Educational system in Poland

The educational system in Poland includes

nursery schools

Primary school

Secondary school

post-secondary schools

vocational colleges

• In Poland a higher education system is under the separate department of the government administration. It isn't ranked among the educational system and it has the constitutionally guaranteed autonomy

• In accordance with records of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland everyone has right to learn . Education is compulsory at the age 7 to 18 years old, but the status of compulsory institutions have only a primary school and the secondary school . The learning in public schools is free of charge .

• Activity and the organization of the system are specified in the act from 7 September 1991 about the educational system .

In 1999 a new structure of the education was introduced.

Nursery schools

• Children are attending the nursery school in the age 3 to 6. A "reception class" is compulsory for children in the age of 6. "Reception classes" are being established at nursery schools, but also schools have the right to create such a ward.

Primary schools• The six-year school is divided

into two three-year stages . The first stage includes classes from I to III; the main part is the block called „integrated education ” – these classes are being conducted by one teacher acting also as the class tutor. The teacher does not have to obey the class working time, i.e. to divide the working time of pupils on 45 minutes classes as it is in upper classes.

• Pupils are also participating in classes of the religion or ethics (which as a result of the small take-up practically are not-accomplished at Polish schools). Parents are deciding about the involvement of the child in the classes of the religion. At this educational stage extra subjects can be provided into the school plan, like foreign language. Some part of pupils is also participating in the teaching-compensatory classes and classes of physiotherapy exercises. Also possible is implementing other extra activities for everyone or groups of pupils. A headmaster is making a decision about it, allocating hours for this purpose so-called the director's disposal. The limit of hours at the director's disposal is being granted to the school to every class branch for using in three years in the sequence.

• In IV-VI classes different teachers are teaching subjects, from these teachers one(class tutor) is responsible for his class. Subjects are:

• Polish• Foreign language• Maths• General Biology• History and Society• Music• Arts• Technique• Information Technology• Physical Education• Religion (parents are deciding on

the involvement of the child in these classes) or ethics (practically not carried out in Polish schools)

• In these classes also headmaster, have the limit of so-called director's disposal hours, headmaster can implement an educational extra activities for everyone or for the group of pupils, for example an additional foreign language and teaching-compensatory classes. From the class V pupils behind the parental consent are taking part in classes of "living in the family".

• In the class VI pupils are taking the test of the level of the knowledge and the ability which is equal for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs receive adapted sheets. They can also sit an examination in individually adapted conditions. The test is being organised by the Central Examination Board. This test does not affect for leaving the primary school as well as for enrolling to the secondary school.

• The reform of the educational system from 1999 led the secondary school. Pupils attending the secondary school are young people in the age of 13 - 16. Educating at this stage has general character, there are the following subjects:

• Polish• History• Knowledge about society• Art• Music• Foreign language• Maths• Physics and Astronomy• Chemistry• Biology• Geography• Information Technology• Technique• Physical Education

• If parents will express such a will, also of religion. For pupils which aren't attending the religion, the director of the secondary school should organize classes of ethics. Pupils are also attending the classes of "living in the family" however they aren't obligatory.

• The learning at the secondary school is ending with the examination, written by pupils of the class III in April. Every year a director of the Central Examination Board is setting the date of the test. The examination paper consists of two written parts: humanistic and mathematical-natural (and from school year 2008 / 2009 also from a foreign language). Exam results don't affect for leaving the secondary school, but they are significant at the recruitment to post-secondary schools (the comprehensive secondary school, profiled secondary school, the technical vocational school and a vocational school).

Post-secondary education

a) fundamental vocational schools,

b) three-year comprehensive secondary schools,

c) three-year profiled secondary schools,

d) four-year technical vocational schools,

e) two-year supplementing comprehensive secondary schools,

f) three-year supplementing technical vocational schools,

g) vocational colleges,

h) three-year special schools.

Grading• Annual (semester)

classification evaluations from educational classes, starting from the class of the IV primary education, is settling in steps according to the following scale:

• perfect – 6 (A)• very good – 5 (B)• good – 4 (C)• satisfactory- 3 (D)• allowing – 2 (E) • Insufficient (fail) – 1 (F)

• Annual classification evaluations of the behaviour:

• perfect• very good• good• correct• Inappropriate• reprehensible

• In classes I-III of the primary school a descriptive evaluation is applyed. Current graduading during the year and the interim evaluation is determined by schools.