There are almost two dozen licensed private schools in Lviv. Most of them offer in-depth study of foreign languages, primarily English, by contemporary methods, development of soft skills, project activities, etc. There are private Christian schools as well.
Private schools offer small classes of 15-20 children, comprehensive nutrition, and engagement of children in various clubs after lessons.
What is special about private schools
When choosing a private school, parents follow the desire for their child to be safe, successfully to acquire knowledge, and to have the opportunity to attend clubs on site. Private schools offer a variety of after-school activities: theater, cooking, music, design, swimming, ballet, etc. – all in one place.
At the same time, in Lviv’s public schools, a full-day program is available only in 12 institutions and exclusively for primary school students, says Lviv City Council deputy and head of the education commission Victoria Khrystenko.
«The Lviv market is not saturated with a sufficient number of private schools, they need more», – she believes.
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Roman, a father, says he sent his 8 year-old daughter to a private school because he had a personal experience of studying in a post-Soviet institution and wanted to give his child a better education, as well as provide her with a comfortable environment.
«The environment where my child grows up is extremely important in shaping her personality. In addition, for me as a father, it’s important that she attends a school that shares the values of both parents and children», – Roman says.
Education should be high quality and diverse, and knowledge should be more important than formal assessments, he adds.
«Sometimes I envy my child because she is happy to go to school every day. I didn’t want to attend mine. I feel that the school where my child studies is important not only for the money paid by the parents, but also for the parents and children themselves as a community», – the father of the second-grader said.
Natalia, the mother of a seventh-grader from another private school, says that teachers there have enough time to pay attention to each child. Previously, the boy attended a public school, where the class consisted of about 30 children, and teachers couldn’t always respond in time to the needs of each child.
«Now, there are 10 children in my son’s class. This is good not only because teachers can pay attention to each child individually, but also given the quarantine regulations, currently applied in the country», – says Natalia.
She also says that there can be conflict situations between children at school, but teachers react quickly and inform parents.
Parents are often stopped by the cost of studying in a private school, which can be more than 10 thousand UAH per month. However, in Ukraine there is an opportunity to get a tax rebate for anyone who is not a sole proprietor and works officially. Victoria Khrystenko says that in order to return the money for children’s education, parents need to submit a declaration once a year. The amount is calculated depending on the parents’ salaries and the sum of money spent on school.
So what does the education market in Lviv offer?
Primary private schools
Billingual International STEM School
This is a private bilingual school with in-depth study of technical disciplines (STEM means science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Previously, there were only 1-4 grades, but this year, the school gathers groups of students in the 5th grade.
Subjects are taught comprehensively; work with students is focused on solving real issues and practical tasks. Fifty percent of education is held in English: two teachers work with children, one speaks Ukrainian, the other instructs in English.
The cost of education in primary school is 9,200 hryvnias per month, meals are included. You also need to pay a separate fee for the purchase of books (UAH 8,500). More information can be found on the school’s website.
School of the Free and Un-indifferent
This is a full-day primary school for students in grades 0-5, where education takes place according to the state standards of Ukraine. Upon graduation, students must be fluent in English at A2 level.
In addition to academic disciplines, children are taught first aid, cooking, swimming, chess, and more. There are also design and theater classes.
The school provides pupils with three meals a day.
The cost of studying is 84 thousand UAH per year, possible discounts are available in case of full payment. You also need to make a down payment of UAH 2,500 for books and uniforms. More information on the school’s website.
Photo from school’s website
KINGDOM Family School
It is a licensed private full-day school with in-depth study of foreign languages, with an emphasis on the mental and physical development of children. The institution works according to the program of the New Ukrainian School. In addition to the required subjects, pupils have courses in logic, critical thinking, financial literacy, design, engineering, and the arts.
More than 10 additional clubs and studios (karate, choreography, ballet studio, chess, robotics, etc.) function on the basis of the school.
In addition, the school provides phenomenon-oriented training, a STEM approach based on Lego foundation, thematic weeks, and wave dives.
