Making the most of the middle years by preparing children for the next stage

The middle years are a transformative period in a child’s life; they’re a time of significant growth, both physically and emotionally. The middle years also mark a pivotal point in a student’s education as they transition from primary and prepare for the next stage of their education journey in high school.

Nord Anglia’s approach to the middle years

At Nord Anglia, we’re all about personalised learning, innovative teaching, and whole child development. Our vision is to build a global community of learners who can make a positive difference in the world, no matter how young they are.

We aim to provide an education that not only helps our students excel academically, but also develop a strong character and essential life skills. By focusing on these principles during the middle years—when it’s so important to get the balance right—we make sure our students are well-prepared for high school and beyond.

What are the middle years?

In educational terms, a child’s middle years typically span the period between primary school and when they embark towards higher stakes qualifications in high school or secondary school. In the US, middle school usually includes 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. In the UK, the middle years encompass Years 7, 8, and 9, when students are aged 11 to 14.

Why are the middle years so important?

The middle years are a period of transition: from child to adolescent, from dependence towards independence. They’re also a time of growth, as students figure out who they are – and who they want to be. This can be exciting, but it can also be challenging, both for students and parents. At Nord Anglia, we view the middle years as a critical phase of a child’s development. This period is essential for preparing young people for the high-stakes exams they will face in high school as well as life beyond school. It also plays a crucial role establishing a balanced foundation between knowledge acquisition and the development of skills and personal growth.

Making the most of the middle years

So, how do we make the most of the middle years at Nord Anglia and deliver learning that instils the knowledge, behaviour, and attributes our students need as they prepare for high school?

1. Giving students ownership

Research shows that giving middle years students choice and ownership of their learning helps them to achieve at higher levels. As an example, providing opportunities for adolescents to exercise greater choice around what they focus on acknowledges their need for autonomy and a sense of purpose. It also helps them to discover their passions and talents. We know that when students have more ownership over their learning, they’re much more engaged.

2. Relating learning to students’ lives

As young adolescents develop a deeper awareness of the world they live in, they then begin to question the value of what they’re learning at school. This is why aligning learning to their lives and the world around them becomes so important.

At Nord Anglia, we encourage students to make a positive, long-lasting difference in their communities by working towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. They’re also able to take part in challenges and activities with their peers around the world through our Global Campus digital learning platform.

Our collaboration with UNICEF has social responsibility at its heart, equipping students with tools to navigate emerging challenges. The benefits of this type of learning are twofold: middle years students get to engage in real-world experiences that make their learning authentic, and they begin to develop a truly global perspective of the world.

3. Challenge

In the middle years, it’s also important to push students out of their academic comfort zones by ensuring what they’re learning is challenging and requires research, reasoning, and explanation. This develops the brain’s critical thinking and problem-solving capacity and teaches patience and determination, preparing them for further studies.

One example of how we do this at our schools is our collaboration with MIT; it introduces innovative, interdisciplinary projects focused on developing critical thinking and problem-solving. MIT’s approach to learning—including the annual MIT Challenges our students undertake—cuts across traditional subject areas, and gets young people assessing complex issues and designing their own solutions to difficult problems that require them to think out of the box.

4. Providing quality feedback

To help students grow during these crucial years, it’s important to give them timely and constructive feedback on their work and progress.  At Nord Anglia, our teachers are trained to provide high-quality feedback that helps young students learn from their mistakes, boost their confidence, and encourages good learning habits. Regular parent-teacher meetings also ensure that parents are involved in their child's development. Our teachers are there every step of the way to nurture students and to personalise learning in a way that helps each individual child.

5. Creating a supportive environment

Every child needs to feel safe and supported to thrive, and this is especially true during the middle years when children are discovering themselves and transitioning into adolescence. It's crucial to create an environment where they feel comfortable and secure. Additionally, providing them with the tools to navigate new challenges is essential for their wellbeing and development.

And given the profound psychological and emotional changes that occur between the ages of 8 and 14, and the challenges of learning amidst the distractions of social media, we place a strong emphasis on emotional wellbeing across all our schools.

For more information on middle years curriculum go to www.nordangliaeducation.com/academic-excellence/curricula-guide