List of middle schools in England

Middle schools in England are defined in English and Welsh law as being schools in which the age range of pupils starts younger than 10 years and six months and finishes older than 12 years of age. ^[1]

The number of middle schools, including combined schools for children aged between 5 and 12, reached a peak of over 1400 by 1983. ^[2] In 2019 there were 107 middle schools remaining in England, operating in just 14 local authority areas.

History

Middle schools were permitted by the Education Act of 1964, which made additional arrangements to allow for schools which crossed the traditional primary-secondary threshold at age 11. Notably, these changes did not define a new type of school, but rather permitted a variation on existing schemes, while providing for regulations which allowed the Secretary of State to determine whether such schools should be treated as primary or secondary. ^[3] This had not been provided for in the Education Act of 1944. ^[4]

The move, pushed forward by Alec Clegg, then Chief Education Officer of the West Riding of Yorkshire County Council, was initially part of a process to introduce comprehensive schools in secondary education. Clegg proposed a model of middle schools for students aged 9 to 13, crossing the traditional divide at age 11 ^[5] as early as 1960, with the scheme fully implemented in September 1969. ^[6] Earlier moves by the local authority in Leicestershire had seen the introduction of two-tier secondary schools for students aged 11 to 14, and 14 to 18 as early as the late 1950s. ^[7]

The 1964 Act was followed in July 1965 by Circular 10/65 from the then Labour government requesting that local education authorities put forward plans to introduce comprehensive schools in their areas. However, the circular offered only limited support for a change to a three-tier model of middle schools, as the minister had already requested a review of the age of transfer to secondary schools as part of the Plowden enquiry into Children and their primary schools. ^{[8] [9]} The Plowden report published in 1967 encouraged the development of middle schools for students aged 8 to 12, developing from existing junior schools. ^[10]

The law required that all schools were classified as either primary or secondary depending on the age range of students. ^[5] By 1970, over 100 middle deemed secondary schools were in operation with around 30 deemed primary schools. ^[11] The number of middle schools, including combined schools for children aged between 5 and 12, rose continuously over the next decade, reaching a peak of over 1400 such schools by 1983, ^{[2] [12]} with the primary model rapidly overtaking the secondary following the publication of the Plowden report. However, from that time onwards, the number of middle schools fell each year.

The introduction of the National Curriculum with set Key Stages aligned with the old primary/secondary model further affected the numbers of schools, with a quarter of middle schools closing in the five years after its introduction. ^[11] Issues of falling rolls, and queries raised about the academic progress of students in three-tier systems led to further closures. ^[12]

Statistics

In 2019 there were 107 middle schools remaining in England, operating in 14 local authority areas, ranging from the 117-pupil Glendale Middle School in Northumberland, to the 1000-pupil Biggleswade Academy in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

In the table below, the URN refers to the unique reference number for each school, linking to its page on the Ofsted website. Also from the table below, it can be seen that middle deemed primary schools have now been almost completely abolished across England.

Indicative map of location and number of Middle Schools in England. Blue markers indicate primary middle schools; red markers indicate those deemed-Secondary.

Middle schools

Bedford Borough

Schools in the unitary authority, operated by Bedfordshire County Council until April 2009. Following consultation in the summer of 2009 the authority intended to re-introduce two-tier provision from 2013, closing all middle schools by 2015. ^[13] However, on 7 July 2010, it was announced that the change from 3-tier to 2-tier "would be scrapped"; the reason given being cuts in government funding to schools made by the Coalition Government. ^[14] One Middle School closed in 2011 ^[15] and two more closed in 2014. ^[16] In July 2015, the borough council announced its intention to support schools in the introduction of a borough-wide move to two-tier provision. ^[17] As a result, all but one middle school reorganised as primary or secondary by 2019.

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Marston Vale Middle School	Stewartby	9–13	Secondary	464	145861

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Poole Borough Council closed all of its middle-deemed-primary schools in August 2013. ^[19] Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council became the successor Local Education Authority in 2019.

