Secondary Preschool Education, Grammar School and Performing Arts Grammar School Ljubljana

THE SCHOOL THROUGH TIME

The beginning of the preschool education course dates back to 1949, the year of the school’s foundation. Gimnazija (General upper secondary school) has its beginning in 1989. Gimnazija specialized in the Performing Arts, a programme specialized in Dance followed in 1999. A novelty has been introduced in 2010: Gimnazija specialized in Theatre and Drama.

THE SCHOOL’S VISION
The institution has a clear sense of direction in view of creating a professional, productive, successful and healthy institution. To this end, we aspire to:
– deliver general knowledge along with developing independent and critical thinking as well as responsible behaviour
– teach and set examples of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and respect for fellow beings
– develop talent and creativity along with capability to perceive and understand artistic production and expression

MATERIAL CONDITIONS
The classrooms are outfitted with the latest video and computer technology. Coursework is also conducted in the form of field work, excursions, practical work, laboratory work, seminar work and research assignments.
Modern teaching technologies enable teachers to present the teaching content interestingly and to increase student participation.The student-friendly and technologically-equipped school library enables students to work on their seminar and research assignments as well as benefit from the library reading room. Within regular classes, physical education classes are conducted in the school gym with the climbing wall, volleyball, basketball and table tennis courts, the indoor football field as well as in the school fitness, located in the basement. The canteen offers a wide variety of hot and cold meals. The school snack is provided.

PRESCHOOL EDUCATION
– The preschool education reform brought competence into the course along with compulsory and elective modules emphasizing practical experience, workplace training, extra-curricular activities and individual work of students. The course lasts 4 years including general subjects.
– Compulsory vocational modules include Communication skills, Pedagogy and pedagogical approaches in the preschool period, Nursery school curriculum, Preschool children learning and development, Safe and healthy environment, Games for children, Creative expression, Natural science for children, Social science for children, Mathematics for children, Linguistic expression of children, Information and communication technology.
– Elective modules are Art expression, Music expression, Dance expression, Sports for children, Multimedia.
– After having successfully completed a 4 year educational programme and vocational matura examination (poklicna matura), the student holds a Preschool teacher diploma. Our students consecutively achieve great “vocational matura” examination results.
– Absolute ear for music is necessary for successful completion of coursework since students learn to play an instrument within the module Creative expression.
– In the 3rd year each class prepares a short play (a puppet show or a musical theatre show) which is performed in kindergartens in December.
– The coursework is partly organized in kindergartens i.e. possible future employers. The coursework of 1st, 2nd and 3rd year includes one or two weeks of practical training in each year whereas the coursework of 4th year includes one day a week of practical training during the school year. Students’ wishes are considered when choosing a suitable kindergarten.
– Technical upper secondary education in the preschool care ends after having successfully completed 4th year and vocational matura examination (poklicna matura), including 2 compulsory and 2 elective subjects.

GIMNAZIJA (GENERAL UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL)
– General gimnazija curriculum provides students with basic and general knowledge in a variety of subjects which are the common basis for all university studies. The coursework lasts 4 years and ends with the matura examination (splošna matura). Our school aims to promote creativity, to foster responsibility towards others and the environment and to ensure the provision of knowledge and skills necessary for continuation of education at universities or other institutions of tertiary education.
– The programme of general gimnazija offers high-quality performance and thorough preparation of students for the matura examination. In accordance with students’ needs and interests, the school chooses and decides for which of the matura optional subjects in 2nd and 3rd year its students should be prepared more thoroughly. The coursework thus offers students extra preparation for natural science subjects, social sciences and history of arts. Lessons in optional subjects in 4th year are aimed at students’ preparation for the matura examination and depend on the student’s choice of subjects.
– Compulsory subjects include a first foreign language and a second foreign language, the first foreign language being English, the second foreign language options including German, French, Spanish or Italian. The school organizes extra foreign language courses in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese or Chinese given the sufficient number of candidates.
– General upper secondary education ends after having successfully completed 4th year and matura examination (splošna matura), which includes Slovene, Mathematics, a foreign language and two optional subjects.
– The school guarantees the preparation of students for the matura in all general subjects: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, History of Arts, Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Informatics.

