Dear parents! The school year has already started! The enrolment for the 2024-2025 school year concluded! Now we are intensively learning! But we are eagerly expecting the arrival of the Christmas holidays!
Please note: The lessons around Christmas will continue until Saturday 21 December including - quite late this year but we will better enjoy the Christmas holidays!
Skylark School locations
Starting the 2023-2024 school year, we are now having classes in four locations: at "Arhcbishop Tenison's CoE High School" in Central Croydon, at "Hillcroft Primary School" in Caterham, in the classrooms of "OfficeTribe" in Tunbridge Wells and in the Vinters Park Community Centre in Maidstone
Dear parents and students!
Welcome to the webpage of the Bulgarian School Chuchuliga (Skylark)!
Our School started its first classes at the beginning of September 2016 and now we continue to work with children and parents living in London (Croydon), Caterham, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone and other towns and places in the South of England.
Skylark works in the following locations:
Its main base is at Archbishop Tenison's CoE High School in Croydon.
We also teach at Hillcroft Primary School in Caterham.
Tunbridge Well's OfficeTribe Business Centre is the third location of our school.
Starting in September 2023, we now offer lessons in Maidstone; for more details please contact Ms Maria Traykova or Skylark's headteacher. Classes take place at Vinters Park Community Centre, Aldon Close, Vinters Park, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5QF
For the 2023-2024 school year the School offers two approaches to education.
In-class education where students and teachers have classes at the education facilities of the four branches of our School.
Online education which can be of two types: online teaching and learning where teachers work with small students' groups of the same school year through the online platform Zoom, and distant teaching where teachers and students use various education platforms to fulfil all curriculum-defined education goals and objectives; it is important that in this type of education all lessons, excercises, tests, training materials, etc. are regularly and efficiently done while teachers and students remain in constant contact with each other
Teaching at the School is done according to Order № 90 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria (of 29 May 2018, amended and supplemented on 2 October 2020) concerning the activities of Bulgarian schools abroad; our School acts in full compliance with the regulations of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education
The Bulgarian School Skylark is included in the Register of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science (under No. 26) and its work is overseen by the ministry; the School gets some financial support from the Bulgarian ministry for its activities
Dear children!
We want to assure you that in our School you will not only well learn Bulgarian language but will also get to know the history and the natural beauties of Bulgaria, and will have every opportunity to plunge into the magnificent cultural heritage of the Bulgarian people. At the same time you will surely make new friends, and with them you will spend wonderful time
Starting 2021-2022 school year, Chuchuliga School organised classes for 1st and 2ns year students at the classrooms of OfficeTribe in Royal Tunbridge Wells. The facilities are located at the very centre of the town at 8a London Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1DA OfficeTribe.
Starting 2023-2024 school year, Chuchuliga School organised classes at the classrooms of Vinters Park Community Centre at the address Aldon Close, Vinters Park, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5QF, see hereVinters Park Community Centre.
We enrol new students for the school year 2024 / 2025
Teaching at the Bulgarian School Chuchuliga (Skylark) is done in accordance with the requirements of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science while following the official curriculum and syllabuses in the school subjects of Bulgarian language and literature, Bulgarian Culture, History of Bulgaria, and Geography of Bulgaria. We run classes for children and students from pre-school to primary to secondary and up to high school age.
For those children who don’t speak English we organise special English classes, and for those who don’t speak Bulgarian, we also offer special Bulgarian classes. In addition, we organise classes in English or Bulgarian languages for adults, too, and the teaching in this case is organised as private tutoring. For more details please write to us or call us.
Please note: we organise Bulgarian language teaching for the children that do not speak the language; the groups function as a separate class and they have lessons in the afternoon on one of the weekdays after the children's regular classes in their English schools. For more details about the groups, please contact us.
Teaching Weeks
The Bulgarian School Chuchuliga follows both the Bulgarian and the English school year: according to the Bulgarian school system, we have two school terms (not three), the first starting in September and finishing in end-January, and the second starting in February and finishing in end-May or in June (depending on the school age of the students); and according to the English school system, our School observes all school breaks as they are defined for the schools in England between the three school terms.
