Social high schools in Poland

Find the top social secondary schools in Poland

There are many different types of private schools in Poland. One of them is called a “social school.” Social schools are run by the largest organization of non-public schools—the Social Educational Association (STO).

The STO is a non-governmental public benefit organization founded in 1987 by parents and teachers to develop and enrich national education. The society runs over 150 schools throughout the country, attended by approximately 13,000 students. The organization's goal is to harmoniously combine education and upbringing. It aims to comprehensively shape young students in all areas: mental, physical, social, and cultural.  continue reading...

On this page:

• What characterizes social high schools?
• What are the advantages of studying in a social high school?

What characterizes social high schools?

Social high schools (and other social schools) are in most cases schools founded by a social entity. These include various types of social organizations, foundations, and associations. These schools usually charge tuition fees, but they’re intended for the maintenance of the organization.

The feature that most distinguishes social high schools from other high schools is the involvement of parents and guardians with students and teachers in these schools. Social high schools are a kind of community, made up of students, teachers, and parents.

In social schools, there’s a pleasant family atmosphere, and all activities are directed effectively, both educational and non-educational. Teacher-parent cooperation helps shape positive attitudes in students. Lots of emphasis is placed on ensuring young people acquire necessary social skills and competencies. Students whose social skills are at the right level communicate better and, it’s thought, are more motivated to learn.

Social high schools are mostly small schools. Classes are also small, often with 15 to 17 students. Such small classes give a sense of security, since there’s no anonymity. Learning can be highly individualized. This is far more difficult to accomplish in public schools.

It’s not uncommon for a social high school to be connected to a social middle and primary school. There are also social kindergartens. This creates the full cycle of education for anyone wanting to pursue social schooling throughout their pre-university years. There are also Catholic, bilingual, and music social schools.

The wide range of extracurricular activities in social high schools gives students the opportunity to pursue and develop their interests. Also, many students participate in extra classes, during which they learn additional foreign languages. Sports activities are also very popular in these schools.

Social schools focus on comprehensive development, which is why they have so many extra classes in a variety of areas. Very often, these emerge in response to the specific needs of students.

Some social schools have official school uniforms (learn more about schools with uniforms). Uniforms, it’s thought, build school community and identification with the school. In some of these schools, there’s more than one uniform, such as a casual and a formal one.

What are the advantages of studying in a social high school?

Social schools in Poland guarantee a high level of education. In addition to various curricula, they also offer the development of other competencies. Their main advantages are:

• The possibility of individualized teaching, beneficial for both exceptionally talented learners and students with special needs.
• The opportunity to participate in prestigious international educational programs that facilitate future education at foreign universities.
• Participation in specialized, very rigorous educational programs related to language learning.
• Learning in an international environment.
• Smaller class sizes and individualized teaching.
• Skilled teaching staff who are highly committed.
• Good resources, both in terms of school infrastructure and modern resources.
• Support for the student on many levels.
• A wide range of additional activities, including music, art, and sports.

When choosing a particular high school, factors such as the student's individual abilities, interests, and predispositions should be taken into account. School at every stage of education should be friendly and focused on the needs of each student. In the case of private school, this is especially true.

Most non-public schools, including social high schools, meet these high expectations. This is why they’ve gained such a strong reputation.

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