GIMNAZIJA SPECIALIZED IN PERFORMING ARTS – A PROGRAMME SPECIALIZED IN DANCE
– A four-year programme enables students to develop their dancing talent by means of professional, verified and educational approaches with emphasis on individual qualities.
– Simultaneously they follow the programme of general gimnazija, thus preparing for the “matura” examination needed to be accepted at university. Thus it is advisable that hard-working and persistent students with an excellent overall grade in elementary school enrol in the programme.
– The second foreign language in this programme is German or French.
– The coursework is divided into theory lessons and dance classes. The technical school subjects include Modern dance techniques, Creative workshop, Ballet, Applied anatomy, Music, History of Dance and Theatre Art, which all contribute to professional education and training of the future artists. The knowledge acquired in 4 years of schooling helps create the individual self of each student while performing.

GIMNAZIJA SPECIALIZED IN ARTS – A PROGRAMME SPECIALIZED IN THEATRE AND DRAMA
– A novelty introduced in the school year 2010/2011.
– A programme specialized in Theatre and Drama enables students to enter the Art of theatre by experiencing, creating, recreating and acquiring theoretical knowledge in the field of theatre, modern dance, video and film.
– Simultaneously they follow the programme of general gimnazija, thus preparing for the matura examination needed for access to university. Thus it is advisable that hard-working and persistent students with an excellent overall success grade in elementary school enrol in the programme.
– The second foreign language in this programme is German or French.
– The coursework is divided into theory lessons and theatre and art classes. The technical school subjects include History and Theory of Drama and Theatre, Art of Speech, Art of Movement, Video and Film, various workshops, which all contribute to professional education and training of future artists.

SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
– The student bulletin Informator is in charge of informing students about school activities and events. The school also issues literary bulletins in Slovene and foreign languages (English, German, French, Spanish).
– The school enables students to issue their literary works or collections of poems as well as annually organizing literary meetings with renown poets and writers.
– Students participate in numerous literary and arts contests.
– Students can join the instrumental group or the ORFF group if having previous musical knowledge.
– The girls choir Aurora has received numerous awards in Slovene and international choir competitions, has further appeared in many cultural events.
– The school organizes the history of art excursions, which remain widely popular with students.
– Various annual public events for children are also organized in the form of plays or workshops.
– The school’s Impro League continually gains success when competing with other high schools.
– Students of the Gimnazija specialized in Performing Arts take part in various competitions and festivals as well as participate in various events. They have visited Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, where they get familiar with the student life and work of the Art Academies.
– The school sports association offers a wide range of sports activities.
– School excursions remain extremely popular among students who get to know their homeland and also travel to Vienna, Salzburg, Berlin, Paris, the Netherlands, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Rome, Sicily, Greece and Spain.

SPECIFIC STUDENT STATUS
Students in parallel programming education, students preparing for national or international knowledge competitions or students who are categorized sportsmen can request to be granted a specific status as determined by regulations. Top dancers, top musicians and top researchers can also request to have specific adjustments of school work and assessment of knowledge. All students are given the opportunity to successfully fulfill their duties.

ARTISTIC CREATIVITY
All three educational programmes include many arts subjects as compulsory or optional subjects thus contributing to the personal growth of each individual.
By monitoring and evaluating achievements in various arts fields, we help students develop their sensitivity and aesthetic sense as well as be open-minded.

SCHOOL’S UNIQUENESS
– intermingling and coexistence of three educational programmes,
– successful advancement of students, the dropout rate is negligible,
– students achieving results at “matura” examination (splošna matura) and vocational “matura” examination (poklicna matura) above the Slovene average,
– numerous public performances and activities of our students,
– various student involvement activities,
– emphasis on arts,
– projects through participation in Healthy schools and Eco-schools network,
– projects and activities participation through Slovene UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project Network,
– international school exchanges,
– cultural and social events prepared by our students,
– participation in numerous projects and competitions,
– numerous cultural events for children, students and parents,
– professionally guided excursions around Slovenia and abroad.

 
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