1. Interim
Summary
Produced by
Phil Regan and Adam Ahmed
for
Westway Development Trust
May 2011
„…probably the most severely deprived children in the country.‟
Plowden Report 1967
„… the level of hostility faced by Gypsy Traveller children
is probably greater than for any other minority ethnic group.‟
Raising the attainment of minority ethnic pupils’,
Ofsted, 1999
'The vast majority of Traveller pupils linger on the periphery of
the education system. The situation has persisted for too long
and the alarm bells rung in earlier reports have yet to be heeded'
Provision and support for Traveller pupils, Ofsted, 2003
„... some committed, forward-looking local authorities have
pioneered ways of meeting the needs of these nomadic groups
to preserve their traditional lifestyle, while accessing health and
education services and maintaining good relations with
other communities.‟
Gypsies and Travellers: simple solutions for living together,
EHRC, 2009
A Way to Inclusion?
A study into the learning Needs and Opportunities
of Irish Traveller families on Stable Way

2. Recommendations
These recommendations are preliminary and presented largely to inform discussion at a Seminar
on the 23rd
May, 2011 as part of an ongoing conversation with families about the inclusion of Irish
Traveller education.
1. ACCOMMODATION
a. Poor accommodation underpins other inequalities. Attempts to include Travellers in
education have to work hand-in-hand with securing decent and appropriate site
accommodation.
b. Develop new group housing accommodation as part of the White City Opportunity Area
2. COMMUNITY VOICE AND INFLUENCE
a. Place Irish Traveller voice and experience at the heart of policy and practice reform.
Otherwise, oppositional attitudes can be reinforced that further alienate Travellers from
education services.
b. There are genuine resident concerns over the decommissioning of Southwark Traveller
Action Group on the site. In listening to residents it is highly recommended that they be
involved in future commissioning of services – for example, as part of the interviewing
panel.
c. Continued support and development of the Residents Association. This group is still
embryonic and whilst there has been some limited success through small grants
applications, the group requires additional officer role training and intensive support to
become self-managing.
3. SUPPORTING FORMAL EDUCATION
a. Consider piloting the development in schools of:-
i. Enhancing the History GCSE in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea [RBKC]
schools to incorporate an understanding and celebration of Gypsy Roma and Traveller
culture nationally and locally.
ii. GCSE Cant/Gammon language course. This idea has proved successful with the Somali
community in Bristol, where the development of Somali language GCSE has supported
successful outcomes for marginalised pupils. This recommendation when discussed with
residents was generally opposed.
b. Identify, promote and develop vocational pathways into learning for Traveller young people
in RBKC
c. Kensington and Chelsea College at Maxilla Gardens (Maxilla), is an ideal resource for
secondary and FE age young people offering flexible and appropriate academic and
vocational provision. Build and develop links between Maxilla and families on Stable Way
4. SUPPORTING INFORMAL LEARNING
a. Share and build on good practice examples of adult learning activity that exist in other
Boroughs. In one London Borough good practice is forged around a partnership between
families, Library and Adult Education Services and includes successful courses in Driving
Theory, Computer Literacy and Cultural Awareness in schools.
b. The mini-club is well received and may be extended to more nights per week and open to
different age groups. With a captive audience of primary age pupils consideration should
be given to structured sessions, with outcomes for the children that reflect those at school.
5. INTEGENERATIONAL LEARNING
a. Develop new and existing opportunities for Irish Traveller parents/grand-parents and
children to learn together, and for parents to gain a better experience of education than they
may have had previously. Some options already exist with, for example, Parents and
Children becoming computer literate together at NOVA; or adults delivering informal
sessions around cooking, flower making or story telling at the mini-club.

3. 6. POLICY DEVELOPMENT
a. Give priority to protecting the Language Development Service funding in RBKC.
b. Develop Irish Traveller cultural awareness programme of training to be delivered to local
authority, educational, voluntary and community services/organisations in the Borough.
