est. 2007

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Combermere Slipping!

Submitted by Jefferson It is with great befuddlement that I write about the accomplished Combermere School. For hundreds of years this institution has produced influential citizens like the late Right Honourable David Thompson, former West Indian cricketer Rev. Wes Hall, author Sir Frank Collymore, UNESCO award winning film director and cultural historian Owen “Alik” Shahadah…

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Submitted by Jefferson
Combermere School

It is with great befuddlement that I write about the accomplished Combermere School. For hundreds of years this institution has produced influential citizens like the late Right Honourable David Thompson, former West Indian cricketer Rev. Wes Hall, author Sir Frank Collymore, UNESCO award winning film director and cultural historian Owen “Alik” Shahadah and President of the Senate Kerryann Ifill.

Combermere School offers an excellent music program, are the holders of countless cricketing trophies thanks to the Head of the Physical Education Department Mr. Michael Small, Mr. Roderick Estwick (cricket coach) and Mr. Michael Worrell (athletics coach). Combermere has approximately fifty-four trained teachers including one Guidance Counsellor; most of them possess bachelor degrees with at least three acquiring doctorates. However it is with great disdain that I write about this educational institution that was once rated as number three on the island and is currently failing our inquiring young minds. Let me start with the Principal who has a taken a lackadaisical approach to managing this school that is occupied by teenagers who are academically sound and street wise. Mr. Vere Parris is an invisible principal and he is definitely imperceptible during the lunch break when children are engaging in various unimaginable activities. He operates the school remotely from the confines of his air-conditioned surroundings. It is essential for Combermere School to obtain a leader as vigilant and dynamic as Mr. Vincent Fergusson (former Deputy Principal of Combermere, current Principal of Coleridge and Parry Secondary School). Mr. Parris is known as a courteous gentleman but not one who is a strong disciplinarian or a firm believer in Combermere culture even though he is a former Combermerian.

The practice of being an absentee Principal has trickled down to some of his teachers who have inherited the practice of being fifteen minutes late for forty minute classes (but of course the principal wouldn’t know unless he has a periscope), they have a reputation for not taking class registration and failing to teach lessons that are on par with the CXC syllabus and that of the other older secondary schools thereby forcing students to seek lessons elsewhere and costing parents hundreds of dollars per month. The Combermerians who are capable of gaining national awards are forced to enroll at Harrison College, Queen’s College and Barbados Community College in order to gain academic recognition. In fact, when last has Combermere even earned a Grade 1 at CAPE Level furthermore a national award? Shameful!

The teaching fraternity at Combermere School is providing little guidance, are poor facilitators and lack pastoral care for the budding leaders and pioneers of this country thus stunting their progress. Mr. Parris needs to rethink his management style recruit his vibrant, innovative, respectable teachers like Mr. Mayers and create a competitive atmosphere for students that have become somewhat lawless and undisciplined; he needs to encourage them to positively engage their creative minds and assist them in becoming worthwhile citizens and not just be able to say I went to “Cawmere.”

213 responses to “Combermere Slipping!”

  1. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting Prodigal Son | June 12, 2012 at 8:37 PM | “I agree that something is wrong with our system today when 700 children cannot get not even one mark after 7 years in the primary system. But you cannot blame the teachers alone, the parents have to take most of the blame.”

    I expect that most of the children who score poorly, that is less than 30% in the eleven plus have serious learning difficulties, dyslexia, undiagnosed or vision hearing loss, mild Down syndrome? etc.and perhaps their parent’s also have learning difficulties as well and so are unable to help their children, so we should not be too hard on these children and their parents. A friend who was the first child of her young parents had learning difficulties past her 6th birthday, then it was discovered that she could not see. When she got her first pair of glasses she realized for the first time that literally there was another side of the street. She still cannot get out of bed without without her glasses, but after the glasses the learning difficulties disappeared and she went on to graduate from university. Sometimes young parents and teachers may genuinely not realize that a child has a medical problem. Then we have those children who have lost their parents by abandonment, migration, HIV/AIDS, alcoholism, drug abuse, imprisonment, traffic accidents, asthma, cancer. And of course we have children who have serious chronic illnesses, including some children whose fetal brains have been damaged by their parent’s alcohol and other drug abuse. Some of these children will have difficulties in school.

    But do we as a society provide extra help, extra teachers, extra learning aids for these children?

