Secondary school (the term "high school" is most often associated with English-speaking countries, though the two are far from synonymous) is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place. It follows elementary or primary education, and may be followed by university (tertiary) education.

There are many different types of secondary school, and the terminology used varies around the world. Children usually transfer to secondary school between the ages of 10 and 16 years, and finish between the ages of 16 and 19 years, though there is considerable variation from country to country.

The following descriptions and definitions pertain to state-funded education unless otherwise stated.

Countries[link]

Australia[link]

In Australia secondary school is called high school, from Year 7 to Year 12 in every state but Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia, where high school is started in Year 8.^[1] In Tasmania, high school consitutes Years 7 to 10 with college (senior secondary) consiting of Year 11 and 12.

Canada[link]

In Canada, secondary schools (also known as high schools) are educational institutions usually consisting of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve (ages fourteen to eighteen), although variations and subdivisions of this structure are fairly common. In Quebec, school years are known as Secondary 1 through to Secondary 5 (grades 7–11).

England and Wales[link]

In England and Wales secondary school is for children from the ages of 11 to 18.^[2] Secondary school incorporates Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 of the National Curriculum (Year Seven to Year Eleven) and can also include sixth form. After 16 compulsory education ends, and young people can decide whether to continue their studies further at school or sixth form college, or leave the education system.

Curriculum

The "Core Curriculum" is the compulsory secondary curriculum for Key Stage 3 and 4 years/Forms 7-11/1-5.

• English
• Mathematics
• Science (This may be taught at 3 separate sciences: Biology, Chemistry and Physics)
• Modern Foreign Language is now compulsory for Key Stage 3 children. Usually, the language learnt is either French, German, or Spanish.

In some schools it may be compulsory to take a GCSE in ICT.

GCSEs must be taken in all of these subjects.

Also compulsory until year 11/ Form 5 are:

• Citizenship
• Personal Social Health Education (P.S.H.E)
• Religious Studies (R.S.) or Religious Education (R.E.)
• Physical Education (P.E.)
• Sex Education (S.E.) (Compulsory for Year 7 but optional for years 8-11. No GCSE available. This is usually taught compulsory to year 9 in areas of high teenage pregnancy). This may be taught as part of P.S.H.E. and Biology

A GCSE does not have to be sat in these subjects but a full or short course GCSE may be sat if the student wishes. In some schools (Mainly Independent schools or High achieving selective state secondaries) these subjects are compulsory to do the GCSE exam in.

'Key Stage 3' Year 7-9/ Form 1-3 Curriculum

The "Core Curriculum" plus the other Key Foundation subjects

• Art and Design
• Design and Technology
• Drama
• Geography
• History
• Other MFLs (Spanish, Polish, Welsh (the school will decide, if at all))
• Music

Hong Kong[link]

In Hong Kong the government provides a tweleve-year compulsory education to students in the territory. Students are promoted to secondary schools after finishing their primary school education. Until the 2008-2009 school year secondary schools had seven grades (Form/Secondary 1-7), but starting from school year 2009–2010 the 3–3–4 scheme is in operation; Form 4–6 has become Senior Secondary 1–3, Form 7 has been eliminated, and universities provide four years of education instead of three.

India[link]

In India high school is a grade of education from Standards IX to XII. Standards XI and XII are also called Secondary School or Junior College. Usually students from ages 14 to 17 study in this section. These schools may be affiliated to national boards (like CBSE, ISE, and NIOS) or various state boards. Education is compulsory until age 14. Although most are stand-alone day schools, some popular schools are residential. Traditional second stage in formal education, typically beginning at ages 14 – 16 and ending at 16 – 18.^[3]

The distinction between elementary and secondary education has gradually become less marked because of the proliferation of middle schools, junior high schools, and other divisions.

