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Secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides
secondary education and also usually includes the building where
this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both lower
secondary education (12 to 15 years of age) and upper
secondary education (16 to 18 years of age) ie levels 2 and 3 of
the ISCED scale, but these can also be provided in separate schools,
as in the American middle and high school system. In the UK, elite
public schools typically admit pupils between 13 and 18 years of age.
UK state schools accommodate pupils between 11 and 18 years of
age. Tóth Árpád Gimnázium, a
secondary school in Debrecen,
Secondary schools follow on from primary schools and prepare for
Hungary
vocational or tertiary education. Attendance is usually compulsory
for students until the age of 16. The organisations, buildings, and
terminology are more or less unique in each country.[1][2]

Contents
Levels of education
Terminology: descriptions of cohorts
Theoretical framework
Building design specifications
Secondary schools by country
See also
References
External links

Levels of education
In the ISCED 2011 education scale levels 2 and 3 correspond to secondary education which are as
follows:

Lower secondary education- First stage of secondary education building on primary education,
typically with a more subject-oriented curriculum. Students are generally around 12-15 years old
Upper secondary education- Second stage of secondary education and final stage of formal
education for students typically aged 16–18, preparing for tertiary/adult education or providing skills
relevant to employment. Usually with an increased range of subject options and streams.

Terminology: descriptions of cohorts

Within the English speaking world, there are three widely used systems to describe the age of the child.
The first is the 'equivalent ages', then countries that base their education systems on the 'English model'
use one of two methods to identify the year group, while countries that base their systems on the
'American K-12 model' refer to their year groups as 'grades'. The Irish model is structured similarly to
the English model, but have significant differences in terms of labels. This terminology extends into
research literature. Below is a convenient comparison [3]

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Secondary cohorts- description used in US, UK and ROI

Equivalent ages 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18
U.S. (grades) 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
U.S. (nicknames) Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior
England/Wales
First Second Third Fourth Fifth Lower Sixth Upper Sixth
(forms)
England/Wales
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
(year)
Ireland (Other Junior Junior Junior Transition Senior Senior
Names) Cycle Cycle Cycle Year Cycle Cycle
Ireland (Class & 6th
1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year 5th Year 6th Year
year) Class
Scotland
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6
(secondary)

ISCED level 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 [3]

Theoretical framework
School building design does not happen in isolation. The
building (or school campus) needs to accommodate:

Curriculum content
Teaching methods
Costs
Education within the political framework
Use of school building (also in the community setting)
Constraints imposed by the site High school in Bratislava, Slovakia
Design philosophy (Gamča)

Each country will have a different education system and

priorities. [4] Schools need to accommodate students, staff, storage, mechanical and electrical systems,
support staff, ancillary staff and administration. The number of rooms required can be determined from
the predicted roll of the school and the area needed.

According to standards used in the United Kingdom, a general classroom for 30 students needs to be
55 m2, or more generously 62 m2. A general art room for 30 students needs to be 83 m2, but 104 m2 for
3D textile work. A drama studio or a specialist science laboratory for 30 needs to be 90 m2. Examples are
given on how this can be configured for a 1,200 place secondary (practical specialism).[5] and 1,850 place
secondary school.[6]

Building design specifications

The building providing the education has to fulfil the needs of: The
students, the teachers, the non-teaching support staff, the
administrators and the community. It has to meet general
government building guidelines, health requirements, minimal
functional requirements for classrooms, toilets and showers,
electricity and services, preparation and storage of textbooks and
basic teaching aids. [7] An optimum secondary school will meet the
minimum conditions and will have:
The first taxpayer-funded public
school in the United States was in
adequately sized classrooms;
Dedham.
specialised teaching spaces;
a staff preparation room;
an administration block;
multipurpose classrooms;
a general purpose school hall;
laboratories for science, technology, mathematics and life sciences, as may be required;
adequate equipment;
a library or library stocks that are regularly renewed; and
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computer rooms or media centres.[7]

Government accountants having read the advice then publish minimum guidelines on schools. These
enable environmental modelling and establishing building costs. Future design plans are audited to
ensure that these standards are met but not exceeded. Government ministries continue to press for the
'minimum' space and cost standards to be reduced.

The UK government published this downwardly revised space formula in 2014. It said the floor area
should be 1050m2 (+ 350m2 if there is a sixth form) + 6.3m2/pupil place for 11- to 16-year-olds +
7m2/pupil place for post-16s. The external finishes were to be downgraded to meet a build cost of
£1113/m2. [8]

Secondary schools by country

A secondary school locally may be called high school or senior high school. In some countries
there are two phases to secondary education (ISCED 2) and (ISCED 3), here the junior high school,
intermediate school, lower secondary school, or middle school occurs between the primary school
(ISCED 1) and high school.