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Broadstone Middle School	Broadstone	9–13	Secondary	479	141184

Central Bedfordshire

Schools in the unitary authority, operated by Bedfordshire County Council until April 2009. Some locality groups, such as schools in Dunstable, have undergone local re-organisations to remove middle schools. The local authority supports the principle of moving to primary and secondary provision. ^[20]

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Alameda Middle School	Ampthill	9–13	Secondary	715	137249
Arnold Academy	Barton-le-Clay	9–13	Secondary	658	136829
Biggleswade Academy	Biggleswade	2–13	Primary	1174	137947
Brooklands Middle School	Leighton Buzzard	9–13	Secondary	518	137636
Edward Peake Middle School	Biggleswade	9–13	Secondary	519	109694
Etonbury Academy [fn 1]	Arlesey	9–16	Secondary	1071	137632
Fulbrook School	Woburn Sands	9–16	Secondary	425	137904
Gilbert Inglefield Academy	Leighton Buzzard	9–13	Secondary	424	138003
Holywell CE (VA) Middle School	Cranfield	9–13	Secondary	658	138844
Leighton Middle School	Leighton Buzzard	9–13	Secondary	556	109689
Linslade School	Linslade	9–13	Secondary	633	136766
Parkfields Middle School	Toddington	9–13	Secondary	457	109662
Pix Brook Academy [fn 2]	Arlesey	9–16	Secondary	120	147081
Priory Academy	Dunstable	9–16	Secondary	699	138181
Robert Bloomfield Academy [fn 3]	Shefford	9–13	Secondary	946	136713
Woodland Middle School Academy	Flitwick	9–13	Secondary	621	136560

Dorset

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Allenbourn Middle School	Wimborne Minster	9–13	Secondary	600	113859
Cranborne Middle School	Cranborne	9–13	Secondary	407	113853
Dorchester Middle School	Dorchester	9–13	Secondary	617	138186
Emmanuel CofE Middle School	Verwood	9–13	Secondary	410	113894
Ferndown Middle School	Ferndown	9–13	Secondary	586	113878
Lockyer's Middle School	Corfe Mullen	9–13	Secondary	466	113862
St Mary's CofE Middle School	Puddletown	9–13	Secondary	481	138189
St Michael's Church of England Middle School	Colehill	9–13	Secondary	577	113891
St Osmund's Church of England Middle School	Dorchester	9–13	Secondary	701	138165
West Moors Middle School	West Moors	9–13	Secondary	210	113861

Hertfordshire

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Edwinstree CofE Middle School	Buntingford	9–13	Secondary	434	117554
Ralph Sadleir School	Puckeridge	9–13	Secondary	404	140249
King James Academy, Royston	Royston	9–18	Secondary	911	137656

Kirklees

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Kirkburton Middle School	Kirkburton	10–13	Secondary	509	143791
Scissett Middle School	Scissett	10–13	Secondary	599	143792

Newcastle upon Tyne

A new school is proposed to open at Great Park, Gosforth in 2020, which will be a middle school with age range 9-16. ^[21]

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Gosforth Central Middle School	Gosforth	9–13	Secondary	514	108519
Gosforth East Middle School	Gosforth	9–13	Secondary	512	108521
Gosforth Junior High Academy [fn 4]	Gosforth	9–13	Secondary	700	136348

North Tyneside

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Marden Bridge Middle School	Whitley Bay	9–13	Secondary	549	108635
Monkseaton Middle School	Monkseaton	9–13	Secondary	294	108637
Valley Gardens Middle School	Monkseaton	9–13	Secondary	762	108636
Wellfield Middle School	South Wellfield	9–13	Secondary	323	108649

Northumberland

Northumberland County Council began a process of closing middle schools across the authority in 2006. This was discontinued as a universal policy following funding difficulties but middle schools have continued to close, merge into all through academies or change to primaries with 27 Northumberland middle schools having ceased to be middle schools since 2006 and four more closures approved: James Calvert Spence College - will cease to be a middle school from September 2025 becoming an 11-18 school while Glendale Middle School, Berwick Middle School and Tweedmouth Middle School will all close in 2026.

