Definition of the Target Group(s)

Special nursery schools are established for children with the following types of disability:

• a moderate or severe intellectual disability;
• deafness;
• hearing impairment;
• blindness;
• visual impairment;
• a physical / motor disability, including aphasia;
• autism, including Asperger’s syndrome; and
• multiple disabilities.

In the school year 2023/2024, there are 340 special nursery schools (2.5% of all nursery schools), with 7,692 children (0.6% of all children in preschool education).

Special schools are established for children and young people holding a statement of special educational needs (SEN statement):

• children and young people with the following types of disability: 
  • a mild, moderate or severe intellectual disability;
  • deafness and hearing impairment;
  • blindness and visual impairment;
  • a physical / motor disability, including aphasia;
  • autism, including Asperger’s syndrome;
  • multiple disabilities; and
• socially maladjusted children and young people, with most of such schools operating within the structures of youth social therapy centres;
• children and young people at risk of social maladjustment, with all such schools operating within the structures of youth education centres.

In the school year 2023/2024, there are 1,973 special schools (9% of all schools), with 79,280 pupils (1.5% of all pupils). 

In the school year 2023/2024, in total, 89,223 pupils (71.1%) participating in special education attend special nursery schools and schools. 

(Source: School Education Information System / System Informacji Oświatowej)

Special nursery schools and schools can conduct rehabilitation-and-education classes for children and young people with a profound intellectual disability.

Special education institutions can provide early childhood development support to children with disabilities.

The school education system also includes the following types of special institutions:

• youth education centres: for socially maladjusted children and young people;
• youth social therapy centres: for children and young people at risk of social maladjustment;
• special school-and-education centres: for children and young people with disabilities;
• special educational centres: for children and young people with disabilities and those at risk of social maladjustment;
• rehabilitation-and-education centres: 
  • for children and young people with a profound intellectual disability;
  • for children and young people with multiple disabilities which include an intellectual disability.

(Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 11 August 2017 on public education centres, youth education centres, youth social therapy centres, special care-and-education centres, special educational centres, rehabilitation-and-education centres and institutions providing care and education to pupils during a period of learning away from the place of permanent Residence (as subsequently amended) / Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 11 sierpnia 2017 r. w sprawie publicznych placówek oświatowo-wychowawczych, młodzieżowych ośrodków wychowawczych, młodzieżowych ośrodków socjoterapii, specjalnych ośrodków szkolno-wychowawczych, specjalnych ośrodków wychowawczych, ośrodków rewalidacyjno-wychowawczych oraz placówek zapewniających opiekę i wychowanie uczniom w okresie pobierania nauki poza miejscem stałego zamieszkania)

Admission requirements and choice of school

Admission to special nursery schools, schools or other special institutions is based on a statement of special educational needs (SEN statement) or a statement of the need for rehabilitation-and-education classes.

This requirement does not apply to:

• special nursery schools, preschool education classes in special primary schools and special schools established within healthcare institutions and welfare institutions;  

(Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 24 August 2017 on the provision of education, and the conditions for, and forms of, special care-and-education activities in special nursery schools and schools operating within healthcare and welfare institutions (as subsequently amended) / Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 24 sierpnia 2017 r. w sprawie organizacji kształcenia oraz warunków i form realizowania specjalnych działań opiekuńczo-wychowawczych w przedszkolach i szkołach specjalnych, zorganizowanych w podmiotach leczniczych i jednostkach pomocy społecznej)

• young people under the age of 18 who are sent to a youth education centre as a corrective measure administered by a family court;

(Art. 177‒185 of the Act of 9 June 2022 on the Support and Resocialisation of Juveniles (as subsequently amended) / ustawa z dnia 9 czerwca 2022 r. o wspieraniu i resocjalizacji nieletnich)

SEN statements, issued by assessment committees at public counselling and guidance centres, including public specialist centres, recommend best forms of education for individual children.

However, the type of provision (mainstream, integration or special education) is chosen by parents (legal guardians) who, pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, have the exclusive right to make decisions relating to their child, unless a court of law has limited, or deprived them of, this right.

