Primary and Nursery School, Teaching Hospital in Nitra, Slovakia

Education for pupils at The Hospital School in Nitra, Slovakia, began in 1955. Mrs. Ballová was the first headteacher. In turn the teaching staff expanded to six. Now our school has four teachers that teach the pupils of primary school, two teachers for children two to six years, three nursemaids and one administrative worker.

We are a state funded special school. Our principal aim is to provide carrying and happy school that enables children to continue their education while they are sick and hospitalized. In our hospital there is the population that includes children with chronic and acute illnesses (wards including Orthopedy, Plastic Surgery, Urology and Nephrology, Pediatric Psychiatry, etc.). Hospital School staff enables children patients to continue their studies while undergoing medical treatment, and help with the transition of pupils back to their home school.

Our school provides opportunities for children to:                                                           

 

Every morning, at about 8 a.m., a teacher from our school comes to the ward, collects patients and introduces them to classroom. Each pupil has individual needs and we treat every person with respect and as an individual. Hospital school sometimes does some accommodations and modifications necessitated by the patient’s medical condition. Teachers work with children patients individually or in small groups. Medical staff approves the amount of time a pupil is able to devote to the study with the teacher in instruction. We do teach curriculum subjects like Maths and Slovak language as well as Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Biology, etc.

 

Hospital teachers instruct patients at bedside or in one of the three equipped classrooms located in the hospital (e.g. on the psychiatric ward, infection clinic, and pediatric ward). Our classrooms have computers and accessories, models, books, audiovisual equipment, games and toys that are selected to meet needs of children patients. We do teach also children with special needs.

In the afternoon, children are integrated into many funny and recreation activities. They participate in drama, arts and crafts workshops, music sessions, project-making etc. They work with computers, take part in various competitions. Psychiatric as well as some pediatric patients are allowed to participate in activities taking place outside the hospital, e.g. puppet shows, exhibitions, walks, etc.). In case of showing interest, youngsters from 16 to 18 could be integrated into the activities too.

                         

Hospital school staff communicates with the patient’s home school to notify the school of the patient’s admission to our school, enrollment in the school program, discharge from the hospital, tasks and grades earned while the patient was enrolled in the hospital school.

Our hospital school aims to provide an enjoyable and enriching experience for all our pupils that ensures normality trough education, and helps to prevent anxiety about school work.