Scottish Traveller Education Programme

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Scotland’s Travelling children and young people: Education

Right of child to school education

In 2002, the Scottish Parliament established the entitlement of all children and young people in Scotland to a school education.

It shall be the right of every child of school age to be provided with school education by, or by virtue of arrangements made, or entered into, by, an education authority (2002) (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2000/asp_20000006_en_1)

Children and young people from Scotland’s Travelling families may not attend or regularly attend schools. As a result, Travelling children and young people may experience interrupted access to and participation in learning and the formal qualifications that allow for full participation in wider society. Mobility in life-styles is one factor that contributes to their difficulties in achieving at school.

Gypsies/Travellers frequently perceive schools as having little sympathy and offering poor support for their communities, their values and life-styles. Nevertheless, most Gypsy/Traveller families value formal education, which includes interactive communication technology skills and its potential to support learning at a distance from schools. Showmen’s families have a long history of supporting their children’s education when travelling and in the past few years have welcomed ICT supported learning.

While many Gypsies/Travellers acknowledge the kindness and consideration of individual teachers, they remain fearful of the experiences their children will meet in school. Families worry about name-calling and other acts of racist discrimination from non-Traveller pupils, staff and the wider community. Where Gypsies/Travellers have less positive experiences of schools and schooling they tend to disengage from formal educational systems.

Whether housed or relatively settled on a permanent site Gysies/Travellers often find it difficult to go to school. As a result, they are unlikely to easily make use of a range of lifelong learning opportunities, for example in Further Education.

Gypsies/Travellers also fear that their children’s engagement in regular schooling over time might erode their informal education about Gypsy/Traveller cultures and their associated values and skills.

Other Travelling communities report similar concerns regarding treatment that they experience as rascist. With the Scottish Government’s continued funding and support for its national remit, The Scottish Traveller Education Programme continues its support for developments in inclusive educational approaches through its relationships with a range of agencies, local authorities and colleges in promoting the uptake of education by Scotland’s Travelling families.

Scotland’s Travelling children and young people: Education

Right of child to school education

Visit the education FAQ page to find answers to questions often asked by teachers and schools.