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6. Primary schools and gymnasiums

6.1. 8-year primary school (before the implementation of the Act of 1999)

Between the school years 1948/49 and 1965/66, primary school (szkoła podstawowa) was a 7-year school which together with a 4-year generał lyceum constituted an 11-year cycle of generał education, with subsequent years forming a single stream from Form I to Form XI.

Primary school was extended to 8 years pursuant to the Act of the 15^,h of July 1961 on the development of the education system and, as justified in this law, with a view to ensuring that pupils are better prepared to continue their education and to obtain vocational/professional qualifications. As part of the reform, new curricula were introduced in Forms Vto VII, and Form VIII was organised in the school year 1966/67. This school was the basie component of the Polish school system. Eight years of primary school were covered by compulsory education. The completion of primary education was documented by the certificate of completion of education in the primary school (świadectwo ukończenia szkoły podstawowej) which provided access to further stages of education in various post-primary schools.

Until 1991 primary school was a uniform structure in terms of its curriculum. This means that primary education was provided in accordance with the same curriculum and the same textbooks in schools throughout the country. As part of changes introduced subsequently, teachers may now implement various curricula which are only based on a core curriculum, i.e. a prescribed set of common contents, as approved by the Minister of National Education and Sport

The first three years of education (beginning learning) were designed as an induction stage, because pupils could acquire basie knowledge and skills necessary for further education. The remaining years were devoted to generał education within various subjects, these corresponding to the basie academic disciplines (e.g. history) and the areas of human activity (e.g. musie; the framework timetable for Form VIII in the 8-year primary school is attached in the annex). In spite of these underlying aims, education was subject-based even in the beginning learning years.

The last class of those graduating from the 8-year primary school left this structure in the school year 1999/2000. This year is simultaneously the first year for the introduction of the 6-year primary school-as it was already mentioned- which together with the 3-year gymnasium constitutes a compulsory education cycle.

Moreover, 8-year primary schools organised vocational training classes for pupils who completed only Form V or VI by the age of 15 and did not demonstrate potential for completion of primary education in the prescribed time.

In addition to the types of mainstream primary schools described above, the other structures which existed and still exist at this level are special (7- or 8-year) primary schools for children with special educational needs. Most of special schools follow the same curriculum as mainstream schools, the only exception being schools for mentally handicapped children, children with hearing impairments and those with vision impairments.

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