2016 Public School External Examination Results
The Ministry of Education released the 2016 external exam results for the Bermuda Public School System, which reflect student achievement for the 2015/16 school year in the Cambridge International Examinations at the primary 6, middle 3, and senior school years in Mathematics, Science, and Language Arts.
The Ministry said, “The Cambridge Checkpoint results revealed that at the Primary 6 [P6] level – 83% of students scored at level 2.0 and above in Language Arts; 54% scored at level 2.0 and above in Mathematics, and 86% scored at the 2.0% and above in Science.
“Similarly, at the Middle School [M3] level – 66% of students scored at level 2.0 and above in Language Arts; 49% scored at level 2.0 and above in Mathematics, and 83% scored at the 2.0% and above in Science.
“The Checkpoint exams are diagnostic in nature specifically designed to highlight the areas where greater interventions are needed to improve student performance in preparation for their International General Certificate Secondary Education [IGCSE] exams at the senior school level. The Cambridge Examining Board considers that achieving a level of 2.0 reflects a basic acceptable understanding of the Cambridge curriculum.
Minister of Education Wayne Scott stated: “The Checkpoint results are both encouraging and enlightening. I commend our P6 and M3 teachers and students who worked hard during the year to achieve these results.
“However, it is important to keep in mind that Bermuda is the only public school system that participates in the undertaking of the global Cambridge International Examinations [CIE]. Thus, when compared with the average CIE scores, our public school students at both the P6 and M3 levels continued to score competitively on average, in both Language Arts and Science. However, there are still some challenges in student performance as it relates to Mathematics”.
At the P6 level, the Bermuda national average score was 2.2 in math compared with the CIE average score of 3.9. At the M3 level, the Bermuda national average score was 2.2 in math while the CIE average score was 4.4. The Department of Education set a national threshold standard of 3.0 for its students.
Minister Scott added: “This year all students were challenged to write the Cambridge extended math level exams. The mathematics results clearly revealed deficits in key conceptual areas.
“Nonetheless the results of the extended math level has helped to identify P6 and M3 students who should continue to sit the extended math exam, or sit the core math exam or follow a different success path altogether in mathematics”.
The Ministry added, “At the senior school level, students sat a total of 1,310 external exams at the IGCSE, General Certificate Secondary Education [GCSE] and Advanced Stage [AS] levels during the 2015/16 school year.
” Of the total, 68 IGCSE exams were sat by middle school [M3] students. Overall, the exams covered, English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Languages, Business & Technology, Arts and Physical Education. Overall, there was an 89% pass rate for students who achieved a grade of A* to G; and, a 33% pass rate for students who were successful in a grade of A* to C.
“The majority of students were successful in passing the core subjects with:
- a 99% pass rate with grades A to G or 352 students achieving the English IGCSE;
- a 56% pass rate or 337 students awarded the Mathematics ICGSE; and,
- 84% pass rate or 337 students successfully obtaining a Science IGCSE.
“Senior students also performed well in selected academic [non-core] subjects, some of which included:
- All 37 students who sat examinations in Art & Design, Dance, Drama and Music successfully achieved their IGCSE;
- Of the 65 students who took the IGCSE exams in accounts, business studies and information & communication technology, there was a 97% pass rate; while,
- There was a 100% pass rate for the 45 students taking exams in geography, history and citizenship studies.
“During the past two years the Department of Education has been focusing on the effective delivery of a culturally relevant and engaging curriculum of high quality in the classroom. The System is now in its second year of utilizing a common framework of teaching mathematics and literacy.
“There is continuous application of the inquiry learning method and widespread use of teaching in the classroom through problem solving and standards based instruction and assessments. Additionally, elements of the Multi-tier System Support framework have been introduced to support teachers in establishing a positive school climate and response to intervention for student success.
The Minister of Education added, “The Department of Education will always work towards doing better to prepare our students for these external international examinations. The knowledge gaps in Mathematics are recognized and technical Officers are now seeking alternative pathways of success in this core subject which continues be a struggle for our students; as reflected historically in the Checkpoint exam results.
