London schools that have “middle schools”

[Middluyyy]

I come from a place that does Middle School and I like the concept of it.

I’m searching around for a middle school for my DS who is in year 5, for when he enters year 7 (so for years 7,8,9) with an obvious “high school” to get to after it. So far I’ve found Belmont in North London.

Any other options?

Also would love to hear opinions of middle school in the UK generally!

Bump!

You've found Belmont because it's a private prep school that goes to 13. There are no state schools like that in London if that's what you want. Most prep schools now end at 11 as that's when most day senior schools are. The only people that use prep schools that go up to 13 are people who's kids move onto boarding schools that start at 13 or if the prep school has a senior school attached, like Belmont does. Most kids automatically just move up.

I went to Primary, Middle and Upper in East Anglia in the 80s / 90s.

However, middle schools are being phased out. See this from Wikipedia - you may wish to do your own research!

"The number of middle schools, including combined schools for children aged between 5 and 12, reached a peak of over 1400 by 1983.[2] In 2019 there were 107 middle schools remaining in England, operating in just 14 local authority areas."

I think the National Curriculum with Key Stages made a big difference as the KS2 SATs would have happened half way through middle school, so their impact on students' progression over the four years isn't formally measured.

Also, the first year in each new school is something of a settling-in period and adjustment as teachers bring pupils from multiple schools together and standardise the learning. The three-tier system means they go through that phase twice (primary to middle, middle to upper) rather than just once (primary to secondary) in the two-tier system so in a way the students get two 'wasted' years.

Ah - I didn't twig that the OP was talking about the private sector...

Bedfordshire does middle schools still. And some parts of Norfolk. But this doesn’t exist in London in the state sector. Many preps will go up to Y8, as most public schools have a 13+ entry in Y9.

Yes I was looking at private schools mostly!

Where I live, we have first, middle and high schools. I love the smaller step ups and that at primary level (yr5/6) they get subject specific teachers.

Not sure what you want to know tbh so just ask

I don’t think you will find a ‘middle school’ here in the UK for years 7-9. Closest thing (as others have mentioned) are prep schools that go through year 8. Year 7 isn’t a normal entry point for those schools, but there may be some movement as many pupils choose to move to senior schools at 11+. Also most prep schools won’t have associated senior schools, though Belmont (which you’ve mentioned) and Wetherby Prep both do I think.

Or you could look at the American School in London - they have both middle and high school.

Not London, and not private, but we have first (YR-Y5), middle (Y6-Y8) and high school in my little corner of Yorkshire. It's a wonderful system.

I have to disagree with the PP, it’s not the only reason people keep their children there until 13+. some children aren’t ready for senior school and do better with two further years in prep school.

@Middluyyy Lochinver goes to 13+. It’s in Hertfordshire so might be too far for you.

There's quite a few preps that go to 13 in London. OP wants one that also has a senior school attached that the child automatically moved onto.

Someone on a different thread just said Buntingford has middle schools (state) but probably too far from London?

I’m not quite sure what you want- for it to feel different to the juniors or simply educate all the way through?

South east london; our local state secondary school is split across two separate sites, years 7-9 and years 10-13, so as close as you'll get to a "middle" school in the state system round here.

Dulwich Prep has a 'Middle School' that is, however, not the same as a US middle school in terms of years, and then an 'Upper School'. It goes up to 16.

London schools haven't had middle schools since the 80's in the state sector, my school changed to 11-16 in 1983! Prep schools are typically 7/8-13 but private.

Also places that did have middle schools eg my dcs school in the midlands have since changed to 4-11, 11-18 rather than 4-10, 10-14 and 14-18 as it was seen as bad to change schools between years 9&10