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Joined: 24 Feb 2013 / Female ♀
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Stanczakfamily   
24 Feb 2013
Study / Are English only speaking students accepted into public Wroclaw school? Spanish ones too? [12]

We live in Wrocław and my kids' first language is English. They both attend Polish schools and are doing well in both languages but they have been in school here since preschool. It is a bit harder for my fourth-grade son. The public school where he goes has offered him one hour a week helping him with his Polish but in a group setting. Our daughter attends a small private, Polish Christian school. All her classmates are Polish and the classes are all in Polish. She doesn't receive any extra help with her Polish except that she is granted special conditions when she takes official exams (30 min. longer and grace for spelling and grammar mistakes.). My children are given this special help on the basis of an official document that they were given when we had them tested at a certified counseling center. They give bilingual kids the same treatment as children with dyslexia.

If you plan to stay in Poland long-term, then it is worth integrating at least the younger ones into the Polish system. The youngest would probably have no problem. Fourth grade is a critical year because that is when they start to receives grades and the program becomes more intense. I believe it would be much harder for a child in junior high or high school to keep up with their education without knowing the language. If you only plan to stay a couple years, then it may be better to continue their schooling in English and find other avenues of contact for them with Polish children, such as sports, church, etc. Hope this helps! Wishing you a good transition to life in Poland!