Three-tier education

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Three-tier education refers to those structures of schooling, which exist in some parts of England, where pupils are taught in three distinct school types. A similar experiment was also trialled in Scotland. (See separate article)

In three-tier authorities children begin their compulsory education in a First School. Sometimes also called a Lower school (or more simply, primary school), these schools cater for children aged up to an age between 8 and 10, and cover all of Key Stage 1 and the first years of Key Stage 2.

Children then transfer to a Middle school, sometimes called an Intermediate school. These schools cater for children during a period of 3 to 4 years between the ages of 8 and 14, depending on the local authority. These years cover parts of both Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3.

Following this, children transfer to a High school, sometimes known as an Upper school for the remainder of their compulsory education, and sometimes on into sixth form.

Many local authorities trialled systems as this for a period from as early as 1963, but most have since reverted to align their schools to the National Curriculum. Authorities which still retain 3-tier education across their area are Bedfordshire, Northumberland, Harrow and the Isle of Wight.

The main routes through education are shown in the diagram below, with three-tier routes being shown in blue and mauve: