Hope Academy in Grand Harbour has been rated ‘Good’ by the Office of Education Standards. That is the expected level of quality for Cayman Islands schools, and is the second-highest rating next to ‘Excellent’.
“Hope Academy was judged to be a good school with considerable strengths in developing students’ personal, social and academic performance. The Principal, senior leadership team and associated clinficians had good capacity to further improve the academy’s standards,” according to the inspection report.
“Almost all students made good progress in English, mathematics and science with the majority of high school students moving on to university.”
Opened in 2009, Hope Academy earned ‘Good’ marks in the majority of areas, and received ‘Excellent’ ratings for support and guidance of students.
The private school is led by Principal Samantha Tibbetts. Hope Academy has 106 students between 5 and 18 years old, in Kindergarten to Grade 12, and operates according to Florida State Standards. The school has 16 teachers and 29 support staff.
A majority of students are Caymanian, and 89 students were identified as having special needs (84%).
The school received ‘Good’ ratings for students’ progress in English, Mathematics and Science; although it received ‘Satisfactory’ ratings for students’ achievements in those subjects.
Other ‘Good’ areas included student behaviour, learning, teaching, assessment, leadership and links to the community.
The school received ‘Satisfactory’ ratings for curriculum, health and safety, and staff and the learning environment. Inspectors noted, “The lack of a laboratory and library limited curriculum opportunities.”
Inspectors rate schools in individual categories, using a scale of Weak/Satisfactory/Good/Excellent. The overall grade is determined according to the individual scores.
Hope Academy had is last full inspection in 2013, when it was also rated ‘Good’.
“The Principal was supported by a senior leadership team that demonstrated good capacity to further improve the school. There was a shared sense of purpose and direction amongst the staff in developing a school with a special ethos and unique qualities,” according to the report.
Because the school was rated ‘Good’, Hope Academy will not be inspected again until the next cycle of inspections starts in January.
An interview with … Peter Carpenter, Director, Office of Education Standards (1 of 2)