Pupil/pupil assessment
Like in general and vocational secondary schools, the assessment system in post-secondary schools comprises internal and external (summative) assessment.
Internal assessment
Teachers assess learners separately in each subject. Marks are given by teachers of individual subjects. The end-of-semester and end-of-year assessments take into account results of the assessment carried out during the year. Assessment includes single, end-of-semester and end-of-year marks.
To be eligible for end-of-semester and end-of-year assessments, learners in post-secondary schools should pass internal qualifying exams in individual compulsory subjects (Article 44w, section 1 of the School Education Act / ustawa o systemie oświaty).
The teacher uses the following marking scale to assess learning achievements: 6 – excellent (celujący), 5 - very good (bardzo dobry), 4 – good (dobry), 3 – satisfactory (dostateczny), 2 – acceptable (dopuszczający), 1 – unsatisfactory (niedostateczny). 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, learners in post-secondary school and graduates can take vocational exams (earlier, exams confirming vocational qualifications / qualifications for an occupation).
For detailed information on 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 assessing 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 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.
Upon passing a vocational exam for a given (single) qualification, learners receive a qualification certificate, issued by the competent Regional Examination Board. Once they have obtained certificates for all of the qualifications identified for a given occupation, they are awarded a vocational diploma.
At the holder's request, a vocational diploma can be issued together with a Europass Certificate Supplement, based on a description of the holder's qualifications or description 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. Diplomas and certificate supplements are issued by the Regional Examination Boards.