High school is a life-changing experience

Although most parents might feel that choosing a high school is similar to choosing a primary school, several factors are different.

Choosing a primary school that meets all the needs of your future high school student will indeed help them better cope with the challenges that lay ahead.

What are the differences between primary and high school?
A child’s seniority in primary school is a short-lived experience. Transitioning to high school means they have to become the junior once again until they can work themselves up from the bottom of the leadership ladder again.

Therefore, knowing the differences between primary and high schools will help you make better education choices for your whole family.

• High school students have a variety of educators who are specialists in their subject content, while primary school teachers are generalists required to teach all subjects to the same class.

• High schoolers move between classes and have to manage their time between classes, while primary school students rotate less or not at all between teachers.

• Class sizes are much larger and combinations different in high school.

• High schoolers also have to specialise in fewer subjects and often have to make the final top subjects that help them in tertiary education.

• High school students have more homework, assignments and projects that require them to study beyond the hours of the school day than at primary school.

• Social life and friends go beyond grade and phase level with high school students, while primary school students most often have friends within their grade level and age group.

Understanding these main differences will assist you in helping your high school child choose a school that is the right fit for him/her.

Complied by Ponnie Modjadji Moodley, an integrated education development consultant.