Zuzka is a Czech artist and educator who settled in Paris after her studies, where she began teaching Czech to children and teaching art therapy. Later, she moved to London due to her partner’s career, where she became a key figure in the founding of the Czech School Without Borders in London. Thanks to her initiative and collaboration with other professionals, the Czech community in London has been significantly strengthened, and mother-tongue education has gained a solid foundation.
A Coalition for the Future: The Story Behind the Czech School in London
When and why did you move to London?
I originally didn’t want to move to London. I was happy in Paris, where after university I worked with Lucie Slavíková Boucher and began teaching Czech to children. I also practiced art therapy and worked with people with disabilities. I had initially gone to Paris just for a holiday—and never went back.
What were your early days in London like?
We moved to London for my partner’s career. At first, it was hard to adjust—everything was different from Paris. But I met inspiring people, and through the Czech Centre we started the first Czech language courses for children. Eventually, this grew into a unique educational project: the Kid’s Art Club.
How did you maintain your connection to Czech culture and language?
I didn’t start teaching Czech out of nostalgia, but from a professional perspective. My relationship with the language isn’t a personal escape into a sense of home, but a systematic engagement with what language means in an international context. I’m fascinated by bilingualism—how languages coexist in families, how they influence each other, how children switch between them, how Czech holds its own alongside English in everyday life.
At the same time, I’m interested in how the Central European experience enriches the British context. It wasn’t just about preserving the language as a relic, but about its development under new conditions. For me, Czech became not just a cultural legacy, but a tool for connection that has a solid place abroad.
How did the Czech School Without Borders, of which you were a founding member, come into being?
I started doing projects with children in museums. Interest grew, the activities evolved into the community club Kid’s Art Club, and eventually we formalized the school. Today, the school has a fully developed structure, online learning, and a strong foundation. Originally, it was just an idea—to combine Czech and art.
How did the Czech community react?
The beginnings were difficult. The embassy wasn’t very open to our wild and dynamic ideas at first :-), but the Czech Centre supported us. People often saw us as “mums with prams,” not as professionals. Thanks to Lucie Boucher, who focused on legislative support in the Czech Republic and closer cooperation with other schools, we achieved recognition, respect, and stable backing.
We’ve moved beyond the model of a diaspora association or community school—the school now has its own structure and emphasizes quality and continuity. Now it’s time to focus on deeper development and services for children.
How has the Czech community in London changed?
In the past 15 years, it’s undergone a huge transformation. Changes used to happen slowly; now they happen in weeks. The pandemic, financial crisis, and Brexit hit us hard. We had to adapt our work quickly. Flexibility became a necessity.
How has Brexit affected your work?
I haven’t seen any positive impact yet. Universities have cancelled exchange programs, there are more visa barriers. Students can’t earn extra income. Parents have had to become more involved, even though that’s not ideal. Family turnover has increased—many are returning to the Czech Republic. The only bright spot is our alumni—they have dual identities, can naturally bridge both worlds, and help us move the school community toward a better future.
What advice would you give to newly arrived Czechs?
Find us as soon as possible. The Czech School in Islington is a team of people across generations who know how to teach Czech to children abroad. We offer a strong foundation and concrete steps to develop the language meaningfully and well.
How has your identity changed?
I was born in the 1980s and always felt more like a European than a Czech. It wasn’t until I left that I began to appreciate the value of Czech culture. I’m fascinated by classical music—it was abroad that I truly understood the power of Janáček or Dvořák, or in visual art, the uniqueness of Švankmajer.
The international context helped me find myself. At home, something is always holding you back, but abroad you realize where you come from. I was never a fighter for “Czechness,” but here I understood that without context, Czech identity can’t survive. A coalition of people and shared experiences gives meaning to our education—and our future.
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