If the child’s parent (legal guardian) chooses a special nursery school, school or centre as the institution where their child will receive special education, they should apply to the competent local government unit (LGU) to provide special education in a given type of institution within the school education system. The competent LGU is:

• a commune (gmina) (the lowest local-government level): for admission to a special nursery school;
• a district (powiat) (the local-government level above the commune): for admission to a special school, special school-and-education centre, special educational centre, youth social therapy centre and rehabilitation-and-education centre. 

If the district covering the area where the child has his / her place of residence does not administer any special school or centre (which does not apply to a youth education centre) suitable for a given type of disability, including a given degree of intellectual disability, the head of the district refers the child to the nearest district administering such a school or institution. The head of the nearest district where such a school or institution is located may not refuse to admit the child if a place is available.

Children may also attend an educational institution other than the one identified by the competent LGU if they are admitted there. Consent from the relevant LGU responsible for special education is not required.

Children are provided with special education in:

• special nursery schools;
• special schools;
• youth social therapy centres;
• special school-and-education centres; and
• special educational centres

on the basis of:

• a SEN statement, and
• a written request from their parents (legal guardians).

There are separate procedures for admission to youth education centres. They take only juveniles who have been referred to such a centre by a family court ruling as a corrective measure. A board for the referral of juveniles to youth education centres, appointed by the Minister of Justice, chooses such an institution, using an electronic system. (Information about the referral system available in Polish)

At the request of parents (legal guardians), rehabilitation centres take children and young people:

• with a profound intellectual disability who hold a statement of the need for rehabilitation-and-education classes;
• with multiple disabilities including a mild, moderate or severe intellectual disability who hold a SEN statement.

The head of a special school or institution may decide to strike a pupil from the register of pupils in cases specified in its statutes. This is based on a decision of the school’s / institution’s teaching council, following consultation with the pupil self-government. It does not apply to pupils in full-time compulsory education. Where this is duly justified, at the school head’s request, pupils may be transferred to a different school by the Head of the Regional Education Authorities.

There are separate regulations for the transfer of pupils attending youth education centres.

A juvenile can be transferred to another youth education centre when this is justified by the effectiveness of the education process and at the request of the head of the youth education centre, the juvenile, his / her parents or the parent who actually has permanent custody of the juvenile, or the guardian of the juvenile. A female juvenile is transferred to a mother and child home at her request.

(Art. 181 of the Act on the Support and Resocialisation of Juveniles, as subsequently amended)

The school education system also includes special nursery schools and schools operating within healthcare and welfare institutions.

(Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 24 August 2017 on the provision of education, and the conditions for, and forms of, special care-and-education activities in special nursery schools and schools operating within healthcare and welfare institutions (as subsequently amended) / Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 24 sierpnia 2017 r. w sprawie organizacji kształcenia oraz warunków i form realizowania specjalnych działań opiekuńczo-wychowawczych w przedszkolach i szkołach specjalnych, zorganizowanych w podmiotach leczniczych i jednostkach pomocy społecznej)

Special nursery schools and schools operating in healthcare institutions provide education to children and young people and organise special care and education activities for them at the time agreed with the head of the institution or the head of the hospital ward, following recommendations from the medical doctor responsible for the treatment.

A child becomes a pupil of such a (nursery) school when he / she is admitted to a given healthcare institution.

Special nursery schools and schools operating in welfare institutions provide education to children and young people and organise special care and education activities for them at the time agreed with the head of the institution. In the case of nursery schools and schools in welfare homes, they also take into consideration recommendations from therapy-and-care committees referred to in the regulations based on Article 57 (8) of the Welfare Act).

(Welfare Act of 12 March 2004 (as subsequently amended) / Ustawa z dnia 12 marca 2004 r. o pomocy społecznej)    

(Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 23 August 2012 on welfare homes (as subsequently amended) / Rozporządzenie Ministra Pracy i Polityki Społecznej z dnia 23 sierpnia 2012 r. w sprawie domów pomocy społecznej)

Age levels and grouping of pupils

Special schools follow the same stages of education as mainstream schools.

Like a mainstream primary school, a special primary school is divided into two stages of education:

• stage I covering Grades I to III (early school education); and
• stage II covering Grades IV to VIII.

Subsequently, pupils move on to post-primary schools:

• 4-year general secondary schools;
• 5-year technical secondary schools;
• 3-year stage I sectoral vocational schools;
• 3-year special schools preparing for employment;
• 2-year stage II sectoral vocational schools; and
• post-secondary schools, providing programmes of up to 2.5 years, for learners who have completed secondary education or secondary vocational education.  

