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'Travellers at School: the Experience of Parents, Pupils and Teachers'

(Lloyd, Stead and Jordan, 1999)

The findings from this research project were published in a report in 1999 and discussed in a number of articles (see references). The research built on two previous studies. The STEP research on school attendance (Jordan 1998) and the Scottish government funded research on disciplinary exclusion (Munn at al 2000) had both identified issues to do with processes of school exclusion and inclusion. Both had recognised that how schools respond to the behaviour of their pupils depends on how school staff construct and make sense of the pupils' actions. It was also well documented that disciplinary exclusion is connected to the broader social exclusion of particular groups of pupils, in relation to class and ethnicity (Booth 1996). In England OFSTED had identified the disproportionate exclusion from school of Gypsies and Travellers.

This research set out to explore the views of a range of stakeholders about issues of school discipline and exclusion. Interviews were conducted with:

  • Gypsy/Traveller parents and young people;

  • Show Traveller parents and young people;

  • Traveller support workers;

  • School teachers.

The findings indicated a clear relationship between disciplinary issues, including exclusion, and name-calling/bullying in school. Pupils from both Gypsy/Traveller and Show Traveller communities had all experienced extensive name-calling. Teachers were not in general seen to respond helpfully, so pupils tended to try and resolve it themselves, sometimes through violence. Show Traveller pupils and parents in other respects described a more positive school experience and this was also reflected in comments from their schools. Gypsy Traveller pupils had experienced more difficulties at school and this was also described by teachers. Some teachers clearly had little understanding of the cultural and lifestyle of Gypsy Traveller pupils. The research suggests that schools and their staff may reflect the prejudice and stereotyping of their communities towards Travellers. Traveller support workers were valued by parents and pupils in their efforts to mediate between families and schools.


References

Booth, T 1996 'Stories of Exclusion and Inclusion'. In Clark, Dyson, A and Millward, A Towards Inclusive Schools. London: David Fulton

Jordan, E 1998 Travellers in Scottish schools: PhD Thesis Edinburgh: Heriot Watt University

Lloyd, G and Norris, C 1996 From Difference to Deviance International Journal of Inclusive Education

Lloyd, G Stead and Jordan, B (with Norris, C & Miller, M) 1999 Travellers at School ; The experience of parents, pupils and teachers Research report Edinburgh : Moray House

Lloyd, G Stead and Jordan, B (with Norris, C & Miller, M) Lloyd, G and Stead, J SER

Lloyd, G and Stead, J Children and Society

Lloyd, G and Stead, J Race Equality Teaching

Munn, P Lloyd, G and Cullen, MA 2000 Alternatives to Exclusion from School London: Paul Chapman

OFSTED 1996 The Education of Travelling Pupils London: DfEE

Contacts

Email Gwynedd.Lloyd@ed.ac.uk

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