INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26393, 11 April 1951, Page 3

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

GENERAL PROVISION ADVOCATED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE VIEWS

The continuation of existing intermediate schools as an integral part of the school system to New Zealand and special provision for children in this age group as an established general policy has been recommended to the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie) by the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute.

“It is believed that there are sound reasons for commencing a new phase of education at the age of 11 plus, but the institute would be opposed to an organisation which provided for a chapter of post-primary education to commence at this stage,” says the report.

“It would seem that th? child is ready about this stage for a somewhat different curriculum and that his needs may be met in a different school environment Without stressing the psychological and physiological factors involved, we believe* that there is a different phase commencing here and that the age from 12 to 15 years has characteristic needs rather different from the groups above ana below. We consider that children at this stage will receive better provision in a separate school.’’ Divisions in Education Although the education system is “a unified and co-ordinated programme providing for one continuou; period of growth for the child’,” the institute claims that there should be recognition of divisions in the education and activity of children suited to special age groups. It classifies these as (a) preschool; <b) primary, from five to 11 years; (c) intermediate, from 12 to 14 or 15 years; and (d) seniqr or postprimary, from 15 to 18 years. Within the framework of the regular school system it recommends an organisational pattern of six years in the primary school, three, years in the intermediate school, and three or four years in the post-primary school. INTER. SCHOOLS—Take Two —..— It might be said that the situation could be met by commencing postprimary education at 11 years, but the institute says it would strongly resist any move which (a) takes these children into an environment suited to older adolescents; (b) makes them very junior members of a new age group; (c) fixes the course of later educational development before the needs of the children can be safeiV diagnosed. “Even though multilateral institutions may be the most common post-primary type of the future, early specialisation in.a course is a real danger in early entry to the senior schools,” the report says. Widening Environment Children of 12 to 15 needed a .wider environment than generally found in the primary school. The different provision ana equipment necessarv to them were more easily offered in a type of consolidation than by fitting out Forms I and II in all the separate prii.iarv schools. 1 In the primary stage, children of all types were growing and developing in a large number of schools, and at 15 plus they began to .divide for specialised education or early employment, the report says. It was therefore most desirable that between 11 and 15 yea s there should be a period of social integration when boys and girls from a group of schools were'brought, together oefore separating > “A period of expansive and realistic education with adequate social integration is inquired,” says the institute. "It should give all children a common basis of experience before specialisation begins. This is not meant to imply that education at this stage - ill be identical for all. There wilt be differentiation in the rate of progress, extent tof subject matter, and depth of study. There will be also elective .periods when interests may be developed and aptitudes fexplored. But for all children th< “rp will be a common core ’df subject matter and activitwand a common social-experience.” The intermediate sfchooj could provide h stable environment over a period of physiological maturation, aid easy transition from irimarv to post-primary school ahd give rbunded .development which would help the child to self-realisation and smooth his entry into the World of industry and commerce.