3-year special schools preparing for employment, which lead to a so-called ‘certificate confirming preparation for work’, are intended for pupils:

• with a moderate or severe intellectual disability; and
• with multiple disabilities.

Education in special schools is based on structured lessons for pupils grouped in school grades. 

For pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability, the duration of classes and breaks should be adjusted to their abilities and needs.

In primary schools which operate in particularly difficult demographic or geographic conditions, classes may be taught to mixed or combined school grades / groups of pupils, including preschool education classes for children taking compulsory one-year preparatory classes combined with classes taught in Grade I of the primary school.

Special primary schools operating within youth education centres and youth social therapy centres, and schools within juvenile detention centres, may combine some primary school grades.

One class may include pupils of different ages as:

• entry into the primary school may be deferred by one year or, in the case of children with disabilities, until the age of 9 (if necessary); and
• the duration of education may be extended:
• by 1 year at education stage I and by 2 years at education stage II in the primary school;
• by 1 year or 2 years in a post-primary school.

Pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability are grouped into classes mainly based on their educational needs and psychological and physical abilities and, to a lesser extent, on their age and the years of education completed.

The number of pupils in a special nursery school and a special class in a mainstream nursery school is as follows:

• up to 4 in a class for children with autism, including Asperger’s syndrome;
• up to 4 in a class for children with multiple disabilities;
• up to 8 in a class for deaf children and children with hearing impairment;
• up to 8 in a class for children with a moderate or severe intellectual disability;
• up to 10 in a class for blind children and children with vision impairment;
• up to 12 in a class for children with a physical / motor disability, including aphasia;
• up to 5 in a class for children with various types of disability.

The number of pupils in a special school and a special class in a mainstream school at each stage of education should be between:

• up to 4 in a class for pupils with autism, including Asperger’s syndrome;
• up to 4 in a class for pupils with multiple disabilities which include a moderate or severe intellectual disability;
• up to 6 in a class for pupils with multiple disabilities, except for pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability;
• up to 8 in a class for deaf pupils and pupils with hearing impairment;
• up to 8 in a class for pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability;
• up to 10 in a class for blind pupils and pupils with vision impairment;
• up to 12 in a class for pupils with a physical / motor disability, including aphasia;
• up to 16 in a class for pupils with a mild intellectual disability;
• up to 5 in a class for pupils with various types of disability.

A class in a special school for socially maladjusted pupils and pupils at risk of social maladjustment may have up to 16 pupils.

Education in special nursery schools and schools within healthcare institutions 

Pupils are grouped into classes in a different way in nursery schools and schools within healthcare institutions and welfare institutions.

The number of pupils in (nursery) school classes within a healthcare institution is determined by the head of the (nursery) school, in agreement with the body administering the (nursery) school. The head considers specific psychological and physical needs of pupils resulting from their health condition.

Mixed / combined classes may be established where this is justified by a small number of pupils or conditions required for their treatment and therapy.

Special education-and-care activities in nursery schools, preschool education classes in primary schools and in schools operating within healthcare institutions are organised in:

• special educational groups;
• special after-class educational groups.

The number of pupils in an educational group is:

• up to 12 patients in bed (pupils who are bed-bound all or most of the time of the day due to their health condition and treatment methods applied);
• up to 16 walking patients;
• up to 8 patients with mental disorders or multiple dysfunctions.

Education in special nursery schools and schools within welfare institutions 

The number of pupils in a class of a special (nursery) school is determined by the head of the (nursery) school, in agreement with the body administering the (nursery) school. The head considers specific psychological and physical needs of pupils resulting from their health condition or the type of their disability.

Mixed / combined classes may be established where the number of pupils is small. However, classes / grades at different education stages in the primary school and classes / grades of different types of schools should not be combined.

Curriculum, subjects

The core curriculum for special nursery schools is the same as for preschool education in mainstream and integration nursery schools and alternative preschool education settings.

Special schools for pupils with disabilities (except for pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability), and pupils who are socially maladjusted or at risk of social maladjustment follow the same core curriculum for general education as in the corresponding types of mainstream and integration schools; similarly, schools providing vocational education follow the same core curriculum for vocational education as in the corresponding types of mainstream and integration schools. Therefore, pupils attend the same compulsory classes as their peers outside special education.

