Our school is an old building – over 160 years old. It is the oldest grammar school in Bohemia. It was named after Zikmund Winter, a famous Czech author who taught at this   school for ten years in the 18th century. There are about thirty teachers in our school – and about 400 students. One part of our school is the eight-year grammar school.

It has two floors. On the ground floor there is a cloakroom, where we leave our shoes – we have to change our shoes every morning and coats, but nowadays is cloakroom in reconstructed and so cloakroom is in the corridors on the ground floor and on the first floor. On the ground floor there is a janitor´s flat, languages and music classrooms and a gym too. But we also go to the town gym or to the playground, because we need another gym in our school. On the first floor we can find a students library, biology and computer lab and many other classrooms. On the second floor there is our headmaster’s office, the staff room, the secretary’s office, many teacher´s offices, computer and chemical lab. We don’t have a dining room in the building, we have to go into the building opposite our school.

On the walls in the corridors and in the classrooms we can see many notice boards with interesting information and timetables, pictures by most famous painters of all periods, wall-charts and maps. There are a lot of flowers in the corridors. Our history teacher looks after them – she waters them twice a week – she likes nature and tries to protect nature even in our school. When we are thirsty we can get some refreshments from the vending machine on the ground floor – of course, we have to pay for it.

In front of our school there are some trees, a lawn, some flowers and also a tree from Germany. This tree was planted here in 1998. Our school had a friendship with a school in Illertissen in Germany and they brought this tree as a gift.

Just opposite our school there is a belfry, which stands next to our beautiful church. The bell from the belfry strikes many times at twelve every day and it is very noisy and I can´t concentrate.

There is many subjects taught in the school – czech language and literature, foreign languages (English, German. French and Latin), maths, biology, chemistry, physics, geography, computers, civics, music, fine arts, physical education. In the third form students can choose electives (foreign language conversation, all possible types of seminars – psychology, philosophy, typing, computers, biology, chemistry, maths, physics etc.) Among after-school activities belong: Singing Chorus or Basketball Team.

Education in ČR

School attendance is compulsory from the age of 6 or 7 till 14 or 15. Schools are mainly state schools but there are also some private and church schools. Attendance at state schools is free of charge, and provides the same kind of education with the possibility of enrolling at universities. Handicapped children are educated separately. School fees in private schools range from 5,000 to 12,000 crowns a year.

Children may attend créches until the age of three, but usually the mothers stay with them at home. From the age of 3 till the age of 6 children attend kindergartens. Still, it is most common for mothers to stay at home with them till children’s school age.

Our children start school at the age of 6 or 7 – it depends on when they were born – in which month.

Primary education starts at basic schools and lasts 8 years. Children learn main subjects – writing, counting and reading, Czech language and literature, basics in physics, biology, civics etc. After nine years spent at basic school they can choose some secondary schools, some vocational training or they can go to work.

Secondary education lasts usually 4 years – from the age of 15 till the age 18. Secondary education may be divided among – grammar schools, secondary special schools (technical schools, schools of economics, agriculture schools, music schools, school for health workers etc.) and vocational schools which prepare young people for practical professions. Grammar school is a secondary school, which prepares students for university studies. In May we have to do a graduation exam, which consist of four subjects – obligatory, is Czech language and literature, one foreign language and two optional subjects studied during previous four years.

After secondary school and after passing the graduation exam the students can enter university and the education lasts usually from 4 to 6 years there. The most famous university is Charles University in Prague or Czech Technical University in Prague. The students can study economics, agriculture, mathematics, physics, architecture, art, music, sport, languague – there are plenty of opportunities for them. It is not easy to finish university – but then – after finishing it – there is another big problem – to get a job. Some of the students have to change their plans and do something quite different after their studies.

Subjects taught at Czech schools are – Czech language and literature, foreign language (English, German, French, Russian, Spanish), geography, mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, music, fine arts, labs, civics, and physical education. Additional subjects taught at special secondary schools are e.g. economics, typing, lab work, workshop, driving, house building, electronics etc.

Students are evaluated by marks from 1 to 5. It is the best and 5 is the worst. Each term a student gets his school report with marks from both compulsory and elective subjects.