THE Grateful Hill Primary and Infant School in St Catherine is celebrating the achievement of students who sat the Primary Exit Profile (PEP).

Principal of the school, George Moodie, told JIS News that 95 per cent of the 23 students, who sat the examination, have been placed in a traditional high school.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information released the results of the test on June 21.

The grade six students were tested in three areas with a performance task test on March 27 and 28; an ability test on February 26; and a curriculum-based test on April 16 and 17.

Moodie described the achievement of the pupils as “very exceptional,” and credited the success to measures put in place to address low attendance, among other challenges.

He said that with the introduction of a breakfast and lunch programme, attendance has “vastly improved,” with several initiatives also put in place to boost literacy and numeracy.

“We try to embrace each other, both students and teachers,” he added.

The principal also commended the parents and the wider community for their support, noting that “they continue to give their best for education”.

PEP has replaced the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) as the national secondary school entrance test and is intended to provide a better and more complete profile of students’ academic and critical-thinking capabilities at the end of primary level education.

While GSAT focused primarily on content and assessing students’ knowledge of subject areas, PEP is centred on critical analysis and seeks to accurately measure how students use the knowledge, abilities, and skills they have developed to solve problems.

PEP is also built on the notion that competency involves both student knowledge and what a student is able to do with the knowledge that they possess.