There are many reasons why people fall in love with Split and are attracted to it. Most of those reasons involve great climate and a laid-back life style compared to the western world. But lately we hear more and more people move to Split permanently because of superb education offered at Harfa International School. It’s not a rarity that we hear:

-      We came on holidays, fell in love with Split, and when we learned about a great education offered to our children, we decided to call this city our home. Split is every parent's dream come true!

We are aware of the perks Dalmatian life style offers, but the growing number of these stories got us more interested and we wanted to hear the parents' experiences first hand.  We talk to Sarah and Don Miller from Canada who came to Split during the pandemic.  

-      During the first lock-down, we extended what should have been a one-week vacation. Our friends recommended Split and we arrived "unexpectedly". We fell in love with the climate and culture at first sight, but as the fall approached and our children were about to start school, the biggest unknown for us was the quality of education in Croatia. We were delighted to discover that the Harfa International School was opening that year and the rest is history! Now we can't imagine life outside of Croatia because we love the combination of the life style and the excellent education our children receive!

The Miller family from Canada in front of the Harfa International School, the reason they stayed in Split  

They are not the only one with such story. The Vellis family from California, USA share a similar experience.

-  - In the summer of 2020, we came to Split for the first time on vacation and never left! We were delighted by the people, the food and the relaxed mentality, which is completely different from that in the West. The fact that life is not just about how many hours you work, but also about the time you spend with your loved ones really made a wonderful impact on us as a family and we decided to raise our children that way too. Of course, life by the sea is what attracted us, but when friends told us about the Harfa International School and after learning more about Harfa's approach to education, we realized this is exactly what we were looking for our child.

The Vellis family from California, USA.

Returnees from Australia; Dubravka and John Šušnjara give us their share of experience.

-      Our roots are Croatian, but we lived in Australia for many years. We were thinking about returning for some time now because we wanted to provide our children, who were born in Sidney, with a safer and better life style. The pandemic was the trigger to think about the idea of return more seriously, but our children did not speak Croatian and we knew that their education would be a challenge. When we heard about Harfa International School in Split and what kind of education that school offers, we didn't hesitate for long. The decision was made. The whole family moved to Split. Through school, we met other parents and became friends. Our children grow up in an international environment, speak English but also learn Croatian very quickly. We all enjoy a completely different dimension of life compared to Australia. I especially emphasize the family dimension because now we have much more time to enjoy spending time with family and friends, which is an important issue for us.

The Šušnjara family: An important parto f our decision to return to Split played the existence of Harfa International School.

We are interested to learn the reasons Split is a better choice for families, compared to some other world cities.

- For our family, the climate, people, food and family lifestyle are what won our hearts. We love various outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming in the sea, boating and cycling. In winter, the Christmas fair and ice rinks are fantastic! Our children really love the Christmas lights around the city and of course the fireworks on the waterfront for New Year's Eve. We also enjoy traveling in Europe because the destinations are much closer compared to Canada. – the Millers tell us.

The quality of family life that we found in Split is priceless.

- Driving in Split is easy compared to California! Also, when we lived near the Pacific Ocean it was always too cold to swim. There is something to do in Croatia all year round, and we also like the availability of so many nearby countries and national parks. – the Vellis explain.

-      Location! Split is the perfect starting point for exploring this beautiful country, but also the perfect place from which to visit Europe and the world. Compared to Australia most destinations are very close with almost all European destinations within a 2-hour flight. Another big advantage is a relaxed lifestyle. Food preparation and socializing are an everyday thing here. Such a thing can hardly be experienced in many western countries. We also like how national sporting events take priority over everything else. We still can’t believe that everything stops in Split when Hajduk or Croatia play. - adds John Šušnjara, obviously a passionate fan himself.

The lifestyle that is commonplace here can hardly be experienced in many western countries.

All of these stories keep coming back to the importance of the quality of education they found for their children right here. We are interested in why the Harfa school attracted them and how that school is different from the many others they could have chosen.

