Our placement was at Mediterranean International private school in Cyprus. We chose to go here as one member of our group attended this school. The school teaches all ages of children however we chose to just work in the nursery and junior classes and not the high school classes.It is a very Multi-Cultural school and children come from all over the world. For most of the children English is not their first language, however everything is taught in English and they follow the English curriculum (with minor changes to suit the Greek Ministry of education needs- This includes having to be taught the Greek language, History, Geography and Religion throughout all year groups).
We got the opportunity to work with many children with English as an additional language and children with special needs. There are specific programmes available to help these children, however it is an extra fee on top of the tuition fees. We therefore spent a lot of time working with the children who required the extra help but couldn't afford it.
As soon as we arrived at the school we were made to feel very welcome, we had a very thorough introduction and timetable made for us. We experienced working in classes nursery to grade 6 as well as observing extra sessions including English as an additional language and Speech and Language therapy. The staff were always very friendly and treated us like another member of staff. We had a brilliant time on placement and would definitely recommend it!
As one of the members of the group has family living in Cyprus, we stayed at their house. It was a 10 minute drive form the school.
For people who don't have family in the area then there are hotels on the sea front (approx 5 minute walk from the school) however we are not sure how much these are.
The school is in Larnaca town centre so it is easily accessible by bus however we got a lift with family members. There are buses available to other areas of the island such as the capital Nicosia however they are not very frequent (approx one every hour).
There are also taxis which will transport you locally, or if you want to go somewhere further away like the capital then they have set prices. They all seemed reasonably priced especially if the cost can be split between a group of people.
Along the sea front there are many restaurants and coffee bars (It is a big coffee culture) however they can be quite expensive. Within the town there are quite a few bars and clubs which play traditional Greek music and English music.
Things to do, things not to do
We visited the camel park in Mazotos where you can go to feed and ride the camels, this was a really good experience! We also went to the capital where you can cross the border and visit the Turkish side of the island (you will need your passport). The beach is only a 5 minute walk from the school. We also visited Lefkara which is a traditional village which is very pretty and nice to look around. There are also a lot of churches that are good to go and visit. There is a water park however this does not open until the beginning of April.
Although the area seems safe it is still worth being mindful of your belongings, especially when within crowds. Be careful when crossing roads, even at zebra crossings as many cars will still not stop.
School: Mediterranean Schools
P.O. Box 42572
6500 Larnaca, Cyprus
Junior and High School:
10, Kilkis Street
6015 Larnaca, Cyprus
Office hours: 7:15 - 17:30
Kindergarten and Pre-Primary:
1, Pontou Street
6027 Larnaca, Cyprus
Office hours: 7:15 - 16:00
Bus timetable:
Emergency number: 112
We also took contact details for the uni and ensured they had contact details for us, just in case of emergencies.
Changing money into Euros (There is a better rate if this is done in England)
Travel Insurance is available at many different places on-line, often for less than £10
EHIC card is available free online
No vaccinations are required
No visa is required
A return flight cost us approx £150 (The earlier you book the cheaper it is)
Days out such as the camel park aren't expensive (Less than 10 euros for entry to the park and to ride a camel)
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