Names for secondary schools by country

Argentina: secundaria or polimodal, escuela secundaria

Australia: high school, secondary college
Austria: Gymnasium (Ober- & Unterstufe), Hauptschule, Höhere Bundeslehranstalt (HBLA), Höhere
Technische Lehranstalt (HTL)
Azerbaijan: orta məktəb
Bahamas, The: junior high (grades 7–9), senior high (grades 10–12)
Belgium: lagere school/école primaire, secundair onderwijs/école secondaire, humaniora/humanités
Bolivia: educación primaria superior (grades 6–8) and educación secundaria, (grades 9–12)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: srednja škola (literally middle school), gimnazija (gymnasium)
Brazil: ensino médio (officially), segundo grau (formerly)
Brunei: mostly sekolah menengah (English translation: secondary school), a few maktab (English
translation: college)
Bulgaria: cредно образование (grades 8–12)
Canada: High school, junior high or middle school, secondary school, école secondaire, collegiate
institute, polyvalente
Chile: enseñanza media
China: zhong xue (中学; literally, middle school), consisting of chu zhong (初中; 初级中学; literally
low-level middle school) from grades 7 to 9 and gao zhong (高中; 高级中学; literally high-level middle
school) from grades 10 to 12
Colombia: bachillerato, segunda enseñanza (literally second learning)
Croatia: srednja škola (literally middle school), gimnazija (gymnasium)
Cyprus: Γυμνάσιο (gymnasium), Ενιαίο Λύκειο (Lyceum)
Czech Republic: střední škola (literally middle school), gymnázium (gymnasium), střední odborné
učiliště
Denmark: gymnasium
Dominican Republic: nivel medio, bachillerato
Egypt: Thanawya Amma (‫)ﺛﺎﻧوﯾﺔ ﻋﺎﻣﺔ‬, (public secondary certificate)
Estonia: upper secondary school, gymnasium, Lyceum
Finland: lukio (Finn.) gymnasium (Swed.)
France: collège (junior), lycée (senior)
Germany: Gymnasium, Gesamtschule, Realschule, Hauptschule, Fachoberschule
Greece: Γυμνάσιο (3 years) (gymnasium), Γενικό Λύκειο (3 years) (~1996, 2006~present), Ενιαίο
Λύκειο (3 years), (1997~2006) (lyceum)
Hong Kong: Secondary school (中學)
Hungary: gimnázium (grammar school), középiskola (comprehensive school, lit. "middle-school"),
szakközépiskola (vocational secondary school, lit. "specified middle-school")
Iceland: framhaldsskóli (menntaskóli, iðnskóli, fjölbrautaskóli) from 11-13 Grade. You go first in 1 - 10
Grade then you change the school to Menntaskóla and take 3 years (11-13 Grade). But you can also
take it 4 years.
India: secondary school, higher secondary school

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Indonesia: sekolah menengah atas (SMA) (lit. "upper middle school"), sekolah menengah pertama
(SMP) (lit. "first middle school"), sekolah menengah kejuruan (SMK) (vocational school, lit. "middle
vocational school")
Ireland: Meánscoil or Secondary School
Iran: Madrese Rahnamaie (‫)ﻣدرﺳﮫ راھﻧﻣﺎﯾﯽ‬, (public secondary certificate)
Israel: Bet Sefer Tichon (‫( )בית ספר תיכון‬literally middle school, but in reality grades 9-12)
Italy: scuola secondaria di primo grado (3 years) + scuola secondaria di secondo grado (5 years):
Liceo, Istituto Tecnico and Istituto professionale
Japan: chūgakkō (中学校; literally middle school), kōtōgakkō (高等学校; literally high school),
chūtōkyōikugakkō (中等教育学校; Secondary School) – In the pre-Meiji educational system, the
equivalent was called "chūsei"
Latvia: vidusskola (literally middle school)
Liechtenstein: gymnasium
Lithuania: vidurinė mokykla (literally middle school), gimnazija (gymnasium), licėjus (lyceum)
Malaysia: secondary school or sekolah menengah, sometimes high school is used
Malta: skola sekondarja or secondary school
Mexico: educación secundaria y preparatoria
Mongolia: бүрэн дунд сургууль
Morocco: Junior : Madrasa I'dadia Ta'hilia" (‫ ﻣدرﺳﺔ إﻋدادﯾﺔ ﺗﺄھﯾﻠﯾﺔ‬/ preparative qualificative school) ;
Senior : Madrasa I'dadia Thanawia" ( ‫ﻣﺪرﺳﺔ إﻋﺪادﻳﺔ ﺛﺎﻧﻮﻳﺔ‬
/ preparative secondary school)
Netherlands: middelbare school or voortgezet onderwijs
New Zealand: high school, college or secondary school
Nigeria: Secondary school, Junior or senior secondary school
Norway: videregående skole
Pakistan: secondary school, higher secondary school
Paraguay: educación media
Peru: educación secundaria or escuela secundaria
Philippines: high school or mataas na paaralan
Poland: liceum (grades 9–12)
Portugal: 2º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (5th and 6th grades), 3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (7th to 9th
grades), and Ensino Secundário, Liceu (10th to 12th grades)
Romania: gimnaziu (grades 5–8), liceu (grades 9–12)
Russia: средняя школа (literally middle school); grades 5–9 junior middle school (compulsory),
grades 10–11 senior middle school (voluntary)
Serbia: gymnasium (4 years), professional schools (4 years), vocational schools (3 or 4 years)
South Africa: High School or Hoërskool
South Korea: 중고등학교(中高等學校・Chung'godŭnghakkyo), 중등교육 (Chungdŭng'gyoyuk;
literally middle education), comprising 중학교 (Chunghakkyo; the Lower secondary school, years 7–
9, though referred to as "middle school grades 1–3") and 고등학교 (Kodŭnghakkyo; the Upper
secondary school, years 10–12, though referred to as "high school grades 1–3")
Spain: educación secundaria, composed of two cycles: E.S.O. (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria,
compulsory secondary education, 4 years, 7th to 10th grade) and bachillerato (non-compulsory
secondary education, 2 years, 11th and 12th grade); formerly (for those born until 31 December
1983), primary education comprised up to the 8th grade and the secondary education was
composed of two non-compulsory cycles: B.U.P. (Bachillerato Unificado Polivalente, 3 years, 9th to
11th grade) and C.O.U. (Curso de Orientación Universitaria, 1 year, 12th grade)
Sri Lanka: junior secondary school, senior secondary school
Sweden: gymnasium
Switzerland: gymnasium, secondary school, collège or lycée
Taiwan: Junior High School (國民中學), Senior High School (高級中學), Vocational High School (高級
職業中學), Military School (軍校), and Complete High School (完全中學).
Thailand: matthayommasueksa ( มัธยมศกึ ษา
; lit. "Secondary education")
Trinidad and Tobago: Secondary School, Forms 1 to 5 (5 years) or Forms 1-6 (7 years)
Turkey: Lise
Ukraine: середня школа (literally middle school); grades 5–9 junior middle school (compulsory),
grades 10–12 senior middle school (voluntary)
United Kingdom: Secondary School (May be referred to as High School)
United States: High school (North America) (usually grades 9–12 but sometimes 10–12, it is also
called senior high school) is always considered secondary education; junior high school or

