A Better Choice? A Case Study of Polish Migrants' Educational Aspirations and School Choice for Their Children

Using a case study of Polish parents living in North London and Nottingham, this thesis analyses their interaction and strategies within two localised education markets. Drawing on qualitative research, perceptions of social divisions in British society are explored in an attempt to assess whether these influence their educational strategies and practices used in secondary school choice for their children. It is found that the Polish symbolisation of Catholicism as representing their national cultural “morals” and “values” becomes a guiding influence in school choice. It also offers them a support network in gathering information about the education market. “Whiteness” and the stigmatising of disadvantaged sections of society also becomes a channel for some of the Polish participants to position themselves against others and within a perceived “hierarchy” which ultimately impacts upon their strategies used in parental school choice. A Bourdieusian framework, exploring the influence of reciprocal “importing” and “exporting” societal structures, is used to analyse the findings.