GCSE and A-level Polish as a Foreign Language Exams in the UK
The ability to choose Polish as a foreign language in the British Isles is a privilege and an opportunity for students. If you're unfamiliar with this – dear parents and teachers – be sure to read on! We'll also tell you what exam materials you can purchase in our bookstore to prepare for GCSE and A-level exams.
What is GCSE and why is taking the GCSE Polish exam in the UK a privilege?
The UK is one of the few countries that allows students to choose Polish for GCSE, General Certificate of Secondary Education (no equivalent in Poland – comparable to the eighth-grade exam, but significantly more valuable, an exam important in the job market), and A-level (the equivalent of the Matura exam in Poland).
This shouldn't be surprising, if only because Polish is the dominant foreign language spoken by British British residents, which doesn't mean it has to appear on the list of languages available to secondary school students. Yet it is! And Poles in the British British Isles should consider this a privilege. The results of these exams are treated equally to other languages taught in schools, such as Spanish, French, German, or Italian.
What are the benefits of taking GCSE and A-level Polish as a foreign language?
The list of answers to this question would be long, so let's focus on the five most important ones, which most often arise in the context of educational and professional paths.
It is undoubtedly to your credit, dear parent, that your child has been given the opportunity to learn Polish from home. If you communicate with your child in Polish, you have managed to give your child the opportunity to develop Polish not only for everyday communication at home but also for university.
If your child reaches A-level, their Matura exam result will contribute a certain number of points towards admission to universities in the UK (the higher the score, the more points!). Even for courses where a foreign language isn't a major, a Polish exam result can enhance a candidate's personal statement or serve as a lifeline during admissions if their scores in other subjects are lower than expected.
From my own experience, I can cite the example of my son, who failed his math exam. His final score was lower than expected – by as much as two grades, so his previous offers – initially accepting him as a prospective student at a given university ("conditional offers") – were invalidated. He was among the candidates who took advantage of supplementary admission. Fortunately, universities accepted Gustaw's additional points in a foreign language, and he was able to begin his studies in his chosen field (computer animation).
MUST READ BY PARENTS RETURNING TO POLAND
Of course, passing the Polish language exams will also be a helpful path if the student wishes to return to Poland. While there's no clear formal translation, a Matura exam in Polish as a foreign language doesn't translate to a Matura exam result in Polish in Poland – this is one aspect that parents often misunderstand, and its meaning lies precisely in that one underlined word.
Your teenager will have passed the Polish as a foreign language exam. This result can be seen as confirmation of certain basic skills in understanding and communicating in the language of instruction. It's certainly better to have this result than no confirmation of language proficiency at all.
The same principle applies to GCSE exams. If a 14- or 15-year-old moves to Poland and continues their education in the Polish system, a passed GCSE exam will signal that the student communicates in Polish. However, in fairness, an asterisk with an explanation should be added here, and not in fine print.
Please don't expect every school principal and teacher in Poland to know what a GCSE exam is and that their reaction will be an admiring "Wow!". If someone has already experienced a student returning from the UK, they MAYBE know what a GCSE or A-level exam is. Without such experience, please don't expect any compliments for the student.
But it is you, holding the exam results in your hand, who can help the principal or teacher decide on possible language support for your child or assigning them to the appropriate class.
And another asterisk with an explanation – please don't mislead the principal or teacher by boasting that your child has already passed, for example, the "matura" in Polish. Please remember to always add "Polish" as a foreign language.
So, Polish is a language subject in the UK, just like a student in Poland taking an exam in English, German, or Spanish (in eighth grade).
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