Asecondary school, orhigh school, is an institution that providessecondary education. Some secondary schools provide bothlower secondary education (ages 11 to 14) andupper secondary education (ages 14 to 18), i.e., both levels 2 and 3 of theISCED scale, but these can also be provided in separate schools. There may be other variations in the provision: for example, children inAustralia,Hong Kong, andSpain change from the primary to secondary systems a year later at the age of 12, with the ISCED's first year of lower secondary being the last year of primary provision.

In theUnited States, most local secondary education systems have separatemiddle schools andhigh schools. In theUnited Kingdom, moststate schools andprivately funded schools accommodate pupils between the ages of 11 and 15 or between 11 and 18; some UK private schools, i.e.public schools, admit pupils between the ages of 13 and 18.^[1][2][3]

Secondary schools follow on fromprimary schools and prepare forvocational ortertiary education. In high and middle income countries, attendance is usuallycompulsory for students at least until age 16. The organisations, buildings, and terminology are more or less unique in each country.^[4][5]

In theISCED 2014 education scale,^[6] levels 2 and 3 correspond to secondary education which are as follows:

Lower secondary education

First stage of secondary education building on primary education, typically with a more subject-oriented curriculum. Students are generally around 11–15 years old.^[6]

Upper secondary education

Second stage of secondary education and final stage of formal education for students typically aged 15–18, preparing for tertiary/adult education or providing skills relevant to employment, usually with an increased range of subject options and streams.^[6]

Within the English-speaking world, there are three widely used systems to describe the age of the child. The first is the 'equivalent ages'; then countries that base their education systems on the 'English model' use one of two methods to identify the year group, while countries that base their systems on the 'AmericanK–12 model' refer to their year groups as 'grades'. The Irish model is structured similarly to the English model, but differs significantly in terms of labels. This terminology extends into the research literature. Below is a comparison of some countries:

Schools exist within a strictlegal framework where they may be answerable to their government through local authorities and their stakeholders. In England (but necessarily in other parts of the United Kingdom) there are six general types of state-funded schools running in parallel to the private sector. The state takes an interest in safeguarding issues in all schools. All state-funded schools in England are legally required to have a website where they must publish details of their governance, finance, curriculum intent and staff and pupil protection policies to comply withThe School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 and 2016.Ofsted monitors these.^[13][14]

School building design does not happen in isolation. The building or school campus needs to accommodate:

• Curriculum content
• Teaching methods
• Costs
• Education within the political framework
• Use of school building (also in the community setting)
• Constraints imposed by the site
• Design philosophy

Each country will have a different education system and priorities.^[15] Schools need to accommodate students, staff, storage, mechanical and electrical systems, support staff, ancillary staff and administration. The number of rooms required can be determined from the predicted roll of the school and the area needed.

According to standards used in the United Kingdom, a general classroom for 30 students needs to be 55 m², or more generously 62 m². A general art room for 30 students needs to be 83 m², but 104 m² for 3D textile work. A drama studio or a specialist science laboratory for 30 needs to be 90 m². Examples are given on how this can be configured for a 1,200 place secondary (practical specialism).^[16] and 1,850 place secondary school.^[17]

The ideal size for a typical comprehensive high school is large enough to offer a variety of classes, but small enough that students develop a sense of community.^[18][19] Research has suggested thatacademic achievement is best when there are about 150 to 250 students in each grade level, and that above a total school size of 2,000 for a secondary school, academic achievement and the sense of school community decline substantially.^[18]

Arguments in favor of smaller schools include having a shared experience of school (e.g., everyone takes the same classes, because the school is too small to offer alternatives), higher average academic achievement, and lowerinequality.^[20]

Arguments in favor of larger schools tend to focus oneconomy of scale.^[20] For example, a single basketball court could serve a school with 200 students just as well as a school with 500 students, so construction and maintenance costs, on a per-student basis, can be lower for larger schools. However, cost savings from larger schools have generally not materialized, as larger schools require more administrative support staff, and rural areas see the potential savings offset by increased transportation costs.^[20]

Larger schools can also support more specialization, such as splitting students into advanced, average, and basictracks, offering a greater variety of classes, or sponsoring a greater number ofextra-curricular activities.^[20] (Some of these benefits can also be achieved through smaller but specialized schools, such as a dedicatedspecial school for students with disabilities or amagnet school for students with a particular subject-matter interest.)

