Grammar School Curriculum
OPEN GATE has a curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, as well as a special educational programme that focuses on respecting student’s personalities.
The small number of students in classes ensures the individual approach of our high-quality teachers, who employ methods that develop reasoning skills and character, such as discussion, experimentation, problem-solving, teamwork and individual projects, as well as presentations – and, finally, acceptance of responsibility for the results of one’s work. Instruction is provided in language and computer-science classrooms with modern equipment and specialized facilities with laboratories. Taken together, these features create optimal conditions for learning. Language instruction is an undisputed priority at OPEN GATE. Students are divided into groups according to their knowledge and proficiency levels. The groups are small, enabling above-standard care, individual instruction and appropriate pacing in a relaxed environment that allows an individual approach to language instruction.
Our students have numerous opportunities to practice their English in the course of communication with their teachers (native speakers) as well as outside the classroom, for example in various clubs and other extracurricular activities, in the dormitories, during tutoring sessions and during weekend events held on campus. Besides fulfilling their academic responsibilities, OPEN GATE students use their free time for their overall development (see the chapter Students’ extracurricular and community-service activities).
At the lower level of the school (first through fourth year) the language of instruction is Czech, though abundant room is made for learning English and, from the third year, another language (French, Spanish, German). In all subjects, English terminology is used concurrently with Czech and students often work with English materials and textbooks. Students also acquire knowledge required for further study, which is only in English. An exceptional feature of the school’s educational programme at the lower level is the integrated subject of natural sciences, which gives students a comprehensive overview of natural laws and phenomena.
At the upper level of the school (fifth through eighth year) the language of instruction is English, with further development of students’ knowledge of French, Spanish or German, or another offered language, as the case may be. Here the school’s educational programme is based on the requirements of the Czech Secondary-Education Framework Programme and on the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). In the first two years, students in all subjects are intensively prepared to study the IBDP, within which they choose – in the last two years – their areas of specialisation and subjects for international leaving exams.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year study programme for seventh- and eighth-year students. The IBDP is globally recognized by institutes of higher learning, including the most prestigious universities. The languages of instruction are English, Spanish and French (English in the case of OPEN GATE).