    If not why not?

  2. David Avatar
    David

    @Random

    Let us assume what you suggest is true, what are we planning to do about it?

    A good place to begin is for the MOE to make information, stats, research available.

  3. Proud Combermerian Avatar
    Proud Combermerian

    “In fact, when last has Combermere even earned a Grade 1 at CAPE Level furthermore a national award?”
    STFU! I only left two years ago and I earned more than one grade one and a f*cking INTERnational scholarship. Just because it isn’t all over the news it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

  4. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    We should be planning provide extra help, extra teachers, extra learning aids, smaller classes for these children. And more and better training for their teachers. And whatever support is needed to help the parents to be more effective parents.

    But I ain’t no party person David, so I have zero influence.

    I just good for working hard and paying taxes David.

    And raising my own children, who have turned out excellently.

    I tried to join a party once David and I was told by a high-up in the party “X party don’t wan’t people like you”

    I was scared off David. Never tried to join a party again.

    No David. I am not a criminal.

    Yes David, I is a Bajan.

  5. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Davis in other countries children are diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) which causes significant, significant learning difficulties.

    But in this rum bibbing (and other alcohol) nation none of our children are diagnosed with FAS, just as nobody in Barbados is ever convicted of driving drunk

    David we are a nation of pretenders. If we pretend that alcohol consumption causes no problems, then ergo we have no FAS babies, and no drunk driving driving deaths.

    But my friends who teach see the FAS children, because David if we did the research we would find that when people of child bearing go out partying, they drink alcohol, some to excess, and they sex and have children, and those children are in our classrooms, all classes, all colors.

    But we have to keep the alcohol merchants happy, ’cause they is the boyz who give the party boys money.

  6. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Look … If you can’ design, or produce, or sell … I ain’ got nah uses fah yah. All this colonial model is doing is askin’ youngsters to embrace a project that promotes and rewards scholastic accolades to the disadvantage of an entire national identity. Those who master this model die with NO legacy other than that which is forged by creative historians or left to the pages of a cook book … What a useless discussion …! Yawn, time for more meaningful activity … bed (maybe some action too if I get lucky …!)

  7. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    BAFBEP

    I see that you are hoping to get lucky. Good for you, your fellow is back.

  8. balance Avatar
    balance

    ”
    “otherwise neither Mr Toppin,nor Mr Headley nor Mr Bowen,the powerful Porters of the school would allow passage.”
    in these days, with children unafraid to assault teachers far less porters,them would get cuff down.

  9. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Wait Caswell … why I should wan’ he when I gots you to tek care ah business …? Stupse, man shut up and come long do … sweet chile …! HA HAHA

  10. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    BAFBFP

    I like your comment:
    “All this colonial model is doing is askin’ youngsters to embrace a project that promotes and rewards scholastic accolades to the disadvantage of an entire national identity. Those who master this model die with NO legacy other than that which is forged by creative historians or left to the pages of a cook book … What a useless discussion”

    Why do Barbadians have this peculiar fascination with categorizing persons based on the secondary school that they attended? I believe the “model” is very deficient in responding to the human resource development needs of the country. I believe many people share this sentiment (but I could be very wrong). The primary question then (if my beliefs are correct) is: what is stopping us from redesigning and implementing a better system?

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @Ping Pong

    Can your observation only be located in Barbados? Absolutely no!

  12. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    David

    my life experience does not extend much further than a few other West Indian territories so you may be correct that this fuss about “where you went school” may be observed elsewhere. However it seems (to me) to be particularly strong here to the point that persons who have achieved much are referenced not in terms of their achievement but which secondary school they attended.

    Let’s not belabor that issue, I really want to understand why we won’t fix a system that’s said to be broken. Maybe it isn’t broken and we just like complaining. I am told that it’s very British to complain about everything and so Barbadians are just maintaining another facet of our colonial legacy!

  13. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    Maybe this is appropriate

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZFOlInYmqs&w=420&h=315%5D

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @Ping Pong

    Perhaps by your last response you have answered your query. The enfranchisement of Barbadians is attributed by all and sundry to access to free education. The Barbados Model (society) of ‘success’ is linked to high literacy etc. We have become intoxicated by the view that our model is working and to change it evokes an emotional experience. We prefer to romanticised it.

    A good example for you – with all the many issues we discuss on BU this is the one which has gone viral on FB.

