Middle school

Middle school, also known as intermediate school, senior public school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. It is a time when students, usually aged 11 to 14, begin to explore more advanced subjects and develop new skills.

A middle school classroom in Myanmar in 2007

During middle school, students often encounter a wider variety of teachers and subjects than in primary school. This change helps them learn how to manage their time and responsibilities better. It is also a period when students start to form stronger friendships and learn important social skills.

Middle school serves as a bridge, preparing students for the more independent learning they will experience in secondary school. It is an exciting stage of growth, both academically and personally, as young people start to think more deeply about their interests and future goals.

Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, middle school includes grades 6, 7, and 8. Students in middle school are usually between the ages of 11 and 14.

Algeria

In Algeria, middle school has 4 grades: 6, 7, 8, and 9. Students in these grades are usually between 11 and 15 years old.

Argentina

Australia

In Australia, students usually move straight from primary school to secondary school without attending a separate middle school. Some secondary schools in Australia use the term "middle school" for certain grades, like years 5 to 8, or they may call years 7 to 9 "junior high school" and years 10 to 12 "senior high school."

In 1996 and 1997, leaders met to create a plan called the National Middle Schooling Project. This project focused on helping students during their early teen years, giving teachers good ideas, and finding the best ways to help students learn. The first middle school in Australia was The Armidale School. Later, more schools started using the middle school idea. The Northern Territory now uses a system where middle schools cover years 7 to 9, and high school covers years 10 to 12. In many schools across Queensland, middle schools include years 5 to 8.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, middle school is not divided into a separate stage like in some other countries. Schools usually include grades 1 through 10. Grades 1 to 5 are called primary school. Grades 6 to 10 are considered secondary school, with grades 6 to 8 sometimes thought of as middle school. After grade 10, students move on to grades 11 and 12, which are called higher secondary school or college.

Bolivia

Middle schools in Bolivia are no longer used since 1994. Students who are between 11 and 15 years old go to school during the last years of elementary education or the first years of secondary education.

Brazil

In Brazil, middle school is called "Ensino Fundamental II." It is a required part of school that comes before high school (Ensino Médio). It includes grades 6 to 9 for students aged 11 to 14.

Canada

Main article: Education in Canada

In Canada, different places use different names for schools between primary and secondary school, like "middle school," "senior public school," or "junior high school." Junior high schools often include grades 7, 8, and sometimes 9, while middle schools usually cover grades 6 to 8 or 7 to 8, which are around ages 11 to 14. The exact grades can vary depending on the area and the number of students.

Some provinces, such as Alberta, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island, have junior high schools for grades 7 to 9, with grade 10 being the first year of high school. In Ontario, you might find middle schools or senior public schools, especially in areas like Old Toronto, Scarborough, Mississauga, Brampton, and Kitchener-Waterloo. In other parts of Ontario, elementary schools may go all the way up to grade 8. In Quebec, students move directly from elementary to secondary school, where secondary school has five grades called Secondary I to Secondary V, covering grades 7 to 11.

Chile

China

In the People's Republic of China, primary school lasts for grades 1–6, and secondary school covers grades 7–12. Secondary school has two parts: junior high school (grades 7–9) and senior high school (grades 10–12). Junior high school is similar to middle school in America and is the last three years of the nine-year compulsory education that all Chinese children must have. Senior high school is optional but very important for preparing students for college.

Most students move from junior high to senior high school based on their scores on the "Senior High School Entrance Exam", which local governments organize. Some students can skip the exam if they have special skills, such as in sports, leadership, or very good coursework during junior high.

Colombia

Secondary education in Colombia is split into two parts: basic secondary (grades 6 to 9) and mid-secondary (grades 10 and 11). Students in basic secondary, which is similar to middle school, are usually between 11 or 12 and 15 or 16 years old.

Cuba

In Cuba, students attend a school stage called secundaria básica for grades seven through nine. This is similar to what other countries call middle school.

For more details, see Education in Cuba.

Cyprus

In Cyprus, middle school is called gymnasio or gymnasium. It is for students aged 12 to 15 and includes the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. After this, students go to lykeio or lyceum, which is for ages 16 to 18.

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, after finishing nine years of elementary school (which all children must attend), students can choose to go to high school or a special school called grammar school.

Some students can start high school early, either in Grade 5 or Grade 7 of elementary school. This means they spend fewer years in elementary school and more years in high school. For example, they might spend five years in elementary school and then eight years in high school. The first four years of this longer high school program are similar to what is called junior high school. Grammar schools focus on more advanced academic learning. Other types of high schools, like lyceums, only accept students who have completed Grade 9 of elementary school, except for special music schools called conservatories.

Ecuador

Egypt

In Egypt, middle school comes before high school and is called the preparatory stage. It has three phases. In the first phase, students learn more subjects than in primary school, including algebra and geometry instead of just "mathematics."

In the second phase, students study science, geography, and the history of Egypt, beginning with pharaonic history, followed by Coptic history, Islamic history, and ending with modern history. They also learn two languages: Arabic and English. The middle school stage in Egypt lasts for three years.

France

In France, middle school is called collège. It lasts four years, from the sixth grade to the ninth grade, for students aged 11 to 15. After finishing, students take tests and show skills to earn a diploma called brevet des collèges. Then, they move on to high school, or lycée, which lasts three more years and ends with another diploma called baccalauréat.

Georgia

In Georgia, middle school is for students aged 12 to 15, covering grades 6 through 9. All students earn a basic education certificate at the end of this period.

Greece

In Greece, middle school is called γυμνάσιο (gymnasio, 'gymnasium'). This school is for children aged 12 to 15 and includes the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades.

India

Indonesia

Iran

In Iran, middle school is called Guidance School. It is for children aged 12 to 15, covering the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades.

Iraq

In Iraq, middle school is often called intermediate school. It includes children aged 12 to 15, covering 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. After finishing 9th grade, students take a big test called the National Intermediate Baccalaureate Examination. If they pass, they can choose to go to either a general or vocational secondary school.

Israel

In most cities in Israel, middle school (called חטיבת ביניים in Hebrew) is for students aged 12 to 15, covering grades 7 to 9.

Italy

In Italy, middle school is called scuola secondaria di primo grado. It used to be known as lower middle school or Scuola Media Inferiore. Middle school lasts three years and students attend from age 11 to age 13. Since 2009, it has been officially named Scuola secondaria di primo grado after a change in the school system.

Jamaica

In Jamaica, middle school as a separate level of education does not exist. Students in grades 7 to 9 attend high school instead. Before that, children go to primary school for grades 1 through 6.

Japan

Kosovo

In Kosovo, "middle school" is for students aged between 14 and 18, lasting 3–4 years after elementary school, which lasts 8 or 9 years. The most well-known type of middle school in Kosovo is called a "Gymnasiums".

Kuwait

In Kuwait, middle school includes grades 6 through 9 for students aged 11 to 14.

Lebanon

In Lebanon, middle school or intermediate school includes grades 7, 8, and 9. After finishing 9th grade, students take the National diploma exam.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, middle school is called lower secondary school. It includes students who are 13 to 15 years old and are in Forms 1 to 3. These schools are often part of a larger secondary school that also includes upper secondary levels. At the end of lower secondary school, students take an exam called PT3 to help decide what they will study next in upper secondary school (Forms 4–5).

Mexico

New Zealand

Netherlands

Norway

Pakistan

Philippines

Since the K–12 education system started on April 24, 2012, middle school in the Philippines is called "Junior High School." It lasts for 4 years, covering Grades 7 to Grades 10, for students aged 12 to 16. This stage comes after 6 years of elementary school and before a 2-year "senior high school" program.

Before June 1, 2015, when the old school system ended, there were no special middle school programs. At that time, these years were just called "High School," from 1st Year to 4th Year.

Poland

Portugal

Romania

In Romania, middle school, called gymnasium (gimnaziu), includes grades 5 to 8. Students usually share the building with primary school students but are in different areas. In primary school, a few teachers cover most lessons, but in middle school, each subject has its own teacher, and students stay in one classroom while teachers change rooms.

