High school facts for kids

High school is a type of school where students learn important skills for their future. It's a big step in your education! In some countries, like the United States, high school comes after middle school. In other places, like the United Kingdom, students go to secondary school after primary school when they are about 11 years old.

High School in the United States

Grades and Ages

In the United States, high school usually includes grades 9 through 12. Students are typically between 14 and 18 years old. This is often the last school that the law requires students to attend.

Required Attendance

Most states have a "compulsory age" for school attendance. This means students must go to school until a certain age or grade. For example, in New York, students under 17 must attend school unless they have a special reason not to.

Sometimes, if a student has serious problems following school rules, they might be asked to leave. This is called expulsion. After a certain age, usually 16, students can legally stop attending high school without graduating. In a few states, this age is 18 or older.

Other Ways to Finish

Some people choose to take special tests called GED (General Education Development). These tests are another way to show you have learned what you would in high school. Passing them can be like earning a high school diploma.

High School in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, students are required by law to attend school until they are 16 years old. The term 'high school' is mostly used in Scotland.

For most of the UK, the term 'Secondary School' is used instead. Secondary school usually covers school years 7 to 11. This means students are typically aged 11 to 16 years old.

Types of High Schools

In the United States and many other countries, there are two main types of high schools:

• Public high schools: These schools are funded by the government. They are usually free to attend for students living in the area.
• Private high schools: These schools are not funded by the government. Students usually pay tuition fees to attend them.

Images for kids

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  A high school.

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  Washington High School, Washington, Indiana

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  Camberwell High School, a public secondary school in Australia

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  High school in Bratislava, Slovakia (Gamča)

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  The first taxpayer-funded public school in the United States was in Dedham, Massachusetts.

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  The red-brick building of the Kallavesi High School in Kuopio, Finland.

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  Carl-von-Ossietzky-Gymnasium, located in Görschstraße, Berlin-Pankow

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  Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in Tartu, Estonia

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  Rangpur Cadet College is one of the Cadet colleges in Bangladesh, which is quite well known for its quality Secondary and Intermediate education, along with a well-disciplined boarding system.

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  Stiftsgymnasium Melk is a Roman Catholic Benedictine-run gymnasium located in Melk, Austria. The gymnasium is located within and run by the well-known monastery Melk Abbey. It was built around the 12th century and has been a public high school in its present-day format since 1707.