Opinie lektorów

'I was very happy to return to Brytania in Tarnów for a second year of teaching. I really have nothing but praise for the staff and students. The standards are high, but if you’re prepared to put time and thought into your classes, you will find the staff and students are helpful and inclusive. From the very start I was amazed, and am still, at how well the students speak English. They value their skills highly and expect a similar level of dedication from their teachers.

It’s perfectly possible to live in Tarnów, probably anywhere in Poland, without any Polish. Most people speak enough English to help with questions in shops or with transport. That’s not to say it’s not worth learning the language. It is – immeasurably so, in my opinion.

In Tarnów entertainment is not offered up on a plate, but there is plenty to do, even if it takes a bit of rooting out. It’s much easier to fit in and make friends if you are active and enjoy sports. I can’t stress this enough really. The surrounding countryside is beautiful and fascinating and easily accessible by bike. There is a climbing wall as well as tennis courts and numerous good gyms, swimming in the lakes, some skiing, hiking … the list goes on. The other teachers at the school will be happy to include new teachers in these activities.

If you want to develop professionally, discover a new culture, learn a new language, meet wonderful new people, if you are open-minded and enthusiastic and willing to embrace difference, come to Tarnów!'

David Cowie (2013-2015)

‘Before I moved to take my position as a native speaker at Brytania school, Dębica, I naturally did a bit of research to form an impression of what to expect upon my arrival. Since I tend to favour living in smaller, more peaceful towns – away from the more hectic and often overhyped centres popular elsewhere in Poland – I was very pleased to find that Dębica (with a population of around 50,000) matched my preferred criteria perfectly. After accepting the position, I grew to know the town better, and appreciated more and more the town’s unique appeal. While admittedly lacking the nocturnal vibrance of bigger Polish cities – of which Rzeszów (one hour away), Tarnów (thirty minutes) are easily accessible by public transport – if nonetheless for its size caters extremely well for the entertainment of its inhabitants. The town is particularly well-equipped for those of a sporting inclination; with an Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, skating rinks and facilities for skiing situated nearby. Also of note, is the abundance of greenery throughout the town due to the omnipresence of trees and extensive parks, successfully preventing the town from feeling like ‘just another grey backwater’. But to top all of these, the main selling point for Dębica as a town is its location as a base for exploring the rich and varied possibilities of southeastern Poland. The Renaissance castle of Łańcut, historic city of Lwów, rolling hills of Bieszczady, magnificent Tatry mountains and delightful spa town of Krynica all offer themselves as potential destinations foa day or weekend breaks. Perhaps the most praiseworthy characteristic of the town is Debicities remarkable warmth and helpfulness. There is a strong sense of community and identity among it’s towns residents which is reflected in the attitude and enthusiasm of the majority of students I taught at the school. At no point in the year did I have to deal with any real ‘problem’ students, which may often be the case in larger cities where students have a reputation for being pushier and more difficult.

The positive attitude naturally extends to the staff of the school, whose supportive and patient manner, as well as their commitment to quality and efficiency, really is commendable. The secretaries work tirelessly to maintain high standards of the school’s organization, while the teaching and management staff have always been very helpful in assisting me when I needed a little advice from a more experience perspective, both in terms of teaching and day-to-day practicalities. The quality and variety of resources and facilities is also notheworthy, meaning that the flexibility of lesson substance can quickly and easily be beefed up with material from other high quality sources.

In summary, my year spent teaching at Brytania, Dębica, has provided me with one of the most valuable experiences – professionally and personally – in my whole life. Whilst being a rather small town and obviously lacking in terms of breadth of nightlife possibilities (which, for me, has never been a problem, nearby Rzeszów and Tarnów can provide such an opportunity), the town is not only ideally situated for a wide range of activities for the active sports enthusiasts, nature lover and culture vulture, but also caters remarkably well in many ways for those who lack the means to be active every weekend.’

Rob Cassel

‘As both a school and a business, Brytania runs a tight ship. Teaching schedules are well-organized and put together with the full consultation of the teacher. I found that the management is consistently organized with relation to notifying teachers about changes with classes and events ahead of time, and they are more than willing to be flexible when teachers' needs demand so. In return, the school expects high quality from its teachers through having good planning and engaging classes, but I generally felt able and ready to do so at all times. As regards the accommodation in Tarnow, the apartment is enough for two single teachers or a couple; you'll find there is ample space in the kitchen with good opportunities for cooking if that's your thing. The city itself has the all the amenities that a teacher could need, although it can get a bit sleepy without the presence of a good social circle or a significant other. This may be just what you're looking for if you want a more laid-back, quiet place to be living. If not, plan on making some friends, learn some Polish, visit Krakow occasionally, and you will be fine!’

Grant Berg

‘Brytania was a great school for me to start out my teaching career. The library is fairly expansive, and in most cases I had more than enough resources for my classes. I enjoyed all my classes – the students (both at companies and at the school itself) are driven, interested, and friendly. The receptionists are wonderfully hard-working, professional, and helpful – whenever I had a problem they immediately assisted me. I was also supported by the owner and the DOS; especially in my first year of teaching they would help me through problems with course-work, student discipline, and so on. There are also opportunities to develop professionally through such things as training sessions. Tarnów itself is a great town – smaller and at times quiet, but still with a variety of things to do. It’s also pretty close to Kraków for those interested in a change of pace. Overall, I’d rate my time at Brytania as quite positive, and I’m glad to have taught there for two years.’

Amanda Fisher

‘Brytania is an extremely well run school with a good working atmosphere. The students are well behaved and the courses are properly organised. Teachers know exactly what is demanded of them at all times and they are provided with all the resources they need to do their job effectively. Your timetable will probably require you to teach classes outside the school, in factories or in the court; the opportunity to include a few factory workers and judges in your rota of students adds some pleasant variety to your week's teaching. The working week is five days and there are various short breaks throughout the year so you will have the opportunity to see something of the country beyond the inside of classrooms.

Tarnów has a peaceful relaxed feel to it. It's not really a town for party animals (although there are a few clubs if that's what you're looking for) and a town this size is obviously not going to provide the rich variety of cultural experiences that a capital city would have to offer, but the pretty main square has restaurants and bars on every side; sipping beers at the outdoor tables on spring evenings is the perfect way to unwind. There's a cinema showing films in English and sometimes you can find music in some of the bars or at the Cultural centre. If you have a car Kraków's a short drive away and you're also close to plenty of Ski Spots in the winter. If you don't have a car it's a little trickier to get around but it's still possible and more than worth the effort.’

Fergal McNally

Students seem to enjoy participating actively in discussions and do not hesitate to try new activities. Most of them were also aware of their weaknesses and used the class time to work on improving their English. It is rewarding to see people with such thirst for knowledge and an awareness of the benefits that the mastery of theEnglish language can have for them personally and for their future.

Anne Lech

Dębica has enough to keep you occupied outside of school hours. There are plenty of grocery stores, some located very close to the school, and the selection is good. There is a large grocery store and shopping center located about a 15 minute walk away from school as well. The restaurants Herbaciarnia (excellent naleśniki) and Gościniec are good and fairly priced, and the bars Szwejk and Zaułek are pretty popular and good places to spend some time in.During the warmer months there are also tents set up in the main square where people hang out.

Adam T. Dupaski

While Dębica does not have nightlife to rival that of London, Paris or New York there are a few bars where native speakers are very welcome! I am thinking particularly of Roma and Szrek where, on a significant number of nights, native speakers can be seen arguing over the finer points of English grammar and teaching methodology… amongst other things.

Paul Walsh