In terms of structure, organization, and relationships, larger schools tend to be morehierarchical andbureaucratic, with fewer and weaker personal connections and more rigidly defined, unvarying roles for all staff.^[20] Teachers find that large schools result in more information to process in the larger environment (e.g., announcements about 100 programs instead of just 10) and that as individuals they form fewer relationships with teachers outside of their primary subject area.^[20] Smaller schools have lesssocial isolation and more engagement.^[20] These effects cannot be entirely overcome through implementation of ahouse system or "school within a school" programs.^[20]

The building providing the education has to fulfill the needs of: students, teachers, non-teaching support staff, administrators and the community. It has to meet general government building guidelines, health requirements, minimal functional requirements for classrooms, toilets and showers, electricity and services, preparation and storage of textbooks and basic teaching aids.^[21] An optimum secondary school will meet the minimum conditions and will have:

• adequately-sized classrooms;
• specialized teaching spaces;
• a staff preparation room;
• an administration block;
• multipurpose classrooms;
• a general purpose school hall;
• laboratories for science, technology, mathematics and life sciences, as may be required;
• adequate equipment;
• alibrary or library stocks that are regularly renewed; and
• computer rooms or media centres.^[21]

Also, a secondary school may have a canteen, serving a set of foods to students, and storage where the equipment of a school is kept.

Government accountants having read the advice then publish minimum guidelines on schools. These enable environmental modelling and establishing building costs. Future design plans are audited to ensure that these standards are met but not exceeded. Government ministries continue to press for the 'minimum' space and cost standards to be reduced.

The UK government published this downwardly revised space formula in 2014. It said the floor area should be 1050 m² (+ 350 m² if there is a sixth form) + 6.3 m²/pupil place for 11- to 15-year-olds + 7 m²/pupil place for post-16s. The external finishes were to be downgraded to meet a build cost of £1113/m².^[22]

Asecondary school locally may be called ahigh school (abbreviated asHS orH.S.), can also be calledsenior high school. In some countries there are two phases to secondary education (ISCED 2) and (ISCED 3), here thejunior high school, intermediate school, lower secondary school, or middle school occurs between theprimary school (ISCED 1) and high school.

