Education in Poland Janusz Korczak Junior High School

‘Education in Poland’ Janusz Korczak Junior High School in Chojna Gimnazjum im. Janusza Korczaka w Chojnie

Our headmistress Wioletta Jesiołowska

Our personnel

Our responsibilities - leaders of particular subjects' team - school council who is responsible for supervising the representative body of students - supervisor of theatrical club - coaches of particular sports disciplines - supervisor of students' duties (during breaks) - supervisors of the school shop -supervisor of a musical group - volunteering - chairman and their members of particular school commission working on the Statute of the School, the School System of Assessment, other regulations such as the Scholarship Regulations

Responsibilities - work in particular subject teams, for instance organisation of different competitions, analysis of results of diagnosis at the beginning and at the end of a school year, plus analysis of educational situation in all classes - organisation of school celebrations and parties - organisation of an annual charity ball - so-called Ball of School's Friends - providing safety and care to the students on the school premises - preparing meals for both students and teachers - provision of cleanliness inside and outside the school

School projects

Formal requirements to become a teacher - university degree - teaching practice done during studies - clean record

Recruitment process Regional job offices announce on the Internet and also in the local press vacancies for the teachers. The candidates have to submit their CV, a covering letter and also all necessary documents proving that you are allowed to teach.

School financing The school is financed by the Commune of Chojna and it receives subvention from the government. Additionally, Administration of School and Social Infrastructure (in Polish Administracja Szkół i Infrastruktury Społecznej) is responsible for finance and it functions in the whole Commune of Chojna.

The national curriculum The Ministry of Education stipulates the programme of teaching. However, it is the headmaster and the Teachers' Council that have their final say. The teachers of higher ranks can change the programme according to their needs.

Primary School Since 2012/2013, primary school usually starts at 6 years old instead of 7 previously. Primary school is divided into 2 cycles of 3 years. At the end of primary school, pupils sit a compulsory final exam.

Middle School covers lower secondary education and ends general basic education. It lasts 3 years. At the end of the school students take final exams in Humanities, Science and Foreign Languages.

Upper secondary education takes many forms: - 3 years in a high school - 4 years in a technical school -2 years in a basic vocational school

Working hours - 40 hours per week, including 18 didactic hours+ additional hours - the teachers must attend staff meetings, improve their qualifications, assess final exams et cetera

Assessment There are marks from 1 -6. Grade 1 is the worst and 6 is the best one. At our school we have a percentage grading system.

Communication between the school and the parents - meetings with parents every 6 weeks - contact via the electronic register Librus - via mobile phone

School organisation There are 404 pupils on three levels in 16 classes. Recently, we have faced a demographic decline, we have fewer and fewer students every year. Every class has its own tutor. One school year is divided into two terms. We start school on the first day of September and a school year finishes at the end of June (the exact date changes every year).

Underachievers and students with special needs

Gifted pupils

A regular day for a student - Students who commute arrive to the school from 7: 20 from many villages around Chojna - The lessons start at 8: 00 - Students usually have 6 or 7 lessons - During the long breaks students have dinner in the school canteen

Breaks and lunch time

Teachers’ breaks

Providing safety for the students

New technologies in our school

Issues to be discussed next time - work with gifted students - methods of solving educational problems within a class - other interesting proposals stimulating students’ curiosity and expanding their knowledge - methods of work with students coming from a totally different cultural background

Janusz Korczak Junior High School in Chojna Thank you for your attention