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

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A Better Choice? a Case Study of Polish Migrants’ Educational Aspirations and School Choice for Their Children A BETTER CHOICE? A CASE STUDY OF POLISH MIGRANTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS AND SCHOOL CHOICE FOR THEIR CHILDREN Jenny Thatcher A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of East London for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 12th March 2016 1 Abstract 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. 2 Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 2 List of Table and Figures .................................................................................................... 7 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 8 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Research Rationale and Justification ................................................................... 9 1.2 The Argument ...................................................................................................... 11 1.3 Development of Research Objectives and Questions ........................................ 14 1.4 Research Objectives ............................................................................................. 15 1.5 Research Questions .............................................................................................. 16 1.6 Theoretical Framework ....................................................................................... 18 1.7 Overview of Thesis ............................................................................................... 21 2. Poland: Past and Present ............................................. 25 2.1 The Migration Experience ................................................................................. 25 2.1.1 Polish Migration from the Nineteenth Century ...................................... 25 2.1.2 Migration during Communism ............................................................... 29 2.1.3 Migration Post-Communism and before EU Accession: 1989-2004 ..... 30 2.1.4 Migration after EU Accession in 2004 ................................................... 32 2.2 Polish Society ....................................................................................................... 36 2.2.1 Early Communism and Changes in the Structure of Occupation ........... 37 2.2.2 Social Class under Communism ............................................................. 38 2.2.3 Religion ................................................................................................... 43 2.2.4 Education in Poland: Past and Present .................................................... 44 3 2.2.5 Post-Communist Education .................................................................... 46 2.3 Summary .............................................................................................................. 49 3. Education, Markets and Ethnicity .............................. 52 3.1 Education Market in the UK ............................................................................. 52 3.2 Choice-Based Education Policy in Britain ........................................................ 54 3.3 Parental Choice Policies in other Contexts....................................................... 60 3.4 Catholic Schools and the Market ...................................................................... 66 3.5 The Catholic School Effect ................................................................................. 67 3.6 The Changing Urban Environment .................................................................. 68 3.6.1 Parental Engagement with “Choice” ...................................................... 68 3.6.2 London and Social Polarisation .............................................................. 70 3.6.3 The Local Education Market in London ................................................. 73 3.6.4 The Local Education Market in Nottinghamshire .................................. 78 3.7 Education of Ethnic Minority and (Im)migrant Children .............................. 81 3.8 Educational Assimilation of (Im)migrant Children ........................................ 90 3.9 Educational Aspirations ..................................................................................... 94 3.10 Educational Aspirations and Social Capital ................................................. 101 3.11 Bourdieu’s Theoretical Propositions in Migration and Education Research ........................................................................................................... 103 3.11.1 Habitus ................................................................................................ 107 3.11.2 Social Reproduction ............................................................................ 112 3.12 Summary .......................................................................................................... 115 4. Methodology ................................................................ 118 4.1 Theory-Practice Relationship .......................................................................... 118 4.2 Methodology and Methods ............................................................................... 120 4 4.3 Interview Sample .............................................................................................. 121 4.4 Interview Encounters ....................................................................................... 124 4.5 Case Study ......................................................................................................... 128 4.6 Research Sites .................................................................................................... 130 4.7 Data Analysis ..................................................................................................... 134 4.8 Reflexivity .......................................................................................................... 136 4.9 Ethics .................................................................................................................. 140 5. School Choice ................................................................................................. 142 5.1 Interaction with the Market ............................................................................. 142 5.2a Catholicism ...................................................................................................... 144 5.2b “You Got to Have Faith” ............................................................................... 146 5.3 Social Capital and School Choice .................................................................... 161 5.4 Practicality First ............................................................................................... 170 5.5 Opting Out of the Market ................................................................................ 174 5.6 Choice, Academies and Ethical Dilemma ....................................................... 178 5.7 Summary ............................................................................................................ 182 6. Social Divisions ............................................................................................. 184 6.1a Social Class ...................................................................................................... 184 6.1b Locating the Participants’ Socio-Economic Status...................................... 185 6.2 Social Class Subjectivities ................................................................................ 192 6.3 Cultural Capital ................................................................................................ 200 6.4 Perceptions of Social Divisions in Britain ....................................................... 205 6.5 Aspirations and Trajectories ........................................................................... 211 6.6 Reproduction ..................................................................................................... 218 6.7 Religious Capital and Social Order ................................................................. 223 6.8 Summary ............................................................................................................ 229 5 7. “Whiteness” ..................................................................................................... 231
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