Planning policy

The responsibility for teaching staff policies for the school education sector (teacher recruitment, promotion and salaries) rests with the Minister of Education and Science.

The monitoring of teaching staff at the national level is based on the School Education Information System (System Informacji Oświatowej, SIO). The SIO system is administered by the minister responsible for school education.

The SIO aims to gather data which is necessary to:

• pursue the national school education policy at national, regional and local levels, including support for the management of school education;
• ensure effective functioning of the funding system for school education tasks at national, regional and local levels;
• analyse the effectiveness of public funding allocated for school education tasks;
• oversee and coordinate activities undertaken as part of pedagogical supervision across the country and improve the quality of education;
• monitor careers of public and non-public post-primary school graduates.

A systematic analysis of SIO data enables the education authorities, for example, to identify and forecast long-term changes in the teacher employment structure (forward planning), forecast demand for new teachers and rationally plan the work of teachers currently in service.

The Act on the School Education Information System) of 15 April 2011 (ustawa.z dnia 15 kwietnia 2011 r. o Systemie Informacji Oświatowej (SIO)), as subsequently amended,  requires that school administering bodies monitor teacher demand at the school level and gather data on schools, pupils and teachers in their jurisdiction. Data gathered in local databases should be transferred on a yearly basis to the Regional Education Authorities and to the central database managed by the Ministry of Education and Science. Data on teachers collected in the SIO are arranged according to different parameters (for example, age, employment status, educational attainment, work experience, responsibilities and functions, salary) and, thus, enable the monitoring of the teacher employment structure.

Ongoing monitoring is necessary for the distribution of the school education part of the State budget subsidy and the drafting of the annual Budgetary Act.

The SIO data set on teachers covers:

• teachers’ educational attainment / level of qualifications held;
• mode of employment based on the Teachers’ Charter (Karta Nauczyciela), the Labour Code (Kodeks Pracy), the School Education Act (ustawa o systemie oświaty) or other national regulations;
• positions held and functions performed by teachers;
• types of, and the workload related to, classes, educational and childcare activities or other duties assigned to teachers in a so-called organisational sheet of a school (or another educational institution) for a given school year;
• reasons behind non-conducting classes;
• professional promotion grades held by teachers;
• level of salaries;
• types of continuing professional development activities. 

Entry to the profession

The employment relationship with a teacher is established in a school or a school complex. The head of a school establishes an employment relationship with a teacher based on an employment contract or appointment (a different type of employment contract that ensures greater job security). Teachers take up positions corresponding to the qualifications and the professional promotion grade that they hold.

The position of teacher may be taken up by a person who:

• has a higher education diploma (degree) and has completed teacher / pedagogical training or has completed a programme in an initial teacher training institution (the type of institution existing earlier) and takes up a position for which (s)he has sufficient qualifications;
• respects fundamental moral principles; and
• fulfils health requirements for practising the profession.

In consultation with the other ministers concerned, the minister responsible for school education (or the minister responsible for culture and national heritage in the case of teachers of art schools) lays down, by regulation:

• detailed qualifications required of teachers, including, in particular, the level and scope of the training programme to be completed, for the individual types of schools and other educational institutions;
• conditions for acquiring qualifications to teach foreign languages, including a list of language proficiency examinations which lead to such qualifications;

and may also specify:

• schools and cases in which it is possible to employ teachers without a higher education diploma (degree) or a diploma of an initial teacher training institution, while considering, in particular, the needs of vocational education and training.

The minister responsible for culture and national heritage can identify, in a regulation, the types of art schools where teacher positions may be taken by persons who have finished a 2^nd grade art school, with a specialisation area corresponding to the subjects to be taught.

Teachers are employed by the head of the school or nursery school or other educational institution (further on referred to as the school head) through an open recruitment procedure. There are no detailed regulations on staff policy in schools. All changes are based on a so-called organisational sheet, drawn up by the school head and approved by the body administering a given school.

As of 1 September 2023, the head of a school administered by a local government unit will inform the Head of the Regional Education Authorities (REA) about vacancies available to teachers. The Head of the REA will publish such information on the website of the REA.

The school head establishes an employment relationship with a teacher, based on an employment contract or appointment (a different type of employment contract that provides greater legal protection)., for a position corresponding to the qualifications and the professional promotion grade held by the teacher.

An employment relationship with a person starting to work in a school who:

• does not hold a professional promotion grade and
• holds the required qualifications

is established on the basis of a fixed employment contract for 2 school years.

Employment in the first 2 years of work in a school is based on a fixed-term contract. An indefinite contract is concluded with a teacher who has worked in the school for at least 2 years and has received at least a ‘good’ grade in a performance appraisal.

In the case of teachers who have a 2-year work experience but have not been awarded a professional promotion grade and have not received a performance appraisal grade, a contract can be concluded for a fixed term of one year only.

For teachers who were awarded a contract teacher grade (a professional promotion grade) by 31 August 2022, an indefinite contract is concluded on the condition that their employment is not based on Art. 10, section 7, of the Teachers’ Charter – that is, in the event of a need arising from the organisation of teaching or the replacement of an absent teacher.

In specific cases where this is justified by the needs of a school, the school head may establish an employment relationship with a person who holds a qualification at the required level of education but does not hold a teaching / pedagogical qualification, on the condition that (s)he undertakes to acquire a teaching / pedagogical qualification during the first year of work in the school. In case a teacher does not acquire a teaching / pedagogical qualification during the first year of work in the school, the school head terminates the employment contract with the teacher, without notice, as of the end of the school year. The head may decide not to terminate the contract if the teacher failed to acquire a teaching / pedagogical qualification for reasons beyond his/her control and undertakes to acquire such a qualification during the second year of work in the school.

An employment relationship with a teacher who:

• does not hold a professional promotion grade;
• holds the required qualifications;
• has worked in a school for at least 2 years; and
• has received at least a ‘good’ grade in a performance appraisal

is established on the basis of an indefinite employment contract.

Appointed and chartered teachers (teachers holding the first and second professional promotion grades) are employed on the basis of appointment if they meet the following conditions:

• have Polish citizenship, except that the requirement does not apply to nationals of the Member States of the European Union, the Swiss Confederation and the member states of the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) that are signatories to the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement;
• have full legal capacity and full civic rights;
• are not subject of criminal law proceedings for an intentional offence initiated by a public prosecutor or disciplinary proceedings;
• have not been convicted of an intentional offence or intentional tax offence by a valid court judgement;
• have not been punished with a disciplinary penalty during 3 years before establishing the employment relationship;
• hold qualifications required to take up a given position;

and if:

• conditions exist in a school to employ a teacher on a full-time basis and for an indefinite period.

Where a teacher cannot be employed in a given school on a full-time basis and for an indefinite term, the employment relationship with an appointed or chartered teacher is established by a part-time indefinite employment contract .

The employment relationship with a teacher performing the tasks of a methodological adviser in an in-service teacher training institution is established by an employment contract for a fixed term – a period for which the teacher has been assigned the tasks of a methodological adviser.

The school head concludes an employment contract with a teacher who does not have Polish citizenship.

All teachers should meet the requirement of no criminal record. To prove that they fulfil the requirement of no criminal record, teachers should submit a certificate from the National Criminal Register to the school head before entering into the employment relationship.

The Act of 13 May 2016 on the Measures to Prevent Sexual Offences (ustawa z dnia 13 maja 2016 r. o przeciwdziałaniu zagrożeniom przestępczością na tle seksualnym), which came into force on 1 October 2017, has established a public register of individuals convicted for sexual offences. The database is accessible to educational institutions which are required to check whether an employee is registered there.

Induction

In accordance with an amendment to the Teachers’ Charter (Karta Nauczyciela), introduced by the Act of 5 August 2022 amending the Teachers’ Charter and some other Acts, a novice teacher – that is, a teacher who does not hold a professional promotion grade – will carry out an induction programme, supported by an experienced teacher as a mentor, to obtain the professional promotion grade of appointed teacher.

Pursuant to the new regulations, induction is mandatory for a novice teacher.

Induction is closely linked to the professional promotion of teachers and includes an element of performance appraisal.

During an induction programme, a teacher is supported by a mentor appointed, on a mandatory basis, by the school head from among appointed or chartered teachers (that is, teachers holding the first or second professional promotion grade).

As part of his / her responsibilities, a mentor:

• supports a novice teacher on an ongoing basis to introduce him / her into the job and, in doing so, gets him / her acquainted with the documentation of the teaching process, educational and childcare activities and other documents adopted in the school;
• helps the teacher choose appropriate professional development activities;
• shares knowledge and experience with the teacher to the extent that is necessary for effective performance of his / her duties;
• enables the teacher to observe classes taught by the mentor and discusses such classes with the teacher;
• observes classes taught by the teacher and discuss them with the teacher;
• inspires and encourages the teacher to take up professional challenges.

