The Main Differences Between Primary and Secondary School

If you’ve started secondary school this month, it’s completely natural to be a bit nervous. Are you worried about finding your way around a bigger school? Scared about making new friends? Or stressed about the extra workload and homework?

Well, the simple answer to all the above questions is: Don’t be!

However, that doesn’t really help you much! This is why we’ve put together this quick guide.

Read on the find out what the main differences between the two are, and some important things to remember about starting secondary school in Year 7.

Main Difference #1 – The Size of the School

In a way, this is the scariest thing about starting secondary school – the sheer size of it.

It can be a bit daunting and take a some getting used to, but the thing to remember is that the teachers and everyone in the school realise this and will do all they can to help make the transition easier.

In a few weeks, you’ll know where everything is. Before you know it, you’ll know the place like the back of your hand.

Main Difference #2 – The Number of Teachers

Not only is secondary school bigger than primary school, you also have to move around it far more than you used to at your old school.

This is the other big difference between secondary and primary school. In primary, you will have been used to spending most of the time in the same classroom with the same teacher teaching you. In secondary school, you have a different teacher for each subject. Typically, you move between classrooms for each subject – usually 5 or 6 lessons a day.

Main Difference #3 – The Amount of Homework

Most kids don’t really notice the step-up from primary school to secondary, in terms of how difficult the work is. In many ways, it’s just like moving from Year 3 to Year 4 or Year 5 to Year 6. Yes, the work got a bit harder, but you were able to cope with it because it was a natural progression.

The big difference you might find is with the amount of homework. Whereas at primary you might have just been given one piece of homework each day, at secondary you might get homework in 2 or 3 different subjects.

It will be a bit of a shock at first, but as long as you are organised you will cope with the extra workload.

Important Things to Remember

The most important thing to remember as you start secondary school is that you are not alone.

All the other Year 7 students are all going through the same thing. You’re all in it together – and you will all get through it together!

And the older students, from Year 8-11 have been through it too. They will help you, if you need it.

The same goes for the teachers. They are there to help and support you, as well as to teach you.

Believe us when we say: in a few months’ time, you’ll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about!

If you’re transitioning between secondary school and college this month, then check-out this blog-post here.