-      Harfa was recommended by many parents we met in Split and right from the start we recognized the right opportunity and place for our child. We are constantly amazed at what this school offers. The diversity of students and programs gives our child many opportunities to learn and grow. We can't wait to see how the school will continue to expand and develop. We are sure that it will be a place of wonderful and exciting opportunities not only for students but also for parents and teachers in Split. - the Vellis tell us.

-      We chose Harfa because of its unique philosophy and approach to learning, but also due to the vast experience of the school's founder, Mrs. Irena Orlović, who delighted us at first. We believe in her vision of approaching students as a whole person and supporting them to reach their full emotional and intellectual potential. We are extremely satisfied with the quality of education at Harfa. Our children are making progress and are well adjusted! We are very familiar with many educational systems in the world and that is why we can safely say that Harfa is unique precisely because of the combination of the emotional and social aspects of the child's development with education based on research, project learning and encouraging internal motivation and taking responsibility. This is also in line with our values. – the Millers explain to us.

-      Dedicated teachers and the most modern teaching methods, with SEL (social-emotional learning) and IB (International Baccalaureate) approaches which are especially important to us. We immediately recognized the goals and methodology and this played a big role in our decision, as well as the wonderful location on where the school is located. Harfa provided us with security and played a key role in the adjustment of not only our children but also the whole family when we first moved to Croatia. The IB learning methods, the location, the employees and the combination of English and Croatian make this school a unique and very cool place to learn.

Dedicated teachers and the most modern teaching methods based on SEL (social-emotional learning) and the prestigious international IB (International Baccalaureate) approach make Harfa the most attractive place for schooling children. 

And how do the children feel going to Harfa International School?

-      Our children are so attached to the school environment and friends that they don't want to miss a single lesson! They achieve excellent results. We are happy that they can do this in a comfortable and safe environment for them, and most importantly, they have learned to love learning, which we would like to become a lifelong habit. – the Millers add.

-      Our little girl loves her school and teachers very much. She has never shown the slightest bit of hesitation about attending school, which is proof enough for us that this was the best decision we could have made. Her biggest educational improvement is in math and social skills, but most importantly, she shows constant progress in everything. Since she has been in Harfa, she has become a real thinker; she asks more questions, thinks about advice when we offer it and ultimately makes balanced decisions independently. We have always believed that trust in a child's abilities is the key to healthy growing up, and this is proven to us every day. - concludes John Šušnjara.

-      Every day our child goes to school excited about what is to come and returns home with a list of things he learned and did that day. We are impressed by his knowledge of math, but also his progress in the Croatian language, given that it is not his mother tongue. Now he is teaching us Croatian! – we hear from Bri and John Vellis.

The founder of the Harfa International School is Irena Orlović, MSc. psycho-social counseling, psychotherapist and social entrepreneur who represented Europe in the documentary film FIVE as one of the five women who change the world.

Through Harfa International School, Irena Orlović is a representative of the new generation of social entrepreneurs who are adding extremely important value for the city of Split. A value that serves as a basis of a better future, and that’s education. We are happy with the further progress of this story, which, let's face it, gives  optimism for a better future.

December 12, 2022 - More great news for those looking for international schooling options in Split, as Harfa International School announces an expansion of its services after a very successful start.  

Motivated by excellent feedback from the international audit, Harfa International School is expanding and will offer kindergarten, elementary school as well as high school education next fall!

Some say we can only dream of the Finnish education system. But that is not true anymore for children in Split. The address Osmih mediteranskih igara 2 is located right in the heart of Poljud, in the city of Split. That is where the third generation of elementary school students are being educated, at Harfa International School. As we already learned before, Harfa provides the kind of education we all wish for. A student-oriented education where a "one for all" rule is not applied, where the talents and skills of each child are monitored individually, and the teachers represent mentors, ensuring everyone reaches their full potential. Their own, unique potential.

