1. Czech school system

2. Nursery school from the age of 3 to 6 first 2 years - not compulsory
since 2017 – last year is compulsory
parents pay for it, only the last (pre-school) year is free
postponing elementary education
some children aren’t ready for schools, so they can stay in the kindergarten 1 year longer (teacher suggests it, psychologist recommends it)
reasons: can’t speak well, is not mentally or socially
ready, the child is often ill,…

3. Primary education from the age of 6 -15
compulsory education (since 1774)
free for everybody
Grades 1-5
usually only 1 teacher
learn to read, write, count, basics of biology, geography, start with a language,…
can pass entrance exam to grammar school after grade 5
Grades 6-9
more subjects, more lessons a week, more teachers
start with the 2nd language + other subjects like
Chemistry, Physics,…

4. Secondary education from the age of 15/16 last 3 or 4 years
not compulsory
finished by maturita exam or final exam
Grammar schools
Secondary Technical Schools
Apprentice Vocational Schools

5. Grammar school entrance exams last 4 or 8 years
general education, preparation for universities
Finished by maturita exam
oral and written, 3-4 subjects
written in Czech and Maths or a language
oral Czech, a language, 1-2 other subjects
in May
oral part – minutes to prepare, 15 min talk on chosen topic

6. Secondary Technical Schools
entrance exams
usually 4 years finished by maturita exam
specialize in some subjects (IT, medicine, economics,…)
prepare students for university or for practical jobs
Apprentice Vocational schools
usually no entrance exams
3-4 years
finished by final exam or maturita exam
except for studying, students have some professional practice
prepare students for manual jobs (car mechanics,
hairdressers, dressmakers,….)

7. Universities entrance exams last 3-6 years academic studies
finished by state exam, thesis
degrees – Ing., MUDr, PhDr.,…
universities are divided into faculties (e.g. Faculty of Education, Faculty of Textile Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Law,…)

8. Organization of a school year
(in Czech elementary / secondary schools)
from September to June
2 terms
school report at the end of each term
many holidays (summer, winter, Easter, …)
school starts at 8 am
usually 4-8 lessons a day, 45 minutes/lesson
breaks between classes (10 or 20 minutes, lunch break)