Exploring leadership and entrepreneurship in Polish supplementary schools in England: A pilot study

There is an extensive network of supplementary schools in the UK, yet the nuances related to the way they operate, are led and bring benefits to related communities and the public has not been well researched. There are between 3000 and 5000 supplementary schools in Britain (Ives and Wyvil, 2008) of which around 140 are Polish supplementary schools (PSS) (Pedrak, 2022). The Centre for the Development of Polish Education Abroad runs a database where PSS can register themselves to apply for support from the Polish government. Currently, 1129 PSS are registered worldwide; 20% are based in the UK (ORPEG, 2023). In England, Polish (1.1%, 591,000) was found to be the most common main language for those who did not speak English as a main language (ONS, 2021). PSS are largely set up by ethnic minority communities and offer educational programmes (mostly on Saturdays) focused on language and bilingual development, culture, history and traditions of the minority. The oldest PSS date back to the post WW II forced migration, for example St Joseph's PSS, established in 1947 in Amersham (ORPEG, 2023) 1950 (PSPO, 2022). Our interest in these schools stems from devoting the last 15 years of leading and teaching in two PSS – one set up by post WW II migration and the other after 2004 Poland’s accession to EU – as well as supporting the wider PSS’ networks, influencing curricula and working with Polish and British national exam bodies. We would like to gain deeper insight into this unique entrepreneurial ecosystem with a view of bringing deeper understanding about how they are led, establish closer collaborations with mainstream schools and influence relevant governmental policies. This paper explores leadership and entrepreneurship within PSS in England, employing semi-structured interviews and entrepreneurial auto reflection in a pilot study. Focusing on legal forms, leadership styles, and various challenges and opportunities, our research provides insights into the dynamic landscape of well-established minority-language supplementary education. It analyses leadership styles and legal structures that reveal diverse approaches and motivations with implications for organisational effectiveness and adaptability. The study also addresses challenges these schools face, exploring how leadership strategies have evolved pre- and post- COVID-19. This research contributes to understanding leadership and entrepreneurial practices in the context of supplementary education for the Polish diaspora, exploring nuanced strategies that drive innovation and sustainability. Preliminary research findings are expected to reveal additional themes for future studies and assist policymakers and school leaders and enhance leadership and entrepreneurial capacities within multicultural communities

Are open educational resources the future of e-learning?

Increased interest in more open approaches to learning, in particular Open Educational Resources is reflected in the programmes of international organisations, national initiatives and the actions of individual institutions. However, while some see OER as an indicator of the future of learning, others are much more sceptical and doubt their long-term success. This paper considers the vision of OER as part of future learning solutions in the society driven by technology and knowledge. Supported by an examination of specific national contexts and linked to research from relevant initiatives arguments in favour of using OER are outlined. These include their value in both developing and developed countries, and flexible ways of use in structured courses and in informal, learner-driven environments. This is balanced by highlighting concerns that relate mainly to current issues of certification, quality and intellectual property rights, but also potential problems such as the lack of instructor-learner interaction and the dominance of OER initiatives from English-speaking universities. The paper concludes that OER have an immense potential as long as the elements that contribute to their success are identified and harnessed, and barriers effectively dealt with

Thalidomide, dexamethasone and lovastatin with autologous stem cell transplantation as a salvage immunomodulatory therapy in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma

The treatment of patients with multiple myeloma usually includes many drugs including thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib. Lovastatin and other inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase demonstrated to exhibit antineoplasmatic and proapoptotic properties in numerous in vitro studies involving myeloma cell lines. We treated 91 patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma with thalidomide, dexamethasone and lovastatin (TDL group, 49 patients) or thalidomide and dexamethasone (TD group, 42 patients). A clinical response defined of at least 50% reduction of monoclonal band has been observed in 32% of TD patients and 44% of TDL patients. Prolongation of overall survival and progression-free survival in the TDL group as compared with the TD group has been documented. The TDL regimen was safe and well tolerated. The incidence of side effects was comparable in both groups. Plasma cells have been cultured in vitro with thalidomide and lovastatin to assess the impact of both drugs on the apoptosis rate of plasma cells. In vitro experiments revealed that the combination of thalidomide and lovastatin induced higher apoptosis rate than apoptosis induced by each drug alone. Our results suggest that the addition of lovastatin to the TD regimen may improve the response rate in patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma

SdiA, an N-Acylhomoserine Lactone Receptor, Becomes Active during the Transit of Salmonella enterica through the Gastrointestinal Tract of Turtles

encode a LuxR-type AHL receptor, SdiA, they cannot synthesize AHLs. In vitro, it is known that SdiA can detect AHLs produced by other bacterial species..We conclude that the normal gastrointestinal microbiota of most animal species do not produce AHLs of the correct type, in an appropriate location, or in sufficient quantities to activate SdiA. However, the results obtained with turtles represent the first demonstration of SdiA activity in animals