Schools must work harder to include Gypsy and Traveller children, says government report

All secondary schools should have a teacher trained to support pupils from Gypsy families, according to the study, published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. It also called on school staff to attend Gypsy and Traveller events, celebrate key events in our history and show sensitivity towards potentially contentious issues for the community such as sex education.

Researchers said the measures were needed to boost standards among the 9,000 pupils from Gypsy, Roma and traveller families.The study said that schools that "developed a reputation for being caring and understanding of traveller culture" were more likely to get children interested in education.

But the suggestions were criticised by the right wing TaxPayers' Alliance which said resources would be better spent. The Department for Children, Schools and Families insisted they had a duty to boost standards among minority groups.

"'For Roma pupils, having a member of staff who could speak their language and demonstrate good insight into their cultural experiences was comforting for pupils and their parents," the study said.

The report, from the National Foundation for Educational Research and the Inner London Traveller Education Consortium, recommended allocating a member of staff as a Gypsy liaison officer in all 3,200 secondary schools in England.

It said just 290 pupils were classified as "gifted" by teachers and they were four times more likely to be expelled from school. Only seven per cent of Gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils gained five good GCSEs, including English and maths, last year compared with almost half of teenagers nationally.

"Particularly valued by parents were secondary schools that offer a flexible, work-related curriculum which was seen as more relevant to traveller lifestyles and cultural expectations," the study said. "A more flexible approach to homework was appreciated by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils and their families."

But a DCSF spokesman said: "We're crystal clear that teachers must take a tough line on bad behaviour and doing homework, regardless of pupils' background - no ifs or buts.

"This report doesn't actually say that schools should go soft on traveller families - it highlights some schools which agreed specific behaviour rules direct with traveller families or offered additional homework club facilities on site."

Matthew Elliott, from the TaxPayers' Alliance, said the Government had "more important things to invest taxpayers' money in than gypsy liaison officers".

"This will amount to a lot of money spent on a very fringe group, it would be far better spent on teachers and text books that would benefit all pupils, regardless of their social background," he said.

 Read the report for yourself at:

 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR170.pdf