Training to be delivered in collaboration with families on Stable Way
c. Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month has gone some way towards informing schools
and the wider settled community about Gypsy Roma and Traveller culture, its values and
heritage. With changes to funding nationally, it is important that there is funding locally and
embedding in local policy occurs to continue the momentum gained so far. GRTHM activity
should be coordinated with residents on Stable Way
d. Local authority to look more closely at disadvantage and good practice amongst other
ethnic groups – are there common issues to be addressed?
e. More research around absenteeism due to a move in accommodation. Explore targeted
intervention for those pupils newly moving into the Borough.
f. Parents can use their own experiences of racism and broken schooling as a rationale for their
children being kept ‗safe‘ and out of school. In developing educational inclusion policy for
Travellers, very real consideration should be given to community issues of trust and safety.
7. HEALTH PROMOTION
a. Explore a more holistic approach to tackle anxiety and depression, including counselling
and conflict resolution alternatives
8. SUSTAINABILITY
a. Long term input with consistency/familiarity of workers is essential to tackle education
exclusion. Delivering on WDTs £15,000 / annum could happen in many ways. However the
funding is allocated, it is highly recommended that a familiar face remains in place. Though
not exhaustive some options for delivering on WDT funding for the next 3 years include:
i. Traveller led Organisation – LGTU, ITMB, STAG,
ii. Harrow Club with a focussed remit around additional learning opportunities for
children/young people; and the exploration of intergenerational learning with
parents/grand parents
iii. Stable Way Residents Association
iv. WDT appointment / freelance contract
b. Short-term initiatives encourage broken learning experiences. A 3-5 year action plan to be
prepared that tackles Traveller exclusion from education.
9. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
a. Develop baseline of education participation/exclusion for housed and sited, Gypsy Roma
and Traveller children and young people in RBKC, capturing attendance and attainment in
Primary, Secondary, Further and Higher Education.

4. RESEARCH CONTEXT
1. BACKGROUND
1.1. For the past eight years, Westway Development
Trust [WDT] has been funding work with families
on Stable Way, initially engaging a freelancer and
for the past four years grant-aiding Southwark
Travellers Action Group to carry out the activity.
In the early years, the focus was developmental
though recently has centred on families‘ needs for
advocacy and support. With increased
resourcing from the Royal Borough of Kensington
and Chelsea [RBKC] and with the input of Advice
Now on the site, support and advocacy is being
better covered, allowing the Trust, as a charity
with a strong education remit, to focus on where it
can best make its contribution to education,
training and family learning.
1.2. With the withdrawal of the Catholic Children‘s
Society, the Trust has supported learning
activities on site (e.g. Computer Literacy and
Mini-Club) and has commissioned this research
programme to ensure the Irish Traveller voice
informs. This interim summary is presented to
evoke discussion at a seminar on the 23rd
May
2011 at Harrow Club, as part of a continuing
conversation with families on Stable Way and
services working with them.
2. AIMS AND OBJECIVES
2.1. The study aims:
1. To identify and describe the family learning
needs and interests of Irish Travellers on
Stable Way; and
2. To produce an analysis of the existing learning
opportunities available in the Royal Borough of
Kensington and Chelsea and explore how
these are being taken up by families on Stable
Way.
3. To set out a programme of future activity
agreed with residents and services working
with them.
