Middle school and
junior high school are levels of schooling between
elementary and
high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not usually interchangeable. In
China,
Taiwan,
Hong Kong,, and
Vietnam, the term
middle school is used as a synonym for
secondary school.
Africa
Algeria
In
Algeria, a middle school includes grades 6 through 9, consisting of students from ages 11 to 14.
Egypt
In
Egypt, middle school precedes high school. It is called the preparatory stage and consists of three phases: first preparatory in which students study more subjects than primary with different branches. In second preparatory students study Science, Geography, the History of Egypt starting with Pharonic history, passing by the Coptic, Islamic and finally the modern history, Also they study three different languages, Arabic is obligatory; two others are chosen as first and second languages: English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. They study also Mathematics. Middle School (Preparatory Stage) lasts for three years.
Students are given an overview about future fields of studies.
Tunisia and Morocco
In
Tunisia, a middle school includes grades 7 through 9, consisting of students from ages 12 to 15.
Asia
Afghanistan
In
Afghanistan, education often does not last until middle school. When the
Taliban ruled most parts of the country between 1996 and 2001, girls were not allowed to attend school. Since 2001, both boys and girls are allowed to attend school by the government, where it has control.
People's Republic of China
In the People's Republic of China, middle school has two stages, junior stage (grades 7-9) and senior stage (grades 10-12). The junior stage education is the last 3 years of 9-year-compulsory education for all young citizens; while the senior stage education is optional but considered as a critical preparation for college education. Some middle schools have both stages while some have either of them. In English, a number of schools with senior stage education are translated as "High School"; but in Chinese they are all named as "Middle School".
The admissions for most students to enroll in senior middle schools from junior stage are on the basis of the scores that they get in "Senior Middle School Entrance Exam", which are held by local governments. Other students may avoid the exam, based on their distinctive talents, like athleice, or excellent daily performance in junior stage.
Iran
In
Iran, middle school is considered as a 3 years period, grades 6, 7 and 8. It is called guidance school (راهنمایی: Persian). This term mainly refers to the fact that students get enough information in this period and then can choose what to focus in high school: math, natural science, social science, etc.
Lebanon
In
Lebanon, middle school consists of grades 7, 8, and 9. At the end of 9th grade, the student is given the
National diploma examination.
India
CBSE (
Central Board of Secondary Education) classifies Middle School as Class 5 to Class 8 (typically ages 10–13). At the end of Class 8, students sit for a Board Exam.
There are other Central Boards such as ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education).
Each state has its own State Board. Each has its own standards, which might be different from the Central Boards.
In some institutions, providing education for 5th to 10th are known as secondary school.
South Korea
In the
Republic of Korea, a middle school is called
joong-hakyo (중학교, 中學校, also literally meaning "middle school") which includes grades 7 through 9 (approx age 13-15).
Indonesia
In Indonesia, middle school includes grade 7 through 9.
Although compulsory education ends at junior high, most pursue higher education. There are around 22,000 middle schools in Indonesia with a balanced ownership between public and private sector.
Israel
In
Israel, middle school consists of grades 7, 8 and 9. Several cities have no middle school. There, elementary schools consist of grades 1-8.
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Junior high schools (Three years from 7th to 9th grade) in the Republic of China (Taiwan) were originally called "primary middle school". However, in August 1968, they were renamed "citizen middle school" when they became free of charge and compulsory. Private middle school nowadays are still called "primary middle school". Taiwanese students older than twelve normally attend junior high school. Accompanied with the switch from junior high to middle school was the cancellation of entrance examination needed to enter middle school.
Malaysia
In
Malaysia, pre-schools (
Kindergarten) are meant for children from 5–6 years old. 7–12 year old kids attend
Primary School/
Elementary School from Standard 1 to Standard 6. There are three types of schooling depending on the child's spoken language:
Malay,
Mandarin, and
Tamil. 13–17 year old students study in
secondary school/
high school. These schools are numbered from Form 1 to Form 5. There is also an optional Form 6 (Pre-university or A level equivalent). This is divided into Lower Form 6 and Upper Form 6. Students may choose to study other equivalent courses instead of taking Form 6 classes.
Form 1 to 3 students are called lower secondary students and Form 4 to 6 are called upper secondary students.
There are three major exams: 1) Standard 6. 5 Subjects, 2) Form 3. 7 subjects for non-Muslim students and 8 subjects for Muslim students, and 3) Form 5. O level equivalent -subjects varying, according to the elective and extra subjects chosen by the students.
