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General information

Gymnazium Jiriho z Podebrad (GJP) is located near the centre of the spa town of Podebrady. Gymnazium is a prestigious selective secondary school providing general education to about 480 students, preparing them for university studies. The name “gymnazium” corresponds to the level of grammar school. There are an eight-year study programme (age: 11-19) and a four-year programme (age: 15-19). Education is free of charge, students up to the age of 15 are also supplied with the books.

Facilities

The school building is situated in a quiet part of the town, next to the Spa Park. There are 24 classrooms: specialised classrooms for Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Foreign Languages, Geography, Music, a Chemistry Laboratory, two computer classrooms, a gymnasium, library, a self-access centre and others. The school is also equipped with two interactive boards and six data-projectors. The school library and the self-access centre offer about 10.000 books of professional and fictional writing, as well as 15 magazines subscribed for by the school.

In the self-access centre, the students are allowed to use audio-visual equipment and up to 500 videocassettes. The students can use a copy machine supposing they buy their own copy card.

Computer equipment and the Internet

The information-and-communication-technology (ICT) education takes place in two modern classrooms with 34 computers in total. There is one computer for each student in a group. A laser and a colour printer are available. The students learn to program computers and use the Internet and e-mail. The school is a certified provider of ICT training for the teachers from the whole region. Other specialised ICT courses take place here as well.

Curriculum

The curriculum allows students to choose optional subjects (20 lessons per week) in their last two years. This leads to a better preparation for the leaving examinations and the university entrance examinations. 95 per cent of our students are admitted to universities.

The curriculum includes compulsory, optional, and elective subjects and clubs:

Compulsory subjects:

Czech, English, the Second Foreign Language (German, French, Russian), Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Civics, Information and Computer Studies, Music, Art, Physical Education.

Optional subjects (for senior students according to the students´ inclinations):

Conversation in a Foreign Language, Seminars in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Descriptive Geometry, Czech, Computer Programming, Literature, Civics, Rhetoric and other subjects.

Elective subjects (- the students can take them, but they do not have to):

French, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Latin, Descriptive Geometry, Sports and Games, Choir.

Clubs:

Sports and Games, Art, Choir.

The number of lessons allotted to each subject in the four-year programme:

The studies are finished with a leaving -graduation- exam. At present (since 2010), this examination consists of two parts: a common part for all students and exams in optional subjects (according to the students´ individual choices). The common part is offered in two levels and is taken by all students of all secondary schools with a graduation exam. The exams in optional subjects are determined by the school.

Cultural life

During their studies, the students can go to theatre and cinema performances, concerts, graduation balls. They visit exhibitions and go on excursions. Membership in the Club of Young Theatre-goers enables the students to visit theatres in Prague (four to six performances per school year). The choir has become very popular for its successful concerts in the hometown and the region, but also abroad, e.g. in Luxemburg, Germany and Switzerland. The choir gives the students an opportunity to develop their music talents outside regular music lessons (which are a part of the curriculum).

Trips abroad and exchange programmes

Trips abroad are often organised to German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), excursions aimed at history to Italy, Great Britain and France. In June 2009, there was a trip aimed at history to Normandy. In 2007 the students went to Poland and Slovakia, in 2008 to Slovenia, in 2009 to eastern Germany. At present, the exchange programmes are organised with a grammar school in Wiesbaden (Germany) and the secondary school “Provincial College” in Jaroslavl (Yaroslavl, Russia). The students presented the results of their research at students´ conferences in Russia (in 2006, and twice in 2007) and at a mathematical conference in Cyprus (in 2009). The school participated in the programmes Socrates and Comenius.

Exchange students at GJP

The school takes part in exchange study programmes organised by Rotary International and AFS. Students from Mexico, Brazil, Peru, the USA, Japan and Thailand have spent one year studying at GJP.

History

GJP was founded in 1946. The lessons took place at the Castle in Podebrady. Later, the school moved to its present location in Studentska Street. During its existence, GJP has provided education to numerous students, many of which have become well known: e.g. the former Czech president Václav Havel, the film director Miloš Forman, singers Marta Kubišová and Jitka Zelenková and the film director Alice Nellis.