Improvement Evident In This Year’s 11-Plus Results

The Ministry of Educational Transformation has announced this year’s results for the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (BSSEE), also known as the Common Entrance/11 Plus Examination, with noticeable improved performances in both English and Mathematics.Improvement Evident In This Year’s 11-Plus Results

This announcement was made this week by the Minister of Educational Transformation, Chad Blackman, Chief Education Officer, Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw and other education officials, during a press conference in the ministry’s Media Resource Department, Elsie Payne Complex, Constitution Road, St. Michael. 

Javanni Carmichael of the St. Paul’s Primary school and Kaiya Walcott of the Wills Private school are the top performers in the BSSEE for 2025, and will be headed to the Queen’s College and Harrison College schools respectively, at the start of the new school year.

Javanni scored 99 in Mathematics and 100 in English with a B in Composition with an overall score of 240.90, while Kaiya’s marks were perfect scores in both subjects (100 in Mathematics and 100 in English), also with a B in Composition, and 241.46 as her overall score.

Ahead of the announcement, Minister of Educational Transformation, Chad Blackman, reassured those present that his ministry continues to be steadfast in its commitment to the transformation process of Education in Barbados, ensuring that every child can thrive in a nurturing and empowering school environment.

He lauded the students of this year’s BSSEE examination saying: “To the students who sat the exam this year, I want to commend you for your dedication and your hard work. We all know that this process has not been easy, but you’ve done not just your best; you’ve shown your dedication [and] your commitment to your future, and you must be commended…

“However, I want to remind you that this is just one step in your lifelong journey of learning… Yes, an important step nonetheless, but one step in [the] long road to success… Never, must this exam define your future. It will play a part in your future, but this is really a part of the process of learning.”

Minister Blackman shared that this year’s examination was administered at 21 public secondary schools. He said that students from 67 public primary schools, 28 private primary schools and seven home school learners participated. A total of 2,981 students wrote the examination, which is a decrease from 3,011 last year.

He added that his ministry received 128 special requests for accommodations ranging from scribes to large print for students with impairments, disabilities, illnesses or unique circumstances, and disclosed that 16 students were granted permission to sit the exam early, four more than in 2024.

In her address, Chief Education Officer, Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, revealed that the scores for Mathematics ranged from zero to 100 this year, with an increase in the number of students scoring above 50 per cent. She disclosed that 65 per cent of the students scored 50 or more marks, while the remaining 35 per cent scored less than 50 marks.

She added that two female students scored zero, and 24 students, 13 females and 11 males, scored 100.  The national mean in Mathematics this year, is 60.2 which represents a 5.6 ‘point’ increase in the mean from 2024.

 Regarding the results for English, The Chief said there were no students who scored zero on the English paper and that 85.1 per cent of the students scored 50 and above, while the remaining 14.9 per cent scored below 50; with three students receiving full marks.  The mean score for English was 72.5; the highest in nine years.

Dr. Archer-Bradshaw also stated that The National mean in English for 2025 was 72.5 as compared to 65.2 in 2024, with statistics showing a 7.3 ‘point’ increase in performance over 2024.

While providing a detailed analysis of past and present results, Dr. Archer-Bradshaw attributed the improvements in both Mathematics and English to “a lot of the groundwork that we have been putting in, in advancing the education transformation agenda”.

“I use the opportunity to congratulate the principals, the teachers and the parents and other members of staff who have been working with our students to make sure that they can reach their potential,” she added.  (PR/GIS)