Curious about the news that Harfa is expanding and opening an international kindergarten as well as a high school alongside the current elementary school, we paid them a visit again. We wanted to find out more details and learn about how they achieve excellent academic results in a way that is so different from other schools.

- Yes, it is true that in addition to the elementary school, we are opening an international kindergarten as well as a high school. We are excited because we received excellent feedback during the visit from the international IB audit. Motivated by their encouragement, confirming that our methods are the right ones, starting the next school year, we are expanding. We follow the international IB Primary Years Program (PYP), balancing it with the Croatian curriculum. In addition to regular classes in the morning, our students have regularly scheduled lunch and two snacks, additional time for studying and writing homework, as well as additional workshops such as drama, chess, mental arithmetic, STEM workshops, music workshops, and individual workshops, depending on the needs. Our goal is to achieve learning outcomes in an interesting and student-oriented way. Our methods are based on inquiry-based teaching, research, projects and teamwork, hands-on learning, but above all, on building strong connections between students and teachers who serve as mentors, while students take responsibility for reaching the classroom goals on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual level. We teach them to understand the importance of life-long learning and to recognize the power of their responsibility in achieving all life goals, including school goals. – we learn this from the school principal Antonia Tomas.

While listening to her explanations and the exciting news about spreading the school offer, we hear the students loudly calling out to their teacher. We find out that they are third-graders who do not allow the teacher to end the lesson until they are done with their plans for the day.

- See, this is the result of allowing children to be co-creators of the lesson plans. Every Monday morning, following the curriculum and the learning outcomes, they plan when and how they will learn about a certain unit. You can see their plan right there on that wall. This is what they have committed themselves to. What do you think; will they skip something? No way! No one wants to leave until the plan is fully executed. – explains the school principal.

- It’s so inspiring seeing children from different cultures communicating fluently in two languages. As an international school, the official language of communication is English, but the children also learn Croatian. It is interesting to see foreigners wanting to learn the Croatian language with great interest and our children helping them in this. In addition, they have enough free time to play and communicate, and they acquire languages ​​very quickly. Seeing a child who recently came from abroad and now speaks Croatian fluently or a Croat who didn't speak English at all and now communicates in that language without any barriers is daily proof of how quickly children acquire knowledge. - explains Dubravka Šušnjara, a first-grade teacher who recently moved from Australia.

We are interested in her experiences in Australia and in Croatia. Which one is better? But she just waves her hand and adds – This is really the center of the world. With Split as a city tailored for a balanced life and this kind of education, we didn't think twice. My husband and I decided to return after 12 years, and the main reason was precisely the fact that there was a school like this here. As I am a teacher myself, I also applied for an open position in the school this year. I am grateful that my child, as well as myself, have the opportunity to be a part of such a change in education. - concludes teacher Dubravka.

We have already written about Harfa International School. What started as an enthusiastic project founded by Harfa - the publishing company, turned into a global example of excellent practice. During the preliminary application, they tell us, for the prestigious international "IB Primary Years Program (PYP)" which was planned only for the future, the international audit gave Harfa the highest marks and suggested entering the accreditation process immediately. This is how a small private school from Split became an international example of excellence in education.

The person behind this inspiring story is Irena Orlović - a psycho-social counselor and one of the main protagonists of Mastercard's short documentary films FIVE, about female entrepreneurs who have changed the world. Irena was chosen as a representative for Europe, and her inspiring story from Croatia was followed by millions of viewers around the world. After 17 years in publishing books by the world's most famous authors in the sphere of children’s socio-emotional development, parenting, and mental health in general, through the award-winning web application Pametnica for the development of children's potential and series of educational workshops for parents, teachers, pedagogues... Irena has decided to turn her rich experience into a school in order to set an example that educational reform, in the best possible way, is very possible in practice.

