SCHOOLCHILDREN from the Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller communities are being left behind in ways that have lifelong consequences for themselves and their communities, a report, Fought not Taught, from the Traveller Movement, suggests.
An earlier report identified “off-rolling” —– removing a pupil from the school roll without a formal, permanent exclusion — pressure to home educate, repeated informal removals from the classroom, behavioural management systems, and formal education exclusion processes as disproportionately used against children from these communities.
This report suggests policy solutions to the problem, described in a foreword by the Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Revd Stephen Conway, as “a matter of justice for those who are excluded in any way and who are left disposable and without a voice which can be heard”.
Its 15 recommendations include a call on Ofsted to review behaviour policies across the country: “a broader shift towards early intervention, contextual understanding and proportionate discipline”. The current inspection, it suggests, “places too much emphasis on attainment and attendance, which can often overlook inclusion. We propose that exclusion rates and elective home education withdrawals be included in school inspections, coupled with schools required to justify high figures.”
What is described as “persistent disruptive behaviour” accounted for 176,000 suspensions from school in 2023-24. “Children with overlapping disadvantages are significantly more likely to experience exclusion,” the report notes. “These include SEND [special educational needs and disabilities] needs, poverty, ethnic minority status and experiences of trauma.” It calls for a shift of focus from punishment to support.
The report calls for alternative education options “which are meaningful and not relegated to lower status. . . There must be a careful approach to make sure we are not assuming that, for example, a young Irish Traveller boy would want to work on a building site.” It also wants to see accessible online education resources to allow the children to remain engaged in their education while travelling.
Early years engagement is a priority, the report says. It urges the reintroduction of the Sure Start children’s centres, which brought together early education, childcare and family support under one roof. “Romani, Roma and Traveller families, especially women and children, experience some of the most extreme forms of stress and adversity,” it says.
“These include higher mortality rates, poverty, poor housing conditions, poor educational outcomes and discrimination when accessing services.” It also calls for a statutory framework for recording and reporting racist bullying. Quotes from some of the young people surveyed, included “Do you wash?”, “Do you carry different diseases?”, “Are you a witch?”
The report concludes: “Ultimately dismantling coercive exclusions demands a systemic shift in mindset; from ‘managing behaviour’ to ‘understanding need’. It is critical to act now to put an end and ensure that no child is pushed out of a system that should exist to support them.”
Bishop Conway, who is about to take up the position of lead bishop on education in the Lords, hosted the launch of the report last week. “We must act now to ensure that no child experiences a life devoid of opportunity because of a lack of bold and creative thinking,” he said.
“The report also highlights important and powerful work that many teachers and schools are doing. However, they are doing it in spite of, not because of, current policy and practice.”