Ireland[link]

In Ireland secondary schools go from first year to sixth year, with the typical student age being between 12 and 19. It is split into two cycles, the Junior Cycle a three year course with the Junior Certificate taking place at the end of third year and the Senior Cycle a two to three year course with the Leaving Certificate taking place at the end of the sixth year. Fourth year also known as Transition Year is optional however is included as part of the senior cycle, the majority of secondary schools no longer allow their students to skip this year. Subjects vary slightly between the two certificates however English, Irish and Maths are mandatory in both (with the exception of Irish in certain situations) these three subjects are offered at Higher, Ordinary and Lower Level. Other subjects are only offered at Higher or Ordinary Level with the exception of Junior Certificate subject Civic, Social and Political Education which is Common Level. Education is mandatory up until the age of 16 or until the Junior Certificate has been sat. The majority of secondary schools also require students to wear school uniforms and in some cases a Physical-Education uniform as well.

Italy[link]

In Italy education is organized in 3 levels:

• scuola elementare or elementary school (age 6 to 10)
• scuola media or middle school (age 11 to 13)
• scuola superiore o secondaria or high or secondary school (age 14 to 19).

New Zealand[link]

In New Zealand secondary school is often called college, from Year 9 to Year 13 (formerly known as Forms 3 to 7, with children aged 13–18).

Saudi Arabia[link]

In Saudi Arabia, secondary school includes grade 10 through 12.

Scotland[link]

Scotland has a long history of universal provision of public education, and the Scottish education system is distinctly different from the other countries of the United Kingdom. The Scotland Act 1998 gives Scottish Parliament legislative control over all education matters, and the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 is the principal legislation governing education in Scotland.

Traditionally, the Scottish system at secondary school level has emphasized breadth across a range of subjects, while the English, Welsh and Northern Irish systems have emphasised greater depth of education over a smaller range of subjects. In Scotland secondary school is for children from the ages of 11 to 18, compulsory up to the age of 16.

The majority of state schools are non-denominational, but as a result of the Education Act 1918, separate denominational state schools were also established. The vast majority of denominational state schools are Roman Catholic but there are also a number of Scottish Episcopal schools. The school buildings are built and maintained by the Roman Catholic Church were handed over to the state under the Education Act. Since then,the Catholic schools are fully funded by the Scottish Government and administered by the Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate. As part of the deal, there are specific legal provisions to ensure the promotion of a Catholic ethos in such schools: applicants for positions in the areas of Religious Education, Guidance or Senior Management must be approved by the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, which also appoints a chaplain to each of its schools.

Qualifications at the secondary school and post-secondary (further education) level are provided by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, which is the national awarding and accrediting body in Scotland, and delivered through various schools, colleges and other centres. Political responsibility for education at all levels is vested in the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Education and Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Departments.

United States[link]

In the United States the term can refer to two types of school. The first type is the same as a high school (grades 9–12), while the second type refers to an alternative school which is sometimes called a secondary school. For example, the school "Richmond Secondary" refers to the traditional high school, while "Richmond Secondary School" refers to an alternative school.^{[clarification needed][citation needed]} In some jurisdictions "secondary school" may refer to an institution that houses grades 7–12, or both middle school and high school years, for example "Robinson Secondary School" in Fairfax, Virginia.

Nomenclature[link]

