Middle school has a duration of three years and concludes the first cycle of education that began with elementary school.
Middle school:
powers basic literacy through the specific languages and knowledge of the disciplines, understood as points of view on reality and as ways of knowing, interpreting and representing the world avoids fragmentation and a transmissive approach to knowledge, encouraging in students an articulated organization of knowledge, in the perspective of the elaboration of an increasingly better integrated and mastered knowledge through disciplinary competencies promotes the development of broader and transversal competencies, which allow the full personal realization of students and their active participation in a social life oriented to the values of civil coexistence and the common good stimulates the growth of autonomous study and social interaction skills by making students take an active role in their own learning and encouraging them to build their own life project organizes and enhances, also through literacy and deepening in information technologies, knowledge and skills, also in relation to cultural tradition and social, cultural and scientific evolution of the contemporary reality provides opportunities to acquire awareness of their own potential and resources, playing a fundamental educational and orientation role for the subsequent path of education and training to the English language, introduced from elementary school, it flanks the study of a second language of the European Union.
Operating Hours
Presidential Decree No. 89 of 2009 governs the operation of the secondary school.
The compulsory annual timetable of lessons is a total of 990 hours, corresponding to 29 hours per week plus 33 hours per year of in-depth teaching of literary subjects.
According to the availability of places and services activated, extended-time classes may be organized with a timetable equal to 36 hours per week of teaching activities, which can be raised up to 40 including time devoted to the canteen.
Classes
The first classes of secondary school are formed, as a rule, with a minimum of 18 pupils and a maximum of 27 (they can become 28 if there are remnants). If only one first class is formed in the school, pupils may be up to 30.
In schools located in small islands, mountain municipalities and areas inhabited by linguistic minorities, classes with a minimum of 10 pupils may be formed. In the same areas, if the numbers to form separate classes of first, second and third grades are not reached, it is possible to activate classes with pupils from the different years of the course, which, however, must accommodate no more than 18 pupils.
Secondary school classes that accommodate pupils with disabilities in a serious situation are formed, as a rule, with no more than 20 pupils (Article 5 Presidential Decree No. 81 of 2009).
Disciplines of Study
Ministerial Decree 254 of 2012 (National Directions for the Curriculum of Kindergarten and First Cycle of Education) identified the compulsory disciplines of study for secondary school students:
- Italian
- English Language and Second Community Language
- History
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Sciences
- Music
- Art and Image
- Physical Education
- Technology.
To these disciplines, Law No. 92 of August 20, 2019 added the teaching of Civic Education, a cross-curricular discipline that affects all school grades and revolves around three main thematic cores: Constitution, sustainable development and digital citizenship. In addition, for those students who make use of it, the teaching of Catholic religion is provided for one hour per week. Pupils who do not avail of it may opt for an alternative activity among those offered by the school or assisted individual study, or they may request late entry or early exit. Presidential Decree No. 89 of 2009 (Article 5) identified the teaching schedules for each discipline or groups of disciplines for both regular-time and extended-time classes. At the request of families, consistent with the availability of teachers within the school and only if there is no overstaffing, the two hours of the second community language may be allocated to English language enhancement. For pupils from foreign countries who need to master basic communication skills, the hours allocated to the teaching of the second community language may be devoted to the teaching of Italian. The National Directions for the Curriculum have set goals for the development of competencies and learning objectives for each discipline.
Music-oriented pathways
After acquiring the authorization of the Regional School Office, in compliance with the available staffing, educational institutions may activate music-oriented pathways, which add the study of a musical instrument and musical practice to the traditional disciplines and are governed by Interministerial Decree July 1, 2022, no. 176 in implementation of Legislative Decree No. 60 of April 13, 2017.
To access the music-oriented pathways, students must take an orientation-aptitude test aimed at assessing their aptitudes and directing them to the specific instrumental specialty among the four activated by the school, taking into account the available places.
In the music-oriented pathways, instrumental lesson activities both individual and collective, music theory and reading and ensemble music are carried out for three additional weekly hours also organized on a multi-week basis (99 annual). In extended time, additional teaching is carried out within the total number of hours. The teaching of the instrument constitutes an integral part of the personalized annual timetable and contributes to the determination of the validity of the school year, so the activities are mandatory for the student enrolled in the path and are subject to periodic and final assessment.
Evaluation of learning
Evaluation in secondary school is governed by Legislative Decree No. 62 of April 13, 2017, and is expressed through grades in tenths that indicate the different levels of learning in each discipline of study. The evaluation of the teaching of Catholic religion and alternative activity, for pupils who make use of these teachings only, is made on a separate note by means of summary judgments. The assessment is supplemented by a description of the process and the overall level of learning development achieved.
Behavior is assessed through a summary judgment reported in the assessment document.
State Examination Concluding the First Cycle of Education
The first cycle of education concludes with a state examination in accordance with the procedures set forth in Legislative Decree April 13, 2017, no. 62 and Ministerial Decree No. 741 of October 3, 2017.
Students who have attended at least three-quarters of the personalized total number of hours, participated in the national tests in Italian, mathematics and English prepared by INVALSI and have not received the disciplinary sanction of non-admission may take the exam. Private candidates may also take the state exam under the conditions specified in Article 3 of the decree.
The exam includes three written tests (Italian or language in which teaching takes place, logical-mathematical skills, English and second community language) on three different days and an oral interview aimed at assessing the level of acquisition of the knowledge, skills and competencies described in the student's final profile outlined in the National Curriculum Directions. The interview also ascertains the level of mastery of skills related to the cross-curricular teaching of civic education.
For students enrolled in the music pathways, the multidisciplinary interview is supplemented by an instrument practice test.
The final grade, which is reported on the diploma, is derived from the average of the admission grade and the average of the four grades from the written tests and the interview.
A certification of competencies is also issued at the end of the first cycle of education, attesting to the ability to use acquired knowledge to tackle tasks and problems, complex and new, real or simulated (Ministerial Decree No. 742 of October 3, 2017). The certification of competencies is supplemented by a section, edited by INVALSI, describing the levels achieved in national tests in Italian, mathematics and English language.