Conferences for school management committee members
Training sessions “Managing of a supplementary school in Great Britain: employment law and remuneration” and a certified paediatric first aid course
London, 8 October 2016 and Manchester, 12 November 2016
These training sessions were addressed to the people involved in running or planning to open a Polish supplementary school in the UK. The participation was open to the PES’s members and those representing schools that are not yet registered in our association or who are still in the process of opening a school.
The topics covered, among others, the employment law in the UK (including possible employment models for Polish supplementary schools), contracts of employment and other necessary documents, conflict resolution and discrimination. The session also included a part on remuneration – school’s staff remuneration schemes and options plus the related UK laws and payroll. At the same time, another group attended a paediatric first aid course – how to respond in the event of danger to the life or health of children and how to ensure their safety, including general rules for dealing with children, differences in the anatomy and physiology of children and adults, dealing with injuries and conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation on children and infants.
People involved in running of Polish supplementary schools are often educated and dedicated teachers, but they are faced with steps such as hiring employees or working with volunteers for the first time in their career, therefore it was important that the participants learned about applicable UK laws – both when it comes to employment and remuneration. During these training sessions the matters were discussed by experts in the fields. There was also a chance to ask questions and for an individual consultation to check that the school was following all the appropriate procedures.
The training group that took part in the paediatric first aid course focused on the health of children and infants. The training covered subjects such as an unconscious child, wounds and bleeding, infant’s cardiopulmonary resuscitation, choking, fractures, foreign objects in the nose and mouth, anaemia, asthma, cooling, overheating, shock, personal hygiene, rescue, burns, anaphylaxis, electric shock, and recording and reporting of incidents. Those who passed the final exam were issued with an OFSTED-honoured certificate that had a validity of three years.
There were 41 people from 12 Polish supplementary schools and two people planning to open a school who took part in the training session in London (8 October). The training in Manchester (12 November) attracted 24 people from 23 Polish supplementary schools and 3 people planning to open such school.
Training sessions “Running of a Polish supplementary school in the UK: legal forms” in collaboration with United Poles – Birmingham, 16 April 2016; Manchester, 30 April 2016 and London, 14 May 2016
The training sessions were addressed to people who are planning or planning to open a Polish supplementary school in the UK. The participation was open to members of the PES, as well as to those representing schools that are not registered in our association.
The session was conducted by Agata Dmoch, Solicitor and Legal Advisor, winner of the Person of the Year award by the “Dziennik Polski” newspaper, a member of United Poles, the organisation that co-organised the training. James Dixon, barrister at Law No 5 Chambers and Law Society’s Pro Bono Solicitor, specialising in employment, was also present. The conference was conducted in Polish.
People in charge of running of Polish supplementary schools – often educated and dedicated teachers – are faces with choosing the right legal form for their organisation. The training was intended to determine, among other things, the place of Polish supplementary schools on the map of organisations in the UK, specifying the available legal forms depending on the assumptions and objectives adopted by the institutions. The issues that should be considered when choosing the right legal form, such as personal responsibility, ownership, funding, management and profit, were discussed. One of the expected results was to dispel possible doubts when it comes to the founding documents of schools such as the Constitution and the Articles of Association.
A combined number of 69 participants attended the events.
Training sessions „Financial management at the Polish supplementary school in the UK” – Belfast, 21 November 2015 and Manchester, 28 November 2015
On the 21st of November 2015 in Belfast and the 28th of November 2015 in Manchester, we conducted the training sessions about the finances of supplementary schools, part of the “Managing of a supplementary school in the United Kingdom” training series.
These training sessions were addressed to the people involved in running or planning to open a Polish supplementary school in the UK. The participation was open to the PES’s members and those representing schools that are not yet registered in our association or who are still in the process of opening a school.
The topics focused on the budgeting of school activities, accounting and financial reporting, employee salaries, and applying for funding. Detailed training programmes are available below:
Participants had the opportunity to take part in individual consultations with the trainers.
For the first time we had the pleasure of conducting a training in Northern Ireland. The Belfast event was attended by seven representatives of Polish Saturday schools in Northern Ireland, both registered with the PES and those who have not yet registered with our Society.
The participants expressed a great need for training both in the management of Polish schools and for methodological workshops for teachers. It was nice to read many positive comments from the participants: “a great lecture”, “much new and useful information”, “very detailed information by Mr. Szymon Niestryjewski”.
On the 28th of November, yet another time we had the pleasure to conduct a training session in Manchester, this time for 50 participants. A presentation on the process of applying for grants, organised by the founder and director of the Merseyside Polonia community, Gosia McKane, was particularly well received. In addition to running a Polish organisation, Gosia is working with the UK-based NRCSE organisation on daily basis. The training was conducted in partnership with the Polish Consulate in Manchester, with the Consul, Mrs Barbara Armatys, present at the event.
Training materials
Gosia McKane’s presentation on funding for Polish supplementary schools is available here.
Training sessions in Manchester (12.07.2014) and Bristol (06.12.2014) “Managing of a supplementary school in Great Britain’
On the 12th of July 2014 we held a training session dedicated to the legal aspects of running of a supplementary school in the UK in Manchester, and again in Bristol on the 6th of December 2014.
Organising of the two events was our answer to the growing interest in creating educational opportunities for the Polish children living in the UK through the running of supplementary schools of the Polish language and culture.
We invited excellent experts to share their knowledge with the conference attendees. The sessions were led by Pascale Vassie, the director of the National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education, who gave an overview of wide spectrum of things which must be taken into cosideration when planning for a supplemetary school, and Agata Dmoch, solicitor and award-winning social activist. Agata taught about the legal forms which can be adapted by such an enterprise as a supplementary school and also explain, what is involved in creating a governing document for specific legal forms.
Both trainers also held a Q&A sessions and, additionally, they answered individual questions during one-to-one consultations. For the Q&A as well as the consultations, Agata was joined by James Dixon, Barrister, Laureate of the ‘Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year’ 2013 title.
Please, see the training materials below ( Training session “Managing of a supplementary school in Great Britain’, 12.04.2014 – training materials).
Training session “Managing of a supplementary school in Great Britain’, 12.04.2014 – training materials
The training session covering some key issues of the managing of a supplementary school in the UK took place on the 12th April 2014. The event was co organised by the PES and the Polish Embassy in London.
The session was attended by 60 representatives of the existing Polish Saturday schools’ governing bodies as well as the groups interested in opening new supplementary schools.
The session led by two coaches: Pascale Vassie, Executive Director National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education and Agata Dmoch, Solicitor, was quite intense. Apart from the informative presentations, both coaches have also answered the questions raised by the attendees.
Special guest of the event was Consul Ines Czajczyńska-DaCosta, who represented the Polish Embassy in London.
The coordinator of the session was Marta Niedzielska from the PES.
Training materials:
- Pascale Vassie, National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education: An essential guide to starting up a supplementary school: what must be considered when planning for a new supplementary school?
- Mec. Agata Dmoch: Adopting a legal framework for a Supplementary School in Great Britain; Writing the constitution and other key documents for a Supplementary School.