The cost of schooling is 80 thousand UAH per year (10 months) or 8.5 thousand UAH subject to monthly payment. Read more on the school’s website.
Photo provided by the school
Discovery Montessori School
This school focuses on the study of mathematics and the development of logic. It works on the Montessori system, which focuses on freedom of movement, a child’s personal choice of activities, expression of feelings, and building social contacts.
There are additional classes in various sports, chess, art and architecture. They also study cooking, pottery, animal care, etc. Each student can choose his or her own research topics.
The school employs a speech therapist and a child psychologist and conducts regular excursions for students. Younger children are offered pre-school preparation. In addition, the enrollment in grades 5-6 is going on now.
The cost of education in grades 1-6 is 11 thousand UAH per month with meals. More information is available on the school’s website.
Until the 11th grade
CICS (Creative International Children’s School)
CICS uses a studying method of «wave dives» for pupils of 1-4 classes, which means that during a month, all subjects are studied in a lens of one subject. English is taught here from the 1st grade, and in the 3rd grade, an additional language is chosen – German, French, or Polish.
For students in grades 5-9, the school uses project immersions, integrated classes – when two subjects are taught in one lesson, bilingual lessons.
Pupils of 10-11 grades here are prepared for external independent evaluation (main exam after finishing school in Ukraine). Lessons also take place in the format of discussions, debates, and implementation of research projects. There are classes on financial literacy too.
Students manage to complete most of the tasks in class, so the amount of homework decreases.
The cost of schooling is 18 thousand UAH per month, which includes textbooks and author’s courses. More information on the school’s website.
Creative International Children’s School
IT Step School
This is a school with in-depth study of IT and foreign languages (English, German, Spanish) for children in grades 5-11.
To learn foreign languages, students are grouped according to their level of knowledge, and IT is integrated into the learning process: there are virtual reality classes, laboratories, photo and video studios. Students also study programming, design, networking, creating games, websites, developing mobile applications. High school students are prepared for the state final examination (after 9th grade) and external independent evaluation (after 11th grade).
Children learn new material through gamification, and do homework at school.
The cost of studying is UAH 13,111 per month. Read more on the school website.
Photo: IT Step School
ThinkGlobal
After graduation, school-leavers receive two certificates – Ukrainian and American, which gives them the opportunity to enter educational institutions around the world. In addition to standard subjects, children are taught financial literacy, Engineering, Science and technology, IT programming languages, Human and Word, Data Science, Social Science.
The school also offers about 20 clubs to choose from after the lessons.
The cost of schooling on Dahestanska, 24, is 115 thousand UAH per year (9 months). At the school on Zelena, 115a, it’s 105 thousand UAH. The GlobalKids innovation space will soon be opened at Malogoloskivska, 30a, where the studying will cost UAH 100,000.
More – on the school website.
Photo from school’s website
Lyceum «Dyvosvit»
This institution has a primary school for students in grades 1-4, where children receive four English lessons per week. Lyceum students starting from 5th grade have seven English lessons and four German lessons per week.
In addition to modern laboratories for experiments and a planetarium, the lyceum has football and volleyball fields, tennis courts, gym and exercise machines, as well as a swimming pool.
There are also additional classes: chess, dancing, football, vocals, robotics, journalism and communications, English Club.
The tuition fee for students in grades 1-4 is UAH 7,500 per month, for grades 5-11 – UAH 8,500 per month. The payment includes three meals a day and clubs. More information on the school’s Facebook page.
Photo from lyceum’s Facebook page
Ecoland
In this school, for grades 1 to 11, students can choose the field of study: IT and mathematics, linguistics (foreign languages) or art and aesthetics.
The school also offers the opportunity for individual and group work with a psychologist, classes with a speech therapist and constant tutoring.
Learning English at school is held at A2 level in grades 5-6, B1 level in grades 7-8 and B2, C1 – in grades 10-11. In high school, students are prepared for external evaluation. There are also meetings with business coaches, excursions to enterprises.