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Bellingham Middle School	Bellingham	9–13	Secondary	95	122350
Berwick Middle School	Berwick-upon-Tweed	9–13	Secondary	306	122354
Chantry Middle School	Morpeth	9–13	Secondary	546	137747
Corbridge Middle School	Corbridge	9–13	Secondary	349	122326
Dr Thomlinson CE Middle School	Rothbury	9–13	Secondary	225	145639
Glendale Middle School	Wooler	9–13	Secondary	115	122352
Hexham Middle School	Hexham	9–13	Secondary	455	122364
Highfield Middle School	Prudhoe	9–13	Secondary	419	122340
James Calvert Spence College	Amble	9–18	Secondary	734	122363
Newminster Middle School	Morpeth	9–13	Secondary	526	137748
Ovingham Middle School	Ovingham	9–13	Secondary	349	122341
St Joseph's RC Middle School	Hexham	9–13	Secondary	336	122369
Seaton Sluice Middle School	Seaton Sluice	9–13	Secondary	326	122334
Tweedmouth Middle School	Berwick-upon-Tweed	9–13	Secondary	304	122348
Whytrig Middle School	Seaton Delaval	9–13	Secondary	231	122335

Somerset

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Avanti Park School	Frome	4–13	Primary	452	147651
Danesfield CofE Middle School	Williton	9–13	Secondary	318	123895
Fairlands Middle School	Cheddar	9–13	Secondary	483	123888
Hugh Sexey Church of England Middle School	Blackford	9–13	Secondary	585	123897
Minehead Middle School	Minehead	9–13	Secondary	566	136774
Oakfield Academy	Frome	9–13	Secondary	644	136970
Selwood Academy	Frome	9–13	Secondary	631	137741

Staffordshire

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Bilbrook CofE Middle School	Codsall	9–13	Secondary	99	124453
Brewood Middle CE Academy	Brewood	9–13	Secondary	420	124452
Christ Church Academy	Stone	9–13	Secondary	580	136961
Churnet View Middle School	Leek	9–13	Secondary	437	124436
Codsall Middle School	Codsall	9–13	Secondary	546	124424
James Bateman Middle School	Biddulph	9–13	Secondary	385	124428
Oldfields Hall Middle School	Uttoxeter	9–13	Secondary	506	145376
Penkridge Middle School	Penkridge	9–13	Secondary	454	144206
Perton Middle School	Perton	9–13	Secondary	373	124437
Ryecroft CE Middle School	Rocester	9–13	Secondary	201	145375
St Edwards CofE(VA) Junior High School	Leek	9–13	Secondary	724	139171
Walton Priory Middle School	Stone	9–13	Secondary	461	124426
Windsor Park CE Middle School	Uttoxeter	9–13	Secondary	325	144007
Woodhouse Academy	Biddulph	9–13	Secondary	452	124432

Windsor and Maidenhead

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Dedworth Middle School	Windsor	9–13	Secondary	505	110072
St Edwards Royal Free Ecumenical Middle School	Windsor	9–13	Secondary	480	110086
St Peter's Middle School, Old Windsor	Old Windsor	9–13	Secondary	220	110085
Trevelyan Middle School	Windsor	9–13	Secondary	577	110075

Worcestershire

Name	Location	Age Range [18]	Deemed status [18]	Number on Roll [18]	URN	Website
Abbey Park Middle	Pershore	9–12	Primary	204	116774
Alvechurch Church of England Middle School	Alvechurch	9–13	Secondary	431	143507
Aston Fields Middle School	Bromsgrove	9–13	Secondary	585	116957
Birchensale Middle School	Redditch	9–13	Secondary	553	116967
Blackminster Middle	South Littleton	10–13	Secondary	164	116960
Bredon Hill Academy	Ashton under Hill	10–13	Secondary	486	143395
Catshill Middle School	Catshill	9–13	Secondary	307	116958
Church Hill Middle	Redditch	9–13	Secondary	312	142543
Ipsley CE RSA Academy	Winyates	9–13	Secondary	608	139020
Parkside Middle	Bromsgrove	9–13	Secondary	558	116959
St Barnabas CE First & Middle	Drakes Broughton	4–12	Primary	293	144334
St Bede's Catholic Middle	Redditch	9–13	Secondary	644	116998
St Egwin's Middle	Evesham	10–13	Secondary	433	116984
St John's CE Middle	Bromsgrove	9–13	Secondary	640	139286
St Nicholas' CE Middle	Pinvin	9–12	Primary	299	144257
The De Montfort School	Evesham	10–18	Secondary	893	116932
Walkwood CE Middle	Redditch	9–13	Secondary	677	139185
Westacre Middle	Droitwich Spa	9–12	Primary	409	116778
Witton Middle	Droitwich Spa	9–12	Primary	422	116779
Woodfield Academy	Redditch	9–13	Secondary	516	138208

Authorities where middle schools have been discontinued

Many authorities in regions of England previously had middle schools, with either local areas or whole counties since reverting to the more traditional two-tier model. These are listed briefly by region.

East of England

Norfolk closed its last middle schools - which were deemed primary - in 2008. ^[22] Suffolk began the process of closing its middle schools in 2006, having reduced its numbers from a high of 40 schools, ^[23] with the final two schools closing several years after the others in 2023. ^[24] The only middle school in Cambridgeshire (which fed into Bedfordshire upper schools) closed in 2018.

East Midlands

Northamptonshire closed its middle schools in and around Northampton in 2002, ^[25] with its final two middle schools closing in 2015. Leicestershire had a number of middle schools which covered the 10-14 age range, alongside others which were for Key Stage 3 students (11-14). The last of the middle schools closed in 2017. Nottinghamshire formerly had a three tier system around Newark-on-Trent and in Mansfield, with the latter closing in 2001. ^[26]

London

The London Borough of Harrow closed its middle deemed primary schools in 2011. The London Borough of Merton had about 14 middle schools for the 9-13 age range, which were converted to deemed-primary (8-12) schools in the 1990s. These schools reverted to primary use by 2002. ^[25]

North East England

The three authorities with existing middle schools (Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside) all closed several middle schools since 1999. ^[25] A number of towns such as Hexham and Berwick-upon-Tweed still have middle schools.

South East England

Buckinghamshire's last middle schools closed in the 1990s. ^[25] Hampshire inherited middle schools from Southampton City authority which had gone wholly three-tier in 1970 (one of the first two authorities to do so). The schools reverted to the traditional model in the 1990s. ^[27] Isle of Wight middle schools closed in 2011. ^[28] Kent's last three middle schools (on the Isle of Sheppey) closed in 2009. ^[29] The Hoo Peninsula middle schools were reorganised in 1994. Milton Keynes' system of middle schools was converted to primary schools in 2008. Oxfordshire closed its last middle-deemed-primary schools in Oxford in 2003. ^[25] West Sussex closed middle schools in Crawley in 2004, Adur in 2007, Midhurst & Petworth in 2009 and Worthing in 2015. ^[25] Its last middle school closed in 2017.

South West England

Devon closed its only middle schools, in Exeter, in 2005. ^[25] Dorset has closed a number of middle schools, including four which closed in 2013, as well as fourteen middle-deemed-primary schools which closed in the borough of Poole. ^[30] Wiltshire closed its last middle schools in 2005. ^[25]

West Midlands

Aldridge-Brownhills, Staffordshire (now West Midlands) - includes the towns of Aldridge and Brownhills as well as the villages of Pelsall and Streetly. Adopted 9–13 middle schools in 1972 (normally on different sites to 5-9 first schools) and retained this system until 1986, when the traditional age ranges were re-established. The authority had been merged into Walsall (which always had the traditional age ranges) in 1974.

Bewdley and Kidderminster, Worcestershire - adopted 9–13 middle schools in 1972, and the whole area retained this system after 1974 when the two boroughs merged to form Wyre Forest district council. The system was maintained until 2007, when the traditional age ranges were re-established throughout the area. ^[31]

Dudley, West Midlands (formerly Staffordshire) - incorporating towns of Dudley, Sedgley, Coseley and Brierley Hill. Adopted 8–12 middle schools in 1972 (some on the same site or within the same umbrella as 5-8 first schools) and retained this system until 1990, when the traditional age ranges were re-established. This coincided with a major reorganisation in the borough which saw sixth form facilities largely concentrated in further education colleges rather than secondary schools, as well as several secondary schools being closed or merged. ^[32]

Halesowen, West Midlands (formerly Worcestershire) - adopted 9–13 middle schools in 1972 and retained this system after 1974 when the town was absorbed into the borough of Dudley (see above) along with Stourbridge (which, along with Kingswinford, always used the traditional age ranges). Was one of the first local authorities to abolish middle schools when in 1982 the traditional age ranges were re-established. This reorganisation also saw the town's three secondary schools serving the 13-18 age range become 11-16 schools, with sixth form facilities concentrated at the expanded college in the town, while the town gained a fourth secondary school with the conversion of a former middle school into an 11-16 school. ^[33]

Sutton Coldfield (which was in Warwickshire until 1974) adopted 5-8 first schools and 8–12 middle schools in 1972 and did so for 20 years before reverting to 5-7 infant and 7-11 junior schools in 1992.

Northern Warwickshire (the area covered by the boroughs of North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Rugby – adopted 5–8 first schools and 8–12 middle schools in 1972 and retained this system until 1996, when it reverted to the traditional ages of transfer (which had always applied in the south of the county).

Yorkshire and the Humber

Bradford closed its middle schools between 1998 and 2002, having been the home of the first purpose-built middle school in the country. ^[25] Kirklees local authority closed three middle schools in 2012. ^[34] North Yorkshire's two middle schools (at Ingleton and Settle) closed in 2012. ^[35] Leeds and Wakefield previously operated on the three-tier system before reverting during the 1990s.

Notes

1. Etonbury Academy is proposed to become secondary from 2023
2. Pix Brook Academy is proposed to become secondary from 2023
3. Robert Bloomfield Middle is proposed to become an all-through school from 2023
4. Gosforth Junior High is federated with Gosforth High School

References

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2. "Middle Schools". Hansard, 4 June 1984, vol 61. UK Parliament. 4 June 1984. pp. cc64–5W. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
3. "Education Act 1964". HMSO. 1964. p. 1. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
4. Derek Gillard (2007). "Education in England - 1945-1978". Education in England: a brief history. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
5. "Middle schools decline due to haphazard development". Times Educational Supplement. 13 November 1981. p. 9.
6. Jessel, Stephen (12 October 1970). "Guidance on setting up middle schools". The Times. p. 2.
7. "School of the future". The Times. 12 December 1970. p. 13.
8. Andrew, Herbert; Department of Education and Science (12 July 1965). "Main forms of comprehensive organisation". Circular 10/65: The Organisation of Secondary Education. HMSO. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
9. "Government Clarifies Plan for Education Switch" (PDF). The Times. 14 July 1965. p. 6. Retrieved 12 April 2009.^{[ dead link ]}
10. Central Advisory Council for Education (England) (1967). "10". In Bridget Plowden (ed.). Children and their primary School. Vol. 1. London: HMSO. pp. 344–407. ISBN   0-11-270129-9.
11. Maintained Primary and Secondary Schools; Number of Middle deemed Schools, London: Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2005
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13. "The Decision Has Been Made..." Bedford Borough Council website. Bedford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 24 November 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
14. "Two-tier education plans scrapped". Bedfordshire on Sunday. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
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17. "Two-tier change for borough's schools". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
18. "Get Information about Schools". Department for Education. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
19. "Latest News - Schools for the Future". Poole Borough Council. 2009. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
20. "Schools for the future". Central Bedfordshire Council. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
21. "Great Park Update: June 2017".
22. "Norfolk schools close in education shake-up". BBC News website. BBC. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
23. "SOR background and archive". SCC Website. Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
24. "Closure of Suffolk's last remaining middle schools approved by Department for Education". Suffolk News. 12 May 2022. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
25. Wainwright, Geoff. "Information on Authorities with Middle Schools in 2004". Survey of Middle Schools in English LEAs. Learning Community 7 (North Bedfordshire). Archived from the original on 6 May 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
26. "Berry Hill Middle School".
27. Wyatt, Nigel (2010). The Development of Middle Schools in England (PDF). National Middle Schools Forum.
28. "Schools Reorganisation". IOW website. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
29. "Security costs Sheppey school £266,000 in three years". Kent Online. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
30. "Age of Transfer". Poole.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
31. Cousin, S (2008). "Work starts on school extension". Worcester News. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
32. "Work in progress list of school changes in Dudley". Dudley Council. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
33. Hunt, Julian (2004). A History of Halesowen. Phillimore & Co Ltd.
34. "School changes due to the re‐organisation of Whitcliffe Mount Pyramid 2012/13" (PDF). Kirklees Council website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
35. Proctor, Kate. "Ingleton and Settle middle schools closure confirmed". The Westmorland Gazette website. Newsquest (North West). Retrieved 2 February 2013.

External links

• National Middle Schools Forum
• UK Middle Schools
• List of schools in the UK