Northern Territory middle schools to become comprehensive high schools after review findings

There will be no more middle schools in the Northern Territory, as part of a significant shake up in secondary education. Here’s what we know.

Schools such as Centralian Middle School will become comprehensive high schools in the coming years, one of 15 recommendations from a review of secondary education in the NT.

Middle schools in the Northern Territory will be phased out to become comprehensive high schools as recommended by a major review of secondary education released on Thursday.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said none of the Territory’s five stand-alone middle schools would be closed and more consultation would take place before any changes to the school structure occurred.

Schools could become more specialised as they move to take Year 7-12 students, Ms Lawler said, pointing to Sanderson Middle School and Dripstone Middle School which are just 5km apart.

“One may have a more of a focus on technology, for example, or one may have a more of a focus on our trades.

“Those are the conversations that need to be had with the community and with teachers.

“But they’re definitely not closing.”

Education Department chief executive Karen Weston, with Education Minister Mark Monaghan and Chief Minister Eva Lawler, announcing the findings of a major review into secondary education in the NT. Picture: Fia Walsh

Education Department chief executive Karen Weston said the move to comprehensive schools could take two to five years, and was aimed at helping more students to finish high school.

“Some of the concern for us is that the transition from middle to secondary means some students don’t go on to senior-secondary, and we’re really keen to try and hold on to all of our students,” she said.

Ms Weston said there was also “really strong” evidence about the benefits of having expert teachers oversee curriculum planning and continuity from Years 7 to 12.

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.

Middle schools will be phased out in hopes of improving high school completion rates. Picture: Claudia Sullivan

This week’s review by Deloitte and Charles Darwin University made 15 recommendations, which have all been accepted in full.

A core focus was boosting pathways to work, such as by expanding in-school training options in partnership with industries.

The review also recommended a move away from relying on boarding as the primary means for students in remote and very remote communities to access high school.

Ms Weston said boarding schools remained part of the “backbone” of education in the NT, and strong local options for both boarding and non-boarding were important to allow students to remain in the Territory.

“We do know of some stories when students come back (from boarding interstate) and then they disengage from education, so the secondary review is about giving parents and students a choice to stay in the Territory.”

Shadow Education Minister Jo Hersey said the review was “yet another plan to make a plan”.

“This is also an admission that Labor’s experiment to split secondary schooling into middle and senior has been a failure,” she said.

“The CLP did not support this decision.”

“Eva Lawler’s report card as (former) Education Minister is shocking with declining attendance and Territory kids trailing the nation with the worst academic results.”

Originally published as Northern Territory middle schools to become comprehensive high schools after review findings