Lyford Cay Foundations Expands LEAP

New Partnership with St. Andrew’s International School and E.P. Roberts Primary School to Combat Learning Loss

Nassau, Bahamas – While most of society has recovered from the devastation of the pandemic, many Bahamian students are still dealing with learning loss in critical areas. LEAP (Learning Environment to Accelerate Progress), an innovative programme by Lyford Cay Foundations created to address this need, has started a new partnership with E.P. Roberts Primary School and St. Andrew’s International School (SAIS) to broaden its impact.

LEAP is an educational pilot programme that offers access to learning support in numeracy, literacy and social emotional skills.

Launched in 2022 by Lyford Cay Foundations, LEAP started with a total of 41 Uriah McPhee Primary School students from grades one to four. The sessions are hosted in western New Providence on the campus of Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) for 10 weeks to boost skills in reading, comprehension, written language and problem solving in math and numeracy. The programme also focuses on developing enhanced social skills that help students learn to communicate and better understand others. Student progress is continually evaluated throughout the programme. Transportation, breakfast and a hot healthy lunch are included.

LEAP participants meeting in the west have the benefit of learning from their own teachers as well those from LCIS.

The new partnership creates an opportunity for LEAP to grow, serving 40 additional students from E.P. Roberts Primary School who will meet in the eastern part of the island at SAIS. E.P. Roberts Primary students will have the chance to flourish academically and socially through a structured curriculum taught by teachers from their own school and SAIS. LEAP will have access to the SAIS campus and facilities – including the school’s computer lab and playground.

Administrators from both schools are excited about this unique public-private school collaboration.

“LEAP is a fantastic initiative, and we are 100% committed to this partnership,” said Mr. Gordon McKenzie, Principal and CEO of St. Andrew’s International School.

Mrs. Audrea R. Smith-Lewis, Acting Principal for E.P. Roberts Primary School believes the programme will benefit her students and teachers.

“LEAP will make an impact on the students at E.P. Roberts Primary School because the focus of the programme is on our students’ most crucial, formative years in primary school,” Smith-Lewis noted. “The support that this will provide to our teachers is also welcomed because it enables the best and the brightest minds to sharpen their skills and share best practices with like-minded professionals in education.”

Dr. Nicola Virgill-Rolle, Executive Director of Lyford Cay Foundations believes that great things are on the horizon for LEAP.

“Lyford Cay Foundations is dedicated to providing resources that curb learning loss and bolster educational success for students who need it the most,” said Dr. Virgill-Rolle. “In the west, LEAP students are seeing significant improvements with increases ranging from 50% to over 100% in literacy and numeracy test scores.”

“With this new partnership with E.P. Roberts Primary and St. Andrew’s International School, we expect to see students meeting in the east make the same great strides toward academic success,” she continued. “Our goal is to continue to expand throughout the island for those who can benefit from LEAP the most.”