Roster of schools, in The British Paradise Islands

from *The Essential Paradise*, series sourcebook

Doc. 4,01.

### **British Paradise Islands Territorial Ministry of Education**

**Comprehensive education** in Paradise is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 7 and 16. School facilities are numerous, with primary schools (for ages 4-7) at the neighbourhood level, elementary schools (for ages 7-11) at the township level and secondary schools (for ages 11-16) at the regional or island level.

## Primary schools

As planned, the kindergarten school in Paradise serves the immediate neighbourhood, intended to permit children to commute to school without need of a long walk nor public transport. Some such facilities, typically in hamlets of fewer than 200 residents, may seem needlessly redundant; but in general the communities of the islands tend to support their local primary schools above all other public amenities and the distinction between the responsibilty and authority of school staff and those of neighbourhood residents frequently appears blurred.

A primary-school facility will have a full-time certificated teacher for each class, a few paraprofessional (noncertificated) aides, a small administrative staff, caretaker(s), lunch matron(s) and a nurse. Teachers of art, sports and music may be shared amongst several smaller schools, each with itinerant weekly schedules. School sessions will run for a full day (typically 8.30-15.00).

The building will accommodate three separate classes, generally of 10-15 students each, one for each form, and will include a separate lunchroom, a library, and a gym for PE. Classrooms are large, typically fitted with individual toilets and washbasins, well-aired and well-lit, especially by natural lighting. Most rooms accommodate space for arts and crafts, napping, and play.

The school will also include a lavish playground and sports area, almost always securely fenced-in to prevent children from wandering off and designed to conscientious safety and health standards. After school hours, the play areas are available to the community for recreation and public events.

One salient focus of the primary school is the children’s garden, typically planted in herbs, flowers, vegetables and fruits, ostensibly tended by the students as a branch of science education. Primary school populations tend to take great pride in their gardens and at least one period (40 minutes) each day will be allotted to gardening, weather permitting. Produce from the gardens is often used for decoration or in preparation of meals at the school, given away to students’ families, or sold in shops or in kiosks throughout the neighbourhood.

## Elementary schools

A student’s true sense of community membership is inculcated at the elementary school, typically situated to serve a full township and to which students may need to take public transport or have a walk of some town blocks. Between the ages of 7 and 11 (forms 1-4) a student receives a comprehensive education in core curricula and is encouraged to extend his efforts to arts, sciences, sports and leadership. The elementary schedule resembles that of secondary school whilst permitting some flexibility, mainly in that, as a rule, students do not shift classrooms for every change of subject. Teachers are expected and encouraged to make the best use of available time, which often means that educational opportunities take precedence over the precise delineation of subject times.

Intramural competition begins at third form with meets between townships and championships held at the regional (typically island) level. Students are given opportunities to advise and participate in school management and community service. Beginning at the third form students also begin two years of required classes in Latin and in computer literacy. Such subjects, as with art, music and PE, will be taught by specialised certificated staff who, as at the primary schools, may keep weekly schedules sharing their assignments amongst two or three schools, often including primary schools as well.

The elementary building, more centralised than the primary school, will be larger, accommodating multiple classes of each form, and will have further amenities and resources, typically serving as a hub of activity for the given township. Classrooms will be spacious, each having to accommodate instruction for 12-16 students in four or five core subjects. The school will have separate rooms will be provided for art, music, PE and computer literacy, a communal lunchroom staffed by a regular matron and assistants, an infirmary with nurse and aides, and a library which may serve as a resource for the school as well as the community. Sports fields will accommodate rugby, football, cricket, tennis, and may include a playground, a swimming pool and running track.

## Secondary schools

### **King’s Bay High School, King’s Bay, Caravelle I.**

Sending districts:

* King’s Bay
* George Town
* Molly Beach
* Hampton Beach
* Breadfruit Beach
* Hobart
* St Kitts
* Rocky Hill
* Trundle Beach

### **North Eden High School, Devon, Eden I.**

Sending districts:

* Pirates’ Cove
* Somerset
* Hidden Valley
* Derby
* Surfside
* Devon
* Dorset
* The Hump

### **Hurricane Hole High School, Hurricane Hole, Eden I.**

Sending districts:

* Hurricane Hole

* Cook Landing
* Vienna
* Teaside
* St Alice
* Dublin
* Heart of Paradise

### **Foxchase-Hanover High School, Hastings, Hope I.**

Sending districts:

* Coventry
* Garden of Eden
* Hastings
* Small’s
* Holy Cross
* Sugar Hill
* Skye Cove
* Hanover
* Fox Chase
* Free Town
* Junketeer
* Captain’s Mead

### **West Islands High School, Millbury, Rum I.**

Sending districts:

* Ipping
* Southwold
* Bird Town
* Wold’s End
* Caneshart
* Millbury
* Lennon Town
* Sunset Beach
* Churchill
* Mirror Beach
* Club Town
* Northern Town
* Victoria’s Secret
* Windemere Wold

### **Prince Albert High School, Prince Albert, Morning I.**

Sending districts:

* Avon
* Prince Albert
* Ocean Park

### **Governor Headley High School. Governor’s Harbour, Morning I.**

Sending districts:

* Governor’s Harbour
* Casino
* Blue Bay
* South Moor

### **Elizabeth-Kent High School, Elizabeth, Morning I.**

Sending districts:

* Waterton
* Sunshade
* Fords
* Elizabeth
* The Low Coast
* Honeymoon Beach
* Greenlea

## See also

* School population, by sending district and school
* Entrance ages per educational form

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