Schools in Barbados

Old Aug 4th 2008, 6:11 am
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Thank you Bajanblondie, I did like what I saw at St Winifred when I visited last Christmas and I did get the impression that they ran 'a tight ship' which is not a bad thing. I'm glad you had a good experience.

Do you know whether they have a big intake of children at the end of term to the senior school or does the lower school feed the senior school and do the kids tend to stay until they reach the age of 16-17? My daughter will be 11 next year and we are seriously thinking of moving from the UK to Barbados by September if my daughter gets a place in school.
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Old Aug 4th 2008, 12:45 pm
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St. Winifred's only has places for about 25 students if that many into it's Form 1 year of secondary. Some years they have a 2 class form 1, but not every year. They take their primary girls first over all other schools. (and I should say boys as well from Sept 08).

Is your daughter going to be 11 during the 2008-2009 school year?? or 2009-2010?? are you talking about moving this year as in Sept 08 or Sept 09. It would be unlikely they would have places in the J4 primary year for Sept 08 and your daughter would have to sit the 11plus exam in May09.
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Old Aug 4th 2008, 1:38 pm
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Hi Sunniebgi, sorry I didn't make that very clear. She would go to form 1 in September 09. She will be 11 in August 09. We would move in the summer of 2009.

I'm a bit confused about this 11+. We were told that she would not need to sit the 11+ if she was going to St Winifreds. Do you know if this is correct? We were also told the same thing by Codrington.
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Old Aug 4th 2008, 5:17 pm
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Hiya,

She certainly would not need to sit the 11+ for Codrington, not so sure about St Winifreds though... I think she would but I am sure someone knows better than I do...
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Old Aug 4th 2008, 5:24 pm
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if she turns 11 in August of 09, then in September 09 she would be going into Form 1 in secondary school. for Codrington for sure she will not need the 11 plus, but for St. Winifreds I'm not sure. I know they are private, but it may also depend on her grades from her former school. Neither St. Winifreds nor St. Ursulas (the only 2 private secondary for girls - althought that's changing in 08 for St. Winifreds) place children into secondary until the June before the September school starts.

This placement happens after the 11plus results come out which is usually in early to mid June. So it is unlikely that you would have a secure spot until that time. (if they except you before then, well I have no comment about that because they don't normally do that).

You may also find, with an August Birthday, that your daughter might do better going through J4, sitting the exam, and continuing on after that. There was a girl who did that last year at St. Winifreds and did very well on the 11plus. to my knowledge she is staying at St. Winifreds.
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Old Aug 5th 2008, 6:32 am
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Thanks for that Sunniebgi, that's an option I hadn't thought of. It would also explain why the schools are keen to receive my daughter's school reports for 2 years. I was told that placements were offered (as you said) May/June time.

All we can do now is keep our fingers crossed and see what happens

Does anyone have any experience of St Ursulas? I don't think they have a website.
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Old Aug 5th 2008, 11:27 am
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My 12yr old has just finished her Lower 1st year at St. Ursulas. I personally really like this school. The buildings are old, but that is like many schools in Barbados. The rooms are big, tall ceilings, and from my experience, the teachers are very good and care about teaching our children.

The school has 2 form 1 classes every year. Lower 1st and 1st form. Lower 1st is almost a repeat, but not exactly of J4 or Class 4 from primary. These students are ones who possibly didn't do well on the 11plus, or have some form of learning disability (dyslexia, add, adhd etc). Now let me also clarify that the school also has a "special needs" class and these students have more sever forms of disabilities.

my daughter is a classic dyslexic. She went into the school with low grades and very low scores on the 11plus. She was placed in the Lower 1st class and has done very very well. Her spelling is terrible and her reading is slow, but she really did well over all this past year.

The school is owned by the Ursuline Convent and all things concerning the school must be approved (or not) by the nuns. (makes it hard on the PTA). The run a very tight ship. The teachers actually come to class (which can't be said for many of the top government schools)

It is an all girls secondary (co-ed primary), and unlikely to change even in the distant future. The students come from every walk of life in Barbados. expat and local, rich and poor.

They have a huge playing field and a small 40meter 8 lane swimming pool. All students take a religious education class.

We had originally wanted our daughter to go to St. Winifreds (long story), but I am so very very happy that she didn't (even longer story) and she has really blossomed and grown during her first year at St. Ursulas.
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Old Aug 5th 2008, 12:17 pm
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Sounds really interesting.

It's a shame we didn't know anything about St Ursula when we visited in December last year as we would have made an appointment 2 go for a visit.

I take it you don't have to be Catholic to attend the school? & whereabouts in St Michael is it? (managed to find address on website but nothing much else).

Thanks sunniebgi, you've been very helpful.

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Old Aug 5th 2008, 12:41 pm
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No you don't have to be catholic to attend the school (we aren't). it's located on Collymore Rock (on the opposite side of the road from St. Gabriel's and Purity Bakeries. I will admit that the traffic in that area is the absolute pits, but if you learn how to deal with it, it helps. The nice thing is the secondary school doesn't let out until about 245pm every afternoon, and by then most of the Primary/junior students are gone (as are the associated cars). School does start for the secondary at 815am (with an assembly) on the nose, and my daughter insists that we have her there by 745 or 8am.. which is fine.

Look what I found.. http://www.conventschoolsbarbados.com/ hadn't seen this before.

Last edited by Sunniebgi; Aug 5th 2008 at 12:45 pm. Reason: added website info
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Old Aug 5th 2008, 12:58 pm
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Fantastic! Thanks Sunniebgi.
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Old Aug 5th 2008, 1:10 pm
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One more thing Sunniebgi then I'll leave you alone

Does the school practice 'corporal punishment'? i.e cane
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Old Aug 5th 2008, 1:18 pm
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not that I'm aware of. I would highly doubt it. Even though this is accepted or unchanged in the Government school policy, I really don't think it is something that is practiced except in extreme cases.
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Old Aug 6th 2008, 10:29 am
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Hi Sunnie

Now I am in quandry, I had not seen this school and was concerned about schools in this area because of how long it would take to get there from St Lucy, however now I have seen this I am interested in it more

Do you know how easy it is to get into for Reception?

Thanks S
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Old Aug 6th 2008, 11:14 am
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It does sound good doesn't it

Sunnie I can't seem to open all the website info, would you be able to tell me what the monthly school fees are please. PM me if you like.

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Old Aug 6th 2008, 8:05 pm
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St. Angela's (the primary school) takes children from as young as 3 years. so the "reception" year might actually be harder to get into.

Schools fees.. check out this page.. http://www.conventschoolsbarbados.co...nt/view/13/14/
(it actually looks like they are updating the site as there are items on it today I don't remember seeing the other day)

While it doesn't actually show the fees per term, it does have the admin fees etc. I'm not sure what the primary school pays, but the secondary has just brought their fees up, but it's less than 1300.00BBD per term for a national. it might be double for non-national, but not 100pct sure. I know, for example, I pay more at St. Gabriel's for primary about 1400.00 per term and the non-national students pay just under double that.

We actually have 2 teachers and at least 1 family from St. Gabriel's that live in St. Lucy, so just like anywhere, you could live close to school or not. I'm in the middle of St. George and it takes about 1/2 hour to 45min depending on traffic. The st. Lucy folks leave a little earlier, but probably takes them maybe 45min to 1 hour, again depending on traffic and the direction in which they go to the school.
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