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Positive Images: Laptop Computers for Occupational (Fairground) Traveller Pupils

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The Showground Travelling season traditionally covers from March to October and up to Bonfire Night.   The Showground Travellers also serve the Christmas and New Year celebrations.   During the winter months the community base themselves in the Glasgow area.   Most children regularly attend a winter base school in Glasgow. Because of their families' travelling patterns throughout the year, many experience interrupted learning.

Glasgow City Council has recently supported a request from the Education Liaison Officers (ELOs) of the Glasgow Section of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain, to provide laptop computers to some Primary and Secondary children whilst travelling. The aim of this support is to allow improved access to a structured and formal education.

This pilot project has involved the ELOs, and a number of professionals from Glasgow's Interrupted Learning Service, MITEL and Edict.   The result is that  

  • laptop computers and printers have been purchased and issued to an identified group of pupils;

  • pupils and parents have been trained in using the laptop computers and the software installed on them;

  • O2 data cards are providing Internet access;

  • a curriculum is being delivered via hyperlinked work plans, initially using Learnpremium software; and

  • offline software has been installed and planners provided for use if Internet connection is not available.

Many of the advisers were previously involved in the SchoolsoutGlasgow.net project, (www.scotland.gov.ukschoolsoutglasgow). However, as the Traveller children may be out of Glasgow for several weeks with no direct teacher input and no guaranteed Internet connection, the approach used in this project is different, largely due to the mobility of its client group.

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