Mentors are also required to broaden their knowledge and regularly improve their skills as necessary to perform their function.

In accordance with the amendment to the Teachers’ Charter, the duration of an induction programme is 3 years and 9 months. The duration can be shortened to 2 years and 9 months for teachers who hold a doctoral or postdoctoral degree, and for teachers who conducted classes in a school abroad before entering into an employment relationship in a school in Poland. A teacher who wishes to carry out such a shorter induction programme should submit a relevant statement to the head of the school.

The school head can also shorten the induction period to 2 years and 9 months for a teacher who, before entering into an employment relationship in a school, either worked as an academic teacher at a higher education institution for at least 3 years or has at least 5-years of work experience and significant professional achievements on the date of entering into the first employment relationship in a school.

In the second year of the induction programme, before a performance appraisal, a teacher will be required to conduct classes of at least 1 hour in the presence of:

• the school head;
• the mentor;
• a methodological adviser or a teacher-consultant, or a representative of the pedagogical supervision body (which, in most cases, is the Head of the Regional Education Authorities), or a chartered teacher (that is, a teacher holding the second professional promotion grade) who teaches the same subject or conducts the same type of classes in the same or another school (or institution); such an observer will be appointed by the school head.

The school head determines the duration of classes to be conducted by the teacher in the second year of the induction programme, taking into consideration the needs of the teacher related to the improvement of practical skills. Persons observing the classes will discuss them with the teacher.

In the final year of the induction programme, the teacher who has received at least a ‘good’ grade in a performance appraisal during this period, will be required to conduct classes of 1 hour in the presence of a committee set up by the school head and composed of:

• the school head as its chair;
• an expert who is selected from the register kept by the minister responsible for school education and holds a qualification in the area of Psychology or Education, including Special Education, or an appointed or chartered teacher holding the position of a school psychologist or special education teacher in the same or another school (or institution);
• a methodological adviser, teacher-consultant, representative of the pedagogical supervision body or a chartered teacher who teaches the same subject or conducts the same type of classes (employed in the same or another school or institution).

At the request of the teacher, a trade union representative can also participate as an observer in the work of such a committee.

The committee issues its opinion after a discussion on the classes conducted by the teacher in the second year of the induction programme and an interview with the teacher. A positive opinion from the committee is one of the preconditions for a novice teacher to be awarded the grade of appointed teacher.

In case the committee’s opinion is negative, the teacher may, within 14 days of receiving it, submit to the school head a request to conduct classes again, under the same conditions. A teacher who again receives a negative opinion will be required to carry out an additional induction programme of 1 year and 9 months, during which (s)he will conduct classes in the presence of a committee.

A teacher who has received a negative opinion and has not submitted a request to conduct classes again, or has again received a negative opinion, will have to carry out an additional induction programme of 1 year and 9 months. In the final year of the additional induction programme, a person who has received at least a ‘good’ grade in a performance appraisal during this period will again conduct classes of 1 hour, in the presence of a committee appointed by the school head.

A teacher who has received a ‘negative’ grade in a performance appraisal in the second year of the induction programme may not be re-employed in the same school until (s)he obtains the grade of appointed teacher. If employed in another school, the teacher will carry out an induction programme, and the induction period completed in the previous school will not be counted towards the mandatory duration of the induction programme in the new school.

A teacher who has received a ‘negative’ grade in the final year of the induction programme and is employed in another school will carry out an additional induction programme of 1 year and 9 months. In the final year of the additional induction programme in another school, a teacher who has received at least a ‘good’ grade in a performance appraisal during this period will conduct classes of 1 hour in the presence of a committee appointed by the school head.

Professional status

Basic arrangements concerning the professional status of teachers in Poland are laid down in the Act of 26 January 1982, The Teachers’ Charter (ustawa Karta Nauczyciela z dnia 26 stycznia 1982 r.), amended multiple times, which regulates all key conditions of service for teachers.

The Teachers’ Charter regulates in detail aspects such as teachers’ duties; qualification requirements; professional promotion; the establishment, change and termination of an employment relationship; working conditions and salary, awards and distinctions; welfare benefits and holiday entitlements; financial support for the upgrading of qualifications and professional development;  healthcare; disciplinary liability; and retirement and pension entitlements. Formal conditions of service are laid down in detail in numerous regulations of the minister responsible for school education, higher education and science.

The Teachers’ Charter applies to teachers, educators and other teaching ('pedagogical’) staff working in:

• public nursery schools, schools and other school education institutions, and in-service teacher training institutions;
• juvenile detention centres and youth hostels;
• public colleges of social work;
• central government administration bodies and agencies; regional education authorities; a specialist supervision unit; the Central Examination Board and regional examination boards; bodies responsible for pedagogical supervision over juvenile detention centres, youth hostels and schools at penitentiary institutions;
• public schools and school compounds at diplomatic missions, consulates and military missions of the Republic of Poland;
• public in-service teacher training institutions operating at the national level; public in-service teacher training institutions for teachers of art schools, and for teachers of vocational subjects who teach in agricultural schools; and a public in-service teacher training institution for vocational subject teachers operating at the national level;
• schools operating on the basis of the Convention defining the Statute of European Schools, drawn up on 21 June 1994 in Luxembourg;
• schools operating abroad;
• public nursery schools, schools and other school education institutions administered by natural persons and legal persons other than local government units;
• non-public nursery schools, schools and other non-public institutions, and non-public art schools with the status of public art schools;
• other public preschool education settings administered by natural persons and legal persons other than local government units, and other non-public preschool education settings;

and

• staff employed in institutions and organisations other than those listed above as practical vocational training instructors and practical vocational training managers, who hold qualifications required of practical vocational training teaches and conduct classes and other educational activities for the number of hours specified for such teachers;
• staff holding the positions of educators / tutors, pedagogues and managers in Voluntary Labour Corps, who hold required qualifications and teach and conduct other educational activities on at least a half-time basis.

In performing their professional duties, teachers are entitled to protection provided to public officials in accordance with the rules laid down in the Act of 6 June 1997, The Criminal Code (ustawa z dnia 6 czerwca 1997 – Kodeks karny). Thus, all teachers subject to the provisions of the Teachers' Charter benefit from the protection provided to public officials by the Criminal Code.

The body administering a given school and the head of the school are ex officio required to defend the teacher when the rights that (s)he has been granted are infringed.

Replacement measures

A full-time teacher can be allocated extra hours for classes. A teacher can also be required to replace an absent teacher on an ad-hoc basis in case there is a need to do so.

An extra class hour is an hour (45 minutes) of classes or other educational and/or childcare activities allocated in addition to the compulsory weekly teaching load (the compulsory number of class hours per week).

Extra class hours allocated to teachers are hours exceeding the teaching load of a teacher – beyond the weekly number of hours for teaching / classes and other educational and childcare activities. Extra class hours should not be confused with overtime hours (which are hours in excess of the working time of a teacher).

The total number of extra class hours allocated to a teacher may not exceed ½ of his / her compulsory teaching load per week, and the teacher’s consent is required if the number of extra class hours allocated exceeds ¼ of the weekly teaching load. Thus, the upper limit for extra class hours to be taken by a teacher depends on his / her weekly teaching load.

Extra class hours are allocated to teachers for a longer period, usually for an entire semester or school year.

The school’s teaching council (composed of the school head and all teachers) is consulted on a mandatory basis about the allocation of extra class hours to teachers.

As a rule, a teacher may not refuse to take extra class hours. This means that working extra class hours is not an entitlement of a teacher but his / her duty if such hours are allocated in accordance with the law.

However, extra class hours can be assigned only with the consent of a teacher in case:

• the teacher is pregnant;
• the teacher raises a child aged up to 4 years;
• the teacher carries out an induction programme;
• the school head wishes to allocate extra class hours exceeding ½ of the compulsory weekly teaching load.

Teachers are paid for all additional hours worked when the school needs to replace an absent teacher, including both extra class hours and ad-hoc replacement hours. The pay rate for such hours is based on the salary rate for a teacher, with an allowance for the working conditions added where applicable.

An ad-hoc replacement hour is an hour (45 minutes) of classes, educational or childcare activities which is allocated to the teacher replacing an absent teacher in addition to the compulsory weekly teaching load (the compulsory number of hours for classes, educational or childcare activities per week).

The pay for ad-hoc replacement hours is based on the salary rate for a teacher, including an allowance for the working conditions added where applicable.

Ad-hoc replacement hours are allocated when due to the absence of a teacher, an urgent need arises to carry out the tasks of the school, that is, to implement the outline timetable, or only to look after pupils during a lesson.

In the case of replacement of an absent teacher, a fixed-term employment contract for the period of the replacement is concluded with a teacher.

