Traveller Pupils in the Primary School
It is difficult to generalise about the particular needs of Traveller parents. As in all communities, there is a number of distinct cultural groups and there are wide variations between families. But it may be useful to be aware of the following issues.
The history of Travelling communities has been characterised by nomadism, self-employment, oral transmission of culture from generation to generation and strong family ties.
Gypsies, Roma and Travellers of Irish Heritage are ethnic groups with distinctive lifestyles, customs and values, recognised by the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Race Relations Amendment Act 2001. Their relationship with settled societies all over the world shows a similar pattern of discrimination, exclusion, poor access to education and other public services and a continuous pressure from others to 'settle'. Although nomadism and self employment may appear to be a matter of choice, most Travellers were born into their culture and way of life. The term “Traveller” is often used to encompass all of these groups.
Traveller parents may not have had the opportunity to learn to read or write. Sensitive alternatives may need to be offered for filling in forms, replies to letters home, sick notes and newsletters. Where parents are not able to read, they cannot refer back to information at a later date. It may be that a parent, governor, or member of staff might like to take on the task of informing Traveller parents of school news. Explain to the pupil the message that is in the letter to home, and follow up with a telephone call to the parents if possible. Parents could be encouraged to telephone school to report absence, or call into the school office. Where pupils come to school by taxi, it will be even more important to build up good relationships by telephone.
Traveller parents can be extremely protective of their children. Some pupils will not be allowed to go on school trips and parents may be concerned about swimming lessons. Time spent giving parents information in advance about safety measures, the number of pupils being looked after by each adult and the activities that will be taking place, may help to put parents' fears at rest. If possible an older sibling or parent could be invited to accompany the class on school trips.
Traveller families usually live in extended family units and traditionally had little need to seek company outsidethat supportive environment. Initially children may seek the company of those familiar to them who have shared similar experiences and who will support them in a strangenew environment. Children who change schools frequentlymay not be encouraged by their parents to make close friends outside their group, as this would cause emotional upheaval every time they moved on.
The responsibility for looking after younger siblings is taken very seriously by Traveller children. Where infant and junior playgrounds are separate, a flexible approach, until the children feel settled and safe, will avoid tensions between the expectations of home and school.
Non Traveller pupils often fail to realise that terms such as ‘gyppo’ and ‘pikey’ are, in fact, racist remarks and are not acceptable. The smallest incident of name calling is distressing and needs to be challenged. Pupils need to be reassured that they must report such name calling and that the matter will be taken seriously as a racist incident.
Gold earrings are often worn as important symbols of ethnic origin and may have been handed down through generations. Letting parents know that you are aware of the cultural significance of jewellery may help in discussions about school rules, especially rules addressing safety in physical education (PE) lessons.
Most Traveller families often have a very strict moral code. Changing for PE in mixed gender groups can cause embarrassment and distress if strong family values appear to be in conflict with practices in school. Offering privacy in changing will resolve this difficulty. Older girls may find short PE skirts unacceptable and the opportunity to wear jogging bottoms may be possible for some activities.
Gender roles are strictly defined in traditional Traveller families. Some children may feel uncomfortable initially when asked to sit next to members of the opposite sex and feel that some activities are inappropriate for them because of their gender.
Sex education is a very delicate area and is often seen as a matter for the home. Traveller parents would usually prefer their children not to be taught about the physical aspects of sexual behaviour or explicitly about menstruation and pregnancy, especially in mixed gender groups. Families differ in their attitude to sex education, but many have very strongly held beliefs, which need to be acknowledged and taken into consideration.
Some Traveller families observe strict hygiene codes. One of these codes stipulate that separate bowls should be used for personal washing (including the washing of clothes), tea towels and cooking utensils, and food preparation. This is particularly relevant in the areas of design and technology and especially in food technology.
Time keeping can be an issue with Traveller families. Some will not be able to tell the time and punctuality is often not seen as a priority. If the family lives in just one trailer then going to sleep may be difficult, resulting in getting up late. It may be useful to discuss strategies for better time keeping and to reward improvements.
Attendance may be interrupted by seasonal travelling for work or for family reasons such as weddings, funerals and the care of relatives. Many Traveller parents did not have the opportunity to attend school regularly themselves. Discussions with parents about the benefits of regular attendance for sustaining friendships and becoming confident with reading and writing will help pupils to get the maximum benefit from their school experience.
Homework can be a problem for Traveller pupils. If parents have missed the introductory sessions for children starting school for the first time, they may be unaware of the many ways in which they can encourage their children with homework, without being able to read themselves. Pupils may not have seen their parents reading books, magazines or newspapers, writing lists and letters, or had stories read to them. The school may need to find ways to compensate for this lack of experience while still helping parents to overcome their lack of confidence in educational matters. Encouraging pupils to talk to the class about homework rather than having to produce written work, can help Traveller pupils.
Discussions with parents about any special educational needs (SEN) that an individual pupil might have must be approached very sensitively. Parents often perceive SEN to be a stigma and are extremely worried about confidentiality. Many parents are emotionally upset when first being told about their child's difficulties and Traveller parents are particularly strongly affected because of their community's history of prejudice and discrimination and their lack of confidence about schooling in general.
At home, girls are often expected to take on the responsibility of caring for younger siblings and looking after the home. Traveller boys often participate in their families’ work from a young age and have experience of practical skills and earning money. They will have been used to learning by example from family members.
Traveller pupils may have practical skills in advance of their peers, which can contribute to their self-esteem in the context of the wider curriculum.
Respect for self-expression and different cultural values are especially important for the self-esteem of Traveller pupils. Pupils may speak community languages such as Anglo-Romani or Gammon. They may feel confident in sharing this knowledge when discussing dialect or different languages, although many families want community languages to be kept secret.
Art, music, drama and English all afford enormous opportunities to incorporate intercultural perspectives, for example traditional tales and poetry written by Travellers, decorative art and historical experiences. This information needs to be an integral part of the curriculum for all pupils and reflected in the books and resources used throughout the school.
All the above considerations are intended as background information only and will apply in varying degrees to individual young people.
Sensitivity on the part of professionals to different life experiences and values will help young people and families to gain the maximum benefit from the services available to them.
EMTAS, CraysHillPrimary School, London Road, Crays Hill, Billericay, CM11 2UZ
Tel/Fax: 01268 531291