How does your state/territory define the 'middle years'?

The draft South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability Framework defines the ‘Middle Years Band’ as years 6-9. The framework describes the characteristics of learners in this band in order to assist teachers to shape curriculum delivery appropriate to the needs of these learners.

What initiatives/programs are currently being implemented in the 'middle years' in your state or territory?

A number of schools have self-funded a ‘South Australian Middle Schooling Network’ in order to extend their middle schooling practices. They employ an Assistant Principal who works across sites to support their research and professional activities.

The department has contracted out a Curriculum Policy Directorate salary to five schools to develop innovative Middle Years Band curricula based on the Essential Learnings in the draft curriculum framework. These sites will inform the content of the final framework in the Middle Years Band, and share their curriculum materials and expertise as part of the implementation of the framework.

Implementation of the curriculum framework commencing in 2001 will involve statewide professional development and teaching, learning and assessing materials. Part of these activities will focus on the Middle Years Band.

A middle years numeracy project has been undertaken with Commonwealth funding. This has involved professional development and action research within a number of junior secondary schools, designed to incorporate numeracy across the curriculum. Further funding is currently being allocated to similar projects targeting both literacy and numeracy in the middle years.

What are some of the current issues being addressed in your state/territory?

The department’s Enterprise and Vocational Education Team are supporting the development of enterprise and vocational learning in the middle years. Work and community-based learning is included. The implementation of the South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability Framework will support these developments through their explicit incorporation in the framework and the professional development and teaching, learning and assessing materials.

Many schools are developing practice consistent with sound middle schooling as a result of a Teaching and Learning in the Middle Years poster that was distributed to schools in recent years. The essence of this information is being applied within the new curriculum framework.