This does not apply to the following groups of pupils:

• pupils with a mild intellectual disability who are in Grades IV to VIII of the primary school and are not required to (but may) learn a second modern language;
• pupils with hearing impairment, profound developmental dyslexia, aphasia, multiple disabilities or autism, including Asperger’s syndrome, who are exempt from learning a second modern language or Latin until the end of a given stage of education; the head of the school takes such a decision based on: 
  • an opinion from a counselling and guidance centre (including a specialist centre), or
  • a statement of special educational needs (SEN statement); 
• pupils who are exempt from physical education, computer skills or IT / informatics classes; the head of the school takes such a decision based on a certificate of unfitness to attend such classes, issued by a medical doctor; the exemption is valid for the duration specified in the certificate;
• pupils in schools providing vocational education who hold a driving licence and thus are exempt from driving classes by the decision of the school head;
• pupils taking individualised learning paths.

Exceptions also apply in vocational education programmes for auxiliary-type occupations which are intended only for pupils with a mild intellectual disability. 

Like in mainstream nursery schools, schools and alternative preschool education settings, the education of children and young people in special nursery schools, schools and centres is based on individualised education-and-therapy programmes. The rules for developing such programmes and their contents are identical regardless of the type of the institution that pupils attend.

Rehabilitation classes / activities are conducted for pupils with disabilities attending special nursery schools, schools and classes (except for nursery schools and schools operating within healthcare institutions).

The legislation does not set a minimum number of hours per week for rehabilitation classes / activities in special nursery schools. The number of hours should be adjusted to children’s individual needs.

The minimum number of rehabilitation class hours per week for pupils with disabilities who attend a special school or are in a special class of a mainstream school is set per class:

• in classes for pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability: 
  • 10 hours per class in the primary school;
  • 10 hours per class in the 3-year school preparing for employment;
• in special classes for pupils with other types of disability: 
  • 12 hours in the primary school;
  • 12 hours in the general secondary school;
  • 8 hours in the technical secondary school;
  • 10 hours in the stage I sectoral vocational school;
  • 8 hours in the stage II sectoral vocational school.

(Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 3 April 2019 on the outline timetables for public schools (as subsequently amended) /Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 3 kwietnia 2019 r. w sprawie ramowych planów nauczania dla publicznych szkół).

Young people who are socially maladjusted or at risk of social maladjustment and attend special schools participate in resocialisation, social therapy and other therapeutic classes / activities. Such classes / activities aim to develop their life skills and facilitate their good functioning in family and social environments. Pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability follow a separate core curriculum for general education in primary schools, regardless of the type of school that they attend.

(Annex 3 to the Regulation of the Minister of Education of 14 February 2017 on the core curriculum for preschool education and the core curriculum for general education in primary schools, incl. for pupils with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities, and for general education in stage I sectoral vocational schools, general education in special schools preparing for employment, and general education in post-secondary schools (as subsequently amended) / Rozporządzenia Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 14 lutego 2017 r. w sprawie podstawy programowej wychowania przedszkolnego oraz podstawy programowej kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły podstawowej, w tym dla uczniów z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną w stopniu umiarkowanym lub znacznym, kształcenia ogólnego dla branżowej szkoły I stopnia, kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły specjalnej przysposabiającej do pracy oraz kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły policealnej).

The number of class hours per week in a special primary school for pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability is:

• 187 hours for compulsory classes, including: 
  • 46 hours for personal and social functioning classes;
  • 16 hours for classes developing communication skills;
  • 96 hours for classes developing creativity;
  • 29 hours for physical education classes;
• 5 hours to be allocated to classes / lessons by the school head;
• 30 hours for rehabilitation classes.

The number of class hours per week:

• 187 hours in total for compulsory classes for pupils in individual grades, including: 
  • 19 in Grade I;
  • 20 in Grade II;
  • 20 in Grade III;
  • 24 in Grade IV;
  • 25 in Grade V;
  • 25 in Grade VI;
  • 27 in Grade VII;
  • 27 in Grade VIII;
• 10 hours per class for rehabilitation classes in each school year;
• 5 hours to be allocated to classes / lessons by the school head.  