2.2. In working towards these aims there are a
number of objectives:
a. Identifying and describing the family learning
needs and education and training interests of
Irish Travellers on Stable Way.
b. Mapping what learning opportunities in RBKC
(a) there have previously been and (b) which
are currently available and then examining
how families on Stable Way (i) have taken
them up in the past (ii) are currently taking
them up.
c. Surveying examples of successful initiatives
undertaken in other London boroughs and
elsewhere in the UK and the Republic of
Ireland and identifying what other innovative
initiatives might usefully be taken.
d. Engaging local providers as partners to the
research and to its findings, so that the
collaborative support and commitment of local
agencies can be given to the initiatives to be
taken forwards.
e. Setting out the findings, holding workshops
with families and local providers to prioritise
initiatives to be taken forwards and
subsequently setting out costs and
implementation plans for them.
f. Making fundraising applications (where
feasible and appropriate alongside the
embryonic Travellers‘ Residents Association)
in line with these findings and costs to
complement funding already committed (i.e.
annual grant from the Trust).
g. Setting out the programme of agreed
initiatives, engaging staff/tutors as appropriate
(where feasible and appropriate to be engaged
by the Travellers‘ Residents Association, or
other appropriate agencies).m
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH
3.1. Given that this research has an explicit remit of
seeking Irish Traveller views in enhancing
community engagement and skills development,
a Participatory Action Research methodology has
been adopted.
3.2. Participatory Action Research has its roots in the
educationalist work of Paulo Freire (1970).
Developing a theoretical framework that shared
the basic premise of adult education, that adults
have control over the content and form of their
education, this dialogical approach to adult
education engaged individuals in critical analysis
and organised action to improve their situations.
In these dialogues, ‗‖educators” and “students”
move toward a critical consciousness of the
forces of oppression and the possibilities for
liberation.‟ (Pant, undated p.95)
3.3. In accepting the premise that Participatory Action
Research is a way of ―improving and informing
social, economic and cultural practice‖
(McTaggart, 1997, p.26), the role of participants is
central, otherwise an outside, often ‗expert‘ view
can prevail creating further cycles of dependence
through mediation. Based on the principle that
those people best able to research, understand,
explain and address any issue are those that
experience it every day, the study aims to build
critical awareness and action of Irish Travellers
themselves.
RECOMMENDATION: COMMUNITY VOICE AND INFLUENCE Place
Irish Traveller voice and experience at the heart of policy and
practice reform. Otherwise, oppositional attitudes can be
reinforced that further alienate Travellers from education
services.

5. RECOMMENDATION: SUPPORTING FORMAL
QUALIFICATION Consider piloting the development in
schools of:-
a. Enhancing the History GCSE in RBKC schools to
incorporate an understanding and celebration of
Gypsy Roma and Traveller culture nationally and
locally.
b. GCSE Cant/Gammon language course. This idea has
proved successful with the Somali community in
Bristol, where the development of Somali language
GCSE has supported successful outcomes for
marginalised pupils. This recommendation when
discussed with residents was generally opposed.
3.4. Models of action research are often shown as
cycles. Common examples are Stringer‘s
(2007) ‗look-think-act‘ approach; and Kemmis
(1983) four step ‗plan-act-observe-reflect'
model. Others combine and refine these
approaches, retaining the cyclic nature of the
work. This study follows Susman‘s (1983) five
phase model:
1. Initially a problem is identified and data collected
for a more detailed diagnosis
2. Collective postulation of several possible
solutions from which a single plan of action
emerges and is implemented - the research is
currently at this stage
3. Data on the results of the intervention are
collected and analysed,
4. The findings are interpreted in light of how
successful the action has been.
5. The problem is re-assessed and the process
begins another cycle. This process continues
until the problem is solved.
4. RESEARCH TOOLS
4.1. Action Research is more of a holistic approach to
problem-solving, rather than a single method for
collecting and analysing data. Thus, it allows for
several different research tools to be used as the
project is conducted. Research tools utilised for
this study include:
- Semi-structured interviews with: Traveller
focussed organisations/services and families on
Stable Way
- Document collection and analysis
- Whole system event
- Case Study
4.2. Semi-structured Interviews
Organisations/Services
Interviews were conducted with 10 Traveller
focussed organisations and education services in
RBKC. Of these interviews 9 were recorded and
transcribed and 1 noted during interview. In the
event 1 organisation asked for their interview data
not to be included in the research and another
was unusable due to noise disturbance.