Names for secondary schools by country

• Argentina:secundaria orpolimodal,escuela secundaria
• Australia:high school,secondary college
• Austria:Gymnasium (Ober- & Unterstufe),Hauptschule,Höhere Bundeslehranstalt (HBLA),Höhere Technische Lehranstalt (HTL)
• Azerbaijan:orta məktəb
• Bangladesh:Maddhomik Biddalay or Secondary School (grades 6-10)
• Bahamas, The:junior high (grades 7–9),senior high (grades 10–12)
• Belgium:secundair onderwijs/école secondaire,humaniora/humanités
• Bolivia:educación primaria superior (grades 6–8) andeducación secundaria, (grades 9–12)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina:srednja škola (literallymiddle school),gimnazija (gymnasium)
• Brazil:ensino médio (officially),segundo grau (formerly)
• Brunei: mostlysekolah menengah (English translation:secondary school), a fewmaktab (English translation:college)
• Bulgaria:cредно образование (grades 8–12)
• Canada:High school,junior high ormiddle school,secondary school,école secondaire,collegiate institute,polyvalente
• Chile:enseñanza media
• China:zhong xue (中学; literally,middle school), consisting ofchu zhong (初中;初级中学 [zh]; literallylow-level middle school) from grades 7 to 9 andgao zhong (高中;高级中学 [zh]; literallyhigh-level middle school) from grades 10 to 12
• Colombia:bachillerato,segunda enseñanza (literallysecond learning)
• Croatia:srednja škola (literallymiddle school),gimnazija (gymnasium)
• Cyprus: Γυμνάσιο (gymnasium), Ενιαίο Λύκειο (Lyceum)
• Czech Republic:střední škola (literallymiddle school),gymnázium (gymnasium),střední odborné učiliště
• Denmark:gymnasium
• Dominican Republic:nivel medio,bachillerato
• Egypt:Thanawya Amma (ثانوية عامة), (public secondary certificate)
• Estonia:upper secondary school,gymnasium,Lyceum
• Fiji:high school,college
• Finland:lukio (Finn.)gymnasium (Swed.)
• France:collège (junior),lycée (senior)
• Germany:Gymnasium,Gesamtschule,Realschule,Hauptschule,Fachoberschule
• Greece: Γυμνάσιο (three years) (gymnasium), Γενικό Λύκειο (three years) (~1996, 2006~present), Ενιαίο Λύκειο (three years), (1997~2006) (lyceum)
• Hong Kong:Secondary school (中學 zung1 hok6)
• Hungary:gimnázium (grammar school),középiskola (comprehensive school, lit. "middle-school"),szakközépiskola (vocational secondary school, lit. "specified middle-school")
• Iceland:framhaldsskóli (menntaskóli,iðnskóli,fjölbrautaskóli) from 11-13 Grade. After elementary school (grades 1 through 10), students have the option of entering a framhaldsskóli (lit. continuation school), which will take at least three years.
• India:secondary school or high school (grades 8–10),higher secondary school or senior secondary school or intermediate college or pre-university college (grades 11–12) it is called various name in various languages of india as follows:
  • Hindi (हिन्दी): माध्यमिक विद्यालय (Madhyamik Vidyalaya)
  • Bengali (বাংলা): মাধ্যমিক বিদ্যালয় (Madhyamik Vidyalaya)
  • Tamil (தமிழ்): மேல்நிலைப்பள்ளி (Melnilai Palli)
  • Telugu (తెలుగు): ద్వితీయోత్సాహ పాఠశాల (Dvitiya Vidyalaya) or ఉన్నత పాఠశాల (Unnata Patashala)
  • Marathi (मराठी): माध्यमिक शाळा (Madhyamik Shala)
  • Gujarati (ગુજરાતી): માધ્યમિક શાળા (Madhyamik Shala)
  • Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ): ಪ್ರೌಢ ಶಾಲೆ (Prouḍha Shale)
  • Malayalam (മലയാളം): ഉപരി വിദ്യാലയം (Upari Vidyalayam) or ഹൈസ്കൂൾ (High School)
  • Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ): ਮਾਧਿਮਕ ਵਿਦਿਆਲਿਆ (Madhyamik Vidyalaya)
  • Urdu (اردو): ثانوی اسکول (Sanooy School)
  • Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ): ମାଧ୍ୟମିକ ବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ (Madhyamika Bidyalaya)
• Indonesia:sekolah menengah atas (SMA) (lit. "upper middle school"),sekolah menengah pertama (SMP) (lit. "first middle school"),sekolah menengah kejuruan (SMK) (vocational school, lit. "middle vocational school")
• Ireland:Meánscoil orSecondary School
• Iraq:Madrasa I'dadia (مدرسة اعدادية), (Preparatory School)
• Iran:Madrese Rahnamaie (مدرسه راهنمایی), (public secondary certificate)
• Israel:Bet Sefer Tichon (בית ספר תיכון) (literallymiddle school, but in reality grades 9-12)
• Italy:scuola secondaria di primo grado (three years) +scuola secondaria di secondo grado (five years): Liceo, Istituto Tecnico and Istituto professionale
• Jamaica:High School (public school 7–13),colleges (grand-aided schools 7–13)
• Japan:chūgakkō (中学校; literallymiddle school),kōtōgakkō (高等学校; literallyhigh school),chūtōkyōikugakkō (中等教育学校; Secondary School) – In the pre-Meiji educational system, the equivalent was called "chūsei"
• Latvia:vidusskola (literallymiddle school)
• Liechtenstein:gymnasium
• Lithuania:vidurinė mokykla (literallymiddle school),gimnazija (gymnasium),licėjus (lyceum)
• Macau:Escola secundária (中學 zung1 hok6): schools with secondary sections haveEnsino secundário (中學教育 zung1 hok6 gaau3 juk6)
• Malaysia:secondary school orsekolah menengah, sometimeshigh school is used
• Malta:skola sekondarja orsecondary school
• Mexico:educación secundaria y preparatoria
• Mongolia:бүрэн дунд сургууль
• Morocco: In Arabic: Junior :Madrasa I'dadia Ta'hilia" (مدرسة إعدادية تأهيلية /preparative qualificative school) ; Senior :Madrasa I'dadia Thanawia" (مدرسة إعدادية ثانوية /preparative secondary school) - In French:lycée
• Netherlands:middelbare school orvoortgezet onderwijs
