-C’s before moving to further education or leaving school. To those who complain that foreigners are being hired over our locals; that is exactly why. Education should be at the core of any political campaign. Stop playing for the short term benefits by bringing in companies and restoring tourism for greater revenue. Build a smarter youth, you build a better and richer Bermuda in the future. The next party that realizes there is a serious issue with the public education system and puts a plan into place to fix it will win my vote. It’s so sad because in many countries public schools actually have a better education than private schools, but apparently not in Bermuda.
Well done students, teachers and parents. Don’t give up or it.Keep the end in view.
well done? are you kidding? we should all be ashamed. most of all the TEACHERS!
These results are worse than the worst performing school in the worst performing authority in the whole of the UK (Kirkby high school in Knowsley near Liverpool – http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/aug/16/gcse-results-2015-kirkby-high-school-hopes-for-a-radical-turnaround)
Where is the outrage from the parents? Where are the hard questions from the media? Or does everyone just pat themselves on the back as they send yet another generation of failed kids out into the world?
Why people just can’t be happy that young people are passing exams and stop being ao negative all the time nobody on here has said congratulations
Those results are nothing to be happy about. Good luck advancing to further education with 1 GCSE.