Australia/Oceania
Australia
Most regions of
Australia do not have middle schools, as students go directly from
primary school to
secondary school.
In 1996 and 1997, a national conference met to develop what became known as the National Middle Schooling Project, which aimed to develop a common Australian view of
early adolescent needs
guiding principles for educators
appropriate strategies to foster positive adolescent learning.
The first middle school established in Australia was
The Armidale School, in Armidale (approximately 570 km north of
Sydney, 470 km south of
Brisbane and approximately 170 km inland from the coast). Schools have since followed this trend, such as
The King's School.
, the Northern Territory has introduced a three tier system featuring Middle Schools for years 7–9 (approx ages 12–15) and high school year 10–12. (approx ages 15–18)
Many schools across Queensland have introduced a Middle School tier within their schools. The middle schools cover the grades/years 5 to 8.
On the Gold Coast, Upper Coomera State College (Prep-12) has three sub-schools; Junior School (Prep-6), Middle School (7–9) and Senior School (10–12).
Currently in Brisbane, Queensland, students do not go to middle school. Primary School covers preschool to year 7 (ages 5–12), and high school covers years 8 to 12 (ages 13–17.)
New Zealand
In
New Zealand intermediate schools cover years 7 to 8 (formerly known as Forms 1 to 2, with children aged 11–13). Most primary schools however, do teach year 7 and 8 with students continuing to high school at year 9/Form 3. These primary schools may have a relationship with a nearby intermediate school to teach manual training classes, such as woodwork.
Intermediate schools are rarely found outside of the major populated cities and towns of New Zealand, with the more isolated rural townships often having an Area School with classes from New Entrants to Form 7, Years 1 to 13.
Europe
Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia
In the countries of former
Yugoslavia, srednja škola/šola (literally translated as Middle School) refers to age between 14 and half – 15 and 18, and lasts 2–4 years since elementary school (which lasts 8 or 9 years).
The final four years of elementary school are actually what would be called junior high school in USA. Students have up to 12–13 different subjects in each school year (most of them only two 45-minute class periods per week). For example, 8th grade students do not have one subject called Science but three separate subjects called Chemistry, Physics and Biology.
France
In France, the equivalent period to middle school is
collège, which lasts four years from the
Sixième (
sixth, the equivalent of the Canadian and American
Grade 6) to the
Troisième (
third, the equivalent of the Canadian and American
Grade 9), accommodating pupils aged between 11 and 15. Upon completion of the latter, students are awarded a
Brevet des collèges if they obtain a certain amount of points on a series of tests in various subjects (French, history / geography, mathematics) and oral examinations (history of arts). They can then enter high school (called
lycée), which lasts three years from the
Seconde to the
Terminale until the
baccalauréat, and during which they can choose a general or a professional field of study.
(check the french ministry of education website)
Germany
While a school may be called "middle school" it is not a Middle School in the sense of the article but simply a
secondary school of a certain type. Depending on
Bundesland, Middle School may be comparable to either a
Realschule or a
Hauptschule or a combination of both. The middle school in the English language sense has an approximate analog in the
Orientierungsstufen which exist in some German states.
Gibraltar
There are four middle schools in Gibraltar, following the English model of middle-deemed-primary schools accommodating pupils aged between 8 and 12 (National Curriculum Years 4 to 7). The schools were opened in 1972 when the government introduced comprehensive education in the country.
Poland
Middle school in
Poland, called
gimnazjum, was first introduced in
1932. The education was intended for pupils of at least 12 years of age and lasted 4 years. Middle schools were part of the educational system until the reform of
1948, except during
World War II (1939–1945).
The middle schools were reinstated in Poland in 1999 now lasting 3 years after 6 years of primary school. Pupils entering gimnazjum are usually 13 years old. Middle school is compulsory for all students, and it is also the final stage of mandatory education. In the final year students take a standardized test to evaluate their academic skills. Higher scorers in the test are allowed first pick of school if they want to continue their education, which is encouraged.
Romania
Middle school in Romania, or
gymnasium, includes grades 5 to 8. At the end of the eighth grade students take an exam that counts for 50% of the average needed to enroll in high school.
