In spring 2026, primary school students at Maple Bear Katowice sat external assessments for the first time. The school opened in 2023, so this was the first opportunity for an independent measurement. Grade 3 students took the nationwide Grade 3 Competency Assessment. In parallel, all primary school students completed the international MAP Growth assessment. The results confirmed a high standard of teaching in mathematics and science, together with full delivery of the Polish national curriculum.
At Maple Bear, the goal is not to prepare children for tests but to build the competencies they will need in life. The first independent measurement showed that this approach also produces very strong examination results.
Key takeaways
- School average in the nationwide Grade 3 Competency Assessment: 94.4% in science and 83.3% in mathematics, in both cases above the average of participating schools nationally and in the region.
- 77% in Polish language, in line with the average of participating schools, even though learning at Maple Bear takes place in a bilingual environment.
- In science, more than half of the students scored 100%.
- In the international MAP Growth assessment, the average mathematics score of Maple Bear Katowice students falls within the top quarter of results in the reference group.
- The results show that the Canadian program and the Polish national curriculum can work together in one school without compromise. One school, two certificates.
The international MAP Growth assessment
MAP Growth is a computer-adaptive test developed by NWEA and used in schools in 145 countries. It measures a student’s actual level of skill and tracks progress over time, adjusting the difficulty of questions to the answers given. The reference group consists of students who sit MAP Growth, several million children each year.
At Maple Bear Katowice the assessment covered mathematics and reading in English. The mathematics result was particularly strong: the average score of Maple Bear Katowice students falls within the top quarter of results in the international reference group for MAP Growth.
For teachers, the results are not only confirmation of the quality of the program. They are also a tool for planning the next stage of each student’s development.
The first Grade 3 assessment
The nationwide Grade 3 Competency Assessment was taken by the cohort that started Grade 1 at Maple Bear Katowice in September 2023.
The school averages were as follows:
Science: 94.4% at Maple Bear, against 79% regionally and nationally. More than half of the students scored 100%.
Mathematics: 83.3%, against 79% regionally and 78% nationally.
Polish language: 77%, exactly in line with the national and regional average.
The Polish language result deserves particular attention. English accompanies children for most of the school day, and some students begin their education without Polish as a first language. A result in line with the average shows that progress in English does not come at the expense of the Polish national curriculum. The highest score in the class, 100%, confirms this.
Canadian education is often described as education with a safety net. It teaches effectively, but not at the child’s expense. The first results from Maple Bear Katowice show that high achievement does not require examination pressure.
“We do not prepare children for tests, but for what comes after them. The first measurement has shown, however, that our program delivers measurable results against both the Polish national curriculum and international standards,” says Izabela Kotuła, Director of Maple Bear Katowice.
What lies behind these results?
- Canadian methodology based on inquiry-based learning and formative assessment.
- Language immersion. We don’t teach English. We teach in English.
- The Canadian Maple Bear program as the foundation, with the Polish national curriculum layered on top of it.
- A global network of 500 schools in 39 countries and 72,000 students.
- Regular teacher training and an annual teaching quality audit conducted by Canadian Maple Bear specialists.
The first results from Maple Bear Katowice show that bilingual education does not force parents to choose. A child completes the Polish national curriculum and at the same time learns according to the Canadian program, confirmed by results in an international assessment. One school, two certificates.
Enrollment for preschool, kindergarten, and primary school in Katowice, Wrocław, and Kraków is now open. For more information, call +48 22 216 02 16.