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intermediate school or middle school (6–8, 7–8, 6–9, 7–9, or other variations) are sometimes
considered secondary education.
Uruguay: Liceo or Secundaria (3 years of compulsory education: Ciclo Básico; and 3 years of
specialization: Bachillerato Diversificado, into: Humanities (Law or Economics), Biology (Medicine or
Agronomy), Science (Engineering or Architecture), and Art
Venezuela: bachillerato
Vietnam: Trung học cơ sở (abbreviated THCS, lit. "basic middle school", equivalent to junior high
school in the U.S.); trung học phổ thông (abbr. THPT, lit. "general middle school", equivalent to
senior high school in the U.S.)

See also
List of schools by country
Secondary education
Tertiary education

References
1. "International Standard Classification of EducationI S C E D 1997" ([Link]
information/nfsunesco/doc/isced_1997.htm). [Link]. Archived ([Link]
b/20170319192113/[Link]
from the original on 2017-03-19. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
2. Iwamoto, Wataru (2005). "Towards a Convergence of Knowledge Acquisition and Skills
Development" ([Link]
ocuments/[Link]) (PDF). [Link]. UNESCO. Archived from the original ([Link]
[Link]/Education/Documents/[Link]) (PDF) on 2017-05-25. Retrieved
11 March 2017.
3. Ward, Ken. "British and American Systems (Grades)" ([Link]
t/writing/Readability_software/[Link]). [Link]. Retrieved 30 March
2017.
4. Liew Kok-Pun, Michael (1981). "Design of secondary schools:Singapore a case study" ([Link]
[Link]/web/20170404132431/[Link]
(PDF). Educational Building reports. Voume 17: UNESCO. p. 37. Archived from the original ([Link]
[Link]/images/0004/000443/[Link]) (PDF) on 2017-04-04. Retrieved 3 April
2017.
5. "Baseline designs: 1,200 place secondary (practical specialism) - [Link]" ([Link]
rnment/publications/baseline-designs-1120-place-secondary-practical-specialism). [Link].
[Link]. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
6. "Baseline design: 1,850 place secondary school - [Link]" ([Link]
ons/baseline-design-1850-place-secondary-school). [Link]. [Link]. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
7. "Guidelines relating to planning for public school infrastructure" ([Link]
[Link]?fileticket=cWhHzzzCo1w%3D&tabid=93&mid=2598). Department of Basic Education,
Republic of South Africa. 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
8. "Baseline designs for schools: guidance - [Link]" ([Link]
eline-designs-for-schools-guidance/baseline-designs-for-schools-guidance). [Link]. Education
Funding Agency. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2017.

External links
Australian CensusAtSchool (Australia) ([Link]
[Link]/websitedbs/[Link]/Home/Entry%[Link])
Canadian Education Statistics Council (CESC) (United States) ([Link]
5081228/[Link]
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (United Kingdom) ([Link]
[Link]
BB103_Area_Guidelines_for_Mainstream_Schools (2014) UK ([Link]
ds/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/324056/BB103_Area_Guidelines_for_Mainstream_Schools_
CORRECTED_25_06_14.pdf)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (United States) ([Link]
h/)
OECD Standardised designs (2011) ([Link]
org/education/innovation-education/centreforeffectivelearningenvironmentscele/[Link])
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