Project Polish is a not-for-profit company that has developed an education project that highlights the links between Poland and the UK – and it’s
FREE for schools to register and take part.
The two countries have strong links, forged around the time of World War Two when Polish people fought alongside the British Army, and many Poles came to live in the UK after the war.
Today, there are estimated to be over one million Polish citizens living in the UK, and many more British people with Polish ancestry. Polish is the most commonly spoken non-native language in England and Wales.
Project Polish aims to raise pupils’ awareness of the bond between the UK and Poland, Polish people, history and culture, and how the two nations can continue to work together in the future.
All schools with pupils between the ages of eight and 18 are eligible to take part in Project Polish, which is running until the end of January 2020.
The teaching resources were designed and tested in a number of UK schools and can be easily adapted for use in your own setting.
All materials are available for free by clicking on this registration link.
The project has three tasks:
- Task 1 – looking at how Polish people throughout history have made contributions to modern life
- Task 2 – engaging in discussion with Polish people living locally to your school to find out how we can learn from one another
- Task 3 – giving pupils an opportunity to shape the future by finding ways to bring people from different backgrounds together in their local community.
Schools can choose to do all three tasks, or just one or two. Task 1 takes the form of a lesson; the other two tasks can be done in lesson time or as project work.
The Project Polish teaching resources are suitable for both primary and secondary schools, and higher education. The project links with curriculum requirements for KS3 in English, History and PHSCE. The activity also links to the requirement to teach British
values in schools, to promote tolerance between different cultural traditions.
By taking part in Project Polish, your pupils will gain an understanding of relationships between Polish citizens and people from different backgrounds living in their local area. They’ll also have an opportunity to contribute their ideas for ways these
relationships can be strengthened and celebrated, and even shape central government policy by sharing what they think.
Project Polish has the backing of the UK Embassy in Warsaw, the Polish Embassy in London, the British Council, and the Polish Cultural Institute.
All schools that complete Task 3 will be invited to
a reception at the Polish Embassy in London on February 5th 2020, hosted by the Polish Ambassador. It will be an opportunity for schools to meet each other, share what they have learnt through Project Polish and offer their ideas on how to evolve the project
in the future.
Want to know how Project Polish could work in your school?
See how this Peterborough school used the project to teach pupils about Polish history, culture and food.
To find out more about Project Polish, visit
www.projectpolish.com – or you can ask the team a question by emailing them at
info@projectpolish.com.
To register your school now and download the free teaching resources, visit
www.projectpolish.com/registration.
This article has been posted by the Stronger Communities Together
team at Bradford Council. For further information about our work please visit our
Stronger Communities Partnership web page or email
stronger.communities@bradford.gov.uk . Thank you!