Organisational variations

8-year gymnasiums, 5-year bilingual secondary schools and dance conservatories.

Pupils can transition from primary school to another type of school during the lower secondary education if they meet the admission procedure requirements. Upon completion of the fifth grade of primary school, pupils can transition to an 8-year gymnasium or a dance conservatory.

The number of first-grade pupils at gymnasiums with an 8-year educational programme must not exceed 5 percent of the total number of pupils from the respective population year in the respective school year. This measure aims to regulate the number of pupils admitted to 8-year study in such a way that mainstream education is not endangered, equal opportunities are ensured, and segregation of pupils does not occur.

Admission examinations to dance conservatories also entail talent examinations which test special abilities, skills, or talents required to complete the respective field of education. Dance conservatories provide education according to the State Educational Programme for Dance Conservatories (Štátny vzdelávací program pre tanečné konzervatóriá).

Upon completion of the eighth grade of primary school, pupils can transition to a 5-year bilingual secondary school. Bilingual secondary schools can admit pupils from both the 8th grade and the 9th grade of primary school. 5-year secondary education is organised as bilingual education with the second language of instruction being a language of another state. These are usually gymnasiums founded under an international agreement with another state, e.g. Spain, Italy, France, etc., or without an international agreement.

8-year gymnasiums and 5-year bilingual secondary schools have their separate state educational programmes. In 8-year gymnasiums, a higher rate of differentiation is applied so the schools focus on a specific path, for example, informatics, foreign languages, mathematics, etc. In 5-year bilingual secondary schools, some subjects are taught in the second language of instruction.

Information on atypical transitions within secondary education can be found in chapter Secondary education (or upper secondary education) and post-secondary non-tertiary education: Organisational variations and alternative structures. 

Alternative schools

Alternative schools differ from traditional schools in their content, methods, forms, the position of pupil and teacher, organisation of classes, school management, school founder, parents’ position in relation to school. These schools in Slovakia are obliged to adhere to the State educational programme.

All alternative schools in Slovakia are private. They have different variants, the best known include Waldorf school (Steiner’s Pedagogy), M. Montessori (M. Montessori’s Pedagogy), Alternative school of C. Freinet, Jena-plan school, Dalton school.

According to the Education Act (Školský zákon), the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic is in charge of experimental verification at schools and educational facilities, which aims to achieve or verify in practice the knowledge, experience, and incentives for changes and amendments to educational documents, development of alternative educational programmes or teaching programmes, and verification of foreign models.  Alternative programmes were verified in some schools and the first alternative schools were also founded, e.g. integrated thematic teaching, Waldorf schools, open schools, Rogerian schools, schools for the gifted children, etc. 

Schools for exceptionally gifted children

Schools can create classes for the development of pupils’ talents with the founder’s consent. The creation of a class with extended instruction in certain subjects is conditional upon meeting qualified personnel, technical and material requirements of the educational process. Pupils are placee in such a class is based on an assessment carried out by the counselling and prevention centre and on the informed consent of their parent. The classes with extended instruction may be divided into two groups if the number of pupils exceeds 23 pupils.

Basic schools at healthcare facilities

A basic school at a healthcare facility provides education for pupils during hospitalisation or a therapeutic stay, provided their state of health permits it. It is listed in the register of schools and may be an independent school or a organisational unit of a combined school. The pupil remains a pupil of their home school; the school at a healthcare facility cooperates with the pupil’s home school, follows its curriculum and provides information on the progress and results of the pupil’s education upon completion of their stay.

The scope and organisation of instruction are adapted to the pupil’s state of health in consultation with the healthcare facility and the attending doctor. Teaching may be individual or in groups and may bring together pupils from different grades. In accordance with the 2023 State Educational Programme, the school at a healthcare facility provides at least five hours of teaching per week, covering the subject areas of Language and Communication and Mathematics and Information Technology. Where possible, it supplements these with other subject areas so as to minimise the impact of treatment on the pupil’s continued attendance at their home school. Assessment is coordinated with the home school. The school report is issued by the home school.