IT has almost doubled in size since it opened two years ago. And now it is attracting children from all across the Borders.

The Polish School in Hawick held an Open Day last month to give visitors a chance to find out more.

It has grown from 32 to 50 children since it was launched in April 2013 and has a minibus bringing children from Galashiels to Hawick every Saturday morning.

Marcin Dominik Gluch, a Polish pianist living in Sweden, visited the project and ran a series of creative workshops with the children. The following day, Mothering Sunday, M. Gluch offered to play a public concert in Melrose Parish Church, which attracted a mixed Scottish-Polish audience.

This well-attended event gave a unique chance to meet Polish migrant families living in the Borders and presenting their culture in form of the music of Chopin and Paderewski, as well as the 1970s film music, which brought some tears to the eyes of those Poles who miss their country and its culture.

Earlier this year the Polish School in Hawick was awarded a generous grant by the Communities and Families Fund at the Big Lottery Fund and is using the financial assistance to help with the running costs of the Saturday School as well as towards events which will help the Polish children and their parents integrate and meet with the local community, which is now their home.

Project manager Dr Beata Kohlbek said: “This year, for the first time, our Polish School will offer six pupils the opportunity to pass a GCSE exam (equivalent of National 4&5 levels) in Polish as a Modern Foreign Language.

“We need to start recognising that a heritage language spoken at home is also a Modern Foreign Language which can be formally assessed. The more children gain language qualifications the better chance to make the 1+2 Languages programme realistic.”