Australian Middle Years Reform

The middle years of schooling focuses on young adolescent learners from approximately 10–15 years of age (Pendergast & Bahr, 2010). During these years, young adolescents experience major developmental changes as they transition from childhood to young adulthood. Indeed, this stage of development is only second to infancy in terms of rapidity of change (Bahr & Pendergast, 2007; Cumming, 1998). Although all young adolescents experience physical, social, emotional and intellectual change, the onset and rapidity of change in each of these areas differs from person to person causing diversity to be greatest among young adolescents.