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Inclusion - Gypsies and Travellers
January
2005
liz.cawley@kirklees.gov.uk
Further information, guidance and support can be obtained from
| by Email to |
liz.cawley@kirklees.gov.uk
|
| by Phone |
01484 225805 |
| in Writing to |
Teacher Co-ordinator for Traveller children
The Ethnic Minority Achievement team
Room 16
The Deighton Centre
Deighton Road
Deighton
Huddersfield
West Yorkshire
HD2 IJP
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Traveller communities
The term Traveller covers a number of different groups with different histories and cultures. These include:
- English and Welsh Gypsies
- Irish and Scottish Travellers
- Showpeople (Fairground Travellers)
- Circus Travellers
- Bargees (occupational boat dwellers)
- New Travellers
The term, ‘Traveller’, is acceptable to most members of these groups whereas the term, ‘Gypsy’ is acceptable only to some. Families originating from Eastern and Central Europe prefer the term ‘Roma’.
Gypsies and Travellers of Irish Heritage are recognized ethnic groups under the Race Relations Act 1976.
Mobility and culture
Circus people, Showmen and Bargees have their own traditional occupations and history of planned movement. Families may travel for up to 11 months of the year. Circus children, especially of Primary school age, usually attend a new school each week.
A large percentage of the total population of Gypsy Traveller communities, estimated at 350,000, live in housing; others live on local authority or privately owned caravan sites or on their own land. Approximately one fifth of the non housed Gypsy Traveller population have no secure place to stay and are moving between unauthorised encampments. Living in housing is not seen as an ultimate goal for many families.
Mobility and culture are both factors that influence the achievement of Traveller children in school; school staff and other professionals can help in various ways if they have an understanding of these in relation to the different travelling groups.
Many Gypsy Traveller parents have had little or no education or poor quality experiences making if difficult for them to know how to support their children with work. Some parents may not appreciate the relevance of the secondary curriculum and may see it as undermining their own values and aspirations for their children.
Admission to schools for traveller children
Dual Registration allows children to register temporarily at other schools whilst they are travelling and retain their place at their base school. The base school should authorise the absence if the family have given notice of their intent to return by inserting a T into the register to denote the family are travelling. This mostly affects Fairground and Circus Traveller children.
The Infant class size legislation makes allowance for the entry of additional children in certain circumstances. Traveller children can fall into this category when they arrive outside the normal admissions round and there is no other school within a reasonable distance.
How schools can help raise the achievement of traveller children - By providing an induction for new pupils that addresses their social as well as academic needs. For example, administrative staff welcome the parents and pupils and assist with filling in forms, pupils have peer mentors to help them with school routines and curriculum access, anti-bullying policies are in place and explained to parents and pupils, all school staff are given information about their new pupil, uniform assistance is given to very mobile families.
- By providing opportunities for pupils to see their home culture reflected in a positive way in the school curriculum and and organisation eg through books, resources and displays in school.
- By encouraging parents to participate in school life and discuss any concerns they have.
- By providing a flexible approach that addresses gaps in pupils’ learning from missed or interrupted schooling and allows pupils to show what they can achieve.
- By providing opportunities for all pupils to learn about Gypsy Traveller history, culture, languages and lifestyle in Citizenship programmes and promoting the need for mutual respect and understanding of different cultures.
- By encouraging regular attendance eg first day follow up procedures and dialogues that stress that the attendance of the child is valued.
The role of the teacher co-ordinator for traveller children
The traveller co-ordinator works within the Ethnic Minority Achievement team in Calderdale (one day per week) and Kirklees (four days per week) with the aims of promoting Access, Attendance and Achievement for Traveller children. This includes:
- Working with parents to raise awareness of their rights and responsibilities towards the education of their children and to encourage their involvement in schools.
- Working with schools to provide access to Traveller children, provide guidance and information to staff, pupil support and home-school liaison.
- Information about Resources for and about Traveller children, loan of books and a Playtrailer for Early Years settings.
- Targeting support for the most vulnerable children and aiding school transfer.
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