  15. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    David

    Bush Tea has consistently prophesied the collapse of the World (although Micro Mock Engineer has suggested that he keeps moving the time line) so maybe there is nothing that can (or should) be done. I will leave this quote from the late Trinidadian writer LLoyd Best writing in 1994 about the working class person’s reaction to school systems in Trinidad and elsewhere in the Caribbean:

    ” His ways of counter mobilization have been very simple: wine down and touch your toes; wine back and jam; hand in the air, get on bad. Come clean and basic. We simply do not trust your pretensions to civilizing, scientific or edifying mission. You offer us free education and places in schools but everything else you say and do serves only to make us wonder.”

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @Ping Pong

    Indeed!

  17. Jus my view Avatar
    Jus my view

    As someone who has attended CCFS and then Combermere for 6th form and now has very close ties to the school, this is jus my view. I concur with the shortcomings of the principal. The atmosphere of the school is not one of serious work but one of liming and relaxation. Students are always perceived to be right and when reported from infractions it takes a year and a day to be investigated and then some ‘wishy washy’ punishment is administered a long time after and so does not register with the student, in my opinion.
    Yes there are teachers who may be late to class and who may have their own agenda, but that occurs at every school. They, in my opinion, are in the minority as they are several teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty at Combermere; in their teaching in the classroom, often using their own money to make up for the lack of available resources, giving free lessons to make sure that their students are readily prepared for the CXC examinations, planning and raising funds for graduation, producing pageants and model shows that have lead to students becoming involved in design, sound engineering, and event planning as a career choice out of their participation in these events. Some teachers, however, have dialled back their extra curricular efforts due to their frustrations with the Principal, but in my opinion still continue to give of their best in the classroom.
    Comberemere continues to receive several grades ones at the CSEC and CAPE level every year and in fact is ranked third in CXC results closely following HC and QC and several students receive international scholarships every year. With respect to the 6th form, if HC and QC receive the cream of the crop with students getting 7-9 grade ones they should be getting the most scholarships, but if a child who receives a grease 3 at CSEC goes one to receive a grade 2 or 3 at CAPE then that to me is an achievement. It must also be said that several of those scholarship winner are at Combermere on evenings for lessons as well.
    Its not all bad at Waterford, but i do agree that there are improvements that can be made. Parents must also take stock of their role in their children’s lives, ensuring that they have books and school supplies and not jus the latest blackberry or ipod, ensure that they have done their homework and studied for exams as well.
    That’s jus my view.

  18. shellya Avatar
    shellya

    To settle the argument i suggest that you check a sample of the children’s notes and test and homework books in every subject from first to sixth form. Then compare what is written in these books to the stipulated Ministry of Education syllabuses and CXC. Then conduct a study on teacher absenteeism, the students can help with this. Finally check right now the older Secondary school which is bombarded by parents of students who passed for other “preferred schools” to have their children transferred. You will then be honestly able to see why the results are better at some schools and not the others.

    c

  19. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Pong

    The system brek brek brek…! It was designed by a regime that favours a tradition of elitism (Royalty and Endtails etc and the cadre of elite professions that facilitates this re. props this campaign up) and it bears absolutely not relevance to a small dependent nation’s ability to earn its way in the real world outside of this aged construct …! Trinidad, a Republic has a far far better approach to progress though it is still hamstrung by greedy businessmen and one term minded administrations.

    Look the process in Bim works for a few, there is NO question about that and that few is too small to paint with the WE like it so brush.

    Barbados’ national ethos should be “What it is that we can make that the rest of the world will be prepared to buy”. Instead we are dealing with a pack of asses from both sides who are hell bent on continuing a path of servitude to the benefit of a few locals (who are ably represented in Parliament) and that of expatriate interests.

    I challenge you sir, or indeed any one to say … Yah Lie …!

  20. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    Here is something that not only shows that maybe BAFBFP is right, that the system is ‘brek’, but that HC, Queens etc are UNDER performing, not excelling.

    Bear in mind, that it is now widely acknowledged that from the 11plus and from the next ‘sifting at CXC for the best students around, these two schools get the cream of the (brains+ environment + work ethic) students.

    Now, what do these schools, ‘celebrate’ every year? Eight or ten ‘scholarships? Out of 3 forms x 30 students = 90 students. That is around 10 percent, out of the best students.

