Times of the Islands Summer 2016

The longest established legal practice
in the Turks & Caicos Islands
Real Estate Investments
& Property Development
Immigration, Residency
& Business Licensing
Company & Commercial Law
Trusts & Estate Planning
Banking & Insurance
1 Caribbean Place, P.O. Box 97
Leeward Highway, Providenciales
Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI
Ph: 649 946 4344 • Fax: 649 946 4564
E-Mail: dempsey@tciway.tc
Cockburn House, P.O. Box 70
Market Street, Grand Turk
Juan Martinez Fall 15 Turks sixth_Layout & Caicos 1 5/27/16 Islands, 11:58 BWIAM Page 1
Ph: 649 946 2245 • Fax: 649 946 2758
E-Mail: ffdlawco@tciway.tc
PHONE:
2 4 1 . 3 2 9 7
2 4 4 . 9 0 9 0
3 4 4 . 9 4 0 3
2 4 4 . 6 1 9 1
SOUTH DOCK
ROAD, PROVO
applicants typically stay at the school until Year 13. Of
the student body, approximately 65% are TCI nationals,
with the rest from a variety of nationalities.
Madame Wigglesworth carefully schooled me on the
particularities of the British education system, explaining
that Years 7, 8, 9, also known as Key Stage 3, are considered
foundation years. The school follows the British
National Curriculum from Year 6 to Year 9. During these
Years, every subject on offer is compulsory; students
choose subjects in which to specialize over the next
two years. As an accredited independent center with the
University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE)
students sit on average nine IGCSE subjects in Year 11. If
successful in a minimum of five, including Mathematics
and English Language, they are eligible to pursue the CIE
Advanced Level course of study, leading to globally recognized
qualifications and entry to university.
Principal Wigglesworth is a strong believer in the
need to challenge students to do their best. She believes
that high-achieving grade 6 students will be bored in
a primary school environment and enjoy the step up
into the Collegiate atmosphere. That is one reason she
encourages potential students to enter at grade 6, giving
her and her large cadre of teachers (all with university
degrees and postgraduate teaching qualifications) the
chance to “get to know what they don’t know” before the
rigors of Year 7. Indeed, as we toured the campus and
questioned students in Years 6, 7, and 8, all said they
were happy to have left primary school and started at the
Collegiate when they did.
After my interviews for this article, it was clear that
across the board, the educators are competent, dedicated,
and caring, with a different focus than the business-oriented
people with whom I typically interact. Principals
and teachers are concerned with growing up children, not
profit; influencing our future generation, not the bottom
line. If I were a parent, I would rest assured that my children
would be in good hands no matter what choice we
made. The challenge would be to select an environment
that would best suite a child’s particular needs, temperament,
and skills.
Of note is that scholarships, both academic and needbased,
are typically available for each school mentioned
here. And it goes without saying that PTA involvement is
rich in every school, as well. a
46 www.timespub.tc