New report discussing concept of middle schools released

9/6/99
A new report discussing the concept of middle schools and exploring ways in which schools can approach teaching students in this education environment has been released today at the State's first forum on middle schools.
Education Minister Colin Barnett released the Planning for Middle Schooling in Western Australia report today, compiled by a committee headed by the Executive Director of the Association of Independent Schools WA (AISWA), Audrey Jackson.
The report will be widely distributed to Government and non-Government schools around the State.
Mr Barnett said the report studied the current emergence of middle schools in Western Australia and looked at the educational benefits and constraints of adopting middle school structure and practices.
The report, which took 18 months of research and preparation, is intended to be used as a planning tool for schools.
It considers issues including the application of WA's new curriculum framework in middle schools, the placement and progression of teachers, difficulties that impact on the education of adolescent students and funding arrangements.
The Minister said he was pleased to see such a range of issues explored in the report. The work had brought together in the one document many different views and aspects of research on middle schools and middle schooling practices.
"Middle schools are emerging in WA as they are seen to be environments in which teaching and learning can be specifically focused on the needs of young students as they make the transition from primary school to the more mature environment of high school," Mr Barnett said.
"It's at this adolescent age when students are experiencing enormous changes within themselves as well as facing peer pressure on all sorts of issues. This can be the time when they are at their most vulnerable."
The Minister said middle schools and associated teaching practices were beginning to emerge in WA's education system.
He said middle schooling was an essential component in the development of all new secondary schools, including Warnbro Community High School, Clarkson Community High School and Ballajura Community College.
The State's first purpose-built middle school for students in years eight to 10 will start to be built at Halls Head in Mandurah later this year, while Mandurah, Coodanup, Maddington and City Beach senior high schools will become year eight to 10 middle schools.
As well, Belmont and Kewdale senior high schools will merge on the Belmont site from 2000 as separate middle and senior schools, and a new senior and middle school campus will open in Shenton Park from 2001 as a result of the amalgamation of Hollywood and Swanbourne senior high schools.
Media contact: Justine Whittome, (08) 9222 9699
Audrey Jackson, AISWA, (08) 9244 2788