- Many refer to the successful "Finnish" model of education. - Irena tells us. - Some things are culturally determined, and some took years of work to change. Finland, too, carried out its reform more than 20 years ago at a time when it was clear that the same path was no longer sustainable. Some other models in the world can also be analyzed, and we can learn something from all of them. This is what we do at Harfa International School. We collect the best world practices, both scientific research about a child’s well-being, as well as best school practices, and we adapt them to our needs. The third generation is underway, and I can only say that we are very excited about the results we see every day.

We are often asked if the children in our school have grades. The grades exist, but the students are self-reflecting with the support of the teacher-mentor. I want to highlight that our world does not revolve around grades. Our world revolves around creating quality relationships between teachers and students, around strengthening that trust as a basis for everything else. At the end of the year, the children give their own opinion about which grade they deserve. Don't fall into the trap of thinking they are giving themselves the highest grades. They are very self-critical and their conclusions are rarely different from reality. This is how we teach them to take responsibility for their actions from an early age. Our goal is to encourage curiosity and develop a passion for learning through research, practical work, and projects, by connecting information with real-life situations. We prepare children for the future where they will be ready for all the challenges they will have to face, and this is the essence of education, isn’t it? – Irena Orlović ends her story seriously.

We are interested in learning how long it takes for children to be able to give themselves an objective assessment.

- People do not function "at the press of a button!" Everything I mentioned earlier requires a lot of work and patience. And, of course, trust in teachers. I know it's hard to accept a different path when we have expectations that have been imprinted in our heads for generations. But, it is clear to all of us that we do not all have the same "settings". Someone will get to the destination in one way, others in a different way. The point is that everyone will reach their goal, which is the fulfillment of their full potential. And trust me, this will happen if they are offered the space and the right means to do so. - she explains.

While we are talking, children approach us with trays of food. Today, along with a salad, they have polenta and tomato sauce on the menu.

- We plan the menu in cooperation with nutritionists, but many children have already learned in their families that healthy is better. Try them! Offer them chocolate and an apple and let's see which one they will choose! - laughs Irena. We don't even need to check, we see that they would choose the healthy option. It is very clear that this school is trying its best to make the students fall in love with studying.

- Yes, we want children to like learning. Our goal is to make inquiry learning and knowledge acquisition their passion. We do not want to instill dry facts in them because the brain remembers what is interesting and important. To some, it looks like we are just playing with the children, but science has proven that this way is more effective in the long run. Let's look around. Take a look at your own children. Do they remember better when they "learn by heart" out of a book or when you tell them an interesting story, play with them, do some research with them and connect information with real-life situations familiar to them? There isn't even much wisdom there. Changes in education only require a lot of self-motivation and an effort to connect with children in a way that is in line with their needs. Yes, the challenges of technology and its impact are not negligible, but wasn't that the case throughout various historical periods in times when changes were made? - explains Irena.

Through children’s laughter, we hear a barely perceptible echoing sound. Suddenly, silence. Irena quietly explains: - Children know when it's time to play and when it's time to concentrate and study. When they hear this vibrating bell, it's time to learn.

The drama workshop will start soon.

- Through drama, they develop presentation skills, face the fear of public speaking, practice self-confidence, memory, concentration... and many other things. To be ready for the future, we should start on time and without pressure, through the game. The same thing is with the other workshops. Chess, mental arithmetic, STEM workshops, music workshops, debates, mental health empowerment workshops, entrepreneurship workshops... each of these workshops is carefully designed to support the learning outcomes, but also the development of soft skills and knowledge needed to face the challenges of the future.

- I used to believe that the same and even better results could be achieved differently from what we had in our traditional education system. Now, I have no doubts about it at all. Three classes at Harfa International School prove that every day. The point of education is to get to know each child, what makes them happy and motivated, and to support them in that. Therefore, I decided that for the next school year, we will open a school center where we will follow our children on their life path from the age of 3 to 18. We are now in the process of opening a kindergarten and a high school, in addition to the existing elementary school according to our program. – explains Irena Orlović, and the slogan of her school is "School for the Future".