Interviews were conducted with:
1. Irish Traveller Movement in Britain 2. London Gypsy
and Traveller Unit 3.Kensington and Chelsea College at
Maxilla Gardens 4. RBKC, Supporting People 5. London
Traveller Education Inner Area Consortium 6. Southwark
Traveller Action Group 7. NOVA 8. Harrow Club 9.
RBKC, Language Development Service (EAL, Ethnic
Minority and Traveller Achievement) and; 10. Social
worker in the South of England
4.3. Semi-structured interviews
Families on Stable Way
Interviews with 10 Irish Travellers were
conducted. Of these interviews 3 were
recorded and 7 noted during interview.
4.4. It is worth highlighting that during this phase of
investigation all residencies were approached
to be interviewed, on at least two occasions.
While some families were travelling or absent
for other reasons, there was a feeling amongst
those present that they have been over-
consulted for most of the last 20 years without
discernable change.
4.5. In total 47 per cent of all families on Stable Way
were interviewed. The sample of 10 Irish
Traveller interviews took place in 9 of the 19
pitches, with 1 pitch participating in 2
interviews.
4.6. The interview sample was made up of 70 per
cent female and 30 per cent male.
4.7. Interviewees indicated that 22 adults and 17
children/young people were recorded as living
on the 9 pitches equating to 2.4 adults and 1.9
children/young people per pitch.
4.8. Participants had a strong historical connection
to Stable Way (formerly the Westway). In terms
of living on the site, there was a spread
amongst participants of between 3 and 35
years and on average interviewees had lived
on Stable Way for 13 years.
4.9. Just 1 of the 10 people interviewed identified
themselves as having any form of qualification.
This data is roughly in line with research
undertaken by Ryder and Greenfields (2010)
that suggested a large section of the Gypsy
and Irish Traveller sample (approximately 76
per cent in their sample) had no formal
qualifications, a figure which compares
drastically with the 9 per cent of the
mainstream population without qualifications.
4.10. Traveller respondents were mostly aged 35 –
44 (50%). See Figure 1 for a breakdown of
interviewees by age range.

6. 3
0
5
1
0
1
17-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
FIGURE 1: Number of interviewees by age range
4.11. Document collection and analysis
A detailed examination of documents was
undertaken across a wide range of social
practices.
4.12. The examination was particularly concerned
with a qualitative investigation of the levels of
involvement of Irish Travellers; impact on
families on Stable Way; and good practice in
engaging Irish Travellers in education. See
Appendix 1 for a sample of documents
examined and some initial comments.
4.13. Whole System Event (WSE) – 23rd
May 2011
„The concept of whole system working is
popular but elusive. It entered the mainstream
of health and social care discourse in the late
1990s and has been used mainly in the worlds
of management and service delivery. Broadly, it
refers to the process of involving all
stakeholders of a domain in discussion about
service change - all parties are encouraged to
think about the way the whole service delivery
system works, rather than focusing only upon
their own service.‟ (CSIP, 2006)
4.14. Accepting that change around education does
not happen in isolation from accommodation,
health, employment etc. the WSE aims to bring
all the constituent parts together to postulate
several possible solutions and agree a single
plan of action.
4.15. The WSE is not a sole event, indeed this event
would be the start of a process of dialogue and
monitoring. Another WSE would be planned
for 6 months – 1 year later where the findings
are interpreted in light of how successful the
action has been from this event. Others would
be planned until the ‗issue‘ of Traveller
exclusion from education in RBKC is resolved.
4.16. Case Study
The term can refer to an event, an activity or
even an individual. It is an empirical inquiry
that investigates ‗something‘ within its real life
context using multiple sources of evidence.
(Yin, 1989)
4.17. Case Study information is provided in Figure 2
(overleaf) about attempts to involve young
people and adults in learning opportunities that
they themselves have identified.
