中等教育(secondary education)
正规教育传统上的第二阶段，开始於11～13岁，通常结束於15～18岁。由於初中、高中以及其他各种划分的学校迅速增加，初等教育和中等教育间的差别已逐渐变得不再明显。在美国，处於中等教育年龄阶段的学生有80%以上在念中学。在英国，大多数学生（占90%）在与美国高中相类似的综合学校就读，其余则就读於文法学校（如公共集资建成的预备学校）、技术学校或公学，这类学校实际上是私立学校。在法国，结束了中等教育第一阶段学习（所谓的指导期）的15～18岁的学生，进入公立中学（lycee）学习，可以是普通（学术的）公立中学，也可以是职业公立中学。在德国，九年级毕业的学生，可进入高等小学（Hauptschule）学习，在那里接受进一步的一般教育之後，便开始学徒期的培训；也可进入实科初级中学学习，这类中学同时进行一般教育和专科教育，毕业之後可升入职业学校或开始学徒培训；也可进入学术性的大学预科学习。
English version：
secondary education
Traditional second stage in formal education, beginning at age 11-13 and ending usually at age 15-18. The distinction between elementary education and secondary education has gradually become less marked, owing to the proliferation of middle schools, junior high schools, and other divisions. In the U.S., over 80% of students of secondary-school age attend a high school. In the British system, most students (90% in Britain) attend comprehensive schools similar to American high schools; the rest attend either grammar schools (i.e., publicly funded preparatory schools), technical schools, or public schools, which are actually private. In France, students 15-18 years of age who have completed the first part of their secondary education (the so-called “guidance cycle”) attend a lycée, either a general (academic) or a vocational lycée. In Germany, students who have completed grade 9 may enter a Hauptschule, a school for further general education that leads to apprenticeship training; a Realschule, a school for both general and specialized education that leads to either vocational school or apprenticeship training; or an academically oriented Gymnasium.