2-tiers vs 3-tiers

[kosh]

had a visit to the school the other day and I found out for the first time that there are 2-tier and 3-tier school systems. i didn't grow up in this country and had no idea about this!

can someone please explain to me the differences, pros and cons of both systems?
thanks!

 

[suzib76]

In the 80's I moved to northampton aged 9/10 and went to a middle then upper school - all the schools there consisted of lower, middle then upper whereas in Scotland I had gone to primary which would have lead to high school. It's not like that anymore though as several friends on fb who still live in northampton (I came back to Scotland) talk about their kids going to primary then high school. So while I knew about it previously I don't know how many places still use the 3 system

 

[kosh]

thanks yes, i've heard that there are not many 3 tiers anymore, but we still have them here (northtyneside)

 

[george83]

In the 80's I moved to northampton aged 9/10 and went to a middle then upper school - all the schools there consisted of lower, middle then upper whereas in Scotland I had gone to primary which would have lead to high school. It's not like that anymore though as several friends on fb who still live in northampton (I came back to Scotland) talk about their kids going to primary then high school. So while I knew about it previously I don't know how many places still use the 3 system

I'd never heard of the 3 tier system until I moved to Northampton either. My oh went through the system as he was 'a townie' but they phased it out there too

 

[Jazzy-NICU]

I went 3 tier, reception-year 4. Year5-8 and then 9-13 if including 6th form.
Our school system has recently changed so is 2 tier reception-6 then year 7-11 with 6th form college separately.
I would much prefer it is the old system has stayed as my son is now in reception at aged 4 with the oldest pupils being 11 which I personally feel is a very large gap.
Having said that he is at a smaller school as we live on the Isle of Wight so he probably has more interaction with older pupils than if it was a bigger city school

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

We have a mix of both. My eldest 2 done 3tier but my catchment now is 2. No real difference x

 

[suzib76]

I went 3 tier, reception-year 4. Year5-8 and then 9-13 if including 6th form.
Our school system has recently changed so is 2 tier reception-6 then year 7-11 with 6th form college separately.
I would much prefer it is the old system has stayed as my son is now in reception at aged 4 with the oldest pupils being 11 which I personally feel is a very large gap.
Having said that he is at a smaller school as we live on the Isle of Wight so he probably has more interaction with older pupils than if it was a bigger city school

Funny you say that about the gap. Last year I had a primary 1 and a primary 7 - so one in both the first year and the last year at primary. Lana used to play with both her own friends and sometimes her brothers friends - a lot of the primary 7 girls used to spend time with the younger kids and I thought it was a brilliant mix

 

[jensonsmummy]

Here we do nursery school, then primary school (age 4-11) then junior high school (11-14ish) then college/senior high school (14-18). That's all I. Have ever known, same system when I was in school. My lo is doing preschool, then nursery snnd then primary. 3 schools before he's in. P1

 

[Tasha]

We have a mix of the two here (infant or key stage one, then juniors or key stage two, then secondary school or primary followed by secondary), there's no real difference in my experience (my oldest two started off at a three tier and moved to a two tiered) since the primary schools are broken up within the school as KS1 and 2.

 

[Tasha]

I went 3 tier, reception-year 4. Year5-8 and then 9-13 if including 6th form.
Our school system has recently changed so is 2 tier reception-6 then year 7-11 with 6th form college separately.
I would much prefer it is the old system has stayed as my son is now in reception at aged 4 with the oldest pupils being 11 which I personally feel is a very large gap.
Having said that he is at a smaller school as we live on the Isle of Wight so he probably has more interaction with older pupils than if it was a bigger city school

Funny you say that about the gap. Last year I had a primary 1 and a primary 7 - so one in both the first year and the last year at primary. Lana used to play with both her own friends and sometimes her brothers friends - a lot of the primary 7 girls used to spend time with the younger kids and I thought it was a brilliant mix

Just read this. Our schools are big (around 600 in the current one), so they still have separate playgrounds (and that's true of all the schools here even the slightly smaller ones) but they have a buddy system where year five and six can train to look after and guide the littler (they stay in that playground until the end of year two) ones. My older girls adores it and it was incredibly helpful when my little girl was really struggling.

 

[Natsku]

I went to a 2-tier system then moved at 13 to a 3-tier system, much preferred the 2-tier system.

Here they either have a 2-tier or 1-tier system (up until 9th grade, when compulsory school ends) so one school in my town has kids from pre-school to 9th grade (15) all in the same school!

 

[kerrie24]

I went to a 2-tier system then moved at 13 to a 3-tier system, much preferred the 2-tier system.

Here they either have a 2-tier or 1-tier system (up until 9th grade, when compulsory school ends) so one school in my town has kids from pre-school to 9th grade (15)l all in the same school!

My sons high school recently added a primary so there are children aged 3-18 using the same premises although they do have seperate playgrounds.
I went through the 3 tier system and I much preferred high school and wish id gone straight there as they treated you more like grown ups than kids.

 

[tallybee]

We have primary 1-7 and s1-6. My ds is in p7 and dd in p5. They have a buddy system here like others have mentioned and it works well for the kids, my ds gets a lot out of being given some responsibility helping out the littles. It's really brought him on in terms of thinking of others.

 

[kosh]

right, I have to say I am even more confused now!