An absent teacher's duties can also be assigned to another full-time teacher already working in the same school. In this case, the following limits should be respected:

• without the teacher's consent, the number of additional class hours cannot exceed ¼ of the compulsory weekly teaching load (4.5 teaching hours per week in most cases);
• with the teacher's consent, the number of additional class hours cannot exceed ½ of the compulsory weekly teaching load (9 hours per week in most cases).

Ad-hoc replacement duties may also be assigned to part-time teachers.

Table: Extra class hours and ad-hoc replacement hours

* Combined teaching load refers to the teaching load of a teacher who holds more than one position, with a different compulsory weekly teaching load for each position.

Source: School Education Portal (information in Polish only).  

Support measures

Teachers-pedagogues, psychologists, speech therapists, career advisers and educational therapists

In addressing educational and learning problems and developing their skills to provide more effective support to pupils, teachers are entitled to receive support from teachers-psychologists (nauczyciel psycholog), education specialists (referred to as 'teacher-pedagogues' (nauczyciel pedagog)), speech therapists (logopeda), careers advisers (doradca zawodowy) and educational therapists (terapeuta pedagogiczny) in their nursery school, school or institution (hereafter jointly referred to as ‘school’).

As part of their responsibilities, pedagogues and psychologists, in particular:

• conduct assessments and diagnostic activities for pupils, including the assessment of their individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities; such activities aim to identify pupils’ strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes or talents, and reasons behind their school failure or problems in functioning, including barriers and constraints which make it difficult for them to function and participate in the life of the school;
• assess educational situations in the school to solve educational problems which impose barriers and limit active and full participation of pupils in the life of the school;
• provide counselling and guidance (so-called psychological and pedagogical support) in forms suited to the needs identified;
• take measures to prevent addiction and other problems of children and young people;
• minimise consequences of developmental disorders; prevent behavioural disorders; and initiate various forms of support in pupils’ school and out-of-school environment;
• initiate and carry out mediation and intervention activities in emergency or crisis situations;
• help parents and teachers to identify and develop pupils’ individual potential, predispositions and aptitudes or talents;
• support teachers, educational group tutors and other specialists in:

• assessing pupils’ individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities to identify their strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes or talents, and reasons behind their school failure or problems in functioning, including barriers and constraints which make it difficult for them to function and participate in the life of the school;
• providing counselling and guidance (so-called psychological and pedagogical support).

Speech therapists, in particular:

• identify speech problems through, among other things, speech disorder screening tests in order to determine the level of speech and language development;
• conduct speech therapy classes for pupils, and provide advice and guidance to parents and teachers to stimulate pupils’ speech development and eliminate disorders;
• undertake, in collaboration with pupils’ parents, activities to prevent language communication disorders;
• support teachers, educational group tutors and other specialists in:

• assessing pupils’ individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities to identify their strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes or talents, and reasons behind their school failure or problems in functioning, including barriers and constraints which make it difficult for them to function and participate in the life of the school;
• providing counselling and guidance (so-called psychological and pedagogical support).

Careers advisers, in particular:

• systematically assess pupils’ needs regarding education- and career-related information, and support them in education and career planning;
• gather, update and provide information on education career relevant to a given level of education;
• conduct classes devoted to the choice of the field of education and occupation and to education and career planning, taking into consideration pupils’ strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes or talents;
• coordinate information and guidance activities conducted by the school;
• collaborate with other teachers to ensure the continuity of educational counselling and career guidance activities;
• assist teachers, educational group tutors and other specialists in counselling and guidance (so-called psychological and pedagogical support).

Educational therapists, in particular:

• conduct diagnostic assessments for pupils with developmental disorders and deviations or specific learning difficulties to identify problems and monitor effects of therapeutic activities;
• identify reasons which make it difficult for pupils to participate actively and fully in the life of the school;
• conduct corrective and compensatory classes and other therapy classes;
• undertake, in collaboration with parents, activities which prevent pupils’ learning problems; 
• support teachers, educational group tutors and other specialists in:

• assessing pupils’ individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities to identify their strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes or talents, and reasons behind their school failure or problems in functioning, including barriers and constraints which make it difficult for them to function and participate in the life of the school;
• providing counselling and guidance (so-called psychological and pedagogical support).

Special education teachers support teachers in:

• identifying reasons behind school failure or difficulties in the functioning of pupils, including barriers and limitations, which make it difficult for pupils to function and participate in the life of the school;
• providing psychological and pedagogical support in direct work with a pupil;
• adapting working approaches and methods to individual developmental and educational needs of a pupil and his / her psychological and physical abilities;
• choosing teaching and learning methods, forms and resources suitable for the needs of pupils.

At the request of the head of a school, teachers and specialists providing counselling and guidance in the school are supported by counselling and guidance (psychological and pedagogical support) centres and in-service teacher training institutions.

Teachers-methodological advisers

Teachers receive support in implementing the school curriculum and in in-service training, which covers, for example, the implementation of the core curriculum, including the development of curricula, the assessment of pupils’ needs and the individualisation of the education process. Such support is provided by teachers-methodological advisers (nauczyciel-doradca metodyczny) within the school or in regional / local in-service teacher training institutions.

The support provided by teachers-methodological advisers is particularly useful to entrants to the teaching profession.

As part of their responsibilities, teachers-methodological advisers support teachers and school teaching councils, in particular, in:

• planning, organising and examining the outcomes of the education process, while taking into consideration diverse needs of pupils;
• developing, selecting and adapting curricula;
• developing methodological skills;
• undertaking innovative activities.

Teachers-methodological advisers perform their tasks by:

• providing individual guidance;
• conducting classes, open classes and workshops;
• organising other forms of continuing professional development which support teachers’ teaching and educational activities;
• establishing and maintaining collaboration and self-training networks for teachers.

Teachers-consultants

Public in-service teacher training institutions employ teachers-consultants (nauczyciel konsultant). Teachers-consultants carry out tasks related to the assessment of teachers’ skills and their related in-service training needs; the organisation of training to improve teachers’ subject-specific, methodological and educational skills; and the collection and dissemination of education-related information.  

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 / in-service training needs;
• organise professional development / in-service training activities for teachers, covering specialist / subject-specific, methodological and educational skills, in collaboration with higher education institutions, teacher training institutions and other educational and training institutions; 
• organise professional development / in-service training 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 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;
• provide support to teachers who apply for promotion to higher professional grades;
• obtain or develop and produce and disseminate methodological and supporting resources relating to the improvement of teaching and learning methods and tools and to educational development;
• collaborate with other in-service teacher training institutions.

Teachers-mentors

A teacher carrying out an induction programme receives support from a mentor, appointed by the head of the school from among appointed or chartered teachers (that is, teachers holding the first or second professional promotion grade).

As part of their responsibilities, mentors:

• support teachers on an ongoing basis to introduce them into the job and, in doing so, get them acquainted with the documentation of the teaching process, educational and childcare activities and other documents adopted in the school;
• help teachers choose appropriate professional development activities;
• share knowledge and experience with teachers to the extent that is necessary for effective performance of their duties;
• enable teachers to observe classes taught by the mentor and discuss such classes with them;
• observe classes taught by, and discuss them with, teachers;
• inspire and encourage teachers to take up professional challenges.

Mentors are also required to broaden their knowledge and skills necessary to perform their function. 

Support teachers

Based on the arrangements in effect since 1 January 2016, support teachers (nauczyciel wspomagający) should be employed in schools  attended by pupils with autism, Asperger’s syndrome or multiple disabilities who hold a certificate recommending special education.  

A support teacher is an education specialist who supports and co-creates classes conducted by a subject teacher in an integration or mainstream class, and is employed to co-organise the education of disabled and socially maladjusted pupils and pupils at risk of social maladjustment.

Support teachers:

• teach classes together with other teachers, and conduct integrated activities and classes included in the curriculum together with other teachers, specialists and class tutors;
• are involved, together with other teachers, specialists and class tutors, in educational activities for disabled and socially maladjusted pupils and those at risk of social maladjustment;
• participate, where necessary, in educational activities carried out by other teachers and in integrated activities and classes which are included in the curriculum and conducted by other teachers, specialists and educational group tutors;
• assist teachers who conduct classes and teachers, specialists and educational group tutors who conduct integrated activities and classes included in the curriculum in the selection of forms and methods of work with disabled and socially maladjusted pupils and those at risk of social maladjustment;
• conduct classes and activities adjusted to pupils’ individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities, and in particular rehabilitation, resocialisation and social therapy activities.

A support teacher holds a qualification in the field of special education.

There is a special limit for the number of pupils in integration classes. It should not exceed 20, including up to 5 pupils with a disability, per integration class.

The school head should assess, on an individual basis, how many hours should be assigned to a support  teacher to enable the school to implement the recommendations based on special education certificates. It does not have to be a full-time teaching load in each case.  

