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

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

The school plans for an after-school electric bus service to get students to River Park, but it won’t be an auxiliary lot for the upper school campus.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2025

The Roeper School leadership acknowledged the offense, saying it was caught after it was distributed to its upper school class last week.

From Washington Post • May 21, 2022

The stone facade of the upper school, where Jule was to work, stood five stories high.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart