Education Department year 7 review should look at better middle school structures to tackle rising bad behaviour, leaders say

SA’s state high schools should create middle school structures to help with the year 7 transition and tackle rising anti-social behaviour, community leaders say. Join the conversation.

SA’s state high schools should create middle school structures to help with the year 7 transition, community leaders say.

South Australia’s state high schools should create middle school structures to help with the year 7 transition and tackle rising anti-social behaviour, community leaders say.

The state government on Monday revealed tighter caps on students numbers are being investigated for state high schools as the year cost taxpayers had blown out to $300m.

Education Minister Blair Boyer ordered the review as the government battles to solve mounting bad behaviour on large campuses and overcrowding issues after year 7 move.

The teachers union, the body representing high school principals and parent groups all welcomed the review – which will not lead to retrospective changes – but said it had to take into account various school communities.

Adelaide High School students Harley Clark, 12, and Efia Pan, 12, with Year 7 Learning and Engagement Leader, Jacinta Coombe. Picture Dean Martin

Many independent and larger state campuses already have middle schools or similar style policies.

Australian Education Union SA president, Andrew Gohl, called for a more structured classroom environment for years 7, 8 and 9.

He said this would involve a “middle school” pedagogy. This is a specific style of teaching, he said.

For example, instead of one teacher per subject, they would teach multiple subjects to each class, which would help learning relationships.

Andrew Gohl is the President of the SA Branch of the Australian Education Union, who wants better middle schools. Picture: LinkedIn

Education Minister Blair Boyer. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“We’ve been talking about year 7s having better school amenities, physics or chemistry labs, home economic blocks, great PE equipment and the like,” he said.

“But we’ve not talked about how we support them with their wellbeing and how we’re going to engage these kids.”

SA Secondary Principals Association chief executive Jayne Heath said the transition had been “well prepared” but said Covid-19 disruptions had the biggest impact on learning.

“We’re very interested in doing a review in more depth around year 7 in high school so we can learn from that process,” she said.

She said she supported and was open to new policies that helped children.

Opposition spokesman John Gardner speaks in SA Parliament Question Time. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

The president of the SA Association of School Parents Community, Jenice Zerna, said it was disappointing year 7 students had no playgrounds or places to congregate.

“We need to make sure there is support for students and teachers,” she said.

Opposition spokesman, John Gardner, who introduced the year 7 changes as Education Minister, said a 2020 year 7 pilot in three state schools helped shape the policy.

“Importantly, we observed that … we weren’t just helping our year 7s to have a positive transition to the educational opportunities of high school, we were also giving our year 8s licence to enjoy their junior secondary years too,” he said.

Mr Boyer said he welcomed relevant feedback.

“As we consider the appropriate size of future schools, we will engage directly with stakeholders and consider their ideas, alongside using the best national and international evidence,” he said.