At the end of eighth grade, usually around age 14 or 15, students take a written exam that is very important for moving on to high school or vocational school. Since 2020, all four years of upper secondary education, up to the twelfth grade, are required. The school year used to have two semesters but now has five learning modules with breaks in between.

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Serbia

Singapore

Somalia

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

In Sweden, middle school, called "mellanstadiet," is for students in grades 4 to 6, who are usually between the ages of 10 and 12.

Taiwan

In Taiwan, schools for students in grades 7 to 9 are called junior high schools. They used to be known as primary middle schools, but in August 1968, they were renamed to national middle schools. This change also made these schools free and required for all students. Private middle schools are still sometimes called primary middle schools. Most students in Taiwan start junior high school when they are older than twelve. With this change, students no longer needed to take an exam to enter junior high school.

Tunisia and Morocco

In Tunisia and Morocco, middle school includes grades 7 through 9 for students aged 12 to 15.

Turkey

United Kingdom

England and Wales

Main article: List of middle schools in England

In England and Wales, local education authorities started middle schools in the 1960s and 1970s. The idea came from the Plowden Report in 1967, which suggested a three-tier system. This would include first schools for children aged 5 to 8, middle schools for ages 8 to 12, and high schools for ages 12 to 16. Some areas created middle schools for this plan, while others did it because they were raising the school leaving age to 16 or wanting a comprehensive system.

Different areas used different age ranges for schools. The main models were:

5–8 first schools, followed by 8–12 middle schools
5–9 first schools, followed by 9–13 middle schools
5–10 first schools followed by 10–13 middle schools or intermediate schools

Around 2000 middle and combined schools existed in the early 1980s. But their numbers dropped later in the 1980s when the National Curriculum was introduced. The new curriculum split learning into Key Stages at age 11, so most areas went back to a two-tier system of Primary and Secondary schools. Today, there are fewer than 150 middle schools left in the United Kingdom. Most middle schools have closed or changed to primary schools since 1980. The system of 8–12 middle schools is no longer used.

Scotland

In Scotland, a similar system to England's was tried in Grangemouth middle schools, Falkirk between 1975 and 1987. Some schools in Orkney and Shetland are called junior high schools. They take students from age 5 to 14, after which they move to a secondary school.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council area in County Armagh, the Dickson Plan is used. Children go to primary school from ages 4 to 10, then a junior high school from 11 to 14, and finally a senior high school or grammar school from 14 to 19.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar has four middle schools. They follow the English model for middle-deemed-primary schools and take students aged 9 to 12. These schools opened in 1972 when the government started comprehensive education there.

United States

Main article: Secondary education in the United States

Indianola Junior High School in Columbus, Ohio, the first middle school in the United States

In the United States, middle schools are schools for students aged 11 to 14, usually covering grades six to eight, with some including grade five. Junior high schools are for students aged 12 to 15 and cover grades seven to nine. However, some junior high schools and middle schools focus only on grades seven and eight.

The idea of junior high schools started in 1909 in Columbus, Ohio. These schools were created to help students move smoothly from elementary to high school. Over time, many new school districts built these schools, and the idea spread quickly.

By the mid-1960s, a new style of school called the middle school began to appear. Over time, middle schools became much more common than junior high schools. Today, middle schools usually have teachers organized into separate academic departments.

Uruguay

Venezuela

Vietnam

In Vietnam, secondary school or Junior High school includes grades 6 to 9. After finishing grade 9, students take a test that covers Mathematics, Literature, and English. Each test has a maximum score of 10, and the scores from Mathematics and Literature are counted double, making a total possible score of 50. Some extra points from vocational courses can also be added to the final score.

Some public schools use these test scores and student records to decide who can join. Many other schools, both public and private, have their own entrance exams for students to take. The school staff then look at these exam scores and student records to decide if a student meets their requirements.

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Explanatory notes

This section provides additional notes and clarifications about middle schools, helping readers understand the context and details better. It includes important points that explain terms or situations mentioned elsewhere in the article, ensuring everyone knows exactly what is being discussed.