Gymnasium (school)

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For the type of building, see gym.

A gymnasium (pronounced /gim-/ as opposed to /jim-/) is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe. The word γυμνάσιον (gymnasion) was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men (see gymnasium (ancient Greece)). The gymnasium prepares pupils to enter a university.

In Germany, for instance, pupils study subjects like German, maths, physics, chemistry, geography, biology, arts, music, physical education, divinity, history and social sciences. They are also required to study at least two foreign languages (the combination of English and Latin, or English and French, being the most popular). In Germany, the 12th and 13th grade students prepare for the Abitur, an examination required in order to go on to a university. In the Netherlands the gymnasium consists of six years in which pupils study the same subjects as their German counterparts, with the addition of compulsory Ancient Greek and Latin.

This meaning of a secondary school preparing for higher education at university in the German-speaking, the Scandinavian, the Benelux and the Baltic countries has been the same at least since the protestant reformation in the 16th century. The first general system of schools which provided for the Gymnasia was that of Saxony, formulated in 1528. They are thus meant for the more academically-minded students, who are sifted out at about the age of 10–13. In addition to the usual curriculum, students of a gymnasium often study Latin and Greek.

Some gymnasiums provide general education, others have a specific focus. (This also differs from country to country.) The three traditional branches are:

  • humanities education (specialising in Classical languages, such as Latin and Greek)
  • modern languages (students are required to study at least three languages)
  • mathematical-scientific education

Today, a number of other areas of specialisation exist, such as gymnasiums specialising in economics or domestic science.

In some countries, there is a notion of progymnasium, which is equivalent to beginning classes of the full gymnasium, with the rights to continue education in a gymnasium. Here, the prefix "pro" means "instead of".

In Italy, the first two years of secondary school are called Gymnasium if the school chosen is a classical lyceum (a particular secondary school focusing on Latin and Greek as well as literature).

[edit] Countries with gymnasium schools

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
  • Argentina 8 years in Tucuman, Starting at age 10. http://gymnastucuman.com.ar
  • Austria 8 years, after 4 years of primary school, or 4 years, after primary school and 4 years of Hauptschule, ends with Matura at the age of 18.
  • Bulgaria 5 years, after 7 years of primary school. Currently graduation after passing the Matriculation Examination.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina (4 years, starting at age 14/15 after 8 years in elementary school, ends with Matura)
  • Croatia (4 years, starting at age 14/15 after 8 years in elementary school, ends with Matura)
  • Cyprus 3 years, starting at age 12 and following 6 years of Elementary School. Compulsory for all students. Followed by the non-mandatory Lyceum (ages 15-18) for students with academic aspirations or TEL for students who prefer vocational training.
  • Czech Republic (4 years starting at age 14/15; 6 years starting at age 12/13; 8 years starting at age 10/11; all of them end with a Maturita)
  • Denmark 3 years (4 years for athletes who are part of Team Denmark, or musicians who have chosen MGK), usually starting after 9 or 10 years of primary school)
  • Estonia (3 years, after 9 years of primary school)
  • Finland (2-4 years (most students spend 3 years), after 9 years of primary school, starting usually at age 15/16, Abitur after passing the Matriculation Examination)
  • Germany (6-9 years (depending on the Bundesland) (now being changed to 8 years nationwide), starting at 5th (at age 10) or 7th grade, Abitur in 12th or 13th grade). Also, there are progymnasiums and realgymnasiums. (For more information, see Gymnasia and Realgymnasia.)
  • Greece 3 years, starting at age 12 after 6 years of Elementary School. Compulsory for all children, it is followed by the non-mandatory Lyceum (ages 15-18) for students with academic aspirations, or the Technical Vocational Educational School (TEE) for students who prefer vocational training.
  • Hungary (4/6/8 years, starting after 8/6/4 years of primary school, ends with Matura)
  • Iceland (usually 4 years, starting at age 15/16 after 10 years of elementary school, though 3 years can also be chosen. If chosen, students at Menntaskólinn Hraðbraut finish the school in 2 years.)
  • Israel, five schools termed "gymnasium" located in Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion, Jerusalem and Haifa.
  • Liechtenstein (ends with Matura)
  • Latvia (3 years, after 9 years of primary school)
  • Lithuania (4 years, after 4 years of primary school and 4 years of secondary school)
  • Luxembourg (usually 7 years, starting at age 12-13 after 6 years of primary school)
  • Macedonia (4 years, starting at age 14)
  • Montenegro (4 years, starting at age 14/15 after 8 years in elementary school, ends with Matura)
  • Netherlands (6 years, starting at age 11-13, after 8 years of primary school. Prepares for admission to University. Gymnasia in the Netherlands have compulsory classes in Ancient Greek and Latin; a similar high level secondary school without the classical languages is called "Atheneum")
  • Norway (2/3/4 years depending on course path taken, starting at the age of 15/16, final examination upon completion) (This is no longer in official use - it's been subsumed within the "videregående skole" - but many people still refer to it as "gymnas")
  • Poland - 3 years, type of middle school, starting at age 13/14 and following 6 years of Elementary School. Compulsory for all students. Followed by the non-mandatory 3 years Liceum, 4 years technikum, or 2 or 3 years vocational technical school.
  • Russia
  • Serbia (4 years, starting at age 14/15 after 8 years in elementary school, ends with Matura)
  • Slovakia (4 years starting at age 14/15; 8 years starting at age 9/10; both end with a Maturita)
  • Slovenia (4 years, starting at age 14/15, ends with Matura)
  • Sweden (3 years, starting at age 15/16 after 9 years of primary school)
  • Switzerland (either 6 years after 6 years of primary school or 4 years after 6 years of primary school and 2-3 years of secondary school, ends with Matura)
  • Ukraine (8 years, starting after 4 years of primary school)
  • United Kingdom: historically, grammar schools have been the English equivalent of the gymnasium, selecting pupils on the basis of academic ability and educating them with the assumption that they would go on to study at a university; such schools were largely phased out under the Wilson government, with less than 5% of pupils now attending grammar schools, and the UK now has no widespread equivalent of the gymnasium. The exception is Northern Ireland which retained the system.
  • United States