September 2024: 21, 28
October 2024: 5, 12, 19
November 2024: 2, 9, 16, 23q 30
December 2024: 7, 14, 21
January 2025: 4, 11, 18, 25
17 teaching weeks for the first school term
School breaks
22 December 2024 to 3 January 2025: winter vacation
February 2025: 1, 8, 15
March 2025: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
April 2025: 12, 19, 26
May 2025: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
June 2025: 7, 14, 21
19 teaching weeks for the second school term
School breaks
Easter Break: 1 - 11 April 2024
Pre-school children (age 4 to 6/7), primary school children and high-school students study for 32 teaching weeks, and students years 5 to 7 have 34 teaching weeks.
Teaching subjects
Pre-school and Primary school
Bulgarian language and Bulgarian literature
Bulgarian Culture (as an additional teaching activity)
People in Society (as an additional teaching activity)
Chuchuliga’s school life is interesting, it includes various school activities. Learning is pleasant and is always accompanied by games and free activities. During the breaks between classes we always organise different games and activities in the school yard, weather permitted, or in the classroom; the students can also have their snacks during the breaks.
Celebration of 24th May 2023 for the primary school students
Teaching Staff
The School is headed by an experienced teacher, the school subjects are taught by teachers of high qualification and skills, and the work and the activities of the School are supported and monitored by a Parents’ Council..
Neli Kozhuharova is the founder and the headteacher of the School.
Neli has been teacher for more than 30 years in different education levels in Bulgaria – at kindergartens and preschool education to primary, secondary and high school and at university level, including international teaching (for example, teaching Bulgarian language and history of Bulgaria at the Russian Orthodox University of St John the Theologian in Moscow in the years 2003-2007). She is author of the book “Blessed is His Kingdom” that was dedicated to the 1100 years of St Tsar Boris’ passing away; and she has written and published scholarly articles on Middle Ages and Contemporary Bulgarian history.
Neli is not only headteacher, she is a teacher in Bulgarian language and literature at all education levels. Neli’s rich experience in Bulgarian studies and education in Bulgaria give her the confidence to successfully and steadily lead the School and the team of teachers in their efforts in achieving the best possible results in education and child upbringing.
Valentin Kozhuharov has had rich education and pedagogic experience for more than 45 years now, starting in the distant 1979. In addition to being teacher, Valentin is also the school administrator – he takes care of all relations of the school with external organisations and institutions, such as the Bulgarian ministry of education and different schools in Bulgaria, various education bodies in the UK, the school where classrooms are rented, HMRC, organisations and bodies responsible for the safeguarding of children, etc.
Zory is a music composer and artistic leader of the vocal ensemble Peregrina EnChantica, thus presenting London audiences to the Byzantine style of Eastern Orthodox chants (in Bulgaria arrangement), as well as to her own music works being part of her different artistic projects.
In addition to her education in music and artistic career, Zory graduated with a BA in English Philology and also obtained an MA in British Studies. One of her lessons at a Bulgarian school was recorded and then used at the Commission of Culture and Education of the European parliament in Brussels as an example of a high-level teaching methodology and teaching skills of the Bulgarian teachers.
Being not only an educator but also a brilliant artistic personality, Zory greatly contributes to both the high learning abilities of our students and their creative, musical, dance and versatile cultural development which help them preserve and enrich Bulgarian culture and traditions.
Maria has been teacher for many years and her pedagogic work has been excellent. In addition to her teaching Bulgarian language and Bulgarian literature, Maria has obtained a university degree in special education needs – this fact makes her work at Chuchuliga invaluable as the school works with a number of children that experience difficulties with learning and understanding.
Reni , too, has been teaching for a number of years now, and at Chuchuliga she teaches Bulgarian language and Bulgarian literature at preschool level as well as at primary level. Reni has obtained a university degree in history and geography and she is ready to teach the two school subjects in the secondary classes.
Teodora has specialised in child and young person development, maintain and support relationships with children and young people and in their positive behaviour, support learning activities, safeguarding and welfare of children and young people, etc. Teodora’s experience in the above enable her to take part in Chuchuliga’s various activities in her being teacher at primary school level and organiser of different extracurricular events. Chuchuliga relies also in Teodora’s experience in dealing with children that have behavioural or discipline problems.
Plamena is assistant teacher in Bulgarian language and Bulgarian literature at primary school level. She organises different extracurricular activities with children of all ages. Chuchuliga highly values Plamena’s work as she is devoted to promoting children’s wellbeing and their learning capabilities. She is also a very caring person and this makes her being loved by everyone, both teaching staff and children.
Konstantina, too, is assistant teacher in Bulgarian language and Bulgarian literature at primary school level but also at preschool level. Together with Plamena she undertakes different initiatives for the children, and by the parents’ responses we learn how devoted she is in her work and teaching. Konstantina has accumulated and shown excellent experience in individual work with each child and with all children in her groups.
