Science education in England
For the ages of 16, 17 and 18 (and older for those that remain in education below university-level), students in England do what is sometimes loosely called ‘key stage 5’ or KS5; it has no legal meaning (unlike the other key stages). And unlike KS1–4 in which the levels of complexity of topics learnt at each stage are prescribed within relatively narrow limits, at KS5, the levels of complexity of topics cover a wide range, although the highest level of complexity at KS5 is RQF level 3. Whether or not a student actually studies at this level of complexity in KS5 depends on his/her GCSE results—crucially on what subjects the student obtained passes at RQF level 2 standard (including mathematics and English) as well as the actual grades themselves. In other words, unlike KS1–4, where a specific student studies at one RQF level, at KS5, a specific student may be studying at several RQF levels depending on what s/he obtained at GCSEs. Regardless of the RQF-level mix, a KS5 student can do his/her post-16 study in one of the following:
Canon-McMillan School District
Canonsburg Middle School is currently the only middle school in the Canon-McMillan School District and educates students in 7th and 8th grades. Present enrollment numbers around 1,100 students. It also houses the district-wide Special Education department offices. It opened in 1967 as Canon-McMillan Junior High School. At that time, it held students in grades 7-9. It was the first and only school of its kind in the district until 1969, when Cecil Junior High School (now Cecil Intermediate) opened. Canon-McMillan Junior High became the grades 6-8 Canonsburg Middle School in 1983, and would see its first and only complete renovation the next year, in 1984. This project remodeled the structure's entire interior, and updated electrical and plumbing work to meet the safety codes of the time. Computer labs and a large group instruction room were added in the 90s, however the latter has since been removed and permanently divided into three classrooms. 6th grade was removed from CMS in 2002. The school saw minor security upgrades near the main entrance in 2014, however, CMS is now slated to close in the coming years as the building's structural and physical condition is deteriorating, and having not seen a full renovation since the 80s, the school is extremely dated inside. CMS has also been overcrowded for several years. Students will be transferred to an all new school building that, as of 2018, has not yet been constructed, but is expected to be built and opened by 2021 and will have a larger student capacity than the current school.