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Friendly Circle

About us

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Welcome to the Polish Academy in Galway, a complementary Saturday school dedicated to Polish children living in Ireland.

We are a new initiative, launching our first groups in September 2024 starting with the youngest learners. 

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Magdalena and Michal Pawlowscy inspired by their own experiences, established this school to provide the best Polish education for their children and warmly welcome all children

in the community. Both immigrated to Ireland as children and grew up in Galway, where they attended Polish Saturday classes under the direction of Agnieszka Grochola, Magdalena's mother, who was the principal of the school. Agnieszka, an expert in Polish language education, brings her wealth of knowledge to support the founding of this Academy, helping provide a high standard of education and cultural enrichment.

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Our mission is to provide excellent education encompassing the Polish language, history, culture, and geography while celebrating the rich cultural diversity of Ireland. Magdalena’s experience as a former director of an English language school in Eyre Square and Michal’s background in teaching English as a foreign language underscore their deep commitment to education and heritage.

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We look forward to welcoming your family to our vibrant and supportive community.

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Founders

Founders

Our Team

Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Meet the dedicated educators who make Polish Academy in Galway a special place to learn. Each member of our team is committed to providing top-quality language education

and creating a welcoming environment for all students.

Helping us

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Agnieszka Grochola

Agnieszka is a mother of two bilingual children, who moved with her to Ireland at the ages of 6 and 10. Her kids were the inspiration to establish a place where Polish children living in Galway and the surrounding areas could learn the Polish language. She has been living in Ireland for 17 years now.

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  • Over 20 years of experience teaching Polish in schools in both Poland and Ireland.

  • Expierience as an examiner of the Polish language at Leaving Certificate in the Irish education system.

  • Initiator and co-founder of the Polish School in Galway.

  • Principal of Wislawa Szymborska Polish School in Galway for 10 years (2009-2019). 

  • Co-founder of the Polish Educational Society in Ireland.

  • Served as deputy chairperson and then the chairperosn of the Polish Educational Society in Ireland.

  • Co-organized many conferences and trainings for Polish teachers in Ireland.

  • Co-founded the Congress of Polish Education Abroad.

  • Member of the first Polish Education Council at the Ministry of National Education (2010).

  • Participated in 18 conferences, training sessions, workshops, and conventions for Polish teachers abroad (2009-2020).

  • Expert on projects creating textbooks for Polish students abroad (twice).

  • Established a Local Methodological Center in Ireland through collaboration with the Association of the Polish Community.

  • Conducted training sessions for Polish language teachers in Ireland from 2016 to 2019.

  • She highly values active teaching methods where the teacher is attuned to the needs of the Child, fostering the Child's interest in the subject and enhancing His/Her independence, with the lessons being a shared educational adventure. 

 

As a grandmother of two little ones born in Ireland, she wishes to accompany them and their peers on their adventure with the Polish language and culture.

She welcomes the initiative of the young generation of Polish parents in creating the Polish Academy in Galway and supports it wholeheartedly.

 

Passing on Polish culture from one generation to the next.

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