Discussion over educational chances of migrants is vivid and has engaged many researchers (see e.g. last year's presentations by Michael Beck, Franziska Jäpel and Rolf Becker; Robyn Henderson; Elettra Flamigni and Barbara Pfister Giauque - ECER 2010). Opinions are divided but the most common is that their chances are lower, because of the lower language skills of migrants and their weaker "feel for the game" (Bourdieu, 1990) in the educational field. Although some research has been conducted among Polish migrants around Europe (Eade, J. Drinkwater, S. Garapich, M.P 2006; Grabowski 2005, Okólski Jaźwińska 2001; Pollard, Latorre, Sriskandarajah 2008, Portes French 2005, Sculluion, Morris, Steele 2009, Weishaar 2008), there is relatively little known about the experiences of Polish migrant children at school.

Our research is based on our ethnographic observation in one Catholic primary school in the English Midlands and on interviews with children, their parents and teachers analysed according to the interpretative approach. We analyse how children meet school requirements and follow its rules, taking as a variable their age and age at the time of arrival to England. The result show an interesting mechanism which promotes Polish migrant children within the English educational system. This mechanism is based on the formal belonging to the Catholic church.  In this paper we argue that Catholic baptism certificate turns into an "educational voucher" which enables Polish kids to bypass regular school selection and get better educational services than they possibly could as migrant children in a foreign country.

Our research shows that Polish migrants are not subjected to the typical school selection between primary and secondary school. Some of the best secondary schools in Midlands are Catholic and children are accepted there first of all under the condition of being babtised as Catholics. Secondly, their previous education in Catholic schools is taken into consideration. Primary Catholic schools in England are popular among Polish migrants for many reasons, e.g., because there is usually someone among the staff who speaks Polish. Consequentely, educational career of Polish children in English Midlands seems to be secured and not related to childrens' achievements or special needs.

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