Understand Polish schools
Key terms of the Polish school system explained simply, with links to the law.
We keep Polish terms because you will encounter them in documents and at the school office. These explanations and questions help with your first conversation.
Obowiązek szkolny i obowiązek nauki
Compulsory schooling starts in September of the year a child turns 7 and lasts until they finish primary school, at the latest until their 18th birthday. After that, compulsory education continues until 18, in a secondary school or another form allowed by law (Education Law, Art. 35).
After a move, enrol your child without delay; the duty also applies to foreign children.
Source ↗Zerówka (roczne przygotowanie przedszkolne)
The everyday name for the compulsory one-year pre-school preparation for six-year-olds. It takes place in a kindergarten or in a pre-school class at a primary school (Art. 31).
Check enrolment dates and the list of settings with your municipality (gmina); enrolment usually happens in spring.
Source ↗Obwód szkoły (szkoła rejonowa)
The catchment area assigned to a public primary school. A child living in the catchment area is admitted to year 1 on the basis of a simple registration, without a selection procedure; other schools hold admissions (Art. 133).
Find the catchment school for your address at the municipal office or on the city’s website.
Source ↗Rekrutacja
The procedure in which a kindergarten or school admits candidates according to statutory and local criteria. For secondary schools it counts the eighth-grade exam, certificate grades and achievements, among others (Art. 134). Dates are set by the regional education authority, usually in January.
Note separately the deadline for the application, for handing in the certificate and exam results, and for confirming your choice.
Source ↗Świadectwo
A document issued at the end of the school year (promotion certificate) or on finishing a school (leaving certificate). It lists the annual or final grades, the behaviour grade and achievements, and is the basis for moving on and for admissions.
Keep the originals; for admissions and offices a copy certified by the school is usually enough.
Source ↗Skala ocen 1–6
From year 4 of primary school, annual grades use the scale: excellent (6), very good (5), good (4), satisfactory (3), pass (2), fail (1). Only 1 is a failing grade. In years 1–3, annual assessment is descriptive.
Rules for ongoing marks (pluses, minuses, weights) are set out in the school statute; ask about them at the first parents’ meeting.
Source ↗Ocena z zachowania
From year 4 it is given on the scale: exemplary, very good, good, acceptable, inappropriate, reprehensible. It does not affect subject grades but counts, for example, towards promotion with distinction.
Behaviour criteria are in the statute; if in doubt, ask the form tutor for a talk before grades are finalised.
Source ↗Promocja z wyróżnieniem („czerwony pasek”)
A pupil whose annual grade average is at least 4.75 and whose behaviour grade is at least very good is promoted with distinction. On the certificate this shows as a white-and-red stripe.
The average uses annual grades in compulsory subjects; check which subjects count towards it.
Source ↗Nieklasyfikowany i egzamin klasyfikacyjny
If a pupil missed more than half of a subject’s lessons, the school may leave them ungraded. With excused absences the pupil may sit a classification exam; with unexcused absences only with the teachers’ council’s consent (School Education System Act, Art. 44k).
Excuse absences promptly, within the deadline set in the statute.
Source ↗Usprawiedliwienie nieobecności
A parent’s written explanation of why a child missed school. The method and deadline are set by the school statute; it is often done through the electronic gradebook.
Use our template and keep a copy of the message.
Source ↗Dziennik elektroniczny (e-dziennik)
The electronic record of schooling: grades, attendance, notes and messages. Parents have the right to free access to the part concerning their child.
You get parent login details from the school office or the form tutor; do not pay for basic access.
Source ↗Statut szkoły
The school’s key internal document. It sets out, among other things, assessment rules, pupils’ rights and duties, how the school contacts parents and how support is organised (Art. 98).
The statute is usually on the school website; read the assessment and absence rules at the start of the year.
Source ↗Wychowawca
The teacher whom the head entrusts with a class (form tutor). They are the first contact for matters concerning the class, attendance and behaviour.
At the start of the year agree a contact channel (e-gradebook, e-mail) and consultation hours.
Source ↗Pedagog i psycholog szkolny
Specialists who provide psychological and educational support in school: they identify difficulties, run sessions and consultations and work with parents. Support in school is voluntary and free.
You can ask for a meeting yourself; you do not need a teacher’s referral.
Source ↗Poradnia psychologiczno-pedagogiczna
A public centre outside school that assesses children and young people, issues opinions and statements of special educational needs, and supports parents and teachers. Using a public centre is free and voluntary.
