Seventh grade

Seventh grade (also 7th Grade or Grade 7) is the seventh year of formal or compulsory education. The seventh grade is typically the first, second or third year of middle school. In the United States, children in seventh grade are usually around 12–13 years old. Different terms and numbers are used in other parts of the world.

Argentina
In Argentina, seventh grade is the final grade of primary school. In some parts of the country, the grade is the first of secondary school.

Australia
In Australia, Year 7 is the first year of secondary school. It is actually the eighth year of schooling (Prep/Foundation, 1 to 6, then Year 7). In Australia, Year 7 students are aged between twelve and thirteen years old.

Belgium
In Belgium, 7th grade is the first year of high school. When reaching the age of 12 or 13, the children go from primary school (“basisschool”) to secondary school (“middelbare school”).

7th grade is preparation for the rest of the high school period. It is also used to reference students' capability, to make sure they belong to the right level of education. Students here learn the languages Dutch and French in the northern part of Belgium (Flanders), and learn French or German and can choose between Dutch, English, German or French in the southern and German part of Belgium, just as their own language (Dutch, French or German) skills. Other classes in the 7th grade are: Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry, Art & Music, Geography, Physics, Physical Education (gym), Social Studies, Religion (depends on the school itself), and Computer Science (Computer science in 7th grade means learning to work with computers properly)

Belgium uses a system where specific education is accommodated in the high school period, which also is chosen by the student (Technisch secundair onderwijs, Beroepssecundair onderwijs, Kunstsecundair onderwijs) before they choose to go to work or continuing at a university.

Brazil
In Brazil, the period of elementary school was recently raised from 8 to 9 years, and the minimum age required to enter the seventh grade was not changed. The students are usually between 11 and 13. In the seventh grade, all students must be 12 years old before March 31 or May 31 depending on school.

Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, it would correspond to седми клас or 7-ми клас. Students are usually 13–14 years old.

Canada
Grade 7 in Canada is the first year of junior high school, middle school, or the second last grade of junior/elementary school. Intermediate schools (grades 6, 7 and 8) provide education in Literature and Mathematics, as well as History, Geography, Music, Drama, Dance, Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics in particular), Art, French (English if in French Immersion), and Physical Education (phys ed. or gym). French and ‘foreign’ languages, which used to be taught only at high schools, are now introduced during the last 2 years of elementary school and all years of middle school.

Egypt
In Egypt, this is the first year of the Middle School. Usually, students who are in 7th grade are 11–13 years old.

Finland
In Sweden and Finland, this is the seventh year of compulsory school and either the second or first year of "junior high", depending on the size of the schools in the district.

France
In France, seventh grade is called cinquième (5ème), meaning 5th, as in 5 years before the class of Terminale, the last year of lycée (the French equivalent to high school).

Germany
In Germany, the equivalent grade is 7. Klasse.

Greece
In Greece, seventh grade is called the first year of gymnasium school or middle school, or lower secondary school (Proti Gymnasiou - Πρώτη Γυμνασίου)

Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, pupils aged 12 to 13 are in Secondary 1 or Form 1, the first year of secondary education.

India
In India, seventh grade is known as Class 7. Class 7 is the second year in middle school. Pupils aged 12 to 13 attend class 7. Students are introduced to more complex mathematics and science among other subjects. In most schools, social studies is divided into history, civics and geography at this stage. Seventh class is the second last class in the secondary education system of India. Eleven-year-olds can also be enrolled in this grade if they are born between January and March 31 as the year ends here. This results in them being earlier off their batch.

Iran
In Iran, Grade 7 is the first year of highschool A. There are 2 stages of highschool in Iran: A and B. A ranges from grade 7 to 9 and B ranges from 9 to 12. Most Iranian seventh graders are 13 years old.

Ireland
The Irish equivalent to seventh grade is the First Year, which is the first year of secondary education. Students are usually 12–13 years old. This is usually the time when students begin having different teachers for different subjects, and move classrooms after each period.

Israel
In Israel, in most formal places, the seventh grade is the first year of middle school.

Japan
In Japan, 7th grade (or more commonly called 中１) is the first year of Japanese Junior High school. All students are 12 years old by April 1 of the school year. This is the seventh of nine years of compulsory school in Japan, as High School (10th to 12th grade) is not compulsory.

Malaysia
In Malaysia, the seventh grade can be referred as Form 1. It is the beginning of student's secondary school after completing primary school at the age of 12.

Netherlands
In the Netherlands the 7th grade is the first class of high school, also named "brugklas" (bridge classes). When reaching the age of 12 or 13, students graduate from primary school (“basisschool”) to high school (“middelbare school”).

Besides Dutch, students learn foreign languages such as German, French and English. Higher levels of the 7th grade curriculum include Latin, Greek, Chinese and/or Spanish.

