School Attendance GRT - Summary of Changes Relevant to GRT Pupils and Families

New Attendance Rules and Fines

Implications for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Families

We have received many requests from schools for advice about managing absence for Travellers under the new rules and fines for unauthorised absence and holidays that have come into place since September 2013.

In the interest of community cohesion, schools are worried that they will not be seen to be fair to all their parents if they do not check that Traveller families are actually travelling for work purposes and not for holidays or family issues. At the same time they want to respect the right to travel and be culturally sensitive.

• We recommend that you look at your attendance policies and amend them to be in line with the new guidance. As well as the requirement for all parentsto fully inform school and seek agreement if they intend to go on holiday or to request absence for family issues you could also add a requirement for GRT parents to fully inform school and seek agreement if they intend to have a period of absence totravel for occupational purposes. Parents should provide details for all these events and if possible provide evidence.

• We recommend that you speak to all Gypsy, Roma, Traveller parents about the changes to the attendance rules and the fine system before issuing any fines and that you explain that this might affect the way that GRT parents communicate with school about periods of travelling. Be explicit about the use of the T code being solely for periods of occupational travelling andnot forholidays and ask families to respect their right to travel by not misusing the code and by communicating clearly with school when they are travelling. It is important to ensure you have done this, if possible in person or by telephone, in recognition of the potential literacy issues of some GRT parents.

• The current legal advice from the DfE is in two documents that are on the EMTAS website on the - WholeSchool section on the National Advice page: School Attendance Nov ’13 and Parental Responsibility – measures for school attendance and behaviour Nov ’13.) The key points are that periods of travelling should be agreed with school and that pupils should dual register while they are away if possible. The guidance also states that no retrospective approval for holidays is allowed.

• On the website you will also find an example of an “Intention to Travel” form that you could adapt for your use. A form like this would clearly differentiate a request for holiday from a communication of the need to travel for occupational purposes.

Ethnic Minority & Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS), South Gloucestershire Council

(Tel:01454 862620)