The names used to describe the institutions used for secondary education vary from country to country. Sometimes, the same terminology is used in different countries but with very different meanings.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Academy (both private and state schools in Scotland, with no special status)
• Bachillerato (in Venezuela, Colombia, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Spain)
• Beit-sefer ticon (in Israel)
• Catholic Secondary School
• City academy
• City technology college
• Coláiste (in Ireland)
• Collège (in France)
• College
• College preparatory school
• Collegiate
• Collegiate institute
• Community college
• Community school
• Comprehensive school
• Comprehensive high school
• École d'enseignement secondaire (in Canada)
• École secondaire
• Enseñanza Media (in Chile)
• Ensino Médio (in Brazil)
• Escola secundária (in Portugal)
• Escuela secundaria (in Argentina)
• Framhaldsskóli (in Iceland)
• Framhaldsdeild (in The Faroe Islands)
• Grammar school
• Gymnasium (actually upper secondary school)
• Gymnasium (in Sweden)
• Gesamtschule (in Germany)
• Gymnasium (in Austria)
• Gymnasium (in The Czech Republic)
• High school
• Istituto tecnico (in Italy)
• Independent school
• Junior High School
• 중학교,고등학교 (in South Korea)
• 高等学校（こうとうがっこう）often shortened to 高校（こうこう）(in Japan)
• Liceo (in Italy, Venezuela and Chile)
• Lise (in Turkey)
• Lycée (in France)
• Liceu (in Romania and Republic of Moldova)
• Liceum (3-year secondary school focused in general education and preparation for a university in Poland)
• Lukio (in Finland)
• Lyceum
• มัธยมศึกษา(Matthayomsuksa) (in Thailand)
• Meánscoil (in Ireland (Irish), in English the term "secondary school" is most common)
• Menntaskóli (in Iceland)
• Middelbare school (in the Netherlands)
• Middle school
• Polyvalente (in Quebec)
• Preparatoria (in Mexico)
• Private school
• Public school (government funded) – see also public school (disambiguation)
• Realschule
• Scuola Media Superiore (in Italy)
• Secondary college
• Secondary modern school
• Secondary school in the Soviet Union
• Secondary technical school
• Secundair onderwijs (in Belgium)
• Secundaria (in Peru)
• Segundo Grau (in Brazil)
• Sekolah Menengah (in Malaysia)
• Sekolah Menengah Atas (in Indonesia)
• Sixth form college (in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and Malta)
• Střední škola (in The Czech Republic)
• Stredná škola (in Slovakia)
• Srednja šola (in Slovenia)
• Szkoła średnia (a general name for Liceum and Technikum in Poland)
• Technical High School (in Jamaica)
• Technikum (4-year secondary school of a more vocational and usually more technical type in Poland)
• Upper school
• Ungdomsskole in Norway, Normally attended at the ages of 13-16. Word meaning "youth school".
• Videregående skole (in Norway)
• Vidusskola (in Latvia)
• Vocational school
• Voluntary secondary school
• Voortgezet onderwijs or Middelbaar onderwijs(in the Netherlands)

See also[link]

• List of schools by country

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: High schools and secondary schools

Tommy Tiernan (born 16 June 1969) is an Irish comedian, actor and writer. He and Hector Ó hEochagáin presented The Tommy and Hector Show on i102-104FM. Tiernan also featured in Father Ted as a depressed priest.

Early life[link]

Tiernan was born in Carndonagh, County Donegal.^[1] His father is a native of County Kerry while his mother is from County Limerick. He moved, with his family, from County Cork as a child. After spells living in Zambia and London, he attended the same school as Irish television presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin and Dylan Moran, in St. Patrick's Classical School, Navan, Co Meath, a former Roman Catholic junior seminary.^[2][3] He later attended a boarding school, Garbally College, in Ballinasloe, County Galway.^{[citation needed]}

Appearances[link]

Tiernan has appeared several times on The Late Late Show. In the United States he has appeared several times on the Late Show with David Letterman.^[4] Recently^[when?] he appeared on the Michael McIntyre Comedy Roadshow, Lee Mack Show, DAVE's One NIght Stand and joined comedic legends Eddie Izzard and Ross Noble at Laughs in the Park.

Former World Record Holder[link]

In 2009, Tiernan set the Guinness World Record for the longest stand-up comedy show by an individual achieving 36 hours and 15 minutes at Nuns Island in Galway (12 April 2009).^[5] Later in 2009 that record was broken by Australian Comedian Lindsay Webb. However, the new record now stands at 40 hours, and was set on 23 September 2010 by the American Comedian Bob Marley.