Chuchuliga’s managing body highly acknowledges the work Maria, Reni, Teodora, Plamena and Konstantina do in places far away from the main school’s place in Croydon as they take care of children and their parents in Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and other towns and villages of South and South-East of England.
School Management
The School's work and activities are managed on two levels: by the company that established the School (registered with Companies House) and by School administrators and representatives of the Parents' Council. The Company oversees the overall work and activities of the School, whereas the administrators and the Parents' Council oversee specific School activities.
The School business administrator is Mr Valentin Kozhuharov, members of the Recruitment Committee are the School's headteacher, the Parents' Council president and the business administrator. All School staff have valid enhanced DBS, and the School helps newly recruited to obtain enhanced DBS, too. The responsible person for this procedure is the School business administrator.
The Bulgarian School Skylark meets the requirements for safe work in education in England by complying with all regulations, prescriptions and recommendations relating to Safeguarding Children and Adults in Education. Mr Valentin Kozhuharov is the Designated Safeguarding Lead of the School, and the governor for the School's Safeguarding policies is the president of the Parents' Council.
Parents' Council
The members of the Parent's Council remain the same as in the previous school year: Svetoslava Gospodinova is the president, and the members are Kostadin Iliev (Caterham), Krasimira Dimitrova (Croydon) and Liliana Karamanova (Tunbridge Wells); a new member from Chuchuliga's branch in Maidstone will be elected soon.
The responsibilities and rights of the Parents' Council are well formulated in the Bulgarian Ministry of Education's Order No 90 (of 29 May 2028) concerning Bulgarian schools abroad. Here are some of the main points:
1. To monitor the School’s activities, including the lawful and appropriate spending of its funds;
2. To discus and offer suggestions as to how any current problems and issues be most appropriately dealt with;
3. To give any help in educating the School’s students and to encourage all parents to take part in the extra-curriculum activities with the aim of preserving Bulgarian national awareness, culture and traditions (article 10, paragraph 5 of the Order)
Paragraphs 7 and 8 of article 5 indicate that the Parents’ Council prepares an annual report on the performance of the School. The report is sent to the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science, a copy is sent also to the Bulgarian Embassy in the corresponding state; the report can be sent on paper and/or in electronic format by the 30th July each year.
Extracurricular Activities
Music
These include acquaintance with samples of Bulgarian folk music, adapted for children, contemporary music and drama works for children and popular Bulgarian songs. Music lessons aim to present to children some examples of Bulgarian music art while forming abilities in performing them and encouraging children to create their own samples of music art.
Bulgarian Dances, Creative and Applied Arts
Our School offers free arts’ activities where children create their own art works by using coloured paper, textile pieces, woollen and other type of thread, wood, etc. They try to make different items used at home, national art embroidery, parts of Bulgarian folk costumes and elements of traditional and contemporary costumes interwoven in the same dress or costume.
For those interested, our School offers dance classes according to specifically adapted choreography programmes on Bulgarian folk dance performances. Unfortunately, for the school year 2020-2021 the dance classes were cancelled due to the coronavirus quarantine in London, and the same situation remained for the school year 2021-2022 but these classes were resumed in Croydon as part of the Bulgarian culture lessons. After 2022, the folk dance classes are held either as part of the Bulgarian culture lessons or as a separate extracurricular activity, if it is possible for us to organise them!
The extracurricular lessons on Bulgarian culture, traditions and customes continue as normal
School Fee
Our School is supported by the parents’ contribution for their children’s education which for one school year is £290 for one child or £220 for a second child of the same family; a third child does not pay. The fee is to be paid at the beginning of the school year and it can be paid in two installments: the first in September and the second in February.
Parents' fees for students who manage to cover the teaching requirements of two school years in only one year is by 50% higher than the regular fee.
As an exception, when we teach individual students in-class, the school fee is by 30% higher than the regular fee, that is, it is £377 per academic year.
Please pay the school fees into Barclays PLC, IBAN: BG64BUKB 204545 636121 39, SWIFTBIC: BUKBGB22, sort code: 20-45-45, account No: 63612139, name: Bulgarian School Chuchuliga Limited. For payment reference, please use the reference provided in the invoice.
Please pay the fees within one week after you have received the invoice from us, this is usually done twice a year for the two terms: in end-September and beginning of February!
