Middle schools - a good thing or not?

[DebInAustria]

Hi we're moving back to the UK soon after 5 years away. Ds1 will be Y6 and ds2 Y4. We are looking at 2 neighbouring counties, one offers middle schools and the other is a traditional 2 tier system. I haven't had any experience of middle schools as a parent or as a teacher and I wondered what the consensus of opinion was on here? I have heard such differing views and we want what's going to be best for the boys.Thanks

[IndigoBell]

Oooh. I'd def choose a middle school if I had a choice. Kids grow up so early here because they start primary and secondary school too young.

Once they start secondary school they 'turn into teenagers' - so if you can defer that a year or two you're giving them more time to be children.

[DebInAustria]

OK, that's 2 for middle school so far, thanks for your replies.

[MissAnneElk]

We have the three tier system here and I like it. By the time they move to upper school at 13 they are more able to cope with the size of the school and the influence of older teens. At middle school they get used to the idea of having different subject teachers and they are taught in more formal groups of similar ability pupils from year 5 which in my experience is a good thing.

[snowmash]

Depends on the type of middle school (in my opinion).

The yr5-yr7 type can be more like extended primary (not so good).

yr6-yr8 or yr5-yr8 tend to give more opportunity (e.g. starting languages earlier, and formal sports against other schools).

[MrsJohnDeere]

V. Unpopular near here, partly because the third and final schools are all very poor. We're fortunate enough to be 'over the border' in a county that just has the standard two tier system. Wouldn't even consider buying a house in the catchment area for the middle school system.

[mungo8]

I would prefer the middle school option we only have the two tier but given the choice I would opt for the middle school it is a system I did my schooling in. I still remember starting middle school at age 9-10 and thinking the children in year 4 looked huge.... I have no idea at age 11 how big the 18 year olds seem, how scary. My children are going to have to go from a village primary at age 11 to a secondary school of 1600 I would find that daunting as an adult.

[LittlePushka]

I went through the middle school system. Mine was:
Junior 7-11yrs

Junior High 11- 14 yrs

Senior High 14 -18


I think it was a great way to "graduate" up through school. I recall I got just the right level of expectation/responsibility at the right time. There is a big shift, I feel, in the school experience after the puberty age (for want of a better general phrase).. I think it benefited me personally not to be exposed to all the thrills and horrors that school life holds for teenagers too soon

I would love to school my boys through a middle school system but sadly not possible in PushkaLand