Frequently Asked Questions

A micropreschool is a small educational facility for children of preschool age (usually from 2.5 to 5-6 years old), which operates on a smaller scale than a traditional kindergarten.

It can be run by private individuals, foundations, associations or local government units. It is characterized by an intimate atmosphere, a smaller number of children in a group and a more individual approach to each child.

Features of a micropreschool:

• Small number of children (e.g. 5-15)

• Individual approach and homely atmosphere

• Organizational flexibility (e.g. working hours, class schedule)

• Often established in rural areas or in smaller towns where there are no large preschools

• May be a form of so-called alternative preschool education

A microschool is a small, alternative educational facility, usually run by a foundation or association, which supports the development of children learning outside the classic school system. It is an intimate educational space, usually for a group of several to a dozen or so students, where learning takes place individually, based on relationships, cooperation and respect for the child's pace and needs.

Home education microschool - how does it work?

• Formally, children are homeschooled, enrolled in the parent school (which conducts classification exams)

• The foundation organizes the space, classes and educational care, but does not function as a school in the legal sense

• Classes are conducted by teachers, psychologists, mentors, educators, sometimes parents - often in the form of projects, workshops, thematic classes

• Children learn at their own pace, without traditional grades, tests and bells

Microschool                                         Traditional School

• Small number of children                 • Large classes

• Individual approach                         • One core curriculum for all

• Flexible daily schedule                     • Rigid class schedule

• No grades or tests (everyday)        • Greade and exam system

• Relationship-based education        • Learning according to programs and textbooks

Home Education is a legal form of fulfilling compulsory schooling outside the school walls in Poland.

It means that the child does not attend daily lessons at school, but learns mainly at home - under the care of parents or guardians.

Legal basis

Homeschooling is based on the provisions of the Education Law. A student may pursue education outside of school after obtaining the consent of the principal of the school in which he or she is formally enrolled. Since 2021, this procedure has been simplified - an opinion from a psychological and pedagogical counseling center is no longer required.

How to obtain consent for homeschooling?

To start studying in HE, you must:

1. Submit an application to the school principal (it can be any school in Poland, not necessarily a district school)

2. Attach a statement from the parents about providing appropriate conditions for learning.

3. Consent to the child taking annual classification exams.

What does homeschooling look like?

• Parents organize their education according to their own schedule – using textbooks, the Internet, courses, tutoring or support from educators.

• The child does not participate in daily classes.

• Once a year, the student takes classification exams in compulsory subjects – a positive result is necessary to continue their education in HE.

Micro-schools and support groups

Children learning in home education do not have to rely solely on learning at home. In Poland, there are more and more so-called Microschools – small, independent educational centers that support children in HE.

In such places, students:

• can learn together with other children from home education,

• implement the program in small groups, often in a project-based manner and in the spirit of alternative education,

• participate in artistic, sports or language classes,

• build social relationships and have contact with peers.

Advantages of home education:

• Individual pace of learning.

• More time to develop interests and passions.

• Flexibility of the daily and school year schedule.

• Possibility of learning in a natural, stress-free environment.

• Alternative in the form of Microschools and support groups.

Challenges of homeschooling:

• Requires a lot of parental involvement.

• Need for independent planning of learning.

• Lack of a traditional school environment (although this can be compensated for in Microschools).

• Obligation to take classification exams every year.