    That is they celebrate, that out of all these fine students, ONLY eitght or ten can get about 2 ‘A”s and ‘B’, together.

    Now, here is FACT from the UK, an analysis of their A Level scores, shows that for most subjects, roughly 50% (up to 60%) of ALL!!! students in each subject get either and A or a B. of these, roughly anywhere, depending on subject, 15% to 40% get an A grade.

    My assertion is this. If HC and Queens schools are getting those students with good brains, whose environment had enabled them to push for high grades and who have achieved the best grades, indeed a select few top grades, up to CXC level, some right the way from 11 plus, then surely, according to the percentage comparisons above, of UK vs Barbados schools, then both of these schools are severely UNDER-performing!

    From the comparisons, bearing further in mind, that the UK comparison is not taking any select few students into the analysis, but all who sit, then the two top schools here should turn out much more grade A’ and B’s than they do, not only from a strict percentage comparison, but from the view that they allegedly have the top tier students.

    No, sorry, they are actually severely underperforming.

    Here is the UK analysis.

    http://www.bstubbs.co.uk/a-lev.htm

  21. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @BAFBFP,

    I disagtree BAF. I ‘think’ that you work overseas for a substantial corporaiton, I could be wrong. If you do, then you know, that the first thing to get you throught th door is ‘letters’, degree fro m somewhere.

    If you do not, then trust me, you need those papers to get you through the doors of the whichever company, whether cnn, ny times, IBM, Shell Oil etc.

    And in todays environment, Barbadians MUST seek employment interationally as well. Therefore, we are competing against students who have qualifications from all over the world, for thiose New York jobs.

    Agreed, those letters do not make ingenuity, but they open doors, that is all, much of what is learned is irrelevant and does not constitute an able thinker, I fully agree.

    But, that is the playing field. We must compete and if the curriculum and learning methods are ‘brek’, then we need to fix them;.

    This is a highly important topic, not re Combermere per se, but education in Barbados in general. There are widespread issues that need to be looked at more seriously and closely, not via the superficial and irrellevant ‘who get more scholarships’ question, that is primary school analysis, rather than a serious analysis of results, causes and effect.

  22. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    @BU
    So when you go post the newest thread……Queens College slipping ?

  23. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Harrison College fall down…..

  24. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Well Crusoe if the intention of the educational model is to have your citizens find jobs all over the world and serve international corporate interests, well the model is fine. You, Crusoe have identified the model for what it is worth. But here in BIM the talk (from the political directorate and the university hierarchy) is about entrepreneurship and “producing more (of what?)” and cultural industries and inventiveness and so on for which the model has NO place.

  25. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Serving International Corporate interests or serving National interests … the are proving to be mutually exclusive …!

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @BAFBFP

    To your last comment, BRILLANT!

  27. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    David

    Well then if you also agree with the previous comment the conclusion therefore is pretty obvious. BTW thnx, I am blush (if it were posible …)!

  28. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @BAF,

    Not necessarily. In my opinion, covering as wide a bae as possible is necessary to develop and maximise resources.

    We do need people at good positions in the large corporations overseas, to exert some opinion in our favour, that is a must,.

    I agree that we also need ingenuity and entrepreneurship, which must be developed in different ways but can also leverage connections at larg corporations.

    Hence, we need to push both the traditional subject like maths, economics, physics etc, but also train businessmen.

    Note also that trained scientists are necessary to develop ideas, whether mechanical or software developed. So, there is certainly a place for formal and traditional training, I disagree with you on that point for sure.

    However, where I agree is that we need to develop products and services that can be patented and sold.

    The bridge of our ideas is where we must develop i..e. furtherance of our model to blend the two, so that we become marketers. and sellers overseas instad of buyers.

    Note that we need good lawyers to extract benefit from trade agreements, we also need those engineers to understand how patents differ and can be considered uniique, whether traditional engineers or software engineers.

    The danger is considering and either or approach, to our predicament.

    I agree that we should not serve foreign corporate interest foremost, but working for them is not serving them, if we ensure that our interests are served.

  29. David Avatar
    David

    How are businessmen trained?

  30. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    No David the question to Crusoe is how do you ensure that National Interests are served…! Clearly it has been our collective observation that these highly trained elite academic practitioners, once employed by multinational, either directly or through the tax payer’s purse are yet to serve in the public’s interest … and the horrifying truth is that they are NOT likely to ever truly serve in the national interest for as long as there are rewarding enticements to be had, the human gene will always come to the fore.