The school will tell you which centre is responsible; the parent usually requests the appointment.
Source ↗Opinia a orzeczenie poradni
A centre’s opinion (e.g. on specific learning difficulties) obliges the school to adjust requirements. A statement of special educational needs is issued by an assessment panel for disability or risk of social maladjustment; it gives the right to an individual programme and extra support, among other things.
Hand the document to the school office and ask how the school will apply the recommendations.
Source ↗Kuratorium oświaty
The office of the regional education authority in each province. It supervises schools pedagogically and sets the admission dates for secondary schools.
Start everyday class matters with the school; take complaints to the kuratorium only after talking to the head.
Source ↗Organ prowadzący
The body that runs and funds a school: for public schools usually the municipality (primary) or the district (secondary). It is responsible for the building, school transport and organising extra Polish lessons, among other things.
Arrange school transport or a kindergarten place at the municipal office.
Source ↗Rada rodziców
The school body representing all parents; it exists in every school (Art. 83). It gives opinions on the educational and prevention programme, among other things, and may collect voluntary contributions.
The parents’ council contribution is voluntary; you may ask what it is spent on.
Source ↗Świetlica szkolna
Care at school before and after lessons for children who need it, for example because parents work. The school sets enrolment rules and hours.
Hand in the registration form at the start of the year and list the people authorised to collect your child.
Source ↗Zebranie z rodzicami (wywiadówka)
A meeting of the form tutor with the class parents, usually several times a year. It covers how the year is organised, grades and class matters; individual issues are better left for a consultation.
Come with one or two questions written down beforehand.
Source ↗Legitymacja szkolna
A document confirming pupil status, issued by the school (also as mLegitymacja in the mObywatel app). It gives access to discounts, for example on public transport.
Ask the school office for the ID; a photo is usually needed.
Source ↗Egzamin ósmoklasisty
A compulsory exam at the end of primary school in Polish, mathematics and a modern foreign language. It cannot be failed, but the results count in secondary school admissions. It is run by the Central Examination Board (CKE).
The timetable and past papers are on the CKE website.
Source ↗Matura (egzamin maturalny)
The exam at the end of general or technical secondary school, run by CKE. Passing it gives the maturity certificate needed for university, among other things; universities consider results in selected subjects.
The subject declaration is submitted at school well in advance; check the deadline in the CKE timetable.
Source ↗Liceum ogólnokształcące
A four-year general secondary school preparing for the matura and university. Pupils choose a class with extended subjects (a profile).
Compare the extended subjects with your study plans before choosing a profile.
Source ↗Technikum
A five-year secondary school combining general subjects with vocational training. Pupils can take the matura and vocational exams.
Ask about work placements with employers and vocational exam pass rates at the school.
Source ↗Szkoła branżowa I stopnia
A three-year vocational school ending with a vocational exam. Graduates can continue in a second-level sectoral vocational school or a general secondary school for adults.
Check whether training takes place with an employer as a juvenile employee.
Source ↗Oddział przygotowawczy
A class for pupils arriving from abroad who need preparation to study in Polish. The school’s governing body may set one up. It lasts until the end of the school year and may be shortened or extended by at most one year (Art. 165).
Ask whether the school has such a class and how pupils move on to a regular class.
Source ↗Dodatkowa nauka języka polskiego
Pupils who do not know Polish well enough have the right to extra, free Polish lessons for up to 24 months. They are organised by the school’s governing body (Art. 165(7)).
Raise it with the school office when enrolling: it is the pupil’s right, not a favour.
Source ↗Asystent międzykulturowy i pomoc nauczyciela
Pupils from other countries may get help for up to 12 months from someone who speaks their home language, employed as a teaching assistant. A school may also employ an intercultural assistant who supports communication between the pupil, parents and school (Art. 165(8)–(8a)).
Ask the head whether the school has such a person or can employ one.
Source ↗Edukacja domowa
Meeting compulsory schooling outside school with the head’s permission, granted on the parents’ application. Each year the pupil takes classification exams at the school that granted permission and receives no behaviour grade (Art. 37).
Before applying, ask the school about the exam scope and available consultations.
Source ↗Sekretariat szkoły
The school office, which accepts documents, issues certificates and pupil IDs, and passes matters on to the head.
When enrolling, bring the child’s identity document, previous certificates and any centre opinions.
Source ↗