The cost of education in primary school equals 7000 UAH per month + 140 UAH per day for three meals; in high school – 75 thousand per year + 3000 UAH per month for three meals a day (package «Basic»), 90 thousand per year + 3000 UAH per month for meals (package «Optimal»), 103.5 thousand per year + 3000 UAH per month for meals (package «Family»). Details can be found on the school’s website.
Erudite School
Private school «Erudite» provides education for children 1-11. Children learn three foreign languages - English, Spanish, and Polish, as well as law, natural and exact sciences, history of culture and art. There are also various special courses in Erudite.
The cost of schooling should be determined individually. More information can be found on the school’s website.
Photo from school’s Facebook page
School-gymnasium «Chance»
Education in the school-gymnasium takes place from 1 to 11 classes. In addition to the compulsory curriculum, the school creates an individual program for each pupil, taking into account his interests. From the 5th grade, students can choose the subject to conduct research work.
The school has bilingual classes, which integrate the study of English and natural sciences.
In addition, you can study German, business Ukrainian, logic, art, children’s world literature, etc. at this school.
The cost of schooling must be determined individually. Details can be found on the school’s website.
Lviv Ukrainian Private Gymnasium
The gymnasium accepts pupils of grades 1-4 in the primary school «Alpha» of grades 5-11. For students of 5-7 grades, the basics of humanitarian and general culture are laid in education, teaching is carried out according to state programs.
Compulsory courses of the student’s choice are introduced for students in grades 7-11. Pupils of 10-11 grades are divided according to the profile of study – they can choose medical-biological or economic-legal direction.
The cost of education in the gymnasium should be specified in the administration. More on the school website.
Private secondary school «Perspektyva» (Perspective)
Students of grades 1-11 study at this school. «Perspektyva» is aimed at in-depth study of foreign languages - English and German. In addition, the school has a STEM-oriented approach to learning (STEM – in English means science, technology, engineering, mathematics). The institution’s program includes such subjects as mental arithmetic, rhetoric, logic, financial literacy and others.
The cost of schooling is 40 thousand hryvnias per year (including two meals a day). You can learn more about the school from its Facebook page or website.
Photo from school’s Facebook page
«Child-friendly» school
Children from grades 1-7 currently study at the school. The curriculum is based on the methods of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). The school gives the opportunity to attend classes in programming, robotics, ballet, design and others.
The cost of schooling is 13 thousand UAH per month. You can learn more about the school on the website.
Photo from school’s Facebook page
Christian private schools
School-gymnasium of St. Sophia
Pupils of grades 1-4 study here according to the method of reading «from text to letter» by Yakov Chepiga – children are taught to recognize words as whole units without explaining the letter-sound relations. One more option is the Montessori method. Children are taught to work in groups, pairs and individually, practice project activities.
For children in grades 5 to 9, the school has a leadership program where students are taught to develop useful habits, admit their mistakes, be responsible, and so on. In addition, the school uses mediation and teaches conflict resolution.
There are also language camps with native speakers. In addition, the school of St. Sophia practices days of spiritual renewal and travel abroad to share experiences.
The tuition fee is UAH 58,800 per year. More – on the school website.
Photo from school’s Facebook page
Christian School «Perlyna» (Pearl)
This is an elementary school for children in grades 1-4 with in-depth study of English. The school has an extended day group, as well as a full meal. During their free time, students can go dancing, drawing, study chess, computer literacy and fine arts.
The school claims to define each student’s unique style and abilities. The institution focuses on the development of critical and logical thinking, and its priority is student growth in three sources of knowledge – mind, feelings and faith.
The cost of training is 4 thousand UAH per month. More – on the school website.
Tvoemisto.tv emphasizes that the review is based on information from open sources. If we did not mention any of the private licensed schools in Lviv, we ask readers to add information in the comments.
Sofia Shavranska
Translated by Vitalii Holich
Photo by Unsplash and from school websites
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