Learn more about Harfa International School on the official website.

June 2, 2022 - Harfa International School in Split opened its doors in autumn 2020 as the first international primary school in the city. TCN learns about Harfa’s straightforward philosophy - developing potential. 

The name ‘Harfa’ may already ring a bell to some of you in Split as it's the same as the local publishing house specializing in the literature that stimulates children's emotional and intellectual development at an early age. 

Harfa International School takes that idea to the next level. 

Located on the premises of a Franciscan monastery in Split, Harfa International School was started by entrepreneur Irena Orlović, a neurolinguistic therapist and one of the main protagonists of Mastercard's short documentary FIVE, which addresses the challenges of women's entrepreneurship around the world while promoting the more substantial involvement of women in the economy. Irena was chosen to represent Europe in the documentary, and her inspiring story has been watched by millions worldwide. 

Expanding on the ethos of the Harfa Publishing House, Irena and Harfa International School endeavor to encourage the early emotional and intellectual development of children and educate parents on pushing their children to the fullest potential. All content is adapted to the neurological age of the child, while classes are taught by native English speakers. Endorsing understanding over memorization, students independently choose a weekly learning program with access to games, videos, and digital learning content. 

Harfa is a champion for autonomous creators and creative explorers, founded on principles of non-violence and diversity. It is next-level learning in an environment where children feel comfortable and relaxed; where time outside in nature is just as important as inside the classroom. 

“Learning models in which students passively learn facts and quote them out of context are no longer enough because the brain remembers what is important to it. Neuroscience has proven that if we want children to acquire new knowledge, knowledge needs to be given some meaning, and in order for the brain to understand it, its emotional parts need to be included. Through socio-emotional programs, students have the opportunity to express their emotions, learn to empathize, accept differences, feel the environment in which they live and best develop their potential for what can be discovered and created in the world,” said Irena Orlović.

At Harfa, classes are small, with a maximum number of 18 students. Classes are instructed in English, with an emphasis on the Croatian language. The school embraces individuality through various teaching and learning methodologies while closely following the globally recognized International Baccalaureate educational programs starting from the age of 5, and anticipating until the completion of high school. 

The IB PYP curriculum model allows students to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to participate effectively in life through subject areas like Language and Literature – English/Croatian, Language Acquisition – English/Croatian, Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Arts – Music, Visual Art. Students will master these subjects by thinking creatively yet critically, learning through individual work, group assignments, workshops, presentations, plenum, movement, rest, and relaxation to ultimately acquire the knowledge needed to tackle the next phases of life. Each student is celebrated for their talents in a welcoming climate that allows them to discover their best learning practices. 

The Primary Years Programme focuses on holistic learning, intercultural awareness, and communication, using a constructivist, inquiry approach to teaching, learning, and assessing. Students make practical connections between their studies and the real world and are well-equipped to undertake the IB Middle Years Programme which follows after the PYP programs at Harfa.

A variety of modern and didactic materials enhance the Harfa learning environment, designed to inspire, arouse interest and curiosity, and encourage research and experimentation, allowing students to observe and reason while keeping up with the latest trends in technology.

“By a culture of learning that encourages the development of potential, we mean a culture that allows for diversity and enables the development of individual potential and competencies. It is a culture of learning in which each individual child receives the message that his or her uniqueness is perfectly fine and that it is necessary just as it is.”

Overall, Harfa educators apply a learning culture that practices individual, self-organized, and experience-based work, while students are encouraged to question and evaluate information, using their knowledge, experience, and logical thinking to problem-solve in various situations. Harfa parents are also celebrated as protagonists in transforming their child’s potential. 

Built on a culture of connection, trust, and respect, Harfa is a close community where comparisons do not exist; where progress is measured individually yet teamwork is nurtured. An educational society where every child counts.

Harfa International School is located at Poljudsko šetalište 2, 21000 Split. More information can be found on its official website here. 

All photos by Sara Miller

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