The missing middle: puberty is a critical time at school, so why aren’t we investing in it more?

By Lisa Mundy
Community contribution / December 1, 2020

The middle years of school are defined as being from 8-14 years of age.

These were often described as a latent or quiet phase of development.

We now understand this is not the case ...

Classroom Teacher - Secondary English or HSIE - St Matthews Catholic School, Mudgee

Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst Mudgee New South Wales

Cultivate knowledge and inspire growth in the role of a Secondary Teacher within our educational team.

Teaching - Secondary / Dec 13, 2025

SEN Teaching Assistant

Veritas Leyland

Teaching Aides & Special Needs / Dec 13, 2025

SEN Teaching Assistant

Veritas Preston

Teaching Aides & Special Needs / Dec 13, 2025

School news / Just days in and social media ban slugged with second legal challenge

Reddit should not be considered social media, the app’s management argues, as it fights Australia’s world-leading ban for under 16s.

School news / ‘Infringement of fundamental rights’: Austria passes headscarf ban for under-14s in schools

Austria’s lower house of parliament has passed a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools for girls under 14 ⁠despite uncertainty over whether the legislation will be ruled unconstitutional as a previous ban was five years ago.

School news / ‘Grave and serious breach of that trust’: principal avoids jail for assaulting Indigenous pupils

A former NRL referee has been spared jail after abusing his position of trust as a school principal by putting Indigenous students into choke holds and painfully twisting their ears.

School news / ‘Backed into a corner’: striking Tassie teachers take a stand for school support staff

Most of Tasmania’s government schools have closed for half of today’s school day as hundreds of staff walked off the job in protest at the Liberal Government’s failure to provide fair pay for school support staff.

School news / Inclusive innovation: one school leaders’ incredible Nature, Nurture, Network curriculum

The Hills Christian Community School’s 600 students are on a pretty good wicket. A unique F-12 nature school situated on nine pristine acres of play space, it’s a model school for technological excellence and innovation that is the envy of others,...

School news / Govt’s social media ban a clear win for schools: legal expert

Schools that ignore or dismiss signs of online bullying between students could face serious legal consequences, a former teacher-turned-lawyer has warned.

Opinion / What an emu on a ute taught me about equity in education

Why a simple sentence can reveal hidden gaps in classrooms, and how a grassroots teacher movement is using the science of learning to give every child a fair chance.

School news / Tas investigation update: jumping castle inquest ‘open to different findings’

The families of six children killed in a jumping castle tragedy have been told an inquest could make different findings to a probe that cleared the operator of criminal wrongdoing.

School news / Nervous wait ends as Vic school leavers receive ATARs

After years of hard work and study, tens of thousands of students will receive their ATAR scores, with 42 graduates attaining the perfect score.

School news / Immigrant teens with strong heritage and identity have better mental health and academic success

Immigrant adolescents who feel connected to family, school and community experience lower depression and anxiety, better grades, and stronger social ties a new study has found.

The missing middle: puberty is a critical time at school, so why aren’t we investing in it more?

Comments

EducationID

Our services

Ad centre