United Kingdom
In the
United Kingdom, some
English Local Education Authorities introduced Middle Schools in the 1960s and 1970s. The notion of Middle Schools was mooted by the
Plowden Report of 1967 which proposed a change to a
three-tier model including
First schools for children aged between 5 and 8, Middle Schools for 8–12 year-olds, and then Upper or High Schools for 12–16 year-olds. Some authorities introduced Middle Schools for ideological reasons, in line with the report, while others did so for more pragmatic reasons relating to the
raising of the school leaving age in compulsory education to 16, or to introduce a
comprehensive system.
Different authorities introduced different age-range schools, although in the main, three models were used:
5–8 First Schools, followed by 8–12 Middle Schools, as suggested by Plowden
5–9 First Schools, followed by 9–13 Middle Schools
5–10 First Schools followed by 10–13 Middle Schools, or Intermediate Schools
In many areas Primary School rather than First School was used to denote the first tier.
In addition, some schools were provided as combined schools catering for pupils in the 5–12 age range as a combined first and middle school.
Around 2000 middle and combined schools were in place in the early 1980s. However, that number began to fall in the later 1980s with the introduction of the National Curriculum. The new curriculum's splits in Key Stages at age 11 encouraged the majority of Local Education Authorities to return to a two-tier system of Primary (sometimes split into Infant schools and Junior schools) and Secondary schools. There are now fewer than 250 middle schools still operational in the United Kingdom, meaning that approximately 85% of middle schools have closed since 1980.
Under current legislation, all middle schools must be deemed either primary or secondary. Thus, schools which accept pupils up to age 12 are titled middle-deemed-primary, while those accepting pupils aged 13 or over are titled middle-deemed-secondary. For statistical purposes, such schools are often included under primary and secondary categories "as deemed". Notably, most schools also follow teaching patterns in line with their deemed status, with most deemed-primary schools offering a primary-style curriculum taught by one class teacher, and most deemed-secondary schools adopting a more specialist-centred approach.
Some Middle Schools still exist in various areas of England. They are supported by the National Middle Schools' Forum. A list of middle schools in England is available.
In Scotland a similar system was trialled in Grangemouth middle schools, Falkirk between 1975 and 1987. The label of junior high school is used for some through schools in Orkney and Shetland which cater for pupils from 5 up to the age of 14, at which point they transfer to a nearby secondary school.
In the Craigavon area of Northern Ireland, the Dickson Plan operates, whereby pupils attend a primary school from ages 4-10, a junior high school from 11-14, and a senior high school or grammar school from 14-19. This is not dissimilar to the middle school system.
== North America==
Canada and the United States
As noted above, the first junior high school was established in 1909. Advocated by groups such as the
National Middle School Association, the "middle school" concept (grades 6-8) is a relatively new model for the mid-level grades, contrasted with the more traditional "junior high school" concept (grades 7-9).
Conceptual distinctions
Junior high schools were created for the purpose of "bridging the gap between the elementary and the high school," a concept credited to
Charles W. Eliot, president of
Harvard University. The
faculty is organized into
academic departments that operate more or less independently of one another. The middle school movement in the United States saw this model as inadequately addressing the intended purpose of transition by maintaining an emphasis on the high school model, as reflected in the "junior high" designation.
The middle school concept often involves a group of two to eight teachers, depending on the school, from different disciplines working as a team with the same group of students of the same grade level, with each teacher teaching a different subject. This format facilitates interdisciplinary units, where part or all of the entire team teaches on the same general topic from the perspective of different disciplines. The middle school philosophy also advocates assigning students in each team to a homeroom. By having homeroom daily for various discussions and activities, middle schools try to foster a sense of belonging in students to ease social and emotional difficulties during adolescence.
Middle school in North America carries with it associations of personal and emotional difficulty. Physical and hormonal changes that accompany adolescence are exacerbated by newfound self-consciousness, social pressures, and the desire for conformity and identity.
Configurations
Middle school is often used instead of junior
high school when demographic factors increase the number of younger students. Whereas junior highs tend to only include grades 7 and 8, middle schools are usually grades 6, 7, and 8 (i.e. around ages 11–14), varying from area to area and also according to population vs. building capacity. Other common models includes grades 5–8, and grades 7-9. Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island junior high schools (the term "middle school" is not commonly used) include only grades 7 to 9, with the first year of high school traditionally being grade 10.
The middle school format has now replaced the junior high format by a ratio of about ten to one in the United States, but at least two school districts had integrated both systems in 2010.