Teaching assistant

A teaching assistant is a staff member of a local government unit, employed on the basis of the Labour Code (an employment contract). A teaching assistant is required to have completed at least primary education.

The legislation does not specify the working time or responsibilities of a teaching assistant, and in practice, it is the head of a school who decides on such matters. The school head should provide a job description to a teaching assistant. However, the school head should ensure that teaching assistants are not assigned tasks which are reserved for teachers; these include:

• classes and other educational and childcare activities conducted in direct contact with pupils or for their benefit; 
• other classes and activities resulting from the statutory tasks of the school, including childcare and educational activities aimed at addressing pupils’ needs and interests;
• classes and activities related to the preparation for classes, self-training and professional development.

The legislation provides for preparatory classes or units to be established in schools for pupils from Ukraine. A school which has established such a unit can employ a Ukrainian citizen as a teaching assistant. Such a person is employed in accordance with general provisions of the Labour Code. This means that the school concludes an indefinite contract or a fixed-term contract (including a contact for the duration of a replacement) with a teaching assistant.

Importantly, the Act on the assistance for citizens of Ukraine in connection with the armed conflict on its territory (ustawa o pomocy obywatelom Ukrainy w zwiazku z konfliktem zbrojnym na terytorium tego państwa) allows schools to waive the requirement to verify the knowledge of the Polish language. The school head does not need to request from a candidate a document confirming his / her knowledge of the language. It is sufficient for the school to check on its own the level of a candidate’s knowledge.  

Roma education assistant

A school can employ a Roma education assistant as a teaching assistant.

The role of an assistant is to support the process of assuring high quality of education for Roma pupils, and thus to enable them to continue education at the post-primary level, and, in a longer term, to improve social and civic integration of Roma in Poland.

A Roma education assistant supports children and young people of Roma origin in interacting with the school community, and collaborates with their parents and the school.

Harmonious collaboration between a Roma education assistant and a support teacher is necessary to effectively support the education of Roma pupils.

Salaries

The minister responsible for school education lays down annually the minimum basic salary rates for teachers, even if the reference amount determining the basic pay in schools has not changed as compared to the previous year.

Remuneration arrangements for teachers are laid down in the Act of 26 January 1982, the Teachers' Charter (ustawa z dnia 26 stycznia 1982 r. – Karta Nauczyciela) (as subsequently amended), and the Regulation of the Minister of National Education on the minimum rates of the basic salary for teachers, other work-related benefits and allowances, and remuneration for work on days off work (rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej w sprawie wysokości minimalnych stawek wynagrodzenia zasadniczego nauczycieli, ogólnych warunków przyznawania dodatków do wynagrodzenia zasadniczego oraz wynagradzania za pracę w dniu wolnym od pracy) (last amended on 24 August 2022).

The salary of a teacher consists of:

• the basic salary;
• a number of allowances, including the length-of-service, motivation, function-related (including an allowance for the class tutor function) and working-conditions allowances;
• the pay for extra-class and ad-hoc replacement hours; and
• awards and other benefits envisaged in the employment relationship (except for benefits from the institutional welfare fund and additional welfare benefits, including accommodation and rural allowances).

The level of the basic salary depends on the teacher’s professional promotion grade, qualifications and compulsory teaching load. The level of allowances is determined by the length of service, the quality of teaching, additional tasks or activities, the position held and difficult or hazardous working conditions.

The average salary of teachers is equal to the following percentages of the reference amount annually fixed for teachers in the Budgetary Act:

1. 120% for a novice teacher;
2. 144% for an appointed teacher;
3. 184% for a chartered teacher.

As of 1 September 2022, the minimum salary for teachers (in PLN) is as follows:

* Teacher training and foreign language teacher training colleges: initial teacher training institutions which existed until 2016.

The minimum rate of the basic salary for a teacher is calculated on the basis of his / her educational attainment (the highest-level qualification held). 

A teacher carrying out an induction programme receives a one-off induction allowance (świadczenie na start) of PLN 1,000. It is paid within 30 days of the starting date of the induction period. A teacher may receive an induction allowance only once during the entire period of employment.

Further information on teachers’ salaries is available in the online publication of the Eurydice Network: Teachers’ and School Heads’ Salaries and Allowances in Europe 2020/21. Eurydice Facts and Figures. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union,

Working time and holidays

Total working time

As part of their working time, teachers are required to conduct the following types of classes and activities:

1. classes and educational and childcare activities in direct contact with pupils or for their benefit;
2. other activities resulting from the statutory tasks of the school, including childcare and educational activities addressing pupils’ needs and interests;
3. activities related to the preparation for classes, self-learning and continuing professional development.

The following types of classes or activities should be assigned to teachers only as part of the teaching load or extra class hours:

• after-school club activities;
• counselling and guidance (so-called psychological and pedagogical support) classes or activities (including specialist classes or activities such as early development support, speech therapy, educational therapy);
• classes taught as part of professional qualification courses.

The legislation in Poland regulates the total working time and the teaching time / teaching load.

Teachers’ work is specific in, among other things, that they can do their individual work in any place.

Teaching time (teaching load)

The working time of a full-time teacher may not exceed 40 hours per week.

A full-time teacher has a 5-day work week. The head of a school may reduce a work week to 4 days in case teachers attend training to upgrade their qualifications; teachers of theoretical vocational subjects and practical vocational training in vocational schools follow a sector-specific vocational training course; or teachers perform other socially relevant tasks; and in case this is determined by the organisation of work in the school.

In schools working on all days of the week, teachers are entitled to have, at least every two weeks, two consecutive days off, including one Sunday. This does not apply to teachers working in the part-time extramural education system.

Teachers are required to teach classes and conduct educational and childcare activities in direct contact with pupils for 18 to 30 hours per week, with the number of hours depending on the type of school (or another educational institution), or for the number of hours determined by the head / the administering body of a given school (or institution).

The statutory or compulsory weekly teaching load, including teaching, educational or childcare activities undertaken in direct contact with pupils, varies according to the type of school (or institution) and classes or activities.

The statutory teaching load per week for a full-time teacher is determined according to the following norms:

Teachers with 18 class / teaching hours (one class / teaching hour lasting for 45 minutes) per week can have their weekly teaching load increased to 27 class hours with the consent of the school administering body, given at the request of the school head, and after consultation with the school's teaching council.

The weekly teaching load of 18 class hours provides the basis for a full-time teacher’s salary. Teachers receive additional pay for hours extending beyond the 18-hour weekly teaching load.

Teachers with a reduced compulsory teaching load are not allocated extra class hours.

In special cases justified by the necessity to implement a curriculum, teachers may be required to work extra hours, for a pay, in line with their specialisation subject area; however, the number of extra hours may not exceed ¼ of the compulsory weekly teaching load. A higher number of extra hours can be allocated to teachers only with their consent, but the number may not exceed ½ of the compulsory weekly teaching load.

Teachers may also be required to work at night as part of their compulsory weekly number of class-tutor hours. For each hour worked at night, they are entitled to receive an additional pay amounting to 15% of the hourly rate set for the basic salary.

With the consent of the school administering body, the school head can reduce the weekly teaching load for full-time teachers, for a fixed period or until further notice. The school head may reduce a work week to 4 days if teachers undergo training or perform other social relevant tasks, or if this is determined by the organisation of work in a given school.

Additional regulations on working time

The weekly teaching load is reduced for school heads and other teachers performing management functions in schools and other educational institutions, depending on the size and type of the school or institution and working conditions.

In principle, extra class hours are not allocated to school heads and deputy heads or other teachers with a reduced compulsory weekly teaching load.

Teachers working in public administration bodies are required to work for 40 hours per week.

The total working time of teachers in public in-service teacher training institutions may not exceed 1.5 of the compulsory weekly teaching load for the position corresponding to the specialisation area of a teacher-methodological adviser.

Working time records (timesheets)

Classes and educational and childcare activities, conducted directly with pupils or for their benefit, are recorded and accounted for on a weekly basis in lesson and class registers respectively.

The timesheets for teachers should include the following information:

• the number of night hours worked;
• days free of duty, with information on the reasons for granting them;
• the type and duration of paid leave from work;
• the type and duration of other authorised absence from work;
• the duration of unauthorised absence from work.

Holidays

Teachers are entitled to paid holiday leave during school holidays and public and religious holidays. Thus, in practice, teachers have more than 3 months free from work each year.

Teachers employed in a school where the work organisation regulations provide for school holidays are entitled to take holiday leave for the number of days corresponding to the duration of the school holidays and during such holidays.

School summer holidays last around 2 months. A teacher may be instructed by the school head to conduct examinations during the holiday time or to carry out tasks related to the end of the school year or the preparations for a new school year, the development of a school curriculum, or the participation in specific continuing professional development activities. However, such activities may not last longer than 7 days.

