As every year, on the penultimate Saturday of the school year we came together to thank the parents involved in the life of the school. This gathering has become a fixture in the school calendar, and in the 2025/2026 school year as many as 45 people were thanked.
Children from the Karolinka group, in colourful striped folk costumes, danced beautifully on stage and then invited everyone to join in a dance ‘with sticks’. Folk dance is one of the liveliest ways of passing Polish culture on to children growing up abroad: it combines music, movement, traditional dress and shared fun, and teaches teamwork along the way.
The teachers, meanwhile, prepared a sketch modelled on Kabaret Hrabi. The stage was decorated with a brick wall and a florist's shop window beneath a striped awning. The tradition of Polish cabaret goes back to the early 20th century and Kraków's Zielony Balonik (Green Balloon), which from 1905 performed at the Jama Michalika café; in the interwar period cabaret flourished at Warsaw's Qui Pro Quo. Kabaret Hrabi became famous for its absurd humour and brilliant wordplay.
For decades, Polish Saturday schools in the UK have run thanks to the commitment of parents. In many of them it is the parents who do duties, help to organise celebrations and fairs and support the teachers, and by being there they show children that learning Polish is a matter for the whole family. It is thanks to such support that the school can offer not only lessons but also ceremonies, performances and shared celebrations. This annual gathering is an expression of gratitude for the parents' time, energy and kindness. Information about how the school works with parents can be found in the Parents section.
Once again, thank you all!
