General facts:
In Poland children start school when they are seven, but when they are five or even younger they can go to kindergarten. During their first six years of education they learn at primary school. There they must study: Polish, Maths, History, Biology, Computer Studies, a foreign language, P.E., Art, Music and Technology. When the students are 12, they take a compulsory exam that tests their knowledge in the subjects mentioned above. At 13 the students start a lower secondary school. They will attend this school for three years. Here they also learn a second foreign language, Geography, Science and Chemistry. Then they take another compulsory exam to determine which upper secondary school they will attend (the better the exam results, the better school students can choose). There are several alternatives, the most common being three years in a comprehensive high school or four years in a technical high school. After completing this type of school they take their A-level exams. Finally they can go to university which is usually situated in big cities such as Warsaw, Lublin, Łódź or Cracow.
The main difference in the Polish Education System now and at the time when our parents went to school: students attended the primary school for 8 years (now: 6), there was no lower secondary school (now students attend a 3-year lower secondary school) and the high school was attended for 4 (comprehensive) or 5 years (technical) (now 3 or 4).
We have got two months of summer holidays and 2 weeks of winter holidays. There are also Christmas and Easter breaks.
Subjects:
Primary school:
Polish, foreign language (e.g. English), Maths, Biology, History, Art, Technology, Information Technology, P.E, R.E
Lower / Upper Secondary School:
Polish, foreign language (e.g. English), Maths, Biology, History, Art, Technology, Information Technology, P.E, R.E, Chemistry, Geography, Physics, Social studies, another foreign language.
School day:
We go to school from Monday to Friday. Lessons start at 7.30 and end at about 2 or 3 p.m. Each lesson lasts 45 minutes. Breaks between lessons last 10 minutes and the long break is 20 minutes. It is some sort of lunch break. The organization of an average present school week is similar to the past one. But some of our parents remember that they went to school on Saturdays as well.
Marks:
Our best mark is 6, the worst is 1. In some schools students get points, not marks. The best score is 110 and the worst 0. Our parents got marks from 5 (the best) to 2 (the worst).
School building and equipment
Our school is not really big. There are over 15 classrooms with modern TVs or Interactive Whiteboards, 2 gyms and a library. There is also an I.T. classroom with computers and a club. We have got a little park outside but we have not got a cafeteria. It is a big disadvantage. Nowadays our school is more modern than in the past. Our parents went to local schools but some of them also went to The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Comprehensive School.
Conclusion:
Better now:
More modern equipment
Well-qualified teachers
Less strict teachers than in the past (less stress)
Various subjects and after school projects
Long summer holidays
More opportunities for extra classes (including EU projects)
Better in the past:
More accurate school programme (more practical)
Easier for weaker students
More discipline
Students learnt more
Theme 1 by Group 1
Theme 1 by Group 3
Theme 1 by Group 4
Theme 1 by Group 5
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