| The best way of finding out about what really happens when you come to a new school as its Head is to shadow pupils for a whole day. That is how I began my tenure as the new Principal of The British School Warsaw this autumn. Joining the pupils at registration and then following them to all their lessons and experiencing the recreational and lunchtimes in their company enabled me to see how our large school worked at each of its Key Stages; we have five of these in our school beginning with the Foundation Stage at the age of three and concluding with the International Baccalaureate at the age 18.
We have our youngest pupils on a delightfully secluded site in the leafy suburb of Stary Mokotow where the pupils from the age of three to six begin their schooling with us in a very safe and welcoming home from home environment that we call our Early Years’ Centre.
From the age of 6 all our students are all taught at our main school campus in the very accessible district of Sadyba very near to the renowned Best Mall shopping centre. At Limanowskiego we are able to accommodate both a Primary School and a Secondary School on our large site. We have playing fields in front of the school and the construction of stunning new refectory is nearing completion as I write. With three assembly halls, four fully equipped science laboratories and three libraries and computers everywhere with over 50 classrooms we are a very well resourced and appointed school on both our campuses.
Facilities are important, but what really turns a good school into a great one is the professionalism of the large faculty of teachers, the excitement that the students at all ages exude for their learning and the support that we receive from the parents who choose to send their children to be educated in our school.
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As the new Principal, I bring 20 years of UK school headship to my new post. In my time as Head I have never said anything about any of the schools that I have been privileged to lead that cannot be borne out by evidence to support it.The evidence that I have already gathered here at The British School Warsaw in my pupil shadowing encourages me greatly in how we are continuing to develop as a school with Teaching and Learning at the heart of all that we do. The professionalism of the teachers here is tangible: their passion for making a difference to each child each day is evident in all their lessons. The parental support of the school through a very proactive and professional PTA is another major strength of the school.
However, the single most impressive aspect of this school is to be found in the spirit, the excitement, the determination, the care and the concern that our pupils bring to the school lesson by lesson and day by day. Each day we stretch and challenge our pupils’ young minds through our programmes of study, firmly anchored to the English National Curriculum throughout all its Key Stages. Each day our pupils exceed our expectations as they build their personal educational portfolio that will stand them in great stead as they grow into internationally adapatable global citizens.
It was those young students’ energy, and their teachers’ enthusiasm that immediately convinced me that I should become the new Principal of The British School on my first visit here. Everything that I have seen and heard since arriving here has strengthened that view. I commend The British School Warsaw to any prospective parent looking for a quality British medium school with an outstanding IB Programme to come and visit us.
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