The History of Middle School Education in England

The first complete middle school systems serving the whole of a local authority area opened in Stoke on Trent and Southampton in 1970. The ‘Inter LEA Forum’, as the National Middle Schools’ Forum was then called, held its first national conference in 1991. Local authority officers and Headteachers met to consider the theme ‘Working Together for Excellence’. As well as considering the advent of Local Management of Schools and the National Curriculum, members also discussed the Audit Commission report of 1991 Rationalising Primary School Provision which first recommended the reorganisation of middle school systems to reduce surplus places.

What Makes Middle Schools And Middle Schooling Distinctive - 2003
An article reflecting on the experience of Australian middle schools

The Middle School - Article By R A Sharpe
An article from the late 1960's discussing the age of transfer for new middle schools.

Middle Schools - University Of Exeter Report No 14 V2 - 1968
A conference held in 1968 to plan the first 9 to 13 middle schools in Dorset.

Introduction To Middle School Directory - Chris Tipple 1995
The NMSF was instrumental in the publication of the Middle School Directory in 1995 when there were approximately 840 middle schools in England.

Founding Conference 1991 - Inter LEA Forum
Some of the papers from the very first NMSF conference held at Stoke Rochford Hall in 1991.

First 40 Years Of Middle Schools - Sourcebook
A collection of key sources, together with an account of the history and development of middle school systems in England, together with a timeline and bibliography.

The Joint Four Conference - 1969
Papers from the conference of the four secondary teaching unions in 1969.

Middle Schools - TES Leader 1966
Times Educational Supplement Leader article from 1966