Examination time

Anyone who has taken a holiday knows the feeling of wanting to return to the routine of work slowly and steadily. No such opportunity at Amano, at least for the Secondary students! School recommenced after the half-term holiday on Tuesday 16th and the whole Secondary school was immediately plunged into examinations. Grade 12 were taking IGCSE papers in their various subjects in preparation for the finals later this year. Other classes do not have that pressure but examination time at Amano is taken very seriously. Most students commented that the holiday had been at least partly given over to study. Break times during the week were marked by students sitting in the sunshine looking very serious over last minute revision Teachers were very busy with invigilation and were soon accumulating papers for marking.
The 'examination atmosphere' spreads to Primary as well in that the younger students have to observe 'quiet times' when examinations are on. The present school hall is located in the Primary block and is used for examination purposes.

Inevitably Friday of examination week comes with an increased feeling of relief - not only the end of the first week back but the end of the 'trial by paper!' Friday morning Secondary assembly was in keeping with that 'end of week' joy when Head Teacher Hilary Millard presented Merit Certificates during the notices. Secondary students are awarded merits (or demerits!) as appropriate during school and each half term the merits attained are totalled and a presentation made, a certificate for six or more merits and a certificate and a chocolate bar for anyone achieving twelve or more. The previous half term totals revealed that students had done generally very well. Exceptional scores of twenty-three merits by Elisabeth Breuninger (Grade 9) and twenty-one by Chewe Chibwe (Grade 10) were recorded. Two grades (8 and 9) had achieved at least a certificate for every member. Grade 10 did very well in terms of the total merits awarded.

Students doing examinations (and teachers marking!) were not the only ones working hard. Roger Berry from Guernsey is at Amano with Brass Tacks and is doing a wonderful job of advancing the work on the new multi-purpose hall. Floors are being laid and other skilled jobs advanced by regular workers along with a number of temporary piece workers under Roger's supervision. Regular readers of the news from Amano will be aware of the steel structure and roof of the hall being put in place a few weeks ago. Our photograph shows Roger's men hard at work. Markus Breuninger's skills at of project management will be engaged to the full in completing the hall, plus the ongoing sixth-form and laboratory building as well as all the other Amano requirements and maintenance.

Other photographs show students in examination mode and Grade 10 leaping for joy, merit certificates in hand, as examination week draws to a close!