Middle School caters for the students in the period of pre and early adolescence – those students in Stages 3, 4 and early Stage 5 of their education.
Challenging their learning environment and wanting more control over what and how they learn.
Middle school education has many advantages for students in early adolescence. It is particularly focused on facilitating the often difficult process of transition between Primary and Secondary school and between childhood and adolescence.
Students benefit from an environment that maintains the intimacy and sense of belonging characteristic of primary school. At the same time they should be offered the learning and growth opportunities, diversity and challenge which they keenly anticipate in a secondary school.
The continuum of learning from primary school to secondary school should remain uninterrupted, and students’ readiness for new challenges should be recognised and fostered through rich learning tasks. This is the time of curiosity, questioning and the development of new thinking skills.
The Middle School model provides opportunities for all of the above to occur. The secure environment that it provides for students allows them to explore and develop their potential to grow and learn.
In action, we see this through our curriculum and organisation decision making processes and a whole school commitment to the Middle School Philosophy.
Our integrated Biosciences, Technology and Careers electives, class team teachers and home rooms reflect this approach and results in a program that is challenging and student-centred in a supportive learning environment.