Ninth Grade

Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 14 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school.

In Australian state, high school starts in Eighth Grade for Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland. High Schools in Victoria, Tasmania, Northern Territory, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory start high school at Seventh Grade. In mathematics, the classes focus on geometry, substitutions and formulas, measurements and equations. Though some states differ.

In Canada, Grade Nine can be either the first or second year of high school, or the last year or second to last year of middle school (often called Middle School in Canada), depending on the region. Grade nines in Canada are 13 to 15, depending on the time in the school year.

Graduating requirements in Ontario:

• 1 French
• 1 Physical Education & Health
• 1 Canadian Geography
• 1 Canadian History
• 1 The Arts (Optional between drama, art, or music)
• 0.5 Civics
• 0.5 Careers
• 2 Science
• 3 Math
• 4 English
• 1 additional credit (group 1): additional credit in English, or French as a second language,** or a Native language, or a classical or an international language, or social sciences and the humanities, or *Canadian and world studies, or guidance and career education, or cooperative education***
• 1 additional credit (group 2): additional credit in health and physical education, or the arts, or business studies, or French as a second language,** or cooperative education***
• 1 additional credit (group 3): additional credit in science (Grade 11 or 12), or technological education, or French as a second language,** or computer studies, or cooperative education***
• Plus 12 optional credits
• Plus a successful pass on the provincial literacy requirement

• A maximum of 3 credits in English as a second language (ESL) or English literacy development (ELD) may be counted towards the 4 compulsory credits in English, but the fourth must be a credit earned for a Grade 12 compulsory English course.
o In groups 1, 2, and 3, a maximum of 2 credits in French as a second language can count as compulsory credits, one from group 1 and one from either group 2 or group 3.

A maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education can count as compulsory credits.
†The 12 optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit courses.


In Denmark, ninth grade is around the same thing as in Sweden. Afterwards you can choose to go through tenth grade but it is not required. The students are 15–16 years old.
In Finland, ninth grade is the last year of compulsory schooling. The students are usually 15 – 16 years old. The meaning of tenth grade is to give an opportunity to improve your grades.

In Sweden, ninth grade is the last year of compulsory comprehensive school (elementary school). The students are usually between 14 and 16 years old. This grade is where students get their final grades with which they apply to the next step in the Swedish school-system. That makes ninth grade an important grade for most students.
In British schools, 9th grade (in terms of age requirements) is equivalent to year 10 (called Year 11 in Northern Ireland), the fourth year of Comprehensive School/High/Grammar School. However, students in the UK start comprehensive school, High School or Grammar School (the school in which they attend is based upon their academic ability) at the age of 11, and finish at either 15 or 16 years old, depending on when in the academic year their birthday falls (1 September – 31 August) when they sit GCSE exams. Non-compulsory education continues where students can choose to remain at school or attend a sixth form college to take AS levels and A levels before applying to universities. In the United States, ninth grade is usually the first year in high school (called "upper secondary school" in other countries). In the mathematics curriculum, ninth graders are usually taught Pre-Algebra or Algebra I. Advanced courses (such as Geometry in the US) are usually available to ninth graders who are prepared for a more rigorous curriculum, depending on the school district. In some cases, the upcoming ninth graders will take Algebra II. Some districts across the country allow their 9th graders to take Trigonometry or AP Statistics, or even Calculus if the district provides.
In the English curriculum, ninth graders are taught the basic fundamentals of Literature and touches the fundamentals of speech and debate. They may also read Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare as it correlates with current teenage life and issues.
In the social studies curriculum, ninth graders are typically taught geography, government, and history. In most areas, students are open to taking more advanced history courses like world history or U.S. history with the consent of the pupil's previous social studies teacher.
In the science curriculum, ninth grade students are required, in most areas, to take earth science. Physical science may be taught as well in some schools. It is often a pre-requisite for most other lab sciences available at the high school level, and is often a requirement for graduation. In some cases, the upcoming ninth grader may choose to take the tenth grade course. Biology and chemistry can also be taken in 9th grade, depending on the district.