ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the range of challenges and barriers to education that many Gypsies, Roma and Travellers (GRT) families face, while dispelling misconceptions. It shows what can be done to ensure GRT children and young people are included in education and achieve positive outcomes. GRT pupils have the highest exclusion rate of any ethnic group. GRT adults are more likely than the general population to lack basic literacy skills, often as a direct result of historic failures to address GRT pupils’ needs. Cultural norms in GRT communities may differ from mainstream norms, and given that the education system is built around mainstream culture, these communities’ norms and values may sit at odds, resulting in a lack of engagement. Many GRT communities feel that operating within mainstream systems and spaces will result in cultural traditions and values being worn away. A flexible and supportive approach to GRT pupils’ enrolment supports GRT families and avoids a negative impact on schools’ attendance data.