For the duration of holiday leave, teachers are entitled to the same salary as they would receive if they were working.

The salary for the period of holiday leave includes:

• the basic salary;
• the length-of-service, motivation, function-related and working-conditions allowances;
• the pay for extra-class hours and ad-hoc replacement hours; 
• an additional pay for working at night;
• separate pay for classes and educational and childcare activities conducted on a day free of duty;
• pay for work on a public holiday day;
• a one-off complementary allowance.

Teachers employed in schools which have no school holidays are entitled to 35 working days’ leave at the time indicated in the staff holiday timetable.

School heads and deputy heads, teachers holding other management positions in a school and teachers who have performed, for at least 10 months, management functions as a replacement for a teacher holding a management position are entitled to holiday leave of 35 working days at the time indicated in the staff holiday timetable.

A teacher who has worked in a school at least on a half-time basis (1/2 of the statutory teaching load) for at least 7 years may take paid health leave of up to 1 year to undertake a prescribed treatment, if a medical board considers that this is justified by the teacher’s health condition.

The school head grants health leave to the teacher to undergo:

• a recommended treatment for:
  1. a disease which poses a risk that the teacher will develop an occupational disease;
  2. a disease which is to a large extent related to work environment factors or the way of performing the work;
• a medical or rehabilitation treatment in a health resort / sanatorium.

At the teacher’s written request for health leave, the school head issues a medical examination referral to an authorised physician. An authorised physician issues a certificate recommending health leave.

During health leave, the teacher retains the right to receive his / her monthly basic salary, the length-of-service allowance and other employee benefits.

Teachers may be granted another health leave one year after the end of the previous health leave at the earliest. The total duration of health leave during the entire employment period may not exceed 3 years.

A female teacher is entitled to paid maternity leave of 20 weeks, additional leave of 6 weeks and parental leave of 26 weeks. In total, for one child, a mother / parents are entitled to 52 weeks of paid leave.

One of the parents may take non-paid childcare leave of up to 3 years per child.

A teacher entitled to childcare leave may submit to the school head a written request for a working time reduction and a proportional reduction in the time basis of employment to no less than half-time in the period during which he / she is entitled to such leave. A teacher taking care of at least one child aged up to 14 years is entitled to 2 paid days off work per calendar year.

Where the working time of a baby-feeding woman exceeds 4 hours of continuous work per day, she is entitled to a 1-hour break, counted towards her working time.

Teachers employed on a full-time basis are entitled to paid training leave and other allowances and benefits related to training. These are granted to teachers to attend compulsory courses or classes, prepare for examinations and write a Master’s thesis (they are normally granted 21 days off to attend courses or classes and take examinations, and 21 days to write a final thesis).

Teachers may be granted paid or unpaid leave for academic or research, artistic or educational activities, and unpaid leave for other important reasons. 

Promotion, advancement

Professional promotion

Up to 1 September 2022 the teacher professional promotion system included 4 grades: trainee teacher, contract, appointed and chartered teachers.

An amendment to the Teachers’ Charter (Karta Nauczyciela) of 5 August 2022 has reduced the number of professional promotion grades for teachers by eliminating the grades of trainee teacher and contract teacher.

The grade of appointed teacher will now be the first professional promotion grade for teachers.

The 2022 amendment to the Teachers’ Charter provides for two professional promotion grades:

• appointed teacher (the award of the grade is preceded by an induction programme); and
• chartered teacher.

The change in the professional promotion system aims, in particular, to strengthen teachers’ practical skills. The elimination of the contract teacher grade and the extension of the work period without promotion is expected mainly to ensure that a new entrant to the teaching profession has the necessary time to acquire practical skills before they are verified for promotion.

Pursuant to the amended legislation, a novice teacher can obtain an appointed teacher grade if he / she has met the related requirements. To obtain the grade, a novice teacher is required to complete an induction programme and pass an exam conducted by an examination board.

The new regulations replace previous arrangements where teachers were required to complete so-called promotion-related probation periods, prepare a professional development plan and reports on their implementation and, consequently, undergo an assessment of professional achievements upon completion of a probation period.

The procedure for the award of the appointed and chartered teacher grades will be very similar to that previously in place. As before, grades will be awarded in an administrative procedure and by an administrative decision of the same competent bodies. 

A document awarding a professional promotion grade includes the following details:

• identification details of the body awarding the grade;
• the issue date;
• the legal basis;
• identification details of an examination board or a qualifying board;
• the issue date of a certificate confirming that a teacher has passed an exam before an exam board or has received approval from a qualifying board;
• for the award of the appointed teacher grade: the issue date of an opinion on the classes conducted by the teacher (which are observed during an induction period);
• the name(s) and surname and the date of birth of the teacher;
• the professional promotion grade awarded;
• information about the teacher’s educational attainment (highest-level qualification);

• factual and legal details substantiating the decision to award the degree;
• information on the right to appeal against the decision and the related procedure, and the entitlement to waive the right to appeal and the consequences of the waiver;
• the name and surname and the position of the staff member of the body authorised to issue the document awarding the promotion grade.

Academic teachers who have a doctoral or post-doctoral degree and at least 3 years of work experience in an HEI obtain the grade of appointed teacher on the date of entering into the employment relationship with a college of social work.

Academic teachers who have a doctoral or post-doctoral degree and at least 5 years of work experience in an HEI obtain the grade of appointed teacher on the date of entering into the employment relationship with a school.

Chartered teachers who have at least 20 years of work experience in the teaching profession, including at least 10 years of work as a chartered teacher, and significant and recognised professional achievements may be awarded the honorary title of school education professor. The title is awarded by the minister responsible for school education, at the request of the Committee for School Education Professors.

Novice teacher ⇒ Appointed teacher

A novice teacher (a teacher who has no professional promotion grade) is required to complete an induction programme of 3 years and 9 months.

However, in case a novice teacher holds a doctoral or post-doctoral degree or conducted classes in a school abroad before entering into an employment relationship in Poland, the duration of an induction programme can be shortened by a year, to 2 years and 9 months.

The period of work after which teachers can obtain the grade of appointed teacher has been recently shortened from 6 to 4 years. Thus, teachers can move up the salary grade scale and be employed by appointment (as opposed to an employment contract; see above) 2 years earlier than before.

To be awarded the grade of appointed teacher, a novice teacher is required to meet the following conditions:

• meet the qualification requirements: either hold a degree and a teaching / pedagogical qualification, or hold a diploma of an initial teacher training institution (the type of institutions existing earlier);
• complete an induction programme, during which the teacher will enhance his / her practical skills and theoretical knowledge necessary to practise the teaching profession;
• receive at least a ‘good’ grade in a performance appraisal conducted in the final year of the induction programme;
• receive a positive opinion on the classes conducted;
• pass an exam for the appointed teacher grade, during which an exam board assesses the extent to which the teacher meets the requirements concerning knowledge and skills necessary for effective performance of the teacher’s duties, as set out in the regulations.

The performance of a teacher before the award of the first promotion grade is assessed by the school head in the second and final years of the induction programme. In accordance with the legislation, a teacher who received a ‘negative’ grade in the performance appraisal in the second year of the induction programme may not be re-employed in the same school until he / she obtains the grade of appointed teacher.

The body administering a given school appoints an exam board for teachers applying for the promotion to the appointed teacher grade.

An exam board is composed of:

• a representative of the school administering body as the chair;
• a representative of the pedagogical supervision body (which, in most cases, is the Head of the Regional Education Authorities);
• the head of the school;
• two experts chosen from the register of experts kept by the minister responsible for school education.

During an exam, the exam board assesses the extent to which a teacher meets the following requirements concerning the knowledge and skills necessary for effective performance of the teacher’s duties:

1. is familiar with the legislation on the organisation, tasks and rules underlying the activity of the school in which he / she has carried out his / her induction programme;
2. is able to teach classes in a way that ensures proper performance of the statutory tasks of the school, and, in particular, the implementation of the core curriculum;
3. is able to identify pupils’ needs and individualise teaching;
4. is able to apply the knowledge of psychology, education and teaching methodology in his / her work;
5. is familiar with the pupils’ environment and can integrate in his / her work local community issues and issues of contemporary society and civilisation;
6. is able to use multimedia and digital tools in his / her work, and, in particular, in the classes taught.

If a teacher fails an exam for the appointed teacher grade, he / she carries out an additional induction programme of 1 year and 9 months. In the final year of the additional induction programme, a teacher who received at least a ‘good’ grade in a performance appraisal during this period conducts again classes of 1 hour in the presence of a committee appointed by the head of the school.

An application to initiate the examination procedure should be accompanied by originals or copies of documents confirming compliance with the requirements for the award of the promotion grade. 

