School education is divided into different levels, from pre-primary to senior secondary. These sections are as per the age of the student and are represented by different classes till 12th grade. The syllabus division is also grade-wise, keeping a link between two classes. If you study in a CBSE School, you will find that they follow the hierarchy religiously, upgrading the student to the next grade only after a thorough assessment of the previous grade.
Every private international school in Abu Dhabi follows similar segregation and names them as:
- The pre-primary level
- primary level
- high school
- secondary school
- senior secondary school
The pre-primary and primary school includes classes till the 5th grade. People often get confused and find it challenging to understand high school, secondary school, and senior secondary school, divisions. If these titles confuse you and make you wonder which grades fall into which phase, keep reading to get a fair understanding.
Difference between the high school, secondary school, and senior secondary school
The division of grades varies for different curriculums. We will focus on the private international school in Abu Dhabi and discuss the school education levels at a CBSE school there.
High School
High school includes grades 8th and 9th in Abu Dhabi. Some schools consider these two grades at the high school level, while others only consider the 9th standard as high school. It is because the age of students during these years is typically between 12 to 15 years. Therefore, they qualify for these classes to move on to secondary school.
During this time, the child continues to study the subjects he studied in previous standards. There are a few compulsory ones, and they have an option to pick a few. The syllabus also remains in sync, and there is no decision-making involved.
Secondary School
This phase of the educational journey includes 10th and 11th grade. However, some schools only consider grade 11 in secondary school and keep 10th in the high school level. Therefore, if we talk specifically about a CBSE school, grades 10 and 11 fall into the secondary school level. The age of students during this phase is around 15 or 16 years, and the next step is higher secondary.
In secondary school, the child would have to choose the subjects or streams he wants to pursue in his career. Then, they have to make the significant decision of choosing subject combinations which will move forward with them for the rest of their education phase.
Higher secondary
The last level of school education is higher secondary. Most international curriculums call it the junior college or diploma years. But in CBSE, the class 12th comes under the higher secondary phase. Children in higher secondary are about 17 to 18 years of age, and after this, they have to choose further studies which will lead to a career of their choice. Thus, it is fair to say that higher secondary is the most crucial year of the educational journey. It is the time to make wise and productive decisions for a successful professional life ahead.
Thus, it is significant that your child studies in the best school under the guidance of qualified educators during this time. It will improve their awareness of the different options and help them make considered decisions.
Understanding this structure, every parent can see how CBSE strategizes the education levels. This division is to keep the parents and children informed about the significance of each phase. At the primary level, the focus should be on basic concepts and adaptability to the new environment. When your child reaches high school, it is time to focus on building a solid academic base. Furthermore, parents would have to guide children to take up the best subject combinations at the secondary school level. Thereafter, in the higher secondary phase, they make decisions related to their professional journey!