In response to declining academic performance in core subjects, Coleridge & Parry School has launched a comprehensive intervention strategy aimed at addressing nationwide trends of underperformance in mathematics and languages. Principal June Moe announced the new measures during Tuesday’s Speech Day and Prize-Giving Ceremony, outlining a multi-faceted approach to personalized learning support.
The school has developed a specialized program to identify students struggling with numeracy and provide them with intensive, small-group instruction and one-to-one teacher interactions. Additionally, the initiative incorporates peer-assisted learning, enabling high-achieving students to mentor their classmates through structured support systems.
Teaching methodology will undergo significant transformation toward practical, real-world applications. Educators will employ manipulatives and consumer mathematics examples drawn from daily life experiences to make abstract concepts more tangible. School-Based Assessments will be introduced earlier in the curriculum to strengthen foundational skills.
Principal Moe identified several contributing factors to the academic decline, including oversized classes and the increasing prevalence of neurodivergent students with diverse learning needs. She noted challenges in obtaining formal diagnoses, explaining that the school relies heavily on parental disclosure of existing conditions.
The performance analysis revealed particular concerns in English B (literature) and foreign languages, where writing proficiency lags behind verbal competence. While students demonstrate comfort speaking Spanish and French, significant deficiencies persist in written expression and basic reading comprehension.
Despite these challenges, the school celebrated notable improvements in several subjects including biology, food nutrition and health, principles of business, and visual arts. The ceremony also recognized outstanding academic achievements, with Talesa Boyce receiving the Principal’s Award for Best All-Round Student and Best CXC Examination Performance, while Kianna Clarke and Roshon Codrington shared honors for Leadership.
Featured speaker Javon Griffith, Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, emphasized student accountability in academic success, stating: ‘Excellence is not a single achievement; it is a habit.’ His address underscored the long-term importance of developmental habits formed during school years.