The Department of Education has released the 2025 Cambridge International Education (CIE) Checkpoint and IGCSE results for the Bermuda Public School System (BPSS). These assessments provide important insight into student performance as the Ministry continues its work to strengthen teaching and learning across the system. Checkpoint assessments serve as diagnostic tools that help identify specific learning gaps, while IGCSEs are internationally recognised qualification examinations. Only the Checkpoint assessments are designed for diagnostic purposes.

The BPSS serves every child, regardless of learning needs or starting point; it is a comprehensive, not a selective system. As a result, system performance reflects the full range of student outcomes across Bermuda’s public schools. The system-wide summary report for the 2025 Checkpoint diagnostic assessments and the IGCSE qualification results is available at www.moed.bm under the “Public Documents and Reports” tab.

The Ministry does not publish individual school-level CIE and IGCSE results in isolation because cohort sizes in Bermuda are small, and publication of raw results without appropriate statistical context can lead to misleading comparisons and unintended identification of individual students. As previously mentioned, checkpoint assessments are diagnostic in nature and are not designed for school ranking or league table publication.

At this time, there are no plans to publish annual league-table style comparisons of individual schools. However, the Ministry continues to review its reporting framework to ensure that it balances transparency, student privacy, and responsible interpretation of data. System-wide data and A*–C attainment data are published to ensure public accountability.

Within the Cambridge framework, grades A* through G are all internationally recognised passing grades, with a “G” confirming that a student has met the threshold for a certified qualification. The Department remains committed to transparent reporting by publishing both the percentage of students who meet the A*–G passing thresholds and the percentage who meet competitive international benchmarks (A*–C). While the Checkpoint and IGCSE (A*–C) results are available on the Ministry’s website, the current Budget Book reports performance measures aligned to the full range of internationally recognised passing grades (A*–G).

The Ministry does not consider the Budget Book performance measures to be disingenuous. They reflect internationally recognised passing thresholds. However, the Ministry acknowledges that international competitiveness is more commonly benchmarked at A*–C, and for that reason, A–C performance data is also publicly available. Both measures provide important, but different, insights into system performance.

While overall A*–G pass rates exceed 90 per cent, A*–C attainment rates demonstrate that there remains work to be done to align more closely with international averages. The Ministry recognises this gap and is addressing it directly through instructional reform and targeted academic supports.

The results indicate that, when compared to international averages, there is room for improvement and the continued need to strengthen literacy and numeracy, enhance instructional quality, and stabilise school operations—areas that remain central to the Ministry’s ongoing education transformation efforts.

It should be noted that Bermuda’s performance relative to international averages is influenced by several factors, including the non-selective nature of the public school system, small cohort sizes, which can create statistical volatility, and the academic disruption experienced globally during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the system is emerging from a prolonged period of leadership turnover and structural reform, which has impacted the consistency of instructional delivery.

The 2025 results reinforce the importance of the system-wide improvements that are currently underway. The Ministry and Department remain focused on:

• Long-term stability and strengthening classroom-level capacity. This includes ensuring leadership stability across schools, with all primary and middle schools now led by substantively appointed principals.

• Sustained instructional focus on literacy and numeracy, ongoing intentional professional development for teachers and implementation and monitoring of accountability measures.

• Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) process is being strengthened to ensure that students receive targeted, holistic support when they need it.

• Each school is implementing a data-driven School Improvement Plan aligned to system priorities.

Since the introduction of strengthened leadership development, including SMART goal-setting training for school leaders, all schools now operate under measurable School Improvement Plans with defined literacy and numeracy targets. Leadership stability has improved with reduced acting appointments and improved continuity in instructional oversight. These measures are foundational and are expected to support academic outcomes.

The 2025 results demonstrate that, although overall certification rates are being sustained, greater progress is required to improve A*–C attainment and align diagnostic performance more closely with international benchmarks. The Ministry remains committed to transparent reporting, strengthened instruction, stable leadership, and structural changes designed to focus on measurable student achievement. Education transformation extends beyond facilities; infrastructure adjustments are intended to support coherent instructional delivery and improved learning conditions. Student outcomes remain the central measure of success, and all structural and operational improvements are being advanced with that objective in view.