The School

Kölcsey Ferenc Gimnázium (Academic Grammar School)

Address: 49-53 Rákóczi út, Zalaegerszeg, 8900
Internet site: http://www.kfgz.sulinet.hu
Total number of students: 780
Number of teachers:56
Total number of classes: 25
Number of classes involved in English bilingual or specialised education: 11
Age of students: 12-19
Number of students per class: 26 - 36

Kölcsey Ferenc Grammar School’s history goes back to more than 55 years. The predecessor of Kölcsey Ferenc Grammar School, the Teacher Training School was established in 1929 and since 1955, the school has functioned as a grammar school. It has always been one of the most popular, successful and innovative secondary schools in the region. It pioneered in several fields, including foreign language teaching which is still one of its main focuses.
The school moved to its present modern building in the centre of Zalaegerszeg in 1987 which contains all you expect from a modern educational establishment including computer rooms, a well-equipped gym and is suitable for organizing community events, competitions, sports tournaments, concerts and different cultural events, as well as for hosting exhibitions of our students or local artists in its Gallery named after János Vajda, one of the influential 20th century Hungarian painters.

Kölcsey Ferenc Grammar School is committed to:

  • preparing its students for their school leaving examination at both levels, higher education and the challenges of life-long learning
  • promoting independent thought and learning and academic excellence
  • delivering a high standard of education
  • providing a broadly-based education designed to enable all the students to discover their strengths, and to make the most of their talents;
  • promoting the importance of environmental awareness and communication skills in foreign languages
  • supporting and providing extra-curricular activities that nurture physical health, emotional maturity creativity and talent tailored to students’ interests
  • fostering self-confidence, tolerance, discipline and taking responsibility for oneself and for the community
  • supporting less advantaged students
  • offering cultural and intellectual experiences that the students can share as a community
  • paying attention to its students’ individual needs
  • creating a culture which sees virtue in taking action for the students’ own benefit and for those around them
  • preserving national and local traditions
  • working in co-operation with its students’ families to achieve the best results

   The school organizes a large number of community / social activities, both independently and in partnership with local organizations, including community service. Dozens of students perform their social service in the local hospital.

We offer extracurricular opportunities for our students including:

  • foreign exchanges, ( we have been in partnership with a secondary school in Kusel, Germany for 30 years, and recently we have formed a good relationship with Bolyai János Grammar School in Marosvásárhely, Transylvania, Romania and a bilingual school in Lendva)
  • participation in e-twinning partnership projects
  • sports activities, (the school’s basketball, volleyball, football and handball teams can boast good results at national championships for students )
  • academic competitions,
  • choir,
  • trips to the UK, especially for bilingual students
  • trips within and beyond the borders of Hungary
  • community service
  • drama groups ( Hungarian and English)
  • study circles and creative activities (in all subjects including fine arts and drawing) for outstanding and gifted students

Kölcsey Ferenc Grammar School

  • has been an official centre for German and English state language examinations since 1993.
  • is a reference school of Nemzeti Tankönyvkiadó (National Publisher of Coursebooks) and Microsoft was awarded the title of ‘A Secondary School Sports Workshop’ following the excellent athletics results in the Student Olympics of 1998 and due to the school’s excellent sports achievements in other fields
  • was awarded the title of ‘A Model School for Environmental Protection’
  • has been declared a centre for nurturing gifted and talented students

Final exam tests proved our achievements as a bilingual school as almost all of our bilingual students are awarded a complex level C1 language exam certificate together with their Certificate of Secondary Education. Many bilingual students opt for university courses where the medium language of teaching is English or German.

Almost all students from Kölcsey Ferenc Grammar School continue to go on to university. Their focus is often on the most competitive courses at the most competitive universities.

More than 90 % of our final year students are accepted by institutions of higher education.

Many students enter voluntarily for a variety of academic prize competitions in nearly all the subjects ,many of whom manage to get into the finals and achieve good results.

Our students’ horizons are widened by many opportunities to travel, take part in excursions, get involved in international or environmental projects. Parties of students have visited Venice, Romania, Poland, Germany, England or Scotland or have had the opportunity to go on ski trips or participate in summer camps. We have had a thirty-year co-operation with Kusel, our German partner town near the French border and a new relationship has been formed with the Lendva Bilingual School in Slovenia, Bolyai Academic Grammar School in Marosvásárhely, Romania.

Our English and Hungarian Drama groups have had memorable performances in the past few years, often excelling at Drama Festivals.

Our traditional events and ceremonies include:

  • Students’ Week with contests, talent shows and parties in October
  • Freshmen’s Party in October
  • the Christmas ceremony in December
  • the ‘Ribbon Ceremony’ for the school leavers in February,
  • the School Foundation Ball in February,
  • the School-leaving Ceremony in May,
  • Sports Day in June
  • commemorations on 15 March and 23 October

The range of courses at Kölcsey Ferenc School is as follows:

4-year course :

One class follows the general curriculum, but with a higher number of lessons in Literature and History, or Mathematics and Physics. First foreign languages are generally German or English. Second foreign languages on offer are English, German, Italian, French, Russian or Latin.

5-year courses :

English Bilingual Course:

18 English classes per week in Year 9. From Year 10 upwards, several subjects - History, Geography, American and British Civilization - are taught in English. The second foreign language is also introduced in Year 10. Second foreign languages on offer are English, German, Italian, French, Russian or Latin. Qualification/s at the end of bilingual cycle: Hungarian Certificate of Secondary School Education – 90-100 % of bilingual students obtain a (C1 complex) language exam certificate in the English Language.

German Bilingual Course:

In Year 9 the number of German classes is 18 lessons per week. From Year 10 upwards, several subjects (History and/or Biology and/or Geography and/or Mathematics and/or Civilization) are taught in German. The second foreign language is introduced in Year 10.

Specialized English and German Language Courses:

Year 9 is a language foundation year of 18 language lessons and 4 lessons of Information Technology, besides some other subjects. The second foreign language is introduced in Year 9. Second foreign languages on offer are English, German, Italian, French, Russian or Latin.

6-year course :

Specialized mathematics / science course:

Mathematics is taught in small groups and in a high number of classes. The first foreign language is taught from Year 7, and the second one from Year 9. First and second foreign languages on offer are English, German, Italian, French, Russian or Latin.

Language teaching in bilingual courses:

We consider the knowledge of the language the means of acquiring further knowledge in different other fields of arts and sciences and not the aim.

Although a knowledge of the English/ German language is not a prerequisite for successful entrance to the bilingual course, some students arrive at the school with basic English/German language skills acquired in their primary school years. During their first or 9th grade – the so called "zero year" - all take part in a highly intensive language course. At the end of this first phase of their education, they possess intermediate language skills.

In their remaining four years at the school students must study at least two subjects in English/German. Our students are offered to study Geography, History, Biology, British and American / German Civilization in the target language. Students are encouraged to excel in their academic subjects besides their main foreign language.

We have had native speakers as staff members in the Hungarian-English, Hungarian-German bilingual and specialized English and German language section.

For more information and pictures please check our school’s website:

http://www.kolcsey-zeg.hu/