:Moving forward there is the possibility of introducing a new success pathway in that students can acquire an international mathematics certification through a multi-level City & Guilds offering which serves as an intervention tool for students while pursuing an IGCSE in mathematics”.
“Currently school principals are making presentations of the Cambridge External Exam results to parents or their respective Parent Teacher Association [PTA] and Parent Council,” the Ministry said.
“The general public is encouraged to visit the Ministry of Education website where the Cambridge International Examination results can be found after all presentations have been made by schools to parent bodies.”
The presentation on the CIE scores is below [PDF here]
Please share the names of the Schools results
The government should be a shame to tell parents, students and the public that at A to G is a pass. In reality only A to C are recognized by post secondary institutions. Please have a rethink about this matter.
Exactly! What the heck kinda grade is a E, F or G?!? Seriously Bermuda?!? But, yay the AC is coming, lets pool our scarce resources into that while our children are bringing home G grades! Smh!
I think we need to go back to basics…because judging from the above our kids are not performing well despite costing about $28K per year to school. Maybe we should privatize education, private schools cost $20k per year and that includes built in donations to fund bursaries for less financially able families to be able to send their children who thrive in the environment.
We cannot all be rocket scientists or doctors or lawyers that is just a fact of life so if there are kids that are not cut out for math and science perhaps we would be better to admit it and bring back the trades.
The Bermuda public school education system is setting our children up to fail. You can disagree if you want, that’s okay, but at the end of the day this system is a joke compared to the rest of the world. I would be embarrassed if I were the minister of Education to release these results.
To be an effective trades-person, an understanding of math and science is needed. It is better to say, “not everyone is cut out for theoretical maths and theoretical sciences, but would do better with the applied maths and applied sciences used in the trades.
Can we please stop saying ‘students who cannot do math should do trades’.
That is a total insult to the tradesmen of old and totally incorrect for the tradesmen of new.
Most people who graduated Tech could do physics, basic math and even calculus, most students leaving our ‘academic’ institutions now can’t even spell calculus let alone do it.
For clarity and the umpteenth time, the IGCSE is a GENERAL test to show BASIC proficiency in subjects at a standard that is recognisable world wide. It is NOT an exam for rocket scientist.
For Example
The first question on the IGCSE math 2014 was : 10 – 3 × 2 =
FYI you are allowed to use a calculator!
The underlying problem is this idea that our students cannot achieve so lets find something ‘easier’ for them to do, instead of pushing them to achieve more.
We can see this in out acceptance of A-G being considered a pass.
The skills necessary to be a successful student in the IGCSE (a grade of C) are the same skills necessary to be a successful tradesmen.
Please remember there is such thing as a poor electrician, plumber or AC technician, and dollars to donuts they were also poor students.
The answer being 4. If you wrote 14 you would be wrong.
A to G ????
How far down the scale is G? Is that the grade you get for showing up?
Got here = G.
D = Didn’t know enough to pass
E = Errr do they know what subject this is?
F = Fail
G = Got here on time.
And once the exams pass, they will retain little to none of the information. Schooling is not the same as education.
#captainfantastic
The minister should not be “commending” anyone involved in the government education system, particularly those pen pushers in the Ministry. He should, however, heap plaudits on those working in the private system where results continue to be first rate.
People who are here saying some kids are not cut out for math….we are talking about primary school math…simple, basic math….someone who is not cut out for math should not study it in university, everyone should understand basic math to an age of 16 or so.
Stop making excuses for kids and parents.
Welcome expat workers! You have no need to fear competition for your jobs…
The way these results are provided suggests that the Min is hiding inadequecies by using the A – G scale as being all good marks.
This Ministerial and public approach and acceptance of such low standards leaves the average and under-performing student to walk, entirely unprotected, unready, and unable to face and survive the harsh cold environment of real world jobs, competition, and standards when he steps out at age eighteen.
Sad. So sad and unfair.
These results are disgusting. What is really going on with our education system? Bet if they weren’t majority black they would make sure the children were educated properly.
I would also like to remind you that we had a “majority black” government at the helm for 14 years!!!! I think as an educator it was especially painful to watch how much the PLP did nothing for public education…