An exam board analyses the opinion on the classes taught and the performance appraisal report and conducts an exam, during which the teacher:

• answers questions by the board members;
• demonstrates his / her ability to solve a work-related problem defined by the exam board;

The board calculates an average score based on the number of points given by each member. The teacher has passed the exam if the average score is at least 7.

The appointed teacher grade is awarded by the body administering a given school.

Appointed teacher ⇒ Chartered teacher

To obtain the grade of chartered teacher, an appointed teacher is required to meet the following conditions:

• meet the qualification requirements;
• work in a school for a required period of 5 years and 9 months;
• receive at least a ‘very good’ grade in the performance appraisal in the last year of work preceding the submission of an application to initiate the qualifying procedure;
• obtain approval from a qualifying board: a board analyses the teacher’s professional achievements and conducts an interview with him / her to assess the extent to which the teacher meets the requirements concerning the performance of school education tasks or activities and their outcomes.

Thus, to obtain the chartered teacher grade, teachers will now have to work for at least 5 years and 9 months after the date of the award of the appointed teacher grade. An application to initiate the qualifying procedure for the award of the chartered teacher grade after a shorter period of 4 years and 9 months can be submitted by teachers who hold a doctoral or post-doctoral degree and conducted classes in an institution / school abroad before entering into an employment relationship in Poland. The period of work in a school as specified above will include periods of employment in a nursery school if a teacher held the required qualifications and had at least ½ of the statutory teaching load. However, periods of absence longer than 30 consecutive days, except holiday leave, will not be counted towards this period of work.

When an appointed teacher applies for the promotion to the chartered teacher grade, a performance appraisal is conducted at his / her request. To be promoted, a teacher is also required to obtain approval from a qualifying board. A qualifying board analyses the teacher’s professional achievements and conducts an interview with him / her to assess the extent to which he / she meets the requirements concerning the performance of school education tasks or activities and their outcomes.

A qualifying board is appointed by the pedagogical supervision body. For teachers working in most nursery schools and schools and for teachers in in-service teacher training institutions, the pedagogical supervision body is the Head of the Regional Education Authorities.  

A qualifying board is composed of:

• a representative of the pedagogical supervision body;
• the head of the school, except when it is the head who applies for promotion;
• two experts chosen from the register of experts kept by the minister responsible for school education.

The number of experts chosen from the register kept by the minister has been recently reduced from 3 to 2. However, as earlier, at the teacher’s request, it is still possible to appoint a representative of a trade union, identified by the teacher, as a member of an exam board or a qualifying board.

As part of the procedure for the award of the chartered teacher grade, a qualifying board assesses the extent to which a teacher meets the following requirements concerning the performance of school education tasks or activities and their outcomes:

1. improvement of working methods, including the use of information and communication technologies, and enhancement of knowledge and skills to improve the school’s performance;
2. ability to share knowledge and skills with other teachers, for example, through:
   1. open classes, in particular, for teachers carrying out an induction programme;
   2. classes or courses as part of intra-school in-service training or other professional development activities for teachers;
3. ability to use active learning methods in the work with pupils and multimedia and digital tools supporting the learning process;
4. at least one of the following tasks successfully carried out:
   1. tasks of a mentor (for a novice teacher); a teaching internship supervisor (for higher education students); a court-appointed guardian; an examiner in a regional examination board; an expert on textbooks; a consultant for the Art Education Centre; a volunteer working for an association or another organisation whose statutory aim is to conduct educational activities or expand and enrich educational, childcare and innovation activities of schools; a scouting instructor; or other tasks aimed at improving school performance or performed for the benefit of children and young people with special educational needs or at risk of social exclusion;
   2. development and implementation of innovations or educational, childcare or other activities related to school education, including activities as part of a pedagogical experiment conducted at the school;
   3. a textbook or an original paper on school education or child development published in a professional journal or in a non-serial form;
   4. courses or other training activities conducted on a cyclical basis for teachers or pupils’ parents, including those using distance learning methods and techniques, unless such activities are part of the teacher’s duties;
   5. research in the area of school education, related, in particular, to the specificity and needs of the school, and use of research findings for the improvement of school performance.

An application to initiate the qualifying procedure should be accompanied by originals or copies of documents confirming compliance with the requirements for the award of the promotion grade, and a document which describes and analyses how the teacher meets the requirements concerning school education tasks or activities and their outcomes.

A qualifying board analyses the performance appraisal report for the teacher and the document describing and analysing the extent to which the teacher meets the requirements, and conducts an interview during which the teacher:

• presents his / her professional achievements;
• answers questions by the qualifying board relating to the school education tasks or activities and their outcomes.

The board calculates an average score based on the number of points given by each member. The teacher has obtained the approval from the qualifying board if the average score is at least 7.

The grade of chartered teacher is awarded by the Minister of Education.

Advancement in the school education administration

Aside from the promotion to a higher professional grade and pay rises tied to the level of qualifications acquired, the promotion grade and the length of service that are guaranteed by the law, teachers have only few opportunities for promotion inside the school as the range of functions and positions is very limited in the present structure.

Teachers with the required qualifications, promotion grade and length of service may apply for the position of school head, the head of the Regional Education Authorities (REA) (kurator oświaty) or an inspector in the school education administration.

Teachers with relevant qualifications may also move from a primary school to a secondary school or take up the position of an adviser or a teacher-consultant in an in-service teacher training institution. However, such promotions often take place as a result of an external offer and are not built into the teaching career.

Some positions (for example, the school head or the head of the REA) may be taken only through a competitive procedure and held for a term fixed by the law. Thus, this is not a permanent promotion, and teachers may lose their position in the subsequent competition and, consequently, end up back in the group of their former peers.

Although teachers may take courses and obtain higher promotion grades, those who have completed a course or obtained a higher promotion grade will not necessarily gain a management position.

The following positions exist in schools and institutions of the school education sector:

• Teacher,
• Teacher-Methodological Adviser,
• Teacher-Consultant,
• Head (for example, head of a laboratory, school workshop, teacher internship programme, dormitory),
• Deputy Head and Head of a school.

Teachers in the REAs may take up the following positions:

• Inspector,
• Senior Inspector,
• Head of Unit,
• Director of Department,
• Head of the REA and Deputy Head of the REA.

Positions in the Ministry of Education and Science:

• Inspector,
• Senior Inspector
• Chief Inspector.

Teacher performance appraisal

New arrangements for teacher performance appraisal have been in place since 1 September 2022. A performance appraisal has replaced an evaluation of professional achievements, and new performance appraisal criteria have been defined. Changes in teacher appraisal result from, among other things, changes in the professional promotion system for teachers. Performance appraisal is linked to the new promotion system; the school head no longer evaluates professional achievements of a teacher for the so-called probation period as teachers no longer carry out a probation period for the promotion to higher grades, except novice teachers who carry out an induction programme.

The school head is required to conduct, at his / her own initiative, a performance appraisal:

• in the second year of the induction programme;
• in the final year of the induction programme;
• in the final year of an additional induction programme;
• in case the employment relationship ends during the teacher’s induction programme or additional induction programme (an appraisal covers a period of induction which has been completed);
• in case the employment relationship has ended, or an appointed teacher has been transferred to another school (an appraisal covers a period during which a teacher has worked in the school since the award of the appointed teacher grade);
• in case a teacher has been granted unpaid leave in accordance with Art. 17, section 2 or 2a of the Teachers’ Charter, is on holiday leave or exempted from the obligation to perform work in accordance with the Act on Trade Unions (an appraisal covers a period during which a teacher has worked in the school since the award of the appointed teacher grade).

A teacher carries out an additional induction programme of 1 year and 9 months if he / she:

• has received a negative opinion on the classes observed and has not submitted an application for another teaching observation;
• has received twice a negative opinion on the classes observed;
• has received a ‘negative’ grade in the performance appraisal in the final year of the induction programme;
• has failed an exam for the appointed teacher grade.

In such cases, a performance appraisal can be conducted earlier than a year after the previous appraisal.

In other cases, the school head may carry out a performance appraisal at his / her own initiative. However, it should not take place earlier than a year after the previous appraisal.

The school head carries out a teacher performance appraisal at the request of:

• the teacher concerned;
• the pedagogical supervision body (which is the Head of the Regional Education Authorities);
• the body administering a given school;
• the school council;
• the parents’ council.

Such a request is binding on the school head, but a performance appraisal should not be conducted earlier than a year after the previous appraisal.

When an appraisal is initiated or requested by:

• the pedagogical supervision body;
• the school administering body;
• the school council;
• the parents’ council,

the teacher concerned should be immediately notified thereof.

In a notice to the teacher, the school head should choose and identify one of the additional criteria (see below) for a performance appraisal. The teacher chooses a second additional criterion within 3 working days of the receipt of the notice.

A performance appraisal is conducted within 3 months of the date of the request submitted or, in case it is undertaken on the school head’s own initiative, within 3 months of the date on which the teacher is notified in writing of the start of the performance appraisal.

