Since changes made in 2009 education in Poland starts at the age of five or six for the 0 class (Kindergarten) and six or seven years in the 1st class of primary school (Polish Szkoła podstawowa). It is compulsory that children one year of formal education before entering 1st class, no later than seven years old. At the end of the sixth class, when students are 13, they take a compulsory exam that will determine which lower secondary school Gimnazjum (pronounced nah-gheem Sium) (Middle School / Junior High) will be accepted. They will attend this school for three years for classes, 7, 8 and 9. They then take another compulsory exam to determine the secondary school level will participate.
There are several alternatives, the most common being the three years in a Liceum or four years in a technikum. Both end with a maturity examination (matura, quite similar to French baccalauréat), and may be followed by several forms of upper education, leading to licencjat or inżynier (the Polish Bologna Process first cycle qualification), magister (the Polish cycle Bologna second process qualification) and eventually doktor (the Polish Bologna Process third cycle qualification).

Secondary School Trofa.