Letter from Poland

Letter from
Poland

Poland recognises the importance of both teacher and external assessment, with the former following a structured approach based around both numerical scoring,
and descriptions of student progress

Words Andrzej Walesa

    Tradition and cultural heritage have shaped the Polish education system, but they have not isolated it from external influences.

    Its approach is summarised in the School Education Act of 1991, which obliges schools to develop: "young peoples' sense of responsibility, admiration for the fatherland and respect for the Polish cultural heritage, while being open to the values of European, and the world's, cultures."

    This same act declares its basis in Christian values and requires schools to prepare their pupils for the: "fulfilment of family responsibilities based on the principles of solidarity, democracy, tolerance, justice
and freedom."

    Teacher, or internal, assessment underpins students' progress and is accorded high importance throughout their school career. It is intended to support their learning and development and is conducted in line with the national curriculum and with the requirements  of each school's curriculum (schools have some flexibility in curriculum choices and the teaching methods used).

    In Poland, compulsory education starts at the age of six, with a pre-school year in kindergarten or with reception class in school.

    The next phase begins with primary school which runs from the ages of 7 to 13, and culminates in a mandatory test which is assessed by examiners from an external body.

    This test covers five areas: reading, writing, reasoning, use of information, and practical application of knowledge. Its results are used for information purposes only, and are not the basis for any selection or ranking of pupils at the next stage, however pupils are not allowed to move schools until they have taken the test.

    All primary school graduates move on to a three-year stay in a lower secondary school known as a gimnazjum . Pupils move up through the grades if they receive 'acceptable' marks, or above, for all compulsory subjects at the end of the school year. If they receive an 'unsatisfactory' mark in one subject, they can take a re-sit examination in this subject. A pupil who has failed the re-sit is not promoted and remains in the same grade.

    Each gimnazjum has a teachers' council  which may decide on conditional promotion of a pupil who either has received an 'unsatisfactory' mark in one subject only, or who has not been eligible for assessment  because they are shown to have more than 50 per cent absence from school. Pupils can be granted a conditional promotion only once during their time at the gimnazjum. If the pupil has missed more than 50 per cent of compulsory classes and if there is not enough evidence for teacher assessment, they take a 'classification examination' on an agreed day.

    The final year of gimnazjum is distinguished by a three-day external exam in humanities, natural sciences and foreign languages.

    The results from these exams determine whether students will go on to follow a general academic or vocational route, and whether they will take the matriculation exam (known as Matura ) which is similar to the British A-levels and which has replaced the
university entrance exam.

    Both higher secondary schools (known as liceum ) and technical schools ( technikum ) offer both the academic route and the Matura, whereas the vocational school leads to a diploma of qualifications. Pupils with special educational needs attend three-year special schools at this stage, with the aim of gaining a certificate which will confirm that they are prepared for employment.

Inside assessment

    In the early years of primary school (grades 1-3), the assessment is descriptive and applies separately to educational attainments and behaviour. Starting from grade 4 (half-way through primary school) the teacher marks the pupil's level of progress on a scale of 1 (unsatisfactory) to 6 (excellent). The marks and the criteria on which they are based are made available to the pupil and their parents.

Pupils also receive marks for their behaviour and conduct on a corresponding scale of 1-6. This mark cannot be used to influence subject marks or promotion to a higher grade or graduation, but under specific circumstances the school's governors can decide that a pupil should repeat a grade or can block graduation
if their behaviour is unacceptable. Pupils may take a verifying examination if
the semester or annual mark, given by the teacher, is too low in their opinion or that of their teachers.

Andrzej Walesa has been headteacher of Gimnazjum im Feliksa Szoldrskiego (pictured above) in Nowy Tomysl since 1999. The school led the British Council's Connecting Classrooms project. He was talking to Stephanie Sparrow.