Poland: Lower secondary school starting age (years)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Poland's lower secondary school starting age (years) did not change 0 on 2024 (from 11 to 11).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.07 and a typical year strayed about 0.37 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly fall was 2 in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.29 a year. A straight line explains 73% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Poland had the 144th highest value of the 209 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Poland in the 2025 ranking

• New Caledonia — 179th of 209: 11
• New Zealand — 180th of 209: 11
• North Macedonia — 181st of 209: 11
• Romania — 183rd of 209: 11
• Russian Federation — 184th of 209: 11
• Samoa — 185th of 209: 11

What this measures

Lower secondary school starting age is the age at which students would enter lower secondary education, assuming they had started at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, had studied full-time throughout and had progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade.

Limitations: The theoretical entrance age to a given programme or level is typically, but not always, the most common entrance age.

All 56 values

Lower secondary school starting age (years) in nearby economies

• Albania — 11 (2025)
• Andorra — 12 (2025)
• Armenia — 10 (2025)
• Austria — 10 (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 10 (2025)
• Belarus — 10 (2025)
• Belgium — 12 (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 11 (2025)
• Bulgaria — 11 (2025)
• Croatia — 11 (2025)
• Cyprus

More education data for Poland

• Primary school starting age (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 4 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 8 (2025)
• Secondary education, pupils — 3.33 million (2024)
• Primary education, pupils — 1.6 million (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 93.87% (2020)
• Persistence to last grade of primary, total (% of cohort) — 99.79% (2023)
• Repeaters, primary, total (% of total enrollment) — 1.06% (2017)
• Secondary education, general pupils — 1.72 million (2017)
• Secondary education, vocational pupils

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Poland's lower secondary school starting age (years)?

11 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 15.38% from 13 in 1970 (0.3% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 13 in 1970 and the lowest 11 in 2020.

How does Poland rank?

144th highest of 209 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in lower secondary school starting age (years) unusual for Poland?

In 2025, Poland's lower secondary school starting age (years) did not change 0 on 2024 (from 11 to 11). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.07 and a typical year strayed about 0.37 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.SEC.AGES, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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