TV career[link]

In "Going to America", the final episode of the clerical sitcom Father Ted, Tiernan plays a young priest whose suicide attempt is foiled by Ted at "It's Great Being a Priest '98". He is later cured of depression by the "Theme From Shaft", but subsequently relapses after overhearing the Radiohead song "Exit Music (For a Film)".

In the 1999 Channel4 sitcom, Small Potatoes, Tiernan took the lead role of Ed Blewitt, an underachiever who works in an east London video rental shop. It ran for 13 episodes over 2 seasons, ending in 2001.^[6]

Radio career[link]

In 2008, Tommy and Hector Ó hEochagáin formed as a radio duo on The Tommy and Hector Show on i102-104FM after hinting at a desire to be on the radio, months before on The Late Late Show. Speaking about his role, Tommy said, “I’ve always wanted to have loads of craic on the radio. What better way to have a mountain of devilment than to do a show with my best friend.”^[7] Following the success of their show on iRadio Northwest, the show moved to the nationwide slot of Saturday 10am-12pm on 2FM.

Comedic style[link]

When he started out he had an ambition to be like Lenny Bruce.^[8] He doesn't regard himself as being, like Lenny Bruce, a comedian with a message.^[8] Tommy Tiernan admits that his sense of humour is controversial, but claims that it is based on instinct and denies there is any malice or meanness in it.^[8]

In 2007 some families of people with Down Syndrome complained about a routine about people with Down Syndrome in his act.^[9] It had caused some surprise to some of the families as Tiernan has run a marathon in support of Down Syndrome Ireland.^[9] The Chief Executive of Down Syndrome Ireland, John Lindsay, National Secretary, Ingrid Murphy, National Executive member Caroline Courtney and President of Down Syndrome Ireland Mary O'Reilly attended the Tommy Tiernan show Bovinity at Vicar Street and released the following statement: "We all agreed that the section of the show devoted to Down Syndrome was not offensive in any way to individuals with Down Syndrome, one of whom was in attendance, or to their parents/siblings/friends, many of whom were in the audience. If the sketch is viewed in its totality and pieces not taken out of context it can only be interpreted as hilarious."

An appearance on The Late Late Show in 2008 led to complaints about his jokes involving a methadone user, eastern European immigrant accents, buying a motorbike from an injured biker, and a film idea about gay Traveller spacemen seeking a cure for gayness, eight of which were upheld by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission. Previous routines which went largely without remark included a comic reference to disproportionate American reaction to 9/11 and a long comic repetition on the indifferent Israeli attitude to foreign criticism of Israeli occupations of surrounding land .^[10][11][12]

Controversy over Holocaust remarks[link]

In September 2009 Tommy responded to a question concerning antisemitism at a pre performance public question and answer session at the Electric Picnic by making remarks about the Holocaust and comments about Jews and the death of Christ while he was interviewed by Olaf Tyaransen,^[13] stating "These Jews, these fucking Jew cunts come up to me. Fucking Christ-killing bastards. Fucking six million? I would have got 10 or 12 million out of that. No fucking problem! Fuck them.".^[14] He was responding to an audience member who asked if he had ever been accused of antisemitism.^[15]

The response of the audience was criticised by Alan Shatter as "disappointing" and also said "I would regard it as particularly sad that people found that sort of outburst in any way amusing".^[15]

Tommy Tiernan released a statement that said he had not meant to cause offence and that his words had been taken out of context.^[16] He said that the comments were part of an attempt to explain his belief that comedians have a duty to be irresponsible and reckless, to allow "whatever lunacy is within you to come out" and that they should never be taken out of context.^[16] He added that the statements that had caused controversy had been preceded by a statement not to take the rant seriously.^[16]

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin also criticised the remarks, describing them as "offensive to the Jewish community", "offensive to all who feel revulsion concerning the Holocaust, one of the most horrific events in human history” and “I can only decry the comments as insensitive and hurtful to the suffering of the victims and to a memory which is sacred”.^[17]

