Pinelands Creative Workshop launches programme to ease 11-Plus anxiety

The Pinelands Creative Workshop has launched an innovative initiative, Finding Your Balance, to help students transition from primary to secondary school while addressing academic gaps and rising exam anxiety.

Supported by the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, the programme targets vulnerable students preparing for the 11-Plus examination who may be falling behind academically or overwhelmed by the impending shift to secondary school.

Chief Executive Officer of the Pinelands Creative Workshop, Sophia Greaves, said many students face significant hurdles as exam season approaches.

“We were seeing a trend where a number of our students… were operating basically at a very early stage, like Class 1, and having significant challenges,” Graves explained on Saturday. “Along with that, we saw anxiety issues that normally come as we move towards exam mode.”

The programme uses creative arts, including drama, sound, and movement, to give students tools to navigate bullying, conflict, and a more demanding school environment.

Importantly, the initiative acts as a financial lifeline for families unable to afford private tutoring. It features a  programme that supports students from first form through to their CXC examinations.

“The primary reality is that secondary school is not as supportive as primary school,” Greaves said. “Classes are 30 children; there’s no way a teacher can get over concepts with 30 children of different abilities at the same time. We are trying to be complementary to what is offered in schools.”

The workshop also engages parents through its Parenting with a Purpose seminars, ensuring families receive holistic social and emotional support during the critical transition.