Summary

Children in Bermuda are required to attend school until their 16th birthday, thus primary, middle and typically two years of secondary school are considered the components of compulsory education.

The majority of Bermuda’s school children attend established government and private schools. Most schools are co-educational with Bermuda High School For Girls (BHS) the only remaining single-sex school. Bermuda Institute (BI) also has a middle school programme where girls and boys attend single-sex classes.

Government schools offer free education to all students who register through the Ministry of Education. There are ten government preschools, eighteen primary schools, five middle schools and two senior schools. While approximately 59% of Bermuda’s school children attend the public school system, an increasing number of Bermudians and Bermuda residents are opting to send their children to private schools despite hefty tuition fees. According to the Bermuda Department of Statistics, in 1994, of the 10,499 children attending school in Bermuda, 7,487 students attended public school while 2,519 attended private school. By the time of the 2008 Census, there were 10,423  students attending school with 6,754 students in the public school system (including Bermuda College) and 3,669 in the private school system.

Bermuda does not have a university, but post-secondary education is available to Bermudian students at Bermuda College, the equivalent of a U.S. community or junior college which offers two-year programmes in a range of vocational, technical and academic areas. For further information, visit our Bermuda College page.

Though they may assign them different names, most Bermuda schools (both public and private) work within a primary to middle to senior school structure. It’s what takes place within that basic framework that is dramatically different. Our dedicated Public School and Private School pages provide detailed information on the respective systems and the individual schools within them; here we offer an easy-to use chart to help you compare the overall grade structure of both government and private schools.

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Summary

School Structures Chart

Exam Glossary

School Structures Chart

Compare Bermuda's schools at a glance

Exam Glossary

If talk of GCSEs, IGCSEs, Advanced Placement Programs and IB programmes, leaves you a bit befuddled, the following glossary should help.

GCSE

The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is a British qualification designed as a two-year course of study for pupils typically 14-16 years of age. The GCSEs are one of the main means of assessing attainment and most students take GCSEs in Math, English and Science. Schools may also require that students take at least one Modern Foreigh Language. Pass grades are awarded on an A* to G scale and an unclassified category (U) which is fail. In most subjects the final grade is arrived at by a combination of assessing coursework and by terminal examination. Coursework can contribute 20-60% of a student’s final grade. Passing a good selection of GCSEs is considered proof of a good general education and good preparation for the International Baccalaureate programme (see below).

GCSEs are offered at Bermuda High School for Girls, Saltus Grammar School and Warwick Academy. Public school students may also opt to sit these exams.

IGCSE

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an international qualification designed as a two-year course of study for pupils ages 14 - 16. It prepares students for further academic work, including progression to the IB Diploma Programme. The IGCSE provides a broad study programme by drawing subjects from five areas: Languages, Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Creative, Technical and Vocational. Some consider the IGCSE to be more difficult than the GCSE, but this varies from subject to subject.

Bermuda High School for Girls, Saltus Grammar School and Warwick Academy offer the IGCSE.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

The International Baccalaureate is a two-year diploma programme designed for highly motivated students. The diploma provides an ideal pre-university course and is recognized by universities around the world.

The qualification has earned a reputation for rigorous assessment and is highly regarded by the world’s leading universities. The two-year course combines six subject groups with three additional features: theory of knowledge; creativity, action and service; and an extended essay. The six subject groups cover: English; French, Spanish/Latin; History/Geography/Business & Management/ITGS; Chemistry/Biology/Physics; Mathematics; Arts/Electives. Students may select one subject from each group, three of which will be studied at the higher level and three at the standard level. All subjects carry coursework requirements however the majority of the course is assessed via examination at the end of the IB2 year.

The IB programme is offered at Bermuda High School for Girls and Warwick Academy and is open to students from other schools.

Advanced Placement Program®

The Advanced Placement Program is a cooperative educational endeavour between secondary schools and colleges and universities. Since its inception in 1955, the Program has provided motivated high school students with the opportunity to take college-level courses in a high school setting. Students who participate in the Program not only gain college-level skills, but in many cases they also earn college credit while they are still in high school.

The Advanced Placement Program is offered at Saltus Grammar School.

SAT Reasoning Test 

The SAT Reasoning Test (SAT) is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. It is developed, published and scored by the College Board (www.collegeboard.com). The SAT consists of three major sections: Mathematics, Critical Reading, and Writing. Each section is scored on a scale of 200 – 800. Total scores are calculated by adding the scores of the three sections. Sample questions and tons of other hellpful information can be found on the College Board site.

The SAT is administered seven times a year in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories, and six times a year overseas. Students are allowed to sit the SAT exam numerous times if they choose.

The SAT test is taken by students at Saltus Grammar School, Mount Saint Agnes Academy and Bermuda Institute. Students of other private schools and the public school system have the option of taking the exam.