5. IRISH TRAVELLER VOICE
5.1. Throughout this study „findings have been fed
back to participants for validation and to inform
decisions about the next stage of the research
in order that outcomes are meaningful and
useful to the participants.‟ (Ryder and
Greenfields, 2010)
5.2. Monthly Resident Meetings have provided a
vehicle to feed back orally and in writing
through minutes, to residents and wider
stakeholders.
5.3. A Whole System Event approach provides a
forum for honest, 360 degree discussions by
those stakeholders involved in Traveller
Education service delivery. In planning,
monitoring and reviewing agreed action,
Traveller families are placed at the heart of
reform to education policy and practice.

7. IT SESSIONS AT NOVA
As part of this study adults were asked to consider what type of
provision would be useful in meeting their learning needs.
Computer literacy was identified as something that would be
useful for families on Stable Way, particularly around emailing,
web searching and social networking.
A barrier was that not everyone on the site had access to
appropriate computer hardware and internet connection. To
help remedy this, in October 2010 the Residents Association
successfully applied to the Grassroots Grant for funding to
enable the purchasing of 20 LAPTOPs. These were to be made
available to families to hire and use in their homes, when
needed. Additionally the Residents Association in Nov 2010,
successfully applied to the WDT Small Grants for funding to
insure this equipment and fund the already established WI-FI
network on the site until Feb 2012.
With the WI-FI network and hardware in place, the next step was
to identify appropriate providers for delivering Computer Literacy
session. Between January and March 2011, a number of
opportunities to deliver computer literacy were explored and in
the event NOVA and RBKC were identified to deliver sessions.
NOVA attended the April Residents Association and spoke
about the provision they could offer. There was interest among
families and a date was set for the following week where up to
10 residents would attend NOVA to undertake a one day
accredited course – introducing them to computers. WDT
followed up with residents a couple of days before the day and
3-5 people indicated they would attend. In the event 1 person
attended on the day.
In speaking with residents about their non-attendance, it was
clear that on-site provision was seen as more appropriate.
Taking this into consideration, another day was planned the
following week when NOVA offered the same course on-site in
the community Hut. In the event no-one attended this day
NOVA spoke with the Residents Association Treasurer to set
another date, on-site when the course was to be delivered. At
the time of writing the attendance and success of this day are
unknown.
RBKC was also approached to offer slightly more informal, on-
site provision. The course tutor introduced himself to residents
one afternoon, visiting homes door-to-door. Identifying particular
needs around setting up emails and web–surfing, a session one
evening a week, for 6 weeks, was agreed and started on the 17
th
May. At the first session 2 adults attended, setting up emails
and installing anti-viruses.
Some Learning...?
- On-site provision is often voiced by residents as much more
preferable. However the evidence so far from the experience of
NOVA is that on and off site provision has been poorly attended.
- There is genuine interest in computer literacy, among young
people and adults
HAIR AND BEAUTY,
KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA COLLEGE AT MAXILLA
GARDENS
In 2010 two young Irish Traveller people attended Hair and Beauty
sessions at Kensington and Chelsea College at Maxilla Gardens
(Maxilla), following assistance in gaining places, by RBKC Supporting
People. Within the 1
st
week they had both left, it seems after coming
into verbal conflict with a couple of girls already established at the
college. Whether the conflict was racist in nature or about young
people‘s group dynamics was not determined.
In January 2011, another two young Irish Traveller people, both
females aged 13 and 14, expressed interest in Hair and Beauty.
After exploring educational options in the area, again Maxilla was
approached. The location of Maxilla was seen as appropriate given
its close proximity to the site (10 min walk); flexible learning provision
from Entry Level to Level 2 FE; courses that can allow breaks in
studying; and the pastoral support available through youth workers
and mentoring staff.
Attending an initial taster session to meet the Alternative Schools
course leader, the young people expressed excitement about
enrolling. Supported by RBKC Education Welfare Officers (EWOs)
and WDT, funding was secured through RBKC Language
Development Service and