Middle schools axed in Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs, merging with high schools from next year

The Northern Territory Government has unveiled its plans to phase out a number of middle schools around the Northern Territory, with some set to become specialised. Find out what schools are changing and when.

Darwin Middle School will merge with Darwin High School

Middle schools in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs will be phased out to become comprehensive high schools, with a handful of others set to become specialized campuses.

It comes after four weeks of consultation between the government and school councils students, families, educators, school communities and peak bodies earlier in the year over the shift away from the current middle school model.

Under the new reforms, Darwin from 2026 will have four comprehensive high schools (Year 7-12) at Dripstone, Nightcliff, Sanderson (merged with a new specialist trade and technical college) and Darwin Middle and High Schools (combined into one school).

The Centralian Middle School site will become the new high school site.

Darwin will also get a new Industry, Trade and Technical College (Years 10-12), co-located at Sanderson, focused on high-priority sectors; and a Higher Education-Focused College at Casuarina Senior College (Years 10-12), expanding pathways into professions such as teaching and healthcare.

Palmerston from 2026 will have two full high schools (Years 7-12) across the existing Palmerston College sites in Driver and Rosebery.

From 2027, Alice Springs will get one full high school at the Centralian Middle School site, as well as a new Regional Industry, Trade and Flexible Education College (Years 10-12) at the current Centralian Senior College site.

The government believes their secondary reform will help boost attendance rates across the Territory.

Education and Training Minister Jo Hersey said the reforms – which are expected to be completed across all urban government schools by 2028 – would guarantee students have a seamless journey from Year 7 to Year 12.

“A shift away from middle schools will ensure our student pathways are more aligned to the Territory’s skills needs and importantly help our students remain engaged throughout their secondary education,” she said.

“We’re creating real choices and real futures.

Ms Hersey said the changes would give young people a chance to explore their interests. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“These changes will open doors for students to step straight from school into a trade, a job, or a university degree, right here in the Territory.

“It’s also about giving young people the chance to explore their interests and making sure they have the support and resources to succeed.”

Middle schools were introduced in the NT by Labor in 2006, after a review three years prior recommended splitting Years 7-9 from Years 10-12 to allow for more tailored pedagogies and student supports.

The move away from middle schools was a key recommendation of the former Labor government’s Review of Secondary Education, released in 2023, and supported by the CLP prior to the election last year.

Further information on each school is available on the Department of Education and Training website education.nt.gov.au/secondary-education

Originally published as Middle schools axed in Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs, merging with high schools from next year