A teacher performance appraisal can be carried out at any time, but not earlier than a year after the previous appraisal.

The period covered by a performance appraisal does not include periods of the teacher’s authorised absences longer than 14 days and school holiday periods, as set in the legislation on the organisation of a school year, or, for teachers working in schools where no school holidays are provided, periods of holiday leave lasting for at least 14 consecutive calendar days.

All teachers, regardless of their workload, undergo a performance appraisal.

The amended legislation, which came into effect on 1 September 2022, has re-introduced criteria for performance appraisal. They are divided into mandatory and additional criteria.

To fulfil the mandatory criteria, a teacher should:

• demonstrate subject-specific and methodological competence in conducting classes and other educational and childcare activities;
• provide safe and healthy conditions for learning, other educational and childcare activities;
• be familiar with children’s rights, including the rights established by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 November 1989, and respect them in his / her activities, and be guided in his / her activities by the wellbeing of pupils, care for their health and respect for pupils’ dignity;
• support the development of each pupil, including a pupil with disability, and create conditions for active and full participation of each pupil in the life of the school and the local community;
• teach pupils respect for other people, raise awareness of their rights, and develop their civic attitude, a sense of patriotism and social engagement, also by setting an example as a teacher;
• collaborate with other teachers in performing the school’s teaching, educational and childcare tasks and other statutory tasks;
• comply in his / her activities with the national legislation concerning the activities of a school and internal regulations of the school where he / she is employed;
• broaden his / her professional knowledge and improve his / her professional skills, also as part of continuing professional development;
• collaborate with parents; this criterion does not apply to a teacher working in a stage II sectoral vocational school, a post-secondary school, a school for adults, a continuing education centre, a college of social work, an educational resources centre or an in-service teacher training institution.

To fulfil the additional criteria (two to be selected), a teacher should:

• plan, organise and conduct classes, other educational and childcare activities, in line with the specificity of the school and the position held, while using active learning methods, including multimedia and IT tools, adapted to the specificity of the classes taught;
• assess the needs and abilities of the pupil, and take an individualised approach in the work with the pupil;
• review one’s own work, use conclusions to improve educational and childcare processes, and achieve positive outcomes in the work;
• apply in his / her work the knowledge and skills acquired in professional development activities;
• conduct other classes and activities as part of the statutory tasks of the school, including educational and childcare activities responding to pupils’ needs and interests, and participation in external exams;
• introduce innovative organisational, curricular or methodological approaches in classes, other educational and childcare activities;
• encourage pupils’ initiative by inspiring them to engage with the school and the community outside the school, and look after pupils who undertake such initiatives;
• conduct and discuss open-access classes for teachers or parents;
• carry out functions or other tasks assigned by the school head;
• have skills for resolving conflict between pupils;
• have non-verbal communication skills and improve communication skills;
• develop and implement innovative curricula, education and problem-prevention programmes or other programmes related to the specificity of the school or the teacher’s position, while taking into consideration the needs of pupils;
• evaluate activities conducted as part of the function performed or school education tasks carried out outside the school, and use evaluation findings to improve the quality of the school’s performance;
• collaborate with the Central Examination Board or a Regional Examination Board, in particular as an examiner, an author of exercises or a reviewer, and collaborate with in-service teacher training institutions or higher education institutions in the supervision of students who undertake teaching internships;
• have other special achievements related to his / her teaching, other educational and childcare activities.

A performance appraisal is based on:

• all mandatory criteria;
• one of the additional criteria chosen by the teacher concerned;
• one of the additional criteria chosen by the school head.

The school head chooses one of the additional criteria in his / her performance appraisal notice to the teacher or within 3 working days of the date of receipt of the teacher’s request to conduct an appraisal. The teacher indicates an additional criterion within 3 days of the receipt of the school head’s notice or in his / her request to conduct an appraisal.

The extent to which the teacher meets each criterion is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5 points, except that a scale of 0 to 30 points is used for the criterion concerning subject-specific and methodological competence in conducting classes and other educational and childcare activities.

When conducting a performance appraisal, the school head:

• consults the parents’ council, except in schools and other institutions where no parents’ council is established;
• may consult the pupils’ self-government body;
• consults at the request of the teacher, or may consult on his / her own initiative, the teacher-methodological adviser, if involved, about the teacher’s performance, or another appointed or chartered teacher if this is not possible, or an academic mentor in the case of a teacher working in a public college of social work; 
• consults the teacher’s mentor in the case of teachers carrying out an induction programme or an additional induction programme.

The school head decides on the outcome of the appraisal after presenting a draft appraisal report (performance appraisal sheet) to the teacher and hearing his comments and objections. The head establishes whether the teacher wishes that a representative of a trade union active in the school, indicated by the teacher, be present when the head presents a draft appraisal sheet to the teacher.

The teacher should be notified of the planned performance appraisal and the justification for the appraisal. When a draft performance appraisal sheet is presented to the teacher, he / she has the right to provide oral comments and raise objections. The teacher also has the right to provide comments and raise objections in writing, within 5 working days of the date when the draft appraisal sheet is presented to his / her.

A performance appraisal is descriptive in nature and ends with one of the following outcomes or grades: outstanding, very good, good or negative.

The grade is based on the total number of points:

1. Outstanding grade: at least 90% of the maximum number of points;
2. Very Good grade: between 75% and 89.99%;
3. Good grade: between 55% and 74.99%;
4. Negative grade (which leads to the termination of the employment relationship): less than 55%.

The following will help in a performance appraisal:

• an analysis of school documentation kept by the teacher;
• lesson observation;
• findings from pedagogical supervision;
• documentation concerning initiatives undertaken (participation of pupils in competitions and school-subject contests, and pupils’ achievements); 
• a self-appraisal sheet.

In conducting an appraisal, the school head prepares a performance appraisal sheet..

The school head provides the performance appraisal sheet to the teacher, and its copy is included in the teacher’s personal file. The teacher has the right to lodge an appeal against the outcome of a performance appraisal within 14 days of the receipt of the appraisal sheet. The teacher lodges an appeal, via the school head, to the body exercising pedagogical supervision over the school (which, in most cases, is the Head of the Regional Education Authorities (REA).

The school head forwards the appeal against the outcome of a performance appraisal to the competent pedagogical supervision body within 5 working days of the receipt of the appeal. The documents forwarded include the school head’s written comments on the objections raised by the teacher.

The competent body appoints a review panel composed of:

• a representative of the pedagogical supervision body (the Head of the REA for teachers working in most nursery schools and schools, and for all teachers working in in-service teacher training institutions) as the chair;
• a representative of the school’s teaching council (which consists of the school head and all teachers);
• a representative of the parents’ council (this does not apply to schools where such a body is not established);
• a teacher-methodological adviser or teacher-consultant (if involved);
• a representative of a trade union active in the school indicated by the teacher, who is appointed at the teacher’s request.

The body that appoints a review panel notifies the teacher of its meeting where he / she can be heard not later than 5 working days before the date of the meeting. The teacher’s failure to appear, despite proper notice of the meeting, does not prevent the review panel from considering the appeal and making a decision.

The competent body issues a decision within 30 days of the receipt of the appeal. It may uphold the outcome of the performance appraisal conducted by the school head; or revoke the outcome of the appraisal conducted by the school head and determine a new outcome; or revoke the outcome of the appraisal conducted by the school head and instruct the head to conduct another performance appraisal if the appraisal under consideration was conducted in violation of the law; in such a case, the entire performance appraisal procedure is initiated again.

The outcome of a performance appraisal determined by the body considering an appeal is final.

Mobility and transfers

Teachers look for a job on an individual basis, directly in schools and other educational institutions.

Teachers are free to change their job or give up work in the school education sector and take up employment in other sectors of the national economy.

Transfers are sometimes chosen when it is not possible for organisational reasons to employ a teacher in the school where he / she has hitherto worked. Only teachers employed by appointment (a specific type of employment relationship) can be transferred. Thus, for teachers on an employment contract, a change of the place of work may take place only through the termination of the current employment relationship and the establishment of a new one.

Teachers employed by appointment can be transferred, either at their own request or on an ex-officio basis, only with their consent, to another position in the same or another school, in the same or another location, to the same or another position. Where teachers are transferred to another school and another position, they have the weekly teaching load assigned to this position.

A teacher may be transferred on an ex-officio basis to another location on condition that accommodation suitable for his / her family status is provided to the teacher in the new place of work and a job for his / her spouse if he / she is a teacher.

Table: Teacher transfer procedure step by step

Dismissal

Like other employees, teachers may terminate their employment relationship by mutual agreement of the parties. Where the parties fail to reach an agreement, an employment contract may be terminated by a termination notice.

