Primary education in Barbados begins from age 4 and continues until age 11. The Government of Barbados fully finances the education of these students who are entitled to free lunches at primary schools across Barbados, free transportation to and from school by way of the Transport Board Bus facilities and provision of textbooks.
Through the Education Sector Enhancement Programme (EDUTECH 2000), Government is seeking to upgrade the primary school plants, provide retooling for teachers, initiate curriculum reform and the integration of information technologies into the teaching-learning process.
In Barbados, providing quality primary education is key in order to build a firm foundation for the future development of this country's children. Such early foundations are set from primary school levels and are aimed at building secure bases of reading, writing and problem-solving techniques. As a result, a developmental range of subjects are offered at this level. There are:-
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Conversational Spanish
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Health and Family Life Education
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Language Arts
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Mathematics
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Moral and Religious Education
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Music
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Physical Education
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Science
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Social Studies
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Visual Arts
Throughout the school term children in Barbados are tested on the above subjects in preparation for the Barbados Common Entrance Exam, also known as the 11+ exam. This examination comprises of an English and Mathematics paper and placement of these children is based on a combination of the Secondary School options that their parents would have chosen and their performance. This exam usually takes place between May and June and is taken by children who are 10 - 11 years old. There are odd occasions when younger children who may be a bit more advanced take this exam and go onto Secondary School.
