Every year, students who do not speak Polish as their first language start school in Wrocław, facing a language barrier and an unfamiliar school environment. To help students and their parents and carers get the new school year off to a good start, the Wrocław Centre for Social Development (WCRS) has prepared the third edition of the “School Starter Package”.
The “School Starter Package” guide was written for parents and carers and for children who do not speak Polish as their first language and who are starting or continuing their education in Poland, having come from another country or returned to Poland after living abroad. This free brochure contains key information about the education system and tips on finding your way around a Polish school.
As Maria Adamiec from the WCRS Intercultural Dialogue Team says: “The ‘School Starter Package’ is a unique publication full of useful, up-to-date information for both parents and students, who, having arrived from another country, often do not know how things work in a Polish school. That is why we included information not only about the education path in Poland and how the school year is organised, i.e. exams and school holidays. We also tried to explain things that may seem obvious from a Polish perspective, such as what the school after-school club (świetlica) is, what to bring as a PE kit, and what the electronic gradebook is.”
The guide consists of two parts. The first is addressed to parents and carers, and the second directly to students. In the middle there is a glossary of useful school terms and sample letters for communication between parents and the school, such as consent to take part in extracurricular activities or a note excusing an absence.
The guide was produced in cooperation with the Education Department of Wrocław City Hall. The brochure is free of charge and is intended for students enrolled in Wrocław schools and their parents and carers.
The guide in Polish and Ukrainian is available online on the website of the
Intercultural Dialogue Team of the Wrocław Centre for Social Development:
Version in Polish
Version in Ukrainian
English version in preparation.
The “School Starter Package” in the media:
