His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is the UK Patron of the English College in Prague. Everyone at the ECP was very touched to receive this message from him, sending his best wishes. We are very grateful to Prince Charles for thinking of us. He has himself had Covid-19 and we are delighted that he has made a full recovery.
Founder Patron
It was President Havel who asked Prince Charles to join him as a Founder Patron of the English College. Since the opening of the school in September 1994, HRH has visited the English College on two occasions. The first time was in October 2000 and he came to the ECP again in March 2010. Many teachers and former students have very happy memories of his visits and of the interest he has showed in the College.
Text of the message
As we face quite unprecedented challenges, I did just want to let you know that you are very much in my special thoughts at such a very anxious time for everyone.
The disruption we have experienced to normal life has been profound and therefore I can well imagine the appalling difficulties you must be experiencing.
Nonetheless, I have no doubt that you will deal with these new circumstances with determination, imagination and resourcefulness. As you do so, please be assured of my support, my gratitude and my admiration.
On Friday, ECP’s Senior Deputy Head, Tony Emmerson, will be leading a webinar for teachers. It is hosted by CEM, the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring. CEM is a leading provider of assessments and data analysis tools to educational institutions around the world. Many of them are prestigious HMC schools both in the UK and overseas.
Tony will be sharing his expertise and ideas on how to use data to support students in the international context. The webinar is part of ECP’s commitment to being at the forefront of the international education scene, combining the best of both British and International education in our own unique way.
Tony is currently responsible for curriculum and assessment at the English College in Prague. He is leading the Heads of Faculty team, and supporting the Headmaster in his role of Senior Deputy Head. He is a firm believer in the evolving role of ICT in education, as a tool to aid learning and also to prepare students for professional life in the 21st century.
Many young people and their families may be feeling anxious and worried during school closure caused by COVID-19. To help with this, The English College in Prague has taken a number of well-being measures, as “Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Elements of our approach, to maintain a sense of community and support students during isolation, include:
Frequent communication with families and students via e-mail, bulletins and Google Meet
A 20% reduction of academic lessons in Years 1-4
A variety of well-being sessions integrated into our timetable
Student-organised online events during the holidays, such as an art competition and a Minecraft tournament
Regular online meetings with Tutors for continuity of pastoral care
Lessons that incorporate movement and less screen time, where possible
24-hour access to Pastoral care through a bespoke e-mail address
Physical Exercises
The ECP’s Physical Education (PE) lessons have continued as normal via e-learning, to combat students’ time on screens and assist them with staying in a fitness routine.
Mr Gavriněv and Mrs Gavriněvová have provided some inspiration for good physical exercises in self-isolation and they say, “Best wishes to you all to keep fit!”
The English College in Prague is publishing a series of articles about its response to COVID-19; see our first one, on e-learning, here.
Resources:
“7 Lessons Parents with Kids at Home Can Learn from Prague Educators – Prague, Czech Republic.” Expats.cz Latest News & Articles – Prague and the Czech Republic, 1 Apr. 2020, news.expats.cz/czech-education/5-lessons-parents-with-kids-at-home-can-learn-from-prague-educators/.
“Fitness On Your Terms.” DAREBEE, darebee.com/.
“Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Apr. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html.
