Travellers in Britain

Travellers represent a small minority within the community and within our schools. But the issues raised when Traveller children go into school are neither minor, nor of relevance only to the minority. They test out the response of the education system at every level in equal opportunities, with respect to access, curriculum, anti-racism and home school liaison. If a school is sufficiently flexible to respond constructively to the educational needs of Travellers, then it is likely to be doing a good job with most of its other pupils too. (Foster, in Claire et al., 1993: 54)

Travellers in Britain include Romanies and also Travellers from indigenous communities such as Scottish and Irish Tinkers. Both of these have a nomadic tradition and a wide range of migration. Other communities are called economic and occupational Travellers or new Travellers and these might be circus and fairground workers who have become nomadic due to economic pressures or through a wish for an alternative lifestyle.

As with any group, it is problematic to generalize, but as Foster (in Claire et al., 1993: 54) writes, there are four priorities that characterize the difference between the settled population and (traditional) Travellers. These are:

■ the maintenance of extended family networks and community contacts;

■ a positive attitude to mobility;

■ a tradition of home education;

■ the perpetuation of a shared language.

Educators need to be aware of these factors when establishing a relationship with Traveller learners in school and their families.

It is also part of their tradition to respect educated Travellers and, indeed, formal education is not a threat to their culture. However, those that are not educated are not looked down on as they recognize the fact that formal education is only part of a wider education and does not necessarily affect their survival or economic success. Migration and thus short periods of time in individual schools can mean that learners achieve only limited educational progress.

Discussion

Many LEAs now have policies and practices that are specifically in place to meet the needs of Traveller children. Find your LEA policy on providing educational services for Travellers and see how the educational setting in which you work could obtain support and resources for Travellers if required.

How would your educational setting support Traveller children? Is there a school policy that everyone is aware of and can gain direction from?

Findings from research by the International Centre for Intercultural Studies, the Institute of Education, University of London, suggest that the following practices enable the securing of educational entitlements for Gypsy Traveller children (Bhopal et al., 2003):

■ support from the Traveller Education Services (TES);

■ a senior management team that is committed to an inclusive ethos and to the equal opportunity and race equality policies;

■ effective home–school liaison;

■ acceptance and respect for Traveller communities;

■ a flexible approach to enable the needs of the pupils to be met;

■ it is important that schools have effective anti-racist policies and practices;

■ high expectations and accurate assessments leading to additional support if required;

■ a curriculum that reflects the reality of Traveller culture, history and language;

■ cooperative joint action by the school, the TES and the Education Welfare Services (EWS) can reduce poor attendance.

Discussion

What are your views of the findings listed above? Do you think they are statements that could apply to other learners? If so, which and why?