    Crousoe your justification represents a very small part of the required construct, in my view, to the point where I can accuse you of being guilty of putting the cart before the ox …!

  31. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @David,

    Training may seem counterintuitive, but it is necessary for success, in a product development way and financial. A formal training program is necessary, but also a less formal, cultural approach, of guidance, apprecticeship, creative development and alalytical thinking.

    There has to be structure within the context of technological advances and world needs, setting up a booth and selling may be business, but is not what we need to move forward.

    @BAF On the issue of who is the ‘master’ interesting isue and ultimately the paymaster does call the shots. However, deliberate development of networking and placement should go some way towards increasing influence towards the national interest.

    I am not putting the cart before the horse, I am ensuring that we have a solid foundation upon which to build the future.Thing is, we do not operate in a vacuum and to make foreign exchange we need to influence from ‘out there’ too, not just push outwards, but have our ‘friends’ pulling for us.

    .

  32. David Avatar
    David

    @Crusoe

    It just seems that often times we used the terms ‘businessman’ and ‘entrepreneur’ interchangeably.

  33. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Networking at an international level and all of the service support that we are training our gifted academics to do, again in my opinion, is only an excuse to continue with the status quo. The returns to the broad national agenda is too marginal to merit the effort that is given to the type of education that is being offered today. Again, please note that I have not rejected your line of reasoning, I just simply believe that it is very over stated as a means of addressing our current needs as a developing society.

  34. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    Yes, I think we also perceive a difference in way each would approach matters.

    The term businessman may bring an image of a less risk taking, traditional type.

    Whereas the word ‘entrepreneur’ conjures up images of a swashbucklling money changer.

    I think the reality is that there is a distinction, that being one who sticks to traditional businesses, the entrepreneur looking at new ways to make money, to develop new ideas.

    But, sound business principles still need to apply in market assessment, idea development, production, marketing and finance, whichever term we use.

  35. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    If we as a nation have as an approach to rely on people’s good will in order to succeed in the real world we then will be no better than beggars

  36. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @BAF,

    Fair enough. And we can agree that the current educational status quo, needs a revival of some kind, realting to quality and direction, however we look at it.

  37. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    I dont refer to goodwill, I imagine using every resource to maximise potantial and that includes using the playground’s facilities for our own good. Look at what influence certain nations have in Washington.

    That is maximising the playground for your own benefit.

  38. the scout Avatar
    the scout

    I’m glad that Cawmere has stepped down from its high horse and realise their students and teachers are no better and sometimes worse than many of the other secondary schools.

  39. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    But Crusoe there is no guaranty that once placed, a Barbadian trained individual will see the opportunity to work in the national interest part his prerogative

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @BAF

    So that the solution is NOT only about educational alignment and relevance?

  41. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    David

    Most certainly not. I have over time accused you of wrapping yourself in a flag but truthfully if there is to be a true national thrust there has to be a real black and white appreciation of what having a national thrust involves …!

  42. David Avatar
    David

    Perhaps there is a lot to learn from the saying that – a Jamaican will create it, the Trinidadian will sell it and the Barbadians will administer it.

  43. A-Fish Avatar
    A-Fish

    Other news:

    Allen Stanford jailed 110 years for 9 billion dollar fraud.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18450893

  44. TheAnnoyed1 Avatar
    TheAnnoyed1

    What in the world did I just read?

    Firstly, there is more than one way to manage an institution. Not everyone will be as charismatic as Vincent Fergusson or Stuart Mayers, no two people are alike. Actually, many powerful world and business leaders operate from the shadows. Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Osama Bin Laden are a few examples, each day you see their progress but you don’t see them.

    Secondly, unimaginable things were going on at lunch time since I was in primary school (Wesley Hall), one day an old lady flashed us to prove that she wasn’t an old man. I’ve heard of secondary schools in Barbados as a location for filming pornography by students, bathrooms of a single sex school being closed at lunch to prevent sexual activity. Oh, wait, how can I forget the school that has marijuana growing on the compound? Please explain why the principles of those 3 separate schools are not under review; are those principles also running their school from “air-conditioned surroundings”

    Thirdly, I admit, few teachers at Combermere in my opinion aren’t fit to be there, but how is it that they are adapting this from the principal who is very punctual and always gets the job done?
    Fourthly, ask yourself how many students Combermere has sent overseas to study on full scholarships. (If you didn’t know, Barbados Scholarship winners have to pay the difference If they wish to study somewhere other than UWI)

    Last but not least, as a student of Combermere, I can honestly say yes I’ve noticed a fall however; the problem lies with the students not management. This seems to be nothing more than a personal attack on Combermere. All the schools on the island has taken a turn for the worse, and it is because of the present generation which is in an even worse state.

