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2011-09-01
Dear Parents and Guardians!
We apologise for not having issued much new information regarding the opening of the Polish School. It does not mean that the project was forgotten and abandoned. To the contrary, a lot of work has been done in order to prepare and issue various documents required for the school to open. A School Constitution has been developed and documents concerning the care and protection of children were composed.
There was work done on the school budget. We talked to many institutions and organisations attempting to gain their financial support for our school, however, we have not been successful in securing any funding as government cuts in the community and voluntary sectors started to bite.
Knowing what the situation was we successfully negotiated terms of classroom hire with local schools and we believe we achieved a very good deal.
The biggest challenge so far has been finding the teaching staff. We knew they would need to be volunteers who would make a commitment to the school and its pupils and who not only would give up having lie-ins on Saturday mornings to teach our kids their mother tongue and acquaint them with Polish culture in exchange for an arrangement based on cost recovery, but they will also spend a considerable amount of time outside of the classroom planning and preparing for the classes.
However much work is done on the budget the school will not be able to offer them a lot for their time and skills. That is why it has not been easy to attract such volunteers. We posted adverts in Cooltura and other magazines, but there has not been much response. When we heard from people we soon realised they were based in other towns and cities such as London so the cost of the commute would be more than the amounts we could offer.
Looking for the right teacher has become an obsession and we made enquiries to everyone we talked to. And so it paid off – we have found the teacher who offered to help in starting the school. On Saturday 6th August a trial lesson was organised and it was very successful. Kasia is a qualified primary school teacher (nauczanie wczesnoszkolne) and she also has experience in teaching foreign languages so if need be, she will be able to communicate with those of the pupils who may struggle with Polish.
Thanks to Kasia we will be able to start the school providing classes to 5-6 year olds this September. Unfortunately at this stage it will be the only group formed. As soon as we have found teachers and volunteers to run classes for 3-4 year olds and those aged 7 and older we will start those as well. Those who are ready and willing to take the challenge are asked to contact us on Facebook or via email polskaszkolahastings@gmail.com
The minimum number of pupils to run a group is 7. The most common enquiries regarding the school were concerning 5-6 year olds and so it is going to be the first one to run.
Classes will take place on Saturdays at between 10.30am and 1.30 pm at St mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School in Magdalen Road, St Leonards on Sea. There will be a 15 minutes break within the allocated time.
First class will commence on Saturday 10th September at 10.30. It will still be possible to register your child on the day from 9.45am. The Registration Form is available in Polish and English on http://www.pinh.co.uk/html/polska_szkola_w_hastings.html.
In order to speed the process up we would request that the forms are filled in before you appear on site.
The cost of the first trimester (12 Saturdays, 3 hours each) is £72.00. We would ask you to make a pre-payment of £10.00 on registration, either directly to the school bank account or by cash on site. The remainder will need to be settled by 17th September.
At registration you will also be able to purchase or order fine ruled exercise books. We will circulate information on course books, their prices and opportunities to purchase /order them shortly.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on polskaszkolahastings@gmail.com
Yours faithfully
The Governing Body
Jan Brzechwa Polish Supplementary School
16/02/2011
The Governing body of the Jan Brzechwa's Polish Supplementary School in Hastings and St Leonards on Sea was elected by ballot, on 03.02.2011.
School Director: Anna Roby
Vice-Director: Anna Sliwa-Paderewska
Secretary: Celina Zomer
Treasurer: Aleksandra Nona
The school is a not profit making social organisation.
The intake of pupils for the academic year 2011/2012 is due to commence. The 1.5 hour long lessons will take place twice a week, in the afternoon or on Saturday mornings, and places are limited. To request an application form please telephone: 07591996968, or email: polskaszkolahastings@gmail.com
We can also provide information about the UK educational system, types of schools, admissions procedures, etc.
English language lessons for parents, as well as Polish as a foreign language courses, are also being planned.
There will also be integrative trips and other extracurricular activities.
Any help and participation in organising, as well as managing the school, will be welcome. We will require educational materials:
fine ruled exercise books
CD and DVDs with traditional songs and tales in Polish
maps of Poland
all kinds of photos and pictures of famous places and people, such
as the kings, poets, composers, Polish landscape pictures, etc.
All offers of cooperation, donations and voluntary work will be gratefully appreciated. Please email: polskaszkolahastings@gmail.com
The school website is currently being created. It will be linked to schools and other institutions in East Sussex. Businesses interested in advertising on the website can contact us on: polskaszkolahastings@gmail.com. All monies received from advertisements will be used towards the rental of the classrooms, educational resources, the wages of our qualified teachers, prizes for the pupils, and other school expenditure.
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03/02/2011
In the last few weeks, a group of Polish mothers came forward with the idea of creating a Polish school in Hastings and St Leonards. It is a grassroots idea based, by and large, on a voluntary initiative and working as a non-profiting organisation.
Plans for children`s lessons, run in two age groups: 3-4 and 5-9 years old, are currently being discussed. The one hour lessons would be held in one of local schools, twice a week. Subject to demand, Saturday lessons could also be considered.
The lessons will be led by a qualified primary education teacher, who will be employed by the school. The classes will go ahead in May 2010 and will run in a limited capacity in order to determine demand and interest on the part of the Polish children and parents. The school would then operate at full steam from September.
If you have any queries, please contact Kamila, on 07591 996968, or email: polskaszkolahastings@gmail.com
Translation: Anna Kratiuk
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