As a former teacher of Modern Languages at Combermere School (1979 – 1994), I belong to an era where students had two main choices – either do Arts, or Sciences. Indeed, some of us had been fed a diet of Latin from a textbook titled “Approach to Latin Part 1” whose cover some people skillfully converted, with ink, to “Approach to Eating at the First Party.”

Recently, the performance of Combermere School was brought into the limelight as 14 students kept the flame burning brightly and showed the zeal and enthusiasm which has been a distinctive characteristic of our school going back, at least, to the 1800s. But the subject areas are completely different to the syllabus with which we were once familiar.

Their act of placing among the top ten in the Caribbean in their subject areas on the CXC Merit list is worthy of praise and admiration beyond measure

If we concentrate on positions in the 2020 CXC Merit List only, we will miss a vital point. Imperceptibly, Combermere is again changing the traditional parametres of what we call Education. Desiree Inniss who is currently in Lower Sixth Form, placed FIRST in Chemistry in the Caribbean and this is simply brilliant.

Marvellously, Aaliyah Robinson outshone everyone in the Caribbean in Food, Nutrition and Health; she indicated to me that she is currently doing Business studies. Her colleague Shonne R. Marshall placed Seventh in CSEC Food, Nutrition and Health.

Not to be outdone, Donte Payne won the top position in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in the Caribbean in CAPE Unit 2

In CAPE Unit 1, Nyanna D. Williams gained a third place in Animation and Game Design, while Ean Bynoe placed fifth in that subject. Max Durant and Ajani Alleyne placed Tenth in Green Engineering and Computer Science, respectively.

Roland (Combermerian) and Remi Holder’s son Romi placed 5^th in the region in Green Engineering – a new subject at CXC CAPE Unit 2, while his colleague, Ronaldo Barrow, gained a seventh place.

Combermere School was dominant in Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology Unit 2 (Option A) with 5 students placing First to Fifth and one Seventh. Positions were as follows: First – Donte Payne; Second – Jemuel Miller; Third – Brandon Ruck; Fourth – Sheradeane Grant- Cadogan; Fifth – Primus R. Walrond; Seventh – Andre C. Applewhaite.

This subject involves Innovative Robotics. Teacher in this subject area, Mr. Matthew Douglas, sees the development of Innovative Robotics in Combermere School as “carving out a niche by utilising Robotics accompanied by the concomitant development of the manufacturing sector with innovation and intellectual property as leaders in the way forward.”

It should be clear to us that students are showing an interest in subjects that offer greater scope for self-employment or are more relevant for modern day society, when compared to those of our era, and they are excelling in them.

In this  last group of students, Jemuel Miller, like some of the others in his group, is the classic profile of the Combermerian – a well-rounded student. He not only placed second in the CXC Caribbean Merit List, but he has played an active role in sports throughout his school years. He was part of the team that won the Barbados Cricket Association’s Everton Weekes Under- 13 Finals in 2015. Switching to Athletics, he represented his school in Long Jump, Triple Jump and High Jump qualifying for CARIFTA in 2019 and 2020 in Triple Jump.

Fittingly, Jemuel has secured himself a 4-year Athletic Scholarship at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration commencing August 2021. While at UTSA, he will represent the university in in triple and long jump. 

Combermere School is truly  great, even when not considered great!

Up and On!

By Patrick Skeete, Academic Development Group