Park Lane International School
Park Lane International School is an independent international day school located in Prague, the Czech Republic. The Park Lane student community consists of 500+ students, representing more than 40 nationalities. The home to foreign student ratio is 54% to 46%.
| Park Lane International School | |
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| Address | |
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Norbertov 3, Prague 6 – Střešovice Valdštejnská 151, Prague 1 – Malá Strana | |
| Coordinates | 50°5′31.19″N 14°22′36.64″E |
| Information | |
| Type | International School |
| Motto | Educating the students of today for the unknown occupations of tomorrow. |
| Established | 2006 |
| Status | Opened |
| Principal | Paul Ingarfield |
| Years offered | Pre-nursery — Year 13 |
| Age range | 2 – 18 |
| Language | English |
| Website | www.parklane-is.com |
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The EYFS, Primary and Secondary campuses currently cater for children from Pre-Nursery (aged 2-3) to Year 12 (aged 16-17). Following its IB World School accreditation in February 2018, Park Lane has recently expanded to accommodate pupils (aged 16–18), who study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at the senior school branch at the Klarov branch of the Prague 1 campus.
Although classified as a British international school, because of its location in the Czech Republic, Park Lane also offers an intensive Czech programme for all pupils. This programme ensures that Park Lane’s students pass their annual Czech state examinations as required by the Czech law.
History
Park Lane International School officially opened in September 2006. Within 7 years it had grown into a full-scale Primary school with 180 pupils on roll. In 2013, the Secondary school campus at Valdstejnska was opened. The senior school branch, located at Klarov, first welcomed students in the 2017/2018 academic year. The school caters for 550 students from the EYFS through to the Secondary school.
Locations
Park Lane International School opened its first campus at Prague 5 Bertramka accommodating children aged from 2 to 6 years. The Prague 5 Bertramka campus, being a home to the Early Years Foundation Stage, is located in a spacious villa with its own garden.
The School’s primary campus has its headquarters in a building called Norbertinum at Prague 6. Norbertinum, which originally served as a kindergarten, was built by the church in 1904. The school is located in Střešovice, a quiet neighbourhood featuring many villas, some of which were designed in the functionalist style by renowned Czech architects. Another part of the Stresovice-Prague 6 campus, located within walking distance from Norbertov, is the Sibeliova branch, a spacious villa with a purposely designed garden that is a home to the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The Prague 6 Střešovice campus accommodates children from Nursery to Year 5. Even though the Norbertov and Sibeliova sites at Prague 6 are located a short distance from the city centre, both are easily accessible by public transport with tram and bus stops nearby.
The Secondary school, which opened in September 2013, is situated in the historic district of Malá Strana in a palatial building situated directly alongside the walls of Prague Castle and extremely close to Malostranska metro station and a major tram stop which serves several different routes. Surrounded by its own walled gardens and terraces in a plot measuring 3000m2, the building - which was used as an embassy for several decades - is in exemplary condition having recently undergone a full refurbishment.
The latest addition to the Prague 1 campus, located a short walk away from the Prague 1 Valdstejnska building, is the Klarov branch, which caters to students in the final four years of secondary school and is a registered location for Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma examinations.
Although all campuses are situated close to public transport stops, younger children have the option of travelling to and from the school and between campuses using school buses.
Curriculum
The school follows the National Curriculum of England and offers a British education to children from pre-nursery to university entrance, taught by UK qualified native speakers, plus British trained foreign teachers and local teachers.
Pupils at Park Lane International School prepare for KS2 National Tests and, at the secondary level, will sit for Cambridge IGCSE examinations, followed by the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), which is widely accepted by universities worldwide.
In order to ensure a smooth academic career transition, a Careers and University Advisor is available to assist all students at the IGCSE and IBDP levels.
Modern Foreign languages at Park Lane are offered both within the curriculum provision as well as through the extracurricular activities. Students at Park Lane can choose among Spanish, French, German, and Russian languages.
Art and Music education are an important part of Park Lane’s educational provision. The music department, in cooperation with the International School of Music and Fine Arts, offers a wide range of curriculum-based as well as extracurricular classes, both individual as well as group, such as bands and choir. Every year, the music department holds an annual music extravaganza called the Sound of Park Lane. And, from 2015, the Art department has hosted the Park Lane International Film Festival (PLIFF) targeted at students of other international schools in the Czech Republic and beyond.
Scholarship
Park Lane International School offers an IB scholarship programme to all potential candidates. It holds two application rounds each year and applicants are chosen after undertaking a challenging selection process.
Accreditations and inspections
Park Lane International School is an executive member of the Council of British International Schools,[1] and undergoes regular inspections by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.[2] Park Lane underwent its most recent British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection in March 2018, achieving excellent results in all aspects of the inspection. It is a member of the Independent Schools Council[3] and is recognized by the UK Department of Education.[4]
Leadership
From its inception until June 2012, the Director of Park Lane was Miss Barbara (Basia) Lubaczewska. In September 2012, Mr Paul Ingarfield took over as a Principal of Park Lane. The Head of EYFS and Primary School is Mr Joe Eyles.
The school is administered by a governing board consisting of two proprietors, the Principal, the Head of Primary and EYFS, and the Operations Executive. The governing board holds regular meetings 4-5 times per academic year and is supported by five specific committees composed of staff and parent-governors.