Holocaust Education Trust Ireland condemned Tiernans' statements as "appalling".^[17] Ruairi Quinn, chairman of the Trust, said that "as someone in the public eye, he has to take responsibility for his racist comments. We are equally concerned about the report of the audience’s reaction, which appears to have endorsed, sustained and enjoyed his comments. We would hope that the Irish public will choose to stay away from such racist ‘entertainment’ in future”.^[17] The Trust also said it "utterly condemns Mr Tiernan’s anti-Semitic outburst and calls upon him to repudiate completely and apologise unreservedly for the comments about the Holocaust and the Jews he is reported to have made" and "This incident highlights the necessity and relevance of the role of Holocaust education in order to educate and inform people in Ireland about the Holocaust, intolerance and anti-Semitism.”^[17]

Louis Lentin said Tiernan should be denied a visa for his shows in the U.S. in October.^[18] Lentin said Tiernan's comments at the Electric Picnic festival in County Laois were "disgraceful", and “extraordinarily racist." "He doesn’t realise what he has said. He doesn’t realise the seriousness of it. You can’t make a joke about the Holocaust and just because you say it is a joke does not make it funny or acceptable".^[18]

Rabbi Robert Alper who is also a comedian said that Tommy Tiernans' statement on the subject was an attempt to weasel out of the situation.^[19] Rabbi Alper also said about Tiernans claim that comedians have a duty to be irresponsible: "To me that’s really stupid. I don’t think that comedians should be reckless or irresponsible. Comedians should be concerned about the feelings of other human beings. It’s hurtful. Comedians (in America) don’t do anti-semitic things. I’ve rarely heard of it. There are plenty of tasteless comedians out there but none of them pick on a group of people."^[19] He also did not consider Tiernans' statement to be an apology, suggesting that Tiernan should say "I'm sorry".^[19] The Editor of Hot Press magazine, Niall Stokes later said that "To interpret it as anti-Semitism, is wrongheaded in the extreme. The way I see it, he is satirising anti-Semitism, while making a more general point that we should all be able to laugh at ourselves."

Olaf Tyaransen wrote that neither he nor Tommy Tiernan had anticipated the subsequent response to unreserved comments made by the comedian during an afternoon interview hosted by Hot Press magazine at the Electric Picnic — an end-of-season arts & music festival.^[13] Tyaransen said the last question asked from the floor (by an audience member readily identifiable by a green 'Palestina' t-shirt) about a dogged charge of anti-Semitism led to the comments at issue, and part of Tiernan's response recounted criticism of his routine by a Jewish couple after a show in New York.^[13] Olaf Tyaransen claimed Tiernan's subsequent ideas — focusing on a "two-at-a-time" efficiency concerning the systematic murder of millions of Jews — had been taken out of context, though he personally held the comedian's monologue as 'very funny' and said as much on Marian Finucane's RTÉ Radio 1 show of 26 September 2009.

Personal life[link]

Tommy married Yvonne, his partner and manager, on 9 August 2009 in County Monaghan. Guests included Ardal O'Hanlon, Gay Byrne and Dylan Moran. He has four children from a previous relationship with Jayme Street with whom he shared a home in Galway. The two met when they joined a Christian community based on the Aran Islands, but broke up in October 2002.^[20] Tiernan is a supporter of Liverpool F.C..^[21]

Awards[link]

In 1996 Tiernan won the Channel 4 "So You Think You're Funny" award. Two years later he was awarded the Perrier Comedy Award at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and won the Best Stand-Up Award at the British Comedy Awards. In 2003 he won the Nokia Best of the Fest Award and the Orange People Choice Award at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival. In 2006 Tommy won Ireland's Funniest Living Person Award at the People of the Year Awards.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Controversial anti semitic comments
• Tommy Tiernan at the Internet Movie Database