A teacher may be dismissed in the case of the total or partial liquidation of a school. If teachers may no longer be employed in the school, the school head either grants to them the status of 'inactivity' or, at their own request, terminates their employment relationship.

Full-time teachers who have received a notice of termination for organisational reasons have 30 days to accept the ‘inactivity’ status.

Teachers who have the 'inactivity' status retain the right to receive their basic monthly salary and other employee benefits until the employment relationship has expired.

The school head is required first to re-employ a teacher with the 'inactivity' status whenever such a possibility arises. Where the teacher refuses to take up the job, the employment relationship expires on the date of refusal. 

The employment relationship with a teacher employed by appointment is terminated in the following cases:

• at the teacher’s own request;
• the teacher’s temporary inability to perform the job resulting from an illness if the period of inability exceeds 182 days, or 270 days if the teacher is unable to perform the job due to tuberculosis or during pregnancy. Where this is duly justified, the period of absence from work many be extended for another 12 months if the teacher is granted a rehabilitation allowance in the case of illness or maternity, or is granted health leave;
• a physician conducting a periodic or follow-up medical check-up establishes that the teacher is unable to perform the job held until now;
• the teacher has received a ‘negative’ grade in the performance appraisal process;
• the referral to teach religion in the school has been withdrawn in accordance with the rules specified in separate legislation;
• by mutual agreement;
• the teacher’s unexcused failure to undergo a periodic or follow-up medical check-up.

The teacher's employment relationship expires by virtue of law in the following cases (applicable to all categories of teachers):

• the teacher being punished with a valid disciplinary penalty of dismissal, or dismissal combined with a ban from teaching for three years following the dismissal or permanent ban from teaching;
• a valid court ruling whereby the teacher loses his / her public rights or the rights to practise the teaching profession, or in the case of the teacher losing entirely his / her legal capacity;
• a valid court ruling for an intentional crime;
• upon completion of a 3-month period in prison;
• where it has been established that the teacher was employed on the basis of false or invalid documents or against the rules of teachers' employment laid down by the Teachers' Charter.

An indefinite employment contract concluded with the teacher is terminated at the end of the school year, based on a 3-month notice.

An indefinite contract is terminated if the teacher fails to obtain the appointed teacher grade within 6 years of the start of his / her induction period (based on the amended Art. 27, section 4-6, of the Teachers’ Charter). The 6-year period will include periods of employment in a school in accordance with required qualifications and with at least ½ of the statutory teaching load. However, this period will not include periods of absence at work which are longer than 30 consecutive days, except for holiday leave periods.

The employment contract with a teacher will be terminated for the afore-mentioned reason at the end of the school year in which 6 years have elapsed since the start of his / her induction programme. In case a teacher fails to obtain the appointed teacher grade within 6 years of the start of his / her induction programme, he / she can be employed on the basis of a fixed-term contract for one school year. Such an employment contract can be concluded more than once.

Retirement and pensions

Teachers and members of their families are entitled to pensions as defined in the legislation on retirement pensions and disability pensions from the Social Security Fund. However, teaching is considered a special-status profession.

Teachers are entitled to receive a teacher retirement pension, regardless of their age, once they have paid social security contributions for a specified period and their employment relationship has been terminated.

Teachers may retire once they have completed a specified period of service:

• 30 years of service, including 20 years of special-status work; or
• 25 years of service, including 20 years of special-status work in the special education sector: for teachers working in special schools and other special education establishments, juvenile detention centres and juvenile shelter care homes,

and have terminated their employment relationship at their own request.

Teachers born after 31 December 1948 may apply for the following benefits:

• a retirement pension granted at the state pension age;
• a retirement pension for special-status jobs;
• a teacher retirement pension;
• a teacher compensation allowance / benefit;
• a bridging retirement pension.

Retirement pension at the state pension age

As all other employees, teachers may retire when they reach the state pension age. Since 1 October 2017, the state pension age has been lower than before: 60 years for women and 65 for men.

A retirement pension is granted at the state pension age regardless of the length of service (that is, the period during which an individual has worked).

Such a pension is calculated in accordance with the so-called new rules. The amount of a pension is determined, in particular, by the total amount of indexed social security contributions, the amount of the indexed initial capital, and the average life expectancy for the age at which an individual retires.

Retirement pension for special-status jobs

As teaching is considered a special-status job, teachers may apply for a pension before reaching the state pension age.

Such a pension may be granted if the teacher:

• has reached the age of 55, and on 1 January 1999:
  • had worked for at least 20 years (including contributory and non-contributory periods);
  • had worked as a teacher for at least 15 years on a continuous and full-time basis;
• has reached the age of 60, and on 1 January 1999:
  • had worked for at least 25 years (including contributory and non-contributory periods);
  • had worked as a teacher for at least 15 years on a continuous and full-time basis;
• is not a member of an Open Pension Fund (Otwarty Fundusz Emerytalny) or has submitted, via the Social Insurance Institution, a request to transfer the funds accumulated in his / her personal Open Pension Fund account to the State budget.

Teacher retirement pension based on the Teachers’ Charter

Teachers may retire and receive a teacher pension if they fulfil the following conditions:

• had at least 30 years of contributory and non-contributory periods (active time, time on leave, on welfare and other benefits) on 31 December 2008, including at least 20 years of work as a teacher with at least half of the statutory teaching load;

or

• for teachers of special schools, educational institutions, centres or juvenile detention centres, or juvenile shelter care homes: had at least 25 years of contributory and non-contributory periods, including at least 20 years of work as a teacher in the special education sector, with at least half of the statutory teaching load;
• have not joined an Open Pension Fund or have submitted, via the Social Insurance Institution, a request to transfer the funds accumulated in his / her personal Open Pension Fund account to the State budget (in case they have joined an Open Pension Fund);
• terminate their employment relationship at their own request.

Teachers may also receive a teacher pension when their employment relationship is terminated on the initiative of the school head or expires in the following cases:

• is terminated due to the total or partial closure of the school, or in the case of organisational changes resulting in the reduction of the number of classes in the school or changes in the timetable, as a result which the teacher can no longer be employed on a full-time basis;
• expires after the lapse of a 6-month period of the teacher’s inactivity or because the teacher refuses to take a job when it is possible to re-employ him / her after the period of inactivity
•  

Teachers who fulfil the afore-mentioned conditions may also retire and receive a teacher pension in case:

• they had reached the age of 60 years (for women) or 65 years (for men) before 1 October 2017 (that is, before the entry into force of the Act lowering the statutory retirement age), unless they had reached the previously raised retirement age before that date; or

• they reached 60 years (for women) and 65 years (for men) between 1 October 2017 and 31 August 2018;

To be entitled to a teacher pension, the teacher is required to give up his / her teaching jobs in all schools where he / she is employed.

Teacher compensation allowance

A compensation allowance is available to teachers employed in:

• public and non-public nursery schools;
• public schools and non-public schools with the public-school status;
• public and non-public continuing education centres;
• youth education centres;
• youth social therapy centres;
• special school-and-education centres;
• special educational centres for children and young people who require special organisation of education, and special working and educational methods;
• centres where:
  • children and young people with a profound intellectual disability participate in rehabilitation and education classes organised in accordance with separate legislation;
  • children and young people with multiple disabilities, including an intellectual disability, participate in compulsory one-year preschool education (in a nursery school or a nursery school class within a primary school), compulsory full-time education and compulsory part-time education;

• institutions providing care and education to pupils when they participate in education away from home.

Teachers may receive a compensation allowance if they fulfil the following three conditions:

• have reached or reach a given age:

• for women: 55 years between 2009 and 2024; 56 years between 2025 and 2026; 57 years between 2027 and 2028; 58 years between 2029 and 2030; and 59 years between 2013 and 2032;
• for men: 55 years between 2009 and 2014; 56 years between 2015 and 2016; 57 years between 2017 and 2018; 58 years between 2019 and 2020; 59 years between 2021 and 2022; 60 years between 2023 and 2024; 61 years between 2025 and 2026; 62 years between 2027 and 2028; 63 years between 2029 and 2030; 64 years between 2031 and 2032.

• have worked for at least 30 years, including at least 20 years of work as a teacher in one of the institutions listed above, with at least half of the statutory teaching load;
• have terminated their employment relationship.

Bridging retirement pension

A bridging retirement pension is a financial benefit available to some employees working in specific conditions or performing a special-status job.

It may be granted to teachers working in:

• youth education centre;
• youth social therapy centre;
• school-and-education centre;
• juvenile detention centre;
• juvenile shelter care home.

To receive such a pension, teachers should fulfil the following conditions:

• have reached the age of 55 (for women) or 60 (for men);
• have worked for at least 20 years (for women) or 25 years (for men);
• have worked for at least 15 years in specific conditions or performed a special-status job on a full-time basis;
• work in specific conditions or perform a special-status job;
• have terminated their employment relationship.