Organisational aspects

Care for children aged up to 3 years

Pursuant to the Act on the Care for Children Aged up to 3 years, as subsequently amended (ustawa o opiece nad dziećmi w wieku do lat 3, z późn. zm.), childminders and day-care providers are required to regularly update their knowledge and skills in the areas of early childhood education and care, methods and practice of working with children, understanding children’s needs, collaboration with parents and ensuring one’s own well-being. They should do so, in particular, through self-study, participation in training courses or support from the entity administering a given crèche or kids’ club or the entity employing a day-care provider. 

Both a childminder and a day-care provider are also required to attend every 2 years a training course in first aid for children. 

The Regulation of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy of 13 December 2024 on the standards of care for children aged up to 3 years (Rozporządzenie Ministra Rodziny, Pracy i Polityki Społecznej z dnia 13 grudnia 2024 r. w sprawie standardów opieki sprawowanej nad dziećmi w wieku do lat 3), which comes into force on 1 January 2026, sets essential (mandatory) and optional childcare standards. In accordance with the essential standard ‘Organisation of work enabling staff to improve their skills’, each childcare institution (a crèche or kids’ club or self-employed day-care provider) develops a system for the organisation and provision of internal and external training of 10 clock hours per year. The system should include the rules for the selection of training topics and participation in training. The organisation of work should allow for such training to take place within the working time. For details about the standards, see Chapter 10.1 ‘Quality assurance in early childhood and school education’. 

The legislation on childcare does not indicate explicitly how training needs of childminders and day-care providers should be identified. However, the childcare standards indicate implicitly that needs assessment should consider results of performance self-assessment conducted by staff, the observation of activities they conduct, and of satisfaction surveys of parents. 

The legislation does not lay down any arrangements for the replacement of childminders or day-care providers who participate in continuing professional development activities. Replacements are arranged by each childcare institution. 

The legislation does not address professional development of nannies. 

Preschool education and school education

Organisation 

Pursuant to the Act of 26 January 1982, The Teachers’ Charter, as subsequently amended (Ustawa z dnia 26 stycznia 1982 r. Karta Nauczyciela, z późn. zm.), teachers are required to develop their professional competence in line with the needs of their nursery school or school. 

Theoretical vocational subject teachers and practical vocational training teachers, who work in vocational schools and other institutions providing vocational education and training, participate on a compulsory basis in sector-specific vocational training courses in 3-year cycles, with the total duration of 40 hours in each cycle. (Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 23 August 2019 on the financial support for in-service teacher training, specific aims of sector-specific in-service training of vocational teachers, and the procedure and conditions for teachers to undergo sector-specific in-service training, as subsequently amended /  Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 23 sierpnia 2019 r. w sprawie dofinansowania doskonalenia zawodowego nauczycieli, szczegółowych celów szkolenia branżowego oraz trybu i warunków kierowania nauczycieli na szkolenia branżowe). 

Engagement in continuing professional development (CPD) is also considered in performance appraisal of teachers (see Internal quality assurance – Teacher performance appraisal in Chapter 10.1 ‘Quality assurance in early childhood and school education’). Teachers must receive at least a ‘good’ grade in a performance appraisal for the promotion to the grade of appointed teacher, and at least a ‘very good’ grade to be promoted to the grade of chartered teacher (see Chapter 8.2.9 ‘Promotion, advancement’). 

The total working time of a teacher includes, among other things, activities related to self-study and professional development (see Chapter 9.2.8 ‘Working time and holidays’). 

CPD activities include self-study, internal (‘intra-school’) and external (‘out-of-school’) activities such as qualification courses and other courses, degree or non-degree postgraduate programmes, placements or internships, conferences, seminars and workshops. Activities can take place in the country and abroad.

Pursuant to the afore-mentioned Regulation, the head of a school (or a nursery school) assesses CPD needs of teachers for each year, considering:

• findings from pedagogical supervision;

• results of external exams taken by pupils (the primary school eighth-grader exam, vocational exams and/or the maturity exam);

• tasks related to the implementation of the national core curriculum for general education or vocational education;

• requirements for schools and other educational institutions; 

• applications for CPD funding submitted by teachers.

This is the basis for applications for funding that school heads submit each year to the bodies administering their schools and for the administering bodies to draw up financial plans (for funding, see Chapter 9.2.3 ‘Incentives, supporting measures and funding for participation in continuing professional development (CPD) activities’) below. 

Institutions 

External CPD activities are organised, in particular, by in-service teacher training institutions, other institutions within the school education system (for example, counselling and guidance centres, educational resources centres or libraries) whose statutory tasks are related to CPD of teachers, and higher education institutions (providing degree and non-degree postgraduate programmes; for information about degree and non-degree postgraduate programmes, see Chapter 9.1 ‘Initial education for teachers working in early childhood and school education’). 

In accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 28 May 2019 on in-service teacher training institutions, as subsequently amended (rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 28 maja 2019 r. w sprawie placówek doskonalenia nauczycieli, z późn. zm), in-service teacher training institutions can be public or non-public. The minister responsible for school education administers public in-service teacher training institutions operating at the national level, and public institutions operating at the regional or local level are administered by the regional or local authorities.

