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Original poster

People in UK saying "high school"

513 replies

Davros · 17/10/2018 11:36

I've noticed this term being used more and more. To me it's "Senior" or "Secondary" school. Schools with the old fashioned divisions have "Lower, Middle and Upper". Even if you follow the American usage it isn't the same as our Senior, i believe it is years 10, 11, 12 and 13. Why are people calling Senior school High school? I know, each to their own blah blah

OP posts:
CrochetBelle · 17/10/2018 21:45

@PinkCalluna

I love you. In a Scottish way, you bawbag.

It is so wearing. In the UK, people are expected to learn the nuances of England. It is expected on here that England and the way things are done, is the norm. Someone posts "My child is in YR", and we say "Okay, I'll quickly look that up". We say "My child just started S3 at high school" and get a bunch of "WTH are you even talking about? Speak English. I have no idea how that translates into the UK education system."

"What are you all doing on this beautiful sunny day?" - where you are.
"What time do your 4 year old's get up in the morning" - 8.30. "Oh but aren't they late for school? No, they don't have school.
"I can't afford to see a solicitor" "Oh, go get your 1/2 hour free" No, if that applied, I would have done it.
"I got legal aid for my divorce. It was very amicable." NO YOU LIAR THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS LEGAL AID UNLESS THERE'S DOMESTIC ABUSE. YOU ARE A TROLL.

It's relentless.

The world does not revolve around England. They are only one quarter of the United Kingdom.

TheSageofOnions · 17/10/2018 21:46

My school in the 70s was called a "High School".

TheSageofOnions · 17/10/2018 21:47

It was in South London BTW.

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General education Secondary education
StoorieHoose · 17/10/2018 21:48

If the op has put England in her title she would have got a completely different thread
Or indeed if the opening post read like she meant it to ie does high school mean a different thing or is it still a secondary

TheFreaksShallInheritTheEarth · 17/10/2018 21:50

Yes, most of us understood the question RiverTam

"And i understand that lots of posters are not able to grasp that point"

No, it's you that can't grasp that high school IS a type of school for many of us, a generic thing. "Your Callum's 13? He must be at high school now, then?" "I've got another year of high school before I go to uni"

A type of school. With small letters, not the name of a school.

PinkCalluna · 17/10/2018 22:15

Aww Crochet Blush

exposure, basically. You’re right Witch but as Crochet says why is the onus always on us to explain ourselves over and over and over? I’ve read all sorts of new things on MN about areas of England, Wales and NI that I haven’t previously been aware of, if a quick google doesn’t illuminate things I’ll ask politely.

I don’t automatically assume that differences in behaviour, language or customs mean those people are wrong, “mistaken” or are adopting a foreign countries traditions.

River as Freaks says a high school is indeed a “type of school”. We understood the question. I’m not quite clear if you or the OP understood our answers.

figelnarage · 17/10/2018 22:18

As PP have said secondary school's in Scotland often High school in their name. I went to academy though so we called it 'the academy' to differentiate from primary school and the high school in the next town.

EduCated · 17/10/2018 22:19

I get the question. I also agree that most (but not all) High Schools are a type of school known as a secondary school.

However OP’s actual question was: Why are people calling Senior school High school?

If we’re saying high school is wrong, then so is senior school. However I think it’s pretty clear that any sensible person recognises that the terms are used interchangeably in parts of the U.K., to the extent that schools themselves (even some set up post-1944 with the move to the tertiary system) call themselves high schools.

SpikedTea · 17/10/2018 22:20

Always been High School from yr6/7 depending on how old you are. Wink

BitOutOfPractice · 17/10/2018 22:23

Can be bothered to scroll (hey at least I'm honest!!) but has the op been back?

witchmountain · 17/10/2018 22:24

PinkCalluna oh I agree, I would also google and ask if necessary. So let’s amend that to exposure combined with narrow mindedness and/or arrogance Grin

EduCated · 17/10/2018 22:26

I’m in a county that runs both a two tier and a three tier system. Actually there’s two separate three tier systems, because one town moved up at Y8, another at Y9.

I’ve just looked at Ofsted, and it classes the middle school as a ‘middle deemed secondary’, so heck knows what that means!

witchmountain · 17/10/2018 22:27

BOOP, she has indeed, and she’s conceded with all the grace of Brian Aldridge - “if you all say so”.

Original poster
Davros · 17/10/2018 22:29

There's a lot of assumptions being made about my reason for asking a question to find out views of people from different areas, different ages, different experiences. If everyone has to Google before posing a question then what is the point of MN? I see it as a good way to find out the real experiences of people, not what the internet tells me.

OP posts:
PinkCalluna · 17/10/2018 22:33

Witch all the grace of Brian Aldridge Grin GrinGrinGrin

I think, to be fair to the OP, although she knew what she meant, that she has managed to word her posts pretty badly each time, unintentionally giving increasing offence.

PinkCalluna · 17/10/2018 22:35

Just as I was defending you OP...

There’s nothing wrong with asking.

Just do it politely and without starting from the basis that any usage different from yours is mistaken, incorrect or an American import.

sweetkitty · 17/10/2018 22:38

Haven’t read the full post but we’re in Scotland and both my DDs go to High Schools (different ones) a lot of secondary schools up here are high schools

AllViewsMyOwn · 17/10/2018 22:39

It's not 'each to their own'. I'm in the north east and went to high school. As in high school is in the school's name.

ChipsAreLife · 17/10/2018 22:40

I say high school but was born and grew up in another country. Even after being here for over 20 years I still don't realise some of things I say aren't British 😬

AllViewsMyOwn · 17/10/2018 22:40

It's not just Scotland that has high school!

sweetkitty · 17/10/2018 22:41

I went to placename Academy and DH went to Saints name Academy

TheFreaksShallInheritTheEarth · 17/10/2018 22:42

Exactly Pink OP didn't just if and why we used a certain phrase, there was an implied "you're getting it wrong" in the mix there, too!

C0untDucku1a · 17/10/2018 22:47

The school i attended in the north west of england 1990-1995 was Saint Anastasia’s RC High School. And still is. This isnt a new thing,

Er have had this thread before.

WickedGoodDoge · 17/10/2018 22:47

It wasn’t phrased in a curiosity way. It was phrased in a “undesirable new trend way” - possibly even a Americanism way. I think it’s understandable why it got people’s backs up.

WheelyCote · 17/10/2018 22:48

I might be a bit late to the party and not read all of thread but

Isn't it to do with a generational thing and American culture
I.e some people say laundry instead of washing. Spell check has us spelling words how America spells words.

I say seniors and high school is something that sounds very American. But maybe that's my age showing

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