Why Middle Years?
Implementing the Middle Years in Territory schools is one of the most significant educational reforms undertaken in the Territory. It will have an impact far beyond the target group of 11 to 14-year-olds.
One of the most compelling reasons for the Middle Years approach to teaching and learning is the need to increase the engagement of young adolescents to improve educational outcomes and better prepare them for their Senior Years of education.
While ‘traditional’ forms of teaching and learning have been successful for some students, others feel that what they learn at school during these years is not relevant to their lives. As a group, these students have particular social, academic and emotional needs and are at high risk of becoming disengaged from learning and dropping out of school.
Educators recognise the need to keep these students engaged in school and learning. By implementing the Middle Years approach, students will find the ‘way they learn’ and ‘what they learn’ at school is made more interesting and relevant to their lives.
The Middle Years approach will provide a stronger focus on individual needs, with more hands-on learning and a greater emphasis on student wellbeing, literacy and numeracy.
Why change?
There are strong reasons to embrace these changes in Territory schools.
Improved teaching and learning outcomes are more likely if implemented in a holistic manner within schools and across the system. Structural and organisational changes will provide the platform for the implementation of the Middle Years approach.
The capacity of primary schools to offer specialist programs to Year 7 students is often limited by school resources, specialist subject expertise and infrastructure requirements. Grouping Years 7 to 9 will ensure students in the Middle Years have better access to the specialised facilities and resources they need.
It will also provide a common transition into the next stage of schooling across the Northern Territory, as well as aligning the Territory with the two largest states, New South Wales and Victoria.
Creating a distinct Middle Years group prevents junior programs from being dominated by a senior school agenda – a common complaint echoed by schools in the consultation for the Secondary Education Review.
Locating Year 10 students in the Senior Years will significantly expand their learning opportunities. It will generally increase their access to Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, career education programs and Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE) subjects. It will provide better articulation between the Northern Territory Curriculum Framework (NTCF) and the NTCE and greater access to those teachers who are best placed to prepare Year 10 students for the range and depth of learning in the Senior Years.
Grouping Year 10 with the Senior Years is also consistent with the recently-released South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) Review, which recommends that students should begin their Certificate of Education in Year 10 by participating in units specifically designed to prepare them for their learning in the Senior Years.
