Secondary

See the syllabuses for all the subjects.

There is a core of compulsory subjects, including Mother Tongue, foreign languages, Mathematics, Science, Philosophy, Physical Education, History and Geography. In addition, pupils have a wide range of further options.

Years S1-S3: Observation cycle

(a) May choose from one of the following foreign languages: French, German and Spanish.

Years S4 and S5: Pre-orientation cycle

(a) According to the pupil’s choice.

The total work load, together with the optional subjects, must not be less than 31 or more than 35 lessons per week.

Starting from year S5, all pupils shall participate in a career guidance programme. The programme is aimed at giving pupils an insight into real life situations in the working environment. Pupils of Tallinn European School willl have study visits to various places of work and representatives of companies will visit school lessons to introduce their activities. Different projects are taken up and in year S5 the school shall organise, if possible, a practice period of up to 2 weeks in a company or a public sector organisation.

Years S6 and S7: Orientation cycle

The curriculum in years S6 and S7 is aimed at preparing the pupils for acquiring the European Baccalaureate. The curriculum sets a number of compulsory subjects but the pupils can make a number of choices between subjects within this cycle. In regards to some subjects, it is possible to choose whether to study a subject 2 hours per week, 4 hours per week or according to an intensive study syllabus.

Column 1 includes compulsory subjects.

Biology, History, Geography and Philosophy must be selected from either column 2 or column 3.

Biology (column 2 or column 3) is compulsory unless it has been replaced by Physics or Chemistry in column 3.

In order to ensure the minimal weekly work load of 31 lessons and the maximum work load of 35 lessons per week, the pupils must select at least two optional subjects from column 3 or 4.

(a) The pupils may select these subjects if they have also been chosen in years S4 and S5.
(b) Advanced Mathematics can only be selected if the pupil has also chosen Mathematics with 5 lessons per week from column 1.
(c) These subjects may not be selected if these have already been chosen in column 3.

In year S6, a more specific programme oriented towards university studies is offered. The programme includes participation in the open door days of Estonian institutions of higher education and the information days of foreign universities carried out in Estonia. The school also encourages pupils to take officially recognised language exams (European Portfolio Certificates that have been described by levels in the Common European Framework of Reference for Language).

In order to be admitted to the final exam, the pupil must have studied in a European School for at least the two last study years (S6 and S7). In order to graduate, the pupil must pass a minimum of five written and three oral exams. To receive the leaving certificate of the European School (European Baccalaureate Certificate), pupils must have obtained an average overall mark of 60%. After acquiring secondary education in the European School and passing the required final exams, the pupil is awarded the European Baccalaureate Certificate.

The work experience (WE) is an essential part of the curriculum in the European School System and an obligatory project during Secondary 5.

The basic idea is to offer pupils an experience in a real life working environment to develop professional knowledge and soft skills. The work experience is not necessarily connected to the pupil’s future plans or desired field of study or work.

Duration of WE

Pupils should ideally work for a minimum of 2 weeks, although the absolute minimum requirement is 1 working week. In total, pupils must do 35 hours of work.

There are, at present, 2 options for the work experience:

1. During the school breaks;
2. During the summer holidays, before the beginning of the new school year.

If neither of these options is suitable and in justified cases, there might be the possibility to arrange an alternative WE.

Organisation

• The pupils are invited to look for a work place themselves and are backed up in all matters concerning this work experience project by the career guidance coordinator in the school.
• Once the placement has been finalised, a contract between the school, the pupil, and the employer (and the parents, if the pupil is under 16 years old) will need to be signed.
• During work experience, the pupils are encouraged to work and observe the structure of their place of employment and the working practices of various types of employees.
• Afterwards they are asked to write a report, which will be part of the evaluation of the work experience project and be useful for the follow-up work done in the career guidance.
• At the end of the project, all participating pupils receive a certificate attesting their work experience.
• Their employers will also need to write a report about their time at the company. This must be written by a neutral party, i.e. someone who is not directly related to the pupil.

Restrictions

• Pupils can work in any EU country, subject to the legislation of that country.
• In Estonia, pupils can work 8 hours per day if they are at least 15 years old and finished S5. During S5 pupils can work 7 hours per day if the work experience is taking place during the school break. 
• For more information on working time, please have a look at the appropriate legislation (section 43 of the Employment Contracts Act: https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/509012015006/consolide).

• Subject Choices from S1 to S5
• Form for Subject Choices in S1
• Form for Subject Choices in S2
• Form for Subject Choices in S3
• Form for Subject Choices in S4 and S5
• Options and Choices in S4 and S5
• Options and Choices in S6 and S7
• Plagiarism and Referencing at TES
• Exam instructions for S5 and S6 pupils
• Student exchanges between European Schools in year S4 and S5
• Student Exchange application form
• Student Exchange – useful information for hosting family
• Student Exchange – hosting family application form

• S1 A: Tom Flowers – tom.flowers@est.edu.ee
• S1 B: Gerry Massa – gerry.massa@est.edu.ee
• S2: Magdalini Chatzianastasiou – magdalini.chatzianastasiou@est.edu.ee
• S3: Anja Heye – anja.heye@est.edu.ee
• S4: David Meyers – david.meyers@est.edu.ee
• S5: Parry Jahnke – parry.jahnke@est.edu.ee
• S6: Tetyana Kasima – tetyana.kasima@est.edu.ee
• S7: Tuula Friman – tuula.friman@est.edu.ee
• European Baccalaureate Coordinator: Kristin Külm – kristin.kylm@est.edu.ee