upper school

American  

noun

1. a scholastic division, especially in a private school, including the terminal secondary grades.

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upper school British  

noun

1. the senior pupils in a secondary school, usually those in the fourth and fifth years and above

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Etymology

Origin of upper school

First recorded in 1620–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

upper school

Educators haven’t been shy about reminding them, said Garrison Conner, head of upper school at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026

“The overall process ... has made an impact,” said Jordan Church, dean of students at Harvard-Westlake upper school.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2025

Before Opal, the upper school did not have a policy governing phone usage, with teachers allowed to set their own class rules.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2025

While Maret’s 46 players are the most in school history, Engelberg recruited many of them from the hallways in the 320-student upper school.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 23, 2022

My friends and I had now moved to the upper school, and our friendly competition got even more competitive.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai