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Valentine Spencer, principal Maverley Primary School in St Andrew, is beaming at the institution's improved results in this year's Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations.

"It is really good. We have a lot of proficient students compared to last year and that is good improvement," he told JIS ÐÓ°ÉÐÔ°É.

"Overall, it is the effort from the teachers, from the entire staff, I must say. We also had students from Immaculate Conception High School, who have been coming to the school on a weekly basis to assist the children with their academics," he added. Among the strategies employed, students were taken on field trips, and have been introduced to chess.

"It is a great motivation factor. Chess must be a part of what we do at the school. So, the majority of our students from about grade three up are playing," he said, noting that the games have contributed to the academic improvement. Spencer said that the sport has helped with critical thinking and that "can account for the grades along with the other things that we have done".

Spencer said the school places great emphasis on reading, and for the upcoming school year, administrators have already started to look at how the school can improve in reading, critical thinking, and mathematics, and to get more parents involved in the life of the school.

"I have found that the children who are performing best, apart from their natural ability, with parental involvement they have stepped up above all the other students, and we would love for all the parents to come on board and follow the instructions that we are giving them," he said. Spencer also suggested that community and external support for the institution is huge, especially from past student Sandra Christie-Brown, Rotary Club of Trafalgar New Hope, political representatives, and the church community.

Grade-six teacher Stacey Fridginate English said the programme that led to the success of the students included teachers going to work early in the morning to "give them additional work, and during class time I would spend more time on the areas of weakness".

Extra LESSONS

"So, if they had a weakness in maths, rather than spending one hour, I would spend two hours. Not only that, after school, I do some extra lessons. So everybody would have to stay back for at least an hour to do additional work," she said.

In addition, she said that regular communication is maintained with parents for them to provide the necessary supportive roles, such as monitoring homework projects, and keeping them informed on the progress of their children. Top student, Caleb Newland, who will be going to Calabar High School, credits his success to studying hard.

"My mother, and my stepfather, they made sure I studied at least three times a day. [Mrs] Fridginate (English] did an excellent job in grade six, in teaching us, especially Science," the student shares.

Travaine Graham, one of the top-tree students, who will be going to Jamaica College, said he knew that he would be a top student because "I always come first in my class, I always get a high grade, and I always pray and study with my mom".

Travaine's mother, Afranci Brooks, said that her son had to stay up until at least 12 o'clock and "we would pray together, and I always try to motivate him to study", while lauding Fridginate English for staying close to parents and guiding the students.

"There is never a day that even if him feel bad, if him don't feel well, if he was not ill, where he couldn't go to school; she will call and ask what was wrong with him. Once she felt like that was not a good excuse, she said, 'Mommy, send him out to school'," Brooks said.