[edit] Final degree

Depending on country, the final degree (if any) is called Abitur, Artium, Diploma, Matura, Maturita or Student and it usually opens the way to professional schools directly. The final two or three years at a gymnasium are therefore equivalent to the first two years at college in the United States.

[edit] Relationship with other education facilities

In countries like Croatia, most university faculties only accept students from secondary schools that last four years (rather than three). This includes all Gymnasium students but only a part of vocational high schools, in effect making Gymnasium the preferred choice for all pupils aiming for university diplomas.

In Germany, other types of secondary school are called Realschule, Hauptschule and Gesamtschule. These are attended by about two thirds of the students and the first two are practically unknown in other parts of the world. A Gesamtschule largely corresponds to an American high school. However, it offers the same school leaving certificates as the other three types of German secondary schools - the Hauptschulabschluss (school leaving certificate of a Hauptschule after 9th Grade or in Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia after 10th Grade), the Realschulabschluss, also called Mittlere Reife, (school leaving certificate of a Realschule after 10th Grade) and Abitur, also called Hochschulreife, after 13th or seldom after 12th Grade. Students who graduate from Hauptschule or Realschule may continue their schooling at a vocational school until they have full job qualifications. It is also possible to get an erweiterter Realschulabschluss after 10th grade that allows the students to continue their education at the Oberstufe of a gymnasium and get an Abitur. There are two types of vocational school in Germany. The Berufsschule, a part time vocational school and a part of Germany's dual education system, and the Berufsfachschule, a full time vocational school outside the dual education system. Both types of school are also part of Germany's secondary school system. Students who graduate from a vocational school and students who graduate with a good GPA from a Realschule can continue their schooling at another type of German secondary school, the Fachoberschule, a vocational high school. The school leaving exam of this type of school, the Fachhochschulreife, enables the graduate to start studying at a Fachhochschule (polytechnic), and in Hesse also at an university within the state. Students who have graduateded from vocational school and have been working in a job for at least 3 years can go to Berufsoberschule to get either a "Fachabitur" (meaning they may go to university, but they can only study the subjects belonging to the "branch" (economical, technical, social) they studied in at Berufschule.) after one year, or the normal "Abitur" (after two years), which gives them complete access to universities.

In Sweden, the term gymnasium was traditionally reserved for the theoretical education described above. However, due to the egalitarian strivings of post-war Sweden's socialist governments, the term is today used for all kinds of secondary education, both theoretical and vocational.

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