Our History
In December 1990, at 18 Meiselsa Street in Kraków’s Kazimierz district, a children’s club called “Klub Przedszkolaków u Krakowiaków” came to being. It was founded by two psychology graduates – Basia Turopolska and Iza Marcinkowska-Serwatka.
Initially, the children were just learning English through the medium of games, songs and nursery rhymes. They were “travelling” around the world and getting to know different customs. The club was ready and willing to accept children from abroad, because the two teachers – the club’s co-founders – spoke fluent English. Soon, children who did not speak Polish as their native tongue began to join the club. The world was getting closer, and English was a means of connecting kids from various countries and cultures. This is why, in 1996, the club – now a preschool – changed its name to “Rainbow”. The name was meant to highlight the school’s linguistic profile; the symbolism of a colourful rainbow emphasised our aim: to unite, not to divide.
As early as in the early 1990s, Rainbow started to employ native speakers from the UK and became truly international. In those days, Rainbow was the only preschool for 3-6 year-olds in Kraków where teaching English was an integral part of the daily schedule. In 2001, Rainbow was registered by the City Council as a private preschool. The curriculum was extended to accommodate the mandatory national curriculum, but the preschool preserved its unique linguistic profile.
Thanks to the English language, Rainbow has been attended by children from many countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey, Sweden, Argentina, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan.
For almost 20 years, all those involved in Rainbow – children, parents and teachers alike – have created a wonderful atmosphere of cooperation, tolerance and friendship, contributing to the preschool’s success.
Rainbow’s oldest alumni are now studying at universities, but memories of their time at the preschool remain in their hearts.
