Sebastian Kalinowski ‘will be remembered for his kindness and charming smile’, says headteacher

Andrew Fell, headteacher of North Huddersfield Trust School (NHTS), issued a statement following the murder conviction of Sebastian’s mother Agnieszka Kalinowska and her partner Andrzej Latoszewski at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.

Mr Fell said: “Sebastian was happy at NHTS.

“His spoken English improved significantly, helping him blossom from an initially shy student into one with much more confidence and a strong circle of friends.

“Caring, intelligent and fun-loving, he will be remembered for his charming smile, his sharp sense of humour and his kindness.”

The head said: “He embodied what our school stands for in demonstrating a positive attitude to school, treating others with respect and showing a determination to make the most of his education.

“Our close-knit school community is deeply saddened by the loss of Sebastian.”

Sebastian Kalinowski died of an infection caused by weeks of abuse at the hands of his mother, Agnieszka Kalinowska, 35, and her long-term partner, Andrzej Latoszewski, 38, which included him being beaten with a bed slat, whipped with an extension cable, and stabbed with a needle, as well as “the most derogatory and inhuman” verbal abuse.

On Friday July 22, Kalinowska sobbed in the dock at Leeds Crown Court as she and Latoszewski were found guilty of Sebastian’s murder.

Mr Fell said that when Sebastian joined NHTS in October 2020 he spoke very little English but he worked closely with the school’s Aspire (English as an additional language) team who helped him build relationships and develop more confidence.

He said it was “obvious that he was dedicated to learning and particularly excelled in quizzes that tested knowledge of different topics designed to help his integration into school in a new country”.

The headteacher said Sebastian used Google Translate to communicate with others in his tutor group.

Mr Fell recalled how he taught his form tutor the Polish for “good morning”.

He said: “It became a daily ritual for his form tutor to greet Sebastian in Polish, to which his response would be a polite smile and a nod, followed by the correct pronunciation.”

And he added: “Sebastian particularly enjoyed maths where he stood out amongst his peers and managed to make a huge impression on his teacher.

“He was incredibly keen to consistently improve and to show what he was capable of achieving; his efficient grasp of new concepts saw him regularly giving support to other students.”

Mr Fell said Sebastian will be “fondly remembered, greatly missed”.