Pupil/students assessment

The Gimnazije Act and the Vocational Education Act govern the examination and assessment in upper secondary schools, and more specifically, the Rules on assessment in upper secondary schools. By those, each school draws up its own assessment rules. The rules are then discussed by the assembly of teachers and finalised by the head teacher.

 Upper secondary general education teachers assess students in all subjects of the timetable. 

In short upper secondary vocational and upper secondary technical education, teachers assess students in all subjects and technical modules of the timetable. 

In practical training, employers assess students and report their grades to schools. 

In apprenticeship, students have their skills assessed at the end of year two. Students must demonstrate the competence required with the relevant apprenticeship plan. The assessment is organized by the competent chambers. Employers get feedback and guidance on how to continue with the practical training of the apprentice.

Teachers do informal assessments to determine if students have achieved the learning objectives. They do so after they have discussed the relevant learning content and before a written exam or formal assessment.

Teachers assess students with oral and written tests, they assess papers, artistic and other work, seminar and project papers, performance, as well as services provided.

Mandatory assessment methods (written, oral, etc.) for each subject or technical module are indicated in the education programme. The school's working groups coordinate the assessment criteria based on subject-curricula or knowledge catalogues.

The assessment is made public. Students learn about learning objectives, learning content, forms, methods, criteria and times of assessment. They also know all about learning tools and aids they can use. Teachers notify students of grades during instruction and allow them to view graded written exams. The student’s parents or educators at the residence hall, where the student is staying, can also ask to see the graded written exams.

Normally, the assessment of knowledge and final grade in the subject is given by the teacher of that subject. The head teacher can appoint another teacher to do the assessment, but only for valid reasons. If two or more teachers teach the same subject, they determine the final assessment grading scale in advance. If they cannot agree on the final grade, the assembly of teachers has the final word, namely on the recommendation of the head teacher. 

In apprenticeship, the teacher and mentor at the employer do the assessment. Once the student has fulfilled all the programme obligations, the assembly of class teachers determines the final learning outcome on the recommendation of the form teacher.

Students get the number and descriptive grades.

The grading scale: 1 (insufficient), 2 (sufficient), 3 (good), 4 (very good) and 5 (excellent). Grades 2 to 5 are pass grades.

Students who fulfil the obligations of compulsory options, interest activities, and practical training receive “pass” or “failure” grades.

The overall learning score can be sufficient, good, very good or excellent.

Students receive a copy of grades, findings, and obligations fulfilled at the end of each assessment period, except for the final year. At the end of each year, students receive an annual school certificate. They receive a notice of achievement if they fail to complete all obligations.

Another method of assessment in upper secondary education is final exams:

• on knowledge or talent
• on specific subjects
• supplementary exams, and
• remedial exams.

Upper secondary students may decide to take:

• exams on specific knowledge or talent to fulfil specific entry requirements (talent or abilities)
• subject exams to want to (exceptionally) faster, improve a final grade in the subject or enrol in another education programme
• supplementary exams to receive a grade or sufficient grades in a specific subject, or
• retake to correct a failing grade in a subject at the end of the programme.

Progression of pupils/students

Students progress to a higher year if they receive positive grades in all subjects and fulfil all obligations by the end of the school year. Students can retake if they have got negative final grades in up to three subjects at the end of instruction.

Students who do not fulfil all the obligations under the programme by the end of the school year can repeat the year once. Students with special educational needs, students in parallel education in another programme, promising students and top athletes, and students who do not fulfil all their obligations due to parenthood, exceptional social and family circumstances, and sickness or other valid reasons, may repeat several times the same year.

The head teacher can decide that student had a valid reason for not fulfilling all the obligations and progress to the higher year, nonetheless. In that case, the head teacher determines conditions and time limits to fulfil the missing obligations.

Students can complete the programme within a shorter time. The decision on this is taken by the school assembly of teachers. Students take subject exams to fulfil their school obligations.

Certification

Upper secondary general education

At the end of the upper secondary general education programme, students take matura and receive a matura certificate governed by the Matura Examination Act and the Matura Examination Rules. The educational documents are governed by the Rules on school documentation in upper secondary education and the Rules on official document forms in upper secondary education.

The matura is a national external examination (spring and autumn term). Students sit exams in five subjects: three mandatory (Slovenian (or Italian and Hungarian in ethnically mixed areas in Slovenian Istria and Prekmurje), mathematics and foreign language), and two options from the list of matura subjects. The Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for general education defines the list of subjects on the recommendation of the National Matura Committee and in agreement with universities and independent higher education institutions.

