What does a strong middle school curriculum actually look like?
Middle school is a turning point. It’s the bridge between the foundational years of elementary school and the academic demands of high school. For many parents, that raises an important question: what are the curriculums in a private middle school, and how do they prepare a child for what comes next?
The answer varies by school, but the strongest private middle school curriculums share a common goal: building rigorous academic skills while continuing to shape character. At The Highlands School, that goal sits at the center of everything we do.
A Curriculum With Purpose, Not Just Requirements
Public middle schools follow state-mandated curriculum standards designed to serve a large, varied student body. Private middle schools have more freedom to build their curriculum around a clear mission, allowing for intentional rigor rather than one-size-fits-all.
At The Highlands School, the middle school years (grades 6-8) come at the onset of adolescence, a season when a rigorous yet supportive environment matters most. Our curriculum prepares 6th-8th grade students for the demands of college preparatory and Advanced Placement® high school work across a variety of disciplines, spanning both the arts and sciences.
Core Academic Subjects
So what exactly do students study? In humanities, our middle schoolers master the details of English grammar and build strong, confident writing skills. Reading comprehension instruction draws on a broad set of skills developed through the study of novels, poetry, short stories, and dramatic works chosen from among great literature. To reinforce these habits, students set quarterly independent reading goals tracked through Renaissance Reading’s Accelerated Reader® program.
In science, students learn foundational concepts through hands-on classroom labs, building the observation and reasoning skills they’ll rely on in high school science courses. Alongside academics, students take part in robust visual arts and performing arts programs, giving them room to grow creatively as well as intellectually.
Preparing for the Rigor of High School
One of the clearest markers of a strong private middle school curriculum is how well it prepares students for what comes next. At The Highlands School, that preparation is intentional. During their 8th grade year, students earn high school credit in both Spanish and French, along with Honors High School Algebra I, a head start that lets them enter 9th grade with confidence rather than catching up.
That is what families should expect from a private Middle School in Irving, TX: a curriculum that doesn’t just check boxes, but builds the academic stamina and skill students need to approach high school without hesitation.
More Than Academics: Character, Faith and Community
A private middle school curriculum isn’t only about coursework. At The Highlands School, our Integral Formation® approach means academics are only one part of a student’s growth during these years. Students continue to grow spiritually through weekly Mass, prayer and virtue formation, while also building leadership and social skills through clubs, athletics and community life.
With an average class size of 16 students, teachers get to know each student well enough to notice where they’re struggling and where they’re ready to be pushed further. That kind of attention, paired with a challenging curriculum, is what allows middle schoolers to grow into confident, capable high schoolers.
See It for Yourself
What are the curriculums in a private middle school? At their best, they combine rigorous academics with character formation, preparing students not just for their next test, but for the years ahead.
We invite you to see what that looks like at The Highlands School. Schedule a visit to experience our middle school firsthand, and discover how our curriculum prepares students for high school and beyond.