Mexico
In
Mexico, the middle school system is called
Secundaria and usually comprises three years, grades 7–9 (ages: 7: 12-13, 8: 13-14, 9: 14-15). It is completed after
Primaria (Elementary School, up to grade 6: ages 11–12.) and before
Preparatoria/Bachillerato (High School, grades 10–12).
==South America==
Brazil
in
Brazil, it is a mandatory stage called "Ensino Fundamental II" ("Basic Cycle" or "First Cycle") consisting of about three-four years ("anos", ages 11–12, 12–13,(7o. ano/7th grade) 13-14 and 14-15)
Uruguay
in
Uruguay, the public middle school system is called "Liceo", while the private system is called "Colegio". It consists of two stages, one mandatory called "Ciclo Basico" or "Primer Ciclo" ("Basic Cycle" or "First Cycle") consisting of three years ("años", ages 12–13, 13-14 and 14-15), and one optional called "Bachillerato" or "Segundo Ciclo" ("Second Cycle", ages 15–16, 16-17 and 17-18). The Second Cycle is divided into 4 options in the 5th grade: "Humanístico" ("Human Sciences"), "Biológico" ("Biologial"), "Científico" ("Scientific") and "Artístico" ("Arts").
Venezuela
In
Venezuela, public middle schools are called "Liceo" and private schools are called "Colegio". The school system includes a preparatory year before first grade, so nominal grade levels are offset when compared to other countries. Middle schools are from 7th grade (equivalent to 8th grade US) to 11th grade, which is equivalent to 12th grade. Graduates are eligible for college.
Professional organizations
The National Middle School Association (NMSA) was founded in 1973. It now claims over 30,000 members representing principals, teachers, central office personnel, professors, college students, parents, community leaders, and educational consultants across the United States, Canada, and 46 other countries.
An equivalent organisation operates in the UK under the name of The National Middle Schools' Forum.
See also
QuickSmart
References
Further reading
Arnold, J. "Needed: A Realistic Perspective of the Early Adolescent Learner." CLEARINGHOUSE 54:4 (1980).
Atwell, Nancie. "In the Middle: New Understanding About Writing, Reading, and Learning." Boynton/Cook Pub (1987).
Beane, J. "Dance to the Music of Time: The Future of Middle Level Education." THE EARLY ADOLESCENT MAGAZINE 2 (September 1987):18–26.
Beane, J. A MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM: FROM RHETORIC TO REALITY. Columbus, Ohio: National Middle School Association, 1990a.
Beane, J. AFFECT IN THE CURRICULUM: TOWARD DEMOCRACY, DIGNITY, AND DIVERSITY. New York: Teachers College Press, 1990b.
Cross Keys Middle School. A PLACE OF OUR OWN. Florissant, Missouri: Florissant Public Schools, 1990.
Jennings, W., and Nathan, J. "Startling/Disturbing Research on School Program Effectiveness." PHI DELTA KAPPAN 59 (1977): 568–572.
Fenwick, J. (Primary Author) Taking Center Stage: A Commitment to Standards-Based Education for California's Middle Grades Students. Sacramento: California Department of Education, 2001
"Why Middle Level Schools Are KEY to Young Adolescent Success" Westerville, OH: NMSA, 2003.
External links
Model Programs for Middle School Teacher Preparation
The Transition to Middle School
Integrating Literature into Middle School Reading Classrooms
Middle School Education—The Critical Link in Dropout Prevention
Integrated Curriculum in the Middle School
Canada: Provincial Systems of Education
National Middle School Association
Collegiate Middle Level Association A pre-professional organization for students preparing to teach middle school.
National Middle Schools' Forum (UK)
UK Middle Schools
Parents Against Change – large collection of research pro-Middle Schooling
Taking the Middle Out of Middle School
Australian Middle School Program
Category:Educational stages
Category:Pedagogy
Category:High schools and secondary schools
Category:School terminology
Category:School types
Category:Youth
Category:Elementary and primary schools
ar:تعليم إعدادي
ca:Escola d'estiu
de:Mittelschule
fa:راهنمایی
ko:중학교
id:Sekolah Menengah Pertama
is:Gagnfræðaskóli
it:Scuola secondaria di primo grado
he:חטיבת ביניים בישראל
nl:Middenschool
ja:中学校
pl:Gimnazjum
pt:Ensino médio
simple:Middle school
sv:Mellanskola
vi:Trung học cơ sở
zh:初级中学