Public in-service teacher training institutions carry out their tasks through, for example: 

• various forms of support (for example, support in the assessment of needs and the planning of activities based on needs assessment); 

• establishment and maintenance of collaboration and self-training networks for teachers and heads of nursery schools, schools and other educational institutions (except for national-level institutions); 

• various forms of CPD, such as training courses, conferences, lectures, workshops; 

• information and advice sessions; 

• dissemination of good practice examples. 

In-service teacher training institutions and/or nursery schools, schools and other educational institutions within the school education system employ teachers-methodological advisers and teachers-consultants who support the teaching and management staff. 

A teacher-methodological adviser (nauczyciel-doradca metodyczny) can be either a teacher employed in an in-service teacher training institution or a teacher working in a school to whom the Head of the Regional Education Authorities assigns additional tasks. 

Methodological advisers support teachers and teaching councils (composed of all teachers and the head of a nursery school or school) in:

• developing methodological skills;

• planning, organising and assessing outcomes of the education process, taking into consideration diverse needs of pupils;

• developing, selecting and adapting curricula;

• undertaking innovative activities.

As part of their support, methodological advisers:

• provide individual guidance;

• conduct classes, open classes and workshops;

• organise other forms of professional development which support teachers in their teaching and educational activities;

• establish and maintain collaboration and self-training networks for teachers.

Teachers-consultants (nauczyciel-konsultant) are employed in public in-service teacher training institutions on a mandatory basis, but non-public in-service teacher training institutions may also create such a position, based on their internal regulations.  

As part of their responsibilities, teachers-consultants:

• assess teachers’ skills;

• collaborate with the pedagogical supervision bodies and teachers-methodological advisers in assessing teachers’ professional development needs;

• organise professional development activities for teachers, which develop specialist or subject-specific, methodological and educational skills, in collaboration with higher education institutions, in-service teacher training institutions and other educational and training institutions; 

• organise professional development activities for methodological advisers, management staff, pedagogical supervision staff and other school education staff;

• coordinate the work of teachers-methodological advisers and provide specialist and methodological support to them;

• collect, compile and disseminate education-related information;

• inspire innovation and educational development in nursery schools, schools and other educational institutions, and provide specialist support in such activities;

• promote and disseminate new educational, teaching and learning methods, techniques and resources;

• organise exchange of experience between schools and teachers involved in innovative activities;

• support teachers who wish to obtain qualifications in specialisation areas;

• obtain or develop, publish and disseminate methodological and supporting resources relating to the improvement of teaching and learning methods and tools and progress in educational sciences;

• collaborate with other in-service teacher training institutions.

Incentives, supporting measures and funding for participation in continuing professional development (CPD) activities

Care  for children aged up to 3 years

The legislation on childcare does not provide for any specific types of training leave for childminders and day-care providers. However, as explained in the section on Organisation above, the childcare standards, which come into effect on 1 January 2026, require that childminders and day-care providers participate in training for 10 hours per year within the working time. 

Furthermore, pursuant to the generally applicable Act of 26 June 1974, The Labour Code, as subsequently amended (ustawa z dnia 26 czerwca 1974 r. Kodeks pracy, z późn. zm.), employees can take paid training leave or a (part of the) day off to attend classes if they upgrade qualifications necessary for their job on the initiative or with the consent of the employer. The duration of training leave is 6 days to prepare for an extramural exam, the maturity exam or a vocational exam or 21 days in the final year of a higher education programme to write the final thesis and prepare for, and take the final exam. The employer can also cover the costs of tuition, textbooks, travel and accommodation. 

In other cases, an employee who acquires or broadens his/her knowledge or skills can be granted a (part of the) day off without being paid or take unpaid leave. 

Pursuant to the Act of 4 February 2011 on the Care for Children aged up to 3 Years, as subsequently amended (ustawa z dnia 4 lutego 2011 r. o opiece nad dziećmi w wieku do lat 3, z późn. zm.), the entity administering a crèche or kids’ club arranges for fee-free training courses for employed childminders and day-care providers. 

Crèches and kids’ clubs administered by the local authorities which employ childminders and day-care providers and other entities employing day-care providers receive funding for CPD. Funding comes from the local authorities’ own resources, specific State-budget grants as part of central government programmes and/or EU programmes (for example, the European Funds for Social Development). The local authorities set rules for the use of their own resources, and childcare institutions or entities administering them apply for central government and EU grants on a competitive basis, in accordance with the rules adopted in a given programme. 

Preschool  education and school education

Since teachers are required to engage in CPD in line with the needs of their schools, it is not possible to speak of an incentive system for CPD. However, the legislation provides for some supporting measures. 

