IN JAMAICA: GSAT success - Retirement Primary School shines Retirement Primary reaps GSAT success....The school achieved a 75 per cent average which saw all the students being placed at one of their choices for high school.

BY RENAE DIXON Observer staff reporter dixonr@jamaicaobserver.com  Monday, July 07, 2014    

Retirement Primary in deep rural St Ann continues to beat the odds to reap success in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) although the institution operates on a multi-grade system. The school achieved a 75 per cent average which saw all the students being placed at one of their choices for high school.

Teacher Camille Campbell and her grade six students
pose for a group photo following the school's graduation.

The students' success has once again highlighted the hard work of the three teachers and principal at the school, and is a particularly high moment for the headmistress Beverley Bailey who goes on pre-retirement leave in September.

Bailey, who has served the school for 25 years, said she was elated by the students' performance.

"I am really proud of them. They did well," she told the Jamaica Observer North East.

According to Bailey, some of the students came from other institutions and were behind, but she was happy that through hard work they were successful at getting a placement at one of the schools of their choice.

Top overall student Ronaldo Dixon will be heading to York Castle High School, while top girl Sasha Kay Campbell has been placed at St Hilda's High School.

Principal Beverley Bailey (left)
 stands with her teachers.

Teacher of grades five and six Camille Campbell said she was overwhelmed by the results.

"I don't even have words to express. I am overwhelmed," she said, adding that she was surprised by the results of some of the students as she was worried about a few of them.

Meanwhile, Bailey said the students have continued a trend of great performance, as last year the school was one of the top GSAT performers in the parish. more