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Pre-primary education is provided for children between the age of 3 and the start of education in the first year of the 6-year primary school. It is organised in nursery schools, which are separate establishments, or in nursery divisions based at primary schools (the so-called “0 classes"). 6-year-olds have the statutory right to receive one year of pre-primary education which prepares them to start primary school education. The responsibility for ensuring that children may exercise this right rests with local government authorities (the municipality, i.e. gmina). In case a gmina does not enable the child to benefit from this right, parents may appeal to the voivode (i.e. the head of province-level authorities). At present, 97% of 6-year-olds are enrolled in the pre-primary preparatory year, offered in both nursery schools and school-based nursery divisions.

Nursery schools (przedszkola) are divided into public and non-public institutions. Public nursery schools are managed and financed by gminas. A contribution towards the costs of nursery school maintenance is also provided by parents who pay for their children’s stay extending beyond 5 hours per day and for meals. The nursery school is statutorily required to offer children at least 5 hours of free teaching and educational activities per day. Public nursery schools use curricula based on the core curriculum for pre-primary education as approved by the Ministry of National Education and Sport, i.e. a set of basie developmental competencies defined for children in this age group.

Non-public nursery schools may be established and administered by legał and natural persons on the basis of an entry in a register held by the competent kurator (i.e. the head of local educational authorities) who is also responsible for pedagogical supervision. These institutions are financed mainly by parents. A nursery school administered by a natural person may apply for the status of a public nursery school and, subsequently, for a grant to finance its activities which is awarded from the gmina budget. Non-public nursery schools are required to implement a core curriculum.

Children with special educational needs, between the age of 3 and 7 (the start of school education), though not longer than until the age of 10, may attend special or integration nursery schools. Pre-primary education for children with special educational needs is not compulsory; this is only a right which they are free to benefit from on a voluntary basis. Special nursery schools follow curricula which are recommended by the Ministry of National Education and Sport for mainstream nursery schools. Different arrangements are applied only to nursery schools for mentally handicapped children, those with hearing impairments and those with multiple disabilities.

On the basis of a relevant Ministry of National Education regulation, in addition to special nursery schools, integration nursery schools and divisions have been organised sińce 1993 where children with special educational needs are placed together with those developing at the normal pace.

Pre-primary education. Statistical data (school year 2001/2002)

Pre-primary institutions, incl.:

nursery school divisions based at primary schools

Total number of institutions

187337 9162

Total number of pupils

848507

192535 5

Total number of teachers

62627 11 624

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