This fall, a private basic school will be opened by Tallinn Secondary Science School (Tallinna Reaalkool). Starting in March, students – unlucky at municipal school entry tests – may be enrolled for grades 1 to 7 with emphasis on science.
Tallinn Secondary Science School to open private basic school
20th February 2013, 13:02
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The new school will be called Reaali Põhikool, located at former Police house at Pärnu road. The building will hold 18 classes i.e. 1st to 9th grades with two parallel classes each. By beginning of March, the new school’s owners hope to be handed education licence by Ministry of Education and Research, to start registering students with all confidence. Reaali Põhikool would be 16th private school in Tallinn. All in all, Estonia has 37 private schools.
«With minimum 15 students, we will commence,» specified Alar Tamkivi, board member of non-profit association RK Hariduse MTÜ behind the project.
In all probability, there are some amongst the over 600 kids recently tested for 1st grade – with only two classes worth accepted – fit for the new school. Provided, of course, their parents can come up with the money – close to €1,500 a year.
According to Mr Tamkivi, the «big school’s» spirit and mentality will be imparted to the new project, with kids accepted not on basis of parents’ bank accounts, but rather according to talent in science.
Mr Tamkivi proceeded to draw a picture of a pyramid: right now, the big school has two parallel classes from 1st to 6th grade, and three from 7th grade to end of upper secondary school. Meaning that the pyramid is wider at the top. «We have, for a long time, been dreaming of having more classes at the bottom: four parallels in basic school and maybe three at upper secondary level – with the strongest students remaining, having taken the intensified science approach,» said Mr Tamkivi.
According to Reaalkool’s headmaster Gunnar Polma, the initiative also prepares them for the possible scenario of being turned into purely upper secondary school only, by school reform. «Then, we would [still] have a basic school of our own,» said Mr Polma.