ABSTRACT
The war itself and its aftermath brought large numbers of refugees, mostly from Eastern Europe, including considerable numbers of Polish people as well as smaller groups from the Baltic States and the Ukraine. In addition there were people from Southern Europe, particularly Italians, and later Spanish and Portuguese. All these groups brought with them their own religious leaders and maintained contact through community networks and their own cultural centres, which were also an important resource for language maintenance. Polish people established their own network of Supplementary schools to teach Polish language and help maintain culture and identity. The fact that the community stayed rooted in their language and culture, while at the same time becoming fluent in English, may well be a significant factor in explaining why Polish children have been above average in terms of academic success.
