Differences between Polish and British education system

At the moment Polish system of education is being reformed. Here are a lot of questions without answers. In Poland children start education since the age of 3. It’s not an education as like in primary school but it’s a beggining. This kind of education is called Kindergarden. Children usuallyplay there. But it’s optional.

In comprarison to British education, Pole children go to Kindergardens one year later than their peer in Britain but thair have a choice what kind of Kindergarden they’ll go. Of course not children but their parents decide about it. They can make a decision wheter their kids will go to general or specialised kindergarden like music, art, languages etc. There are only general kindergardens in Great Britain.

In both of those countries there is a division into public & private education. Those divisions are applied from kindergardens to the Universities . Public sector is financed by Government & is meant for everyone but private education is meant only for the reach. Study there is very expensive. Learning at such private school is getting more & more expensive.

After optional kindergarden when kids are 7 years old, they must begin complusory education in primary school. Before the Educational Reforms children studied there from 7 to 15 years old. Before students started education in Technicum or Lyceum They usually wrote exams of polish & math. Passed exams gave an opportunity of entrening school. If students hadn’t pass exams or on the finish primary school had bad graduate they would start education in Basic vocational school. After this school they could work at their occupation or continue learning in complementary Lyceum. Basic vocational schools continued by 3 years plus 2 years of complementary Lyceum.

After unrefinded reform children go to a primary school at the age of 7 years old & stay there till 13. Next step of their education is competention’s test which condition entrance to 3 years gimnasium. If they pass it better they go to better gimnasium. If they have some scores on olimpic or competiton it is easier to get a student status. From gimnasium kids go to 2 types of schools. First is specilised Lyceum which is continued by 3 years or the second one is vocational school and after vocational complementary Lyceum.

The biggest problem of this reform was kind of maturnity certificate. One of them was the way of carrying out exams. The regulamin of this exam has been changing. One of the most important question was: Will new mature replace entrance examinations? The answer is: It’s depends on Institution of higher Education. Except of entrance examinations or maturity cerificate they can use other forms of selection like interviews or graduates on certificate of High Schools. After having finished HS student can choose among post-secondary schools, uniform magister or higher professional education courses. If you choose post-secondary school after 3-4 years you’ll finish your formal education. When you choose uniform magister or higher professional education courses after 6 years of study if you pass magister exams or equvalent you’ll have this title. The last level is PhD studies (doctor). If you make a decision to study PhD your study will continue 4 or 5 years. After it you’ll be a doctor. If you decide to finish your education on doctor it’ll take up to you are 27 or 28 years old.

In United Kingdom complusory education is the begginind of 5 years old. Kids go to Primary school at the age of 5 years old. When they’re 11 years old they choose among 2 types of schools: comprehensive, grammar school. State schools in England aren’t free-paying, founded from taxes and most are orginised by Local Education Authorities(LEA).
British education has 2 stages: Primary and Secondary.
Primary: Secondary:
- Primary schools - secondary schools 11-16 or 16-18 yr.
-colleges of further education 16-18 yr.

Primary:
By law a child must be given a full-time place in school at the start of term it’s fifth birthday. Schooling before fifth may be on part a time basis.
Education in primary schools focuses on the basic skills of reading, writing anr maths. Children spend most of the day with a class teacher and they have specialist teachers for subject such as Music and French.

Secondary stage:
Secondary Schools can be devided into 2 types: Comprehensive and Grammar schools.
Comprehensive schools discover children’s skills. This sector has seen an increasing diversification with the comerance of “specialist schools” and setting up of action zones in areas of educational uderachivment.

Grammar schools choose their pupils. There are small number of state secondary schools thet are selective. They admit children who they feel will suit the style of education on offer. Entry is usually by verbal tests that are designed to spot the more able children and reports from the previous school. The verbal reasoning tests try to measure thinking ability rather than knowledge through cracking codes, finding missing letters and spotting the pattern in a series of numbers. In the first year after moving to secondary school, choldren may be though in mixed ability classes for most subjects. Up to the age of fourteen give a broad, balanced education. From 14 to 16 pupils thaugh in the groups that relate to the subjects and levels for their GCSEs (General Certificates os Secondary Education).

The first five years of secondary schools focus on studies that must include the three “core” subjects of mathematics English and science. In addition, pupils take the seven “foundation” subjects of technology, history, geography, a foreginer language, art, music, and physical education. Students can take additional courses alongside their GCSEs.

In the third year of secondary school pupils choose their options for study leanding to the GCSE. The exams are taken toward the end of two year course. Most students will take GCSE’s in seven subjects.GCSE final exams are sat at the age of 16. Complusory education ends at 16, but pupils may stay on at school to re-sist GCSE or prepare for other exams such as GNVQ (The National Council for Vocational Qualifications) and A-levels. Those students getting ready for Univerisities or College.

The A-level course of study is usually spread over 2 yr. period (16-18) with the final examination beeing sat in the latter part of the second yr. Higher grades in two or more A-levels usually qualify the students for University, College or professional programs. Students may also use this time to get realy for University Scholarchip Examinations.

Higher Education covers those types of education above A-level and it’s equivalents. Provided in Universitis, colleges of higher education and some colleges of further education higher education in cludes:
First degrees:
- BA – Bechalor of Arts
- BSc – Bechalor of Science
- Beng – Bechalor of Engineering
- Bed – Bechalor of Education usually progress through 3 yr.
Only medical & veterinary courses progress 5 yr.
Diploma of HE (Higher Education)
Those courses progress 2 yr. of diploma usually serving as a stepping stone to a degree courses or other study.
BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND)
Awarded after 2 yr. full time study