Other classes in the 7th grade are: Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry, Art, Music, Geography, History, Physics, Physical education (“gym”), Social studies, Theatre Religion (depends on the school itself) and Computer science.

After 4, 5 or 6 years (depending on the level of education) one can get their diploma, which grants access to specific education, like the university or HBO and MBO education. These are educations that focuses on specific talents, chosen by the student to prepare them for a job environment.

New Zealand
In New Zealand, Year 8 (formerly Form 2) is the equivalent of seventh grade, with students aged 12 or 13 during the year. Seventh Grade is the last grade/year in Intermediate School.

Norway
In Norway, students enter the seventh grade the year they turn twelve years old. This is the final year of Barneskole (literally Kids School), equivalent to Elementary School.

Pakistan
In Pakistan, grade seven is called Class Seven and forms middle school. They are usually 13 years old.

Philippines
In the Philippines, Grade 7 or Freshman Year (Ikapitong Baitang) is the first year of Junior High School and High School curriculum. Students are usually 12–13 years old, but some students can also start at ages 11–12.

It was formerly named 1st Year or Year I (Unang Taon) until it changed to Grade 7 upon the implementation of the K-12 curriculum and the process of phasing out the 1945 or K-10 system that was first used on May 28, 1945 on April 24, 2012, both are part of the curriculum's 9-year implementation process.

Romania
In Romania, seventh grade is called Seventh Class, being the third year of secondary education, when students start preparing for the national exam, which takes place at the end of 8th grade as a form of high school admission test.

Russia
In Russia, students in seventh grade are usually 12–14 years old. It is third grade of the middle school. Children study such subjects as: Algebra, Geometry, Russian language, foreign language (often English), Physics, Biology, History, Social studies, Geography, Arts, Literature, Music, Physical Education, Information Technologies, labor training (wood processing, sewing, cooking), in some regions native languages.

Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, seventh grade is the first year of Middle School.

Singapore
In Singapore, seventh grade is called Secondary One, and it is the start of one's secondary education after one completes primary education. Pupils are typically at the age of 13 in seventh grade.

South Africa
In South Africa, Grade 7 is the final year of Primary school and is also the final year before High School as there is no such thing as Middle School in South Africa. Pupils (called Learners by the Department of Basic Education) are usually between the ages of 11,12 and 13.

Grade 7 is usually the last grade of Primary School within South African schools, grade 7 in South Africa adds 3 additional subjects, Economic management sciences, Creative Arts (which learners can choose between Drama and Music) and Life Orientation. This is also the year that Subjects go more in depth, Math gets more complex with Algebra as well as integers introduced and English begins to explore more complex topics such as literature and language study.

Grade 7 with the switch of standards to grades because of the SACA (South Africans Schools Act 1996) Grade 7 (or Standard 5) was the beginning of Secondary School but due to the fact High/Secondary Schools couldn't fit Standard 5 as more black, coloured and Indian students were now allowed in White and Afrikaans schools it was merged into Primary school.

Sweden
In Sweden and Finland, this is the seventh year of compulsory school and either the second or first year of "junior high", depending on the size of the schools in the district.

Taiwan
In Taiwan, seventh grade refers to two things: students in the first year of junior-high but also to people born between the years 70-79 (the seventh decade) of the Minguo calendar, which equates to between 1981 and 1990.

United Kingdom
In England and Wales, pupils aged between 12 and 13 are in Year 8, which is the second year of Secondary School. The Scottish equivalent is Secondary 2 or S2 - the second year of Secondary education. The Northern Irish equivalent is Year 9 or Second Form, the second year of secondary education. It is rare for pupils younger than 12–13 to enter Year 8.

United States
In the United States, in mathematics, 7th grade students begin to go more into pre-algebra or the beginnings of algebra including ratios, proportions, and percentages. New topics sometimes include scientific notation, concepts with negative numbers or integers, and more advanced geometry. Some schools allow advanced students to take an Algebra I course instead of following the standard 7th grade math curriculum.

In social studies, advanced pre-Civil War History is taught. Though American history is usually the most common, other cultures and time periods may be taught, including state and capital history (in, for example, Texas and South Carolina), European history (in Connecticut and New Jersey), and Civics (in Florida).

In science, 7th graders usually learn biology, although they may learn physical science or earth science topics too.

Foreign language is often introduced in 7th grade, with the most common language taught being Spanish. At many schools 7th graders can choose from several different languages depending on their school's language abilities and cultural/regional demographics.

In some parts of the United States, 7th grade students have a different class and teacher for each of their subjects, and the students move between classrooms at the end of each class period. Students in some schools may begin to have the option for electives for exploration and enrichment. Common electives include music ensembles such as band, orchestra, or choir, or electives such as  art, industrial arts, and computer technology.