Pupil assessment

Teachers assess pupils throughout the teaching period. 

In grades 1 and 2, teachers assess pupils' progress descriptively, i.e. they give descriptive marks.

From grade 3 on, teachers assess the knowledge based on the prescribed knowledge standards. They are stipulated in the curriculum and correspond with numerical marks on a scale 1 to 5, whereby 1 is a negative mark and all others are positive.

Teachers assess pupil's oral presentations, written work, art works, technical, practical and other projects. 

The frequncy of assessments is as follows:

• at least three times per school year for subjects with one or two lessons per week;
• at least six times per school year in all other subjects. 

Marks must not all be based on written work alone. Marks are regularly recorded in the assessment book. Parents are informed on their child's grades in two ways:

• in parental consultation meetings during the school year,
• by a written report at the end of the first assessment period.

At the end of the grade, pupils are given their annual report. This includes their final marks, per subject, for the grade and a statement regarding their advancement to the next grade.  Parents have the right to appeal against the final mark. Their appeal is reviewed by a three-member committee appointed by the head teacher.

In grades 6 and 9, pupils take the national assessment of knowledge. Subjects assessed are: mother tongue and mathematics, plus a foreign language in grade 6. In grade 9 the additional subject is determined by the minister, responsible for education.  These assessments are compulsory for all pupils except for migrant students in the first year of integration.The results do not affect pupils' school marks. They serve as additional information about their knowledge levels, the national assessment is therefore a low stakes test.

For pupils who need learning support, schools organise remedial classes. They also organize supplementary classes for those who aim beyond the prescribed knowledge standards. Schools are free to adapt the assessment to pupils who are enrolled in music schools, promising athletes, pupils with special needs and, to foreign pupils in the first two years upon arrival. The rules of assessment and examination are stipulated by the Basic school Act (sl) and by relevant rules and regulations on assessment and grading (sl), as well as on national assessment of knowledge (sl).

Progression of pupils

Pupils of grades 1 to 6 progress to the next year automatically. 

In cases of poor school results, illness, move or other extenuating circumstances the parents may propose, and the school needs to agree, that the pupil repeats a grade, or the school initiates this. If parents disagree, the next level of decision making is the teachers assembly. They may determine that a pupil enrolled in years three to six must repeat a year due to poor school results.  Pupils of grades 7 and 8 may progress to the next year if they have positive marks in all subjects at the end of the school year.  If a pupil has three negative marks, he or she must repeat the grade. 

Pupils with one or two negative marks must be given an opportunity to take a retake exam during school holidays. Pupils are allowed two retakes at different dates. If they fail the retake exam, they must repeat the grade. A pupil who has one or more negative marks in grade 9 is enitled to to a retake in all subjects he or she got negative marks in, namely within the following school year. Parents have the right to appeal the decision that their child must repeat the grade. Their appeal is considered by a three-member committee. The pupil who fails to complete grade 9 within nine years has the right to another two years of basic school.

Upon recommendation by parents or with their consent, a pupil can advance faster if he or she posts above average results. Such pupil does not take additional examination. The decision on whether to accelerate a pupil’s progression through basic school is taken by the teachers assembly.

Certification

Pupils receive their basic school certificate at the end of each grades. Certificates contain relevant final marks in all subjects. Teachers are the ones who award the final marks. 

In the first two grades certificates contain descriptive marks, while later on, from grade 3 onwards, certificates contain only the numeric marks and overall outcome.

The pupil who successfully completes grade 9 is issued a final certificate. It includes final numerical marks in all subjects, and a statement on the fulfilled basic school obligation. 

A successful completion of the basic school is a prerequisite for enrolment in the short upper secondary vocational, upper secondary vocational/technical or gimnazija programmes. If a pupil attended basic school but failed to complete grade 9, the school may issue, on the pupil's request, a certificate stating that the pupil fulfilled the basic school obligation. With this certificate pupils may enrol in short vocational upper secondary programmes.