The number of hours for religion or ethics, family education, and the ethnic, minority or regional language and the history and culture of an ethnic minority or the regional language community is set in the regulations on specific types of classes.

In a special school preparing for employment, the number of class hours per week during a 3-year education cycle is as follows:

• 101 hours, including: 
  • 17 hours for personal and social functioning classes;
  • 6 hours for classes developing communication skills;
  • 12 hours for classes developing creativity;
  • 57 hours for the preparation / training for employment;
  • 9 hours for physical education classes.
• 30 hours for rehabilitation classes.

When attending a school within a healthcare institution, pupils of post-primary vocational schools may follow a curriculum based on the core curriculum for general education and the outline timetable established for a post-primary school other than the one that they attended before admission to the healthcare institution.

Additionally, pupils should take compulsory theoretical vocational education classes and practical vocational training classes which are included in the curriculum for a given grade in the school that they attended before admission to the healthcare institution.

Arrangements for pupils to additionally take such compulsory theoretical and practical vocational training classes are laid down by the head of the post-primary vocational school that they attended before admission to a healthcare institution.

Special nursery schools, schools and centres may conduct rehabilitation-and-education classes for children and young people with a profound intellectual disability.

Teaching Methods and Materials

Special schools apply the same teaching and learning methods as mainstream schools, but particular emphasis is placed on individualised instruction for each pupil. While teachers are free to choose specific methods and forms of work and educational resources, they should take into account the specificity of the pupil’s functioning, resulting from his / her disability, social maladjustment or the risk of social maladjustment.

The education for pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability is specific in its holistic and integrated approach to teaching, which is based on multi-sensory learning about the surrounding world throughout the education process.

Even little progress made by pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability should be positively reinforced, whereas the lack of progress is not negatively assessed. It is also advisable to establish contact with pupils’ families and involve them in rehabilitation classes / activities conducted on school premises. If possible, parents should continue some elements of such activities at home. It is necessary to organise rehabilitation classes / activities in the school in a way which prepares the local community to receive, accept and support pupils. Parents’ (legal guardians’) participation in advisory / counselling sessions on pupils’ progress and difficulties is desirable; the school should support their work with pupils, while taking into consideration the specificity of the family, its values and traditions.

The arrangements for the development of curricula, the choice and provision of textbooks, educational resources and exercise books in special schools are the same as in mainstream and integration schools.

Progression of Pupils

The rules for the assessment, including mid-year and end-of-year assessment, and promotion of pupils participating in special education are the same as in mainstream and integration schools.

As in the case of pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability, teachers make, as a rule, descriptive assessment of progress made by pupils with multiple disabilities who attend 3-year schools preparing for employment.

External exams are conducted according to the same rules for pupils and school leavers in all types of schools: mainstream, integration and special schools.

Shortening the duration of education

For socially maladjusted pupils and pupils at risk of social maladjustment who attend stage I sectoral vocational schools operating within:

• youth educational centres,
• youth social therapy centres,
• district education centres, 
• juvenile detention centres or
• juvenile shelter care homes,

the period of education may be reduced to 2 years on condition that compulsory subjects / classes are taught at least for the minimum number of hours set for a 3-year education cycle.

Decisions to shorten the period of education for pupils in stage I sectoral vocational schools who are socially maladjusted or at risk of social maladjustment are taken by:

• in youth educational centres or youth social therapy centres: the school’s teaching council upon approval from the team of teachers, class tutors and specialists working with the pupil;
• in district education centres, juvenile detention centres or juvenile shelter care homes: the school head upon consultation with the school’s teaching council.

Certification

All pupils who finish a special school, except pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability, receive the same type of school certificate as their peers in mainstream and integration schools.

End-of-year and school-leaving certificates for pupils with a moderate or severe disability, regardless of the type of school that they attend, are issued on a special form and provide descriptive assessment.

Primary school pupils who have completed classes preparing for work obtain certificates with the following annotation: ‘has followed a 'preparation for work' curriculum based on the core curriculum for vocational education for the occupation of...’.

(Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 7 June 2023 on state certificates and diplomas and other school documents / Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z dnia 7 czerwca 2023 r. w sprawie świadectw, dyplomów państwowych i innych druków)

Due to their specific functioning, pupils attending rehabilitation-and-education classes / activities are not assessed and promoted and do not receive certificates.