The Principal and teachers from a Polish primary school made a trip to Redcar & Cleveland College as part of an educational partnership programme and were very impressed with the new college and its facilities.

 

The cultural visit is the first stage of an exchange programme which aims to get teachers and students together to share best practice in all aspects of teaching and learning, personal development and cultural diversity. Students from Redcar & Cleveland College’s BTEC National Diploma in Care course will also be able to take part in international work placements as part of their assessment.

 

Redcar & Cleveland College is particularly keen to develop a partnership with schools in Poland, as the country develops into a modern and vibrant nation with greater importance internationally.

 

During their visit to the college, the teachers observed and interacted in lessons, toured the college campus, met students from a variety of courses and visited the University of Teesside, as well as experiencing the English culture!

 

Magdalena Pabian, a lecturer in English at Primary School No 8 in Jelenia Gora, Poland, is looking forward to working closely with the college. “The students will profit from the exchange and their skills in looking after children will be enhanced by learning about different cultures.”

 

She was also very impressed with the new college building. “It’s gorgeous! A very modern building and I am amazed with the staffrooms and the facilities available especially the atrium area,” she said.

 

The students are very much looking forward to taking part in the exchange programme when they visit Jelenia Gora next year. As part of their project, 15 students will participate in planning and implementing a para-olympics event for local schoolchildren, and also take part in celebrating the Polish culture at a regional festival.

 

17 year-old student Michaela Weatherson, on the BTEC National Diploma in Health and Social Care course, said: “I am very excited about the forthcoming visit and learning about a different culture, in particular how the education system works and its differences to UK practices.”

 

Yasmin Jones, 18, who is on the same course, said: “I want to work with disabled children so this will provide me with an ideal opportunity to learn about another country’s care practices, which will in turn give me a better understanding and greater knowledge of caring for people with special needs.”