Pupil/pupil assessment

Like in general and vocational secondary schools, the assessment system in post-secondary schools incudes internal and external (summative) assessment. 

Internal assessment

Teachers assess learners separately in each subject. Marks are given by teachers of individual subjects. Coursework or single marks which learners receive during the school year are considered in end-of-semester and final. There is ongoing or coursework assessment and end-of-semester and end-of-year (so-called ‘classification’) assessment. 

Internal assessment includes: 

• defining educational requirements for learners to obtain individual end-of-semester marks for compulsory and additional classes;

• giving single or coursework and end-of-semester marks for compulsory and additional classes; 

• conducting so-called qualifying exams (if needed). 

To be eligible for ‘classification’ assessment, learners in post-secondary schools must pass internal qualifying exams (Article 44w, section 1 of the School Education Act of 7 September 1991 / ustawa z dnia 7 września 1991 r. o systemie oświaty). Teachers give end-of-semester ‘classification’ marks after end-of-semester exams in individual compulsory classes (subjects). End-of-semesters exams are conducted by teachers who teach individual compulsory classes. 

Learners receive the following types of marks: 

• single or coursework marks during classes; 

• end-of-semester and final (classification) marks. 

Teachers use the following marking scale to assess learning achievements: 6 – excellent, 5 - very good, 4 – good, 3 – satisfactory, 2 – acceptable, 1 – unsatisfactory. When giving marks in Physical Education, teachers should consider, in particular, the learner’s efforts to fulfil the specific requirements of the subject. School marks and marking criteria should be made available to the learner.

Behaviour (conduct) is not assessed in post-secondary schools.

External assessment

Like those in other types of vocational schools, post-secondary school learners/graduates can take vocational exams. 

For detailed information on the arrangements for such exams, see the section ‘Assessment in vocational upper secondary education’ / External assessment.

Progression of pupils/students

The promotion of learners in post-secondary schools takes place at the end of each semester. 

Learners are promoted to the next semester if they have received end-of-semester marks higher than unsatisfactory in all subjects. Learners who have been given one ‘unsatisfactory’ (1) mark can take a resit exam in the subject concerned. A learner who has failed the exam is not promoted and has to repeat a semester.

The school's teaching council may decide to promote conditionally a learner who has received mark 1 (‘unsatisfactory’) in only one subject. A learner can be conditionally promoted only once during the entire education cycle in a post-secondary school.

If learners did not attend more than 50% of compulsory classes for reasons beyond their control and, thus, there is no basis for the assessment of their performance in compulsory classes, they can take a so-called qualifying exam on an agreed date.

Certification

Learners finish the school if they have received marks that are higher than ‘unsatisfactory’ in the final assessment, which includes end-of-semester marks for compulsory classes received in individual semesters. Learners finish the school ‘with distinction’ if their final average mark for compulsory classes is at least 4.75.

Graduates are awarded a school leaving certificate. Those who have finished the school ‘with distinction’ receive a school leaving certificate with distinction.

Learners are required to take a vocational exam as precondition to finish the school. They receive a school leaving certificate regardless of the result of the vocational exam. 

Upon passing a vocational exam for a given (single) qualification, learners receive a vocational qualification certificate, issued by the competent Regional Examination Board. Once they have obtained certificates for all of the qualifications identified within a given occupation and have finished the school, they are awarded a vocational diploma.

At the holder's request, the Regional Examination Board can issue a vocational diploma together with a Europass Certificate Supplement, which is based on a description of the holder's qualifications or of the occupation as provided in the core curriculum for the occupation. The document defines the range of competences of the holder, makes it easier to understand the contents of the diploma, describes the skills and qualifications of the holder, and is closely linked to a given occupation (all diploma holders receive the same supplement). The document has the same structure as in all other EU countries.