The National Subject Testing Committee develops the subject examination catalogues that specify the methods and forms of examination in individual subjects:

• written
• oral and written
• written and practical
• written, oral and practical
• only practical, or
• oral submission.

Written exams are assessed externally by experienced teachers, retired teachers, and higher education teachers. Their grade constitutes 80 per cent of the final score in each subject. The school’s internal assessment (oral part, work performed, seminar paper, or exam presentation) constitutes 20 per cent of the final score. Exams in some subjects may be taken at two different degrees of difficulty.

The matura exams are graded in points and percentage points. Points are then converted to grades according to the criteria laid down by the National Matura Committee.

Grading scale:

• 1 (insufficient – fail)
• 2 (sufficient)
• 3 (good)
• 4 (very good), and
• 5 (excellent).

The grading scale for exams at higher difficulty degrees is converted to points of 1 to 8.

The National Matura Committee nominated by the Minister responsible for education administers the matura examination. At individual schools, matura is administered by the School’s matura committee with the head teacher as a president. The National Examinations Centre provides technical and professional support in developing the examination material.

Students who pass matura in the spring term receive the relevant certificates in July and the autumn term students in September. The matura certificate gives students the right to apply for a university study programme and/or all other tertiary education programmes.

Upper secondary technical and vocational education

Upper secondary technical education

At the end of the upper secondary technical education, students take the vocational matura and if they pass, they receive the vocational matura certificate. The completion of the education programme is governed by the Matura Examination Act and the Vocational matura Rules. The educational documents are governed by the Rules on school documentation in upper secondary education and the Rules on official document forms in upper secondary education.

Students take the vocational matura before the school examination committee. The committee includes teachers and can include external professionals on the recommendation of the competent chambers or representation trade union.

The vocational matura is a two-part final examination:

• mandatory written and oral exam in core subject Slovenian (or Italian or Hungarian in ethnically mixed areas of Slovenian Istria and Prekmurje respectively), and written and oral exam in a core technical subject, and
• optional written and oral exams in core subjects (foreign language or mathematics), and seminar paper or product or service with oral submission (proof of vocational competence).

The grading scale for how well students do in vocational matura:

• 1 (insufficient - fail)
• 2 (sufficient)
• 3 (good)
• 4 (very good), and
• 5 (excellent).

The grading scale for exams at higher difficulty degrees is converted to point grades from 1 to 8.

The Minister responsible for education nominates the National Vocational Matura Committee to coordinate the vocational matura. At all schools, matura is administered by the School vocational matura committee presided by the head teacher. The National Examinations Centre provides technical and professional support to develop the examination material.

Students who received pass grades in all vocational matura exams receive a vocational matura certificate. With it, they can apply for higher professional education programmes and short-cycle higher vocational education programmes. Students can apply for certain university programmes, too, but only if they have taken and passed a supplementary exam in one compulsory general matura subject.

Upper secondary vocational education and short upper secondary vocational

At the end of the programme, students take a final examination and if they pass, they receive a final examination certificate. The Final examination rules govern the completion of the education programme. All schools have their own rules in place. The head teacher lais them down after the school assembly of teachers has given its opinion of it. The educational documents are governed by the Rules on school documentation in upper secondary education and the Rules on official document forms in upper secondary education.

Students take the final examination before the school examination committee. The committee includes teachers, and it may include external professionals on the recommendation of the competent chambers or the representative trade union. The Minister responsible for education nominates the National Final Examination Committee to coordinate the organization and implementation of the examination. The National Examinations Centre provides administrative and technical support.

Upper secondary vocational education

At the end of the programme, students take a two-part final examination:

• oral and written exams in Slovenian (or Italian or Hungarian in ethnically mixed areas of Slovenian Istria and Prekmurje), and
• product and oral submission or service and oral submission.

The grading scale for how well students do in the final examination:

• 1 (fail), and
• 2 to 5 (pass).

Only students with passing grades in both parts of the examination receive a relevant certificate. With it, they can apply for vocational-technical education programmes and after a few years of work experience take the craftsman master exam.

Short upper secondary vocational education

At the end of the programme, students take the final examination:

• product and oral submission, or
• service and oral submission.

The grading scale for how well students do in the final examination:

• 1 (fail), and
• 2 to 5 (pass).

Only students with passing grades receive a relevant certificate. With it, they can apply for year one of the upper secondary vocational or upper secondary technical education programme.