Checklist of good practice

For successful integration that can be used if you have a Traveller pupil in your school. Each point is equally important however simple and obvious it may seem.

• Ensure families feel welcome. Having copies of Traveller Times* in reception areas are a helpful indication that you are a Traveller friendly school.
• Be aware Traveller parents may have experienced prejudice and hostility from the settled community during their own schooling, and may have ambivalent feelings about education and school.
• Take the initiative to maintain contact with Traveller parents. Traveller parents are as anxious as any parent that their child is happy and making good progress. Do not misinterpret any lack of interaction as a lack of care or interest.
• Sensitively explain ethnicity categories and rationale. It is important to discuss with the family whether they prefer to be called a Gypsy of Traveller. The family need to be made aware that by being called Gypsy provides protection under The Race Relations Act whereas being called a Traveller does not.
• Offer sensitive help where appropriate with completion of admission/ permission forms. Parents may need support reading and completing forms. Encourage parents and pupils to ascribe themselves to correct ethnicity code. An explanation of the benefits of self ascription may need to be explained. The Inclusion of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children and Young People, DSCF 00063-2008 strongly supports issues of Ascription.
• Provide good, oral communication between the school and family.
• Ensure that the family understand the school’s behaviour, uniform, homework policy and attendance expectations, orally.
• Be aware that support may need to be given reading letters or reports if these are to be sent home. A follow up phone call may be needed.
• Ascertain parental attitudes towards sensitive issues such as sex education, changing for P.E. where necessary.
• Plan and carry out induction for Traveller children
• Fast assessment and access to learning experiences on school entry, irrespective of the families intended length of stay.
• Inform all staff of child’s admission and cultural awareness
• Identify and assess Traveller child’s needs, gaps and strengths.
• Ensure representation of Traveller culture in teaching and learning and curriculum.
• Provide time-out area for pupils unfamiliar or unable to cope with the pressures of school.
• Provide sanctuary area for unstructured times of the school day.
• Provide homework support where appropriate. Homework support may also mean allowing the pupil to do homework at an alternative time during the school day in order for it to be completed. Not necessarily lunchtime as this could be seen as a punishment.
• Ensure that systems are in place to actively encourage and enable participation in any educational visits and extra-curricular opportunities.
• Be aware Traveller pupils may stick together particularly at lunch and break times. This may be viewed as intimidating, or as an inability to interact with children, when it is no more than a form of peer support.
• Be aware of prejudice and name-calling (gyppo and pikey are the most common epithets) and deal with the occurrence as a racial incident. Children will be very sensitive to name calling. Inform TAS for support.
• Traveller pupils spend a lot of time in adult company and are comfortable conversing with adults as equals. Do not presume the pupil is being disrespectful if he/she is outspoken with adults. Ensure the pupil understands what language and methods of communication are and are not acceptable in school.
• Establish system with TAS for regularly monitoring and evaluating attendance and achievement.
• Challenge and address any low expectations on the part of teachers and other staff.
• Ensure lunchtime staff have an understanding of Traveller culture. Lunchtimes are probably the most difficult time for Traveller pupils due to the unstructured nature and incidents can occur. Strategies may need to be in place to support them. The TAS can carry out informal training to lunchtime staff.
• Copies of Traveller Times can be downloaded from www.travellertimes.org.uk.