Types of support

Leave entitlements related to further education and CPD are specified in the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 19 December 2000 on the detailed rules for granting to teachers leave for further education, for research, artistic or school education purposes and for other important reasons, and allowances and benefits related to education and training, and the bodies authorised to grant such allowances and benefits (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 19 grudnia 2000 r. w sprawie szczegółowych zasad udzielania nauczycielom urlopów dla dalszego kształcenia się, dla celów naukowych, artystycznych, oświatowych i z innych ważnych przyczyn oraz ulg i świadczeń związanych z tym kształceniem, a także organów uprawnionych do ich udzielania). 

The head of a nursery school, school or another educational institution (hereafter jointly referred to as schools) can grant the following types of education- or CPD-related leave to full-time teachers: 

• A teacher following a part-time higher education programme by the decision of the school head can take paid training leave of 21-28 days in each year of study to attend compulsory classes, write a Master’s thesis and take the final exam. 

• If a teacher enrols on a higher education programme on his/her own initiative (rather than by the decision of the school head), he/she can be granted paid training leave, together with other benefits, if funding is available at the school. 

• A teacher can be granted paid leave of up to 1 month for research, artistic or school education-related purposes to develop teaching resources, explore issues related to the theory or practice of pedagogy or education with a view to modernising or improving the education process if he/she does not receive any additional fee for this. 

• A teacher can also be granted unpaid leave for a specific period, agreed on with the school head, for research, artistic or school education-related purposes. 

During paid leave, a teacher receives the salary that he/she would receive when working, and the employer transfers social security and health insurance contributions for the teacher as required. The period of paid leave is counted towards periods which determine employee entitlements, including retirement entitlements. 

Additionally, teachers who follow a higher education programme by the decision of the school head in a location other than their place of residence or work are entitled to the reimbursement of the costs of travels to attend compulsory classes and take exams, and to a lump sum to cover the costs of accommodation and subsistence on the days of compulsory classes in accordance with the regulations on domestic missions. If funding is available, the school head can also cover, in whole or in part, the tuition fee charged by the higher education institution and grant additional paid leave. Similar benefits are available to teachers who enrol on a higher education programme on their own initiative, provided that the school has sufficient funding. 

Funding

The funding arrangements for CPD are laid down in the Act of 26 January 1982, The Teachers’ Charter, as subsequently amended (ustawa z dnia 26 stycznia 1982 r. Karta Nauczyciela, z późn. zm.), and the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 23 August 2019 on the financial support for in-service teacher training, specific aims of sector-specific in-service training of vocational teachers, and the procedure and conditions for teachers to undergo sector-specific in-service training, as subsequently amended (rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 23 sierpnia 2019 r. w sprawie dofinansowania doskonalenia zawodowego nauczycieli, szczegółowych celów szkolenia branżowego oraz trybu i warunków kierowania nauczycieli na szkolenia branżowe, z późn. zm). 

CPD is funded at three levels: local, regional and national. The State guarantees funding for CPD as part of revenues of local government units. 

The body administering schools develops a CPD financing plan for each budgetary year. Such a plan takes into consideration: 

• applications submitted by school heads;

• results of the external exams taken by pupils (eighth-grader exam, vocational exams and / or the maturity exam); 

• main aims of the national education policy set by the minister responsible for school education;

• the extent to which the scheduled sector-specific vocational training courses for teachers of theoretical vocational subjects and practical vocational training teachers have been delivered.

School administering bodies set aside in their budgets an amount for CPD, including sector-specific in-service training courses, which is equal to 0.8% of the projected annual amount for teachers’ salaries. 

In consultation with school heads, the school administering body determines each year:

• the maximum amount of CPD funding to be provided;

• types and specialisation/subject areas of training to which funding is allocated. 

The CPD funding covers or contributes towards the following types of costs:

• participation costs for teachers attending seminars, conferences, lectures, workshops, training courses, non-degree postgraduate programmes and other types of in-service training activities conducted, respectively, by in-service teacher training institutions, higher education institutions (HEIs) and other institutions whose statutory tasks include in-service teacher training;

• participation costs for teachers taking the types of teacher training programmes offered by HEIs and in-service teacher institutions;

• costs of supporting schools and collaboration and self-training networks for teachers run by in-service teacher training institutions, counselling and guidance centres, including specialised centres, and educational resources centres;

• participation costs for teachers taking sector-specific training courses.

To be funded, a training course or another CPD activity for a teacher in a particular area (field of study, specialism, training area) should be included in the CPD financing plan for teachers adopted by the administering body for a given calendar year. 

Within their budgets, province governors set aside a total amount equal to 12,400 average salaries for a chartered teacher to support methodological guidance services at the regional level. The level of funding in the budget for each province is proportionate to the total number of employed teachers. The funding is used, for example, to cover the costs incurred by local government units to employ teachers-methodological advisers in in-service teacher training institutions (see the information about CPD institutions above). 

The minister responsible for school education sets aside an amount equal to 2,700 average salaries for a chartered teacher for CPD activities at the national level. The funding is allocated for:

• national-level initial and in-service teacher training programmes;

• initial and in-service teacher training tasks delegated to HEIs and other institutions.

The amount does not include funding for public in-service teacher training institutions operating at the national level which are administered by the minister.