• New Zealand:high school,college orsecondary school
• Nigeria:Secondary school,Junior or senior secondary school
• Norway:videregående skole
• Pakistan:secondary school,higher secondary school
• Paraguay:educación media
• Peru:educación secundaria orescuela secundaria
• Philippines:mataas na paaralan; can be divided into "junior high school" (grades 7–10) and "senior high school" (grades 11–12)
• Poland:
  • generally:szkoła średnia orszkoła ponadpodstawowa (szkoła ponadgimnazjalna during the existence ofgimnazjum middle schools)
  • specifically:liceum ogólnokształcące (comprehensive secondary school, grades 9–12),technikum (technical secondary school, grades 9-13)
• Portugal:2º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (5th and 6th grades),3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (7th to 9th grades), andEnsino Secundário,Liceu (10th to 12th grades)
• Romania:gimnaziu (grades 5–8),liceu (grades 9–12)
• Russia:средняя школа (literallymiddle school); grades 5–9junior middle school (compulsory), grades 10–11senior middle school (voluntary)
• Serbia:gymnasium (four years),professional schools (four years),vocational schools (three or four years)
• Slovakia :gymnázium (i.e.gymnasium, also translated asgrammar school orhigh school)
• Slovenia:gimnazija (gymnasium),srednja šola (literallymiddle school)
• South Africa:High School orHoërskool
• South Korea: 중고등학교 (中高等學校・Chung'godŭnghakkyo), 중등교육 (Chungdŭng'gyoyuk; literallymiddle education), comprising 중학교 (Chunghakkyo; the Lower secondary school, years 7–9, though referred to as "middle school grades 1–3") and 고등학교 (Kodŭnghakkyo; the Upper secondary school, years 10–12, though referred to as "high school grades 1–3")
• Spain:educación secundaria, composed of two cycles:E.S.O. (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, compulsory secondary education, four years, 7th to 10th grade) andbachillerato (non-compulsory secondary education, to years, 11th and 12th grade);formerly (for those born until 31 December 1983), primary education comprised up to the 8th grade and the secondary education was composed of two non-compulsory cycles:B.U.P. (Bachillerato Unificado Polivalente, three years, 9th to 11th grade) andC.O.U. (Curso de Orientación Universitaria, one year, 12th grade)
• Sri Lanka:junior secondary school,senior secondary school
• Sweden:gymnasium
• Switzerland:gymnasium,secondary school, collègeor lycée
• Taiwan:Junior High School(國民中學),Senior High School(高級中學),Vocational High School (高級職業中學),Military School (軍校), andComplete High School (完全中學).
• Thailand:matthayommasueksa (มัธยมศึกษา; lit. "Secondary education")
• Trinidad and Tobago:Secondary School, Forms 1 to 5 (five years) or Forms 1-6 (seven years)
• Turkey:Lise
• Ukraine: grades 5–9gymnasium (compulsory), grades 10–12lyceum (voluntary)
• United Kingdom
  • England andWales:secondary school (may be referred to ashigh school)
  • Northern Ireland:secondary school orgrammar school
  • Scotland:high school oracademy
• United States:High school (North America) (usually grades 9–12 but sometimes 10–12, it is also calledsenior high school) is always considered secondary education;junior high school orintermediate school ormiddle school (6–8, 7–8, 6–9, 7–9, or other variations) are sometimes considered secondary education.
• Uruguay:Liceo orSecundaria (three years of compulsory education:Ciclo Básico; and three years of specialization:Bachillerato Diversificado, into: Humanities (Law or Economics), Biology (Medicine or Agronomy), Science (Engineering or Architecture), and Art
• Venezuela:bachillerato
• Vietnam:Trung học cơ sở (abbreviated THCS, lit. "basic middle school", equivalent to junior high school in the U.S.);trung học phổ thông (abbr. THPT, lit. "general middle school", equivalent to senior high school in the U.S.)

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  Students at First High School inArgos, Peloponnese, Greece
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  The red-brick building of the Kallavesi High School inKuopio, Finland
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  The first taxpayer-funded public school in the United States was inDedham, Massachusetts
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  Pozsonyi Királyi Katolikus Gimnázium, a high school inBratislava, Slovakia
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  Hugo Treffner Gymnasium inTartu, Estonia
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  Rangpur Cadet College is one of theCadet colleges in Bangladesh
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  Stiftsgymnasium Melk, aRoman Catholic Benedictine-run gymnasium located inMelk, Austria
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  Fairfax High School inFairfax, Virginia, United States
•  
  Chorlton Park Secondary School inManchester, England

• Kindergarten
• Lists of schools by country
• Secondary education
• Tertiary education
• Tech ed

• Australian CensusAtSchool (Australia)
• Canadian Education Statistics Council (CESC) (United States)
• Office for National Statistics (ONS) (United Kingdom)
• BB103_Area_Guidelines_for_Mainstream_Schools (2014) UKArchived 2017-05-25 at theWayback Machine
• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (United States)
• OECD Standardised designs (2011)