    By the way, I’m referring to the generation that was raised by yours.

  45. Islander Avatar
    Islander

    I just sat and read this whole article, and the comments, first with consternation, then with with a smile on my face (scout(…funny guy, then this too faded in to pride and I read some replies from cawmerians and supporters of cawmere.

    Funny, how all these sayings that our forefathers left us have become so clear to me “the higher de monkey climb de more he ass exposed” the fox and the grapes story..etc etc lolol.

    Combermere is not a school, it is an institution, to be a cawmerian is a way of life. You become a combermerian on entering the school at age 11 and you stop being one when you die. We will always support our own, and each crop of younglings will be guided and supported as best we can.

    The issue of the degradation of the youth of today is not a “cawmere issue” it is a societal one, and what is happening at cawmere now is reflective of society in general. Cawmere have never been a hotbed of scholars or exhibitionist, we have never boasted to be academically superior to no one, why ? because we have recognised long time ago that a well rounded individual armed with the tools of life and supported by an army of old scholars is more important. Know this, we will take this seriously, and we will look into the source and the merit of all the accusations, and as an institution of class, we will close ranks and address the root cause in the best way possible.

    Cawmere was not build on sand, but on the blood sweat and tears of countless stalwarts, and reinforced over time by the thousands of footprints marching to the same tune of excellence, throw your stones, hurl your insults, tell us we are not a great school, tell us we are over rated, tell us we can’t………….. WE WANT YOU TO ! Up and on my friends, especially you Scout, hope you make wine with those sour grapes.

  46. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    You hear than scout…now that was a fellow cawmereian… I say a bit too much but holding the torch high enuff …ole friend Scout…D women does doan B EZ…Is that you Marci ..holla ?…(she massacrete eeeee.)

  47. T J Avatar
    T J

    Overall the standards are falling. In my time (mid 90’s) you had to get over 84 average to get into Combermere. Nowadays children getting in the 70’s and getting in. As a past student of the said school we were never big on producing yearly scholarship/exibition winners as far as I can remember. Maybe 1 or 2 every 5-6 years. Just because you aint get all 1’s and a 2 doesnt mean you are not producing well rounded productive students. I was in a science form and every single person got a degree. Who aint a lawyer is a doctor and who aint a doctor is an accountant and who aint none of the three have good jobs and are pretty successful in there own right.

  48. Maria Avatar
    Maria

    This is exemplified in the results of fourth forrmers this end of term where at least 18 students re repeating and should be more as some have been “let through” despite having failed. With marks of 50 and position 4th in an accelerated class can it just be the children or have teaching methods just not prepared the students for the exam. I would think the latter.
    Never having gone over a past paper how could one be prepraed? With spanish teachers who have to constantly refer to the dictionary is it a wonder that children are failing? With teachers not wanting to be asked questions what is to be expected? Is that they don’t know the answers perhaps. With a year head more intent on pulling down than pulling up what is to be? Mind you good things are to be said of the Chemistry Biology and Math departments who still seem to know what it takes to get the good grades.

  49. Suzanna Avatar
    Suzanna

    I commend Jefferson for highlighting this issue for it is high time it be addressed and the relevant stakeholders do so urgently for the sake of our youth. I have a niece who has great potential and wants to excel if only given the right tools to do so at her beloved Cawmere. I have been encouraging here to transfer out to QC to get the attention and tutoring she deserves… But she does not want to leave her beloved Cawmere… And hence is suffering academically there and costing us lessons money elsewhere. Not Good.

  50. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @Susanna, But you do understand that children at HC and Queens are also getting lessons, do you not?

    That was my earlier point, is that if methods are slipping, it is not at one school only. The scholarships are lessons scholarships.

    That is the issue and as I demonstrated by the FACTS I showed earlier, HC and Queens are actually underperforming severely against equivalent schools in the UK, in terms of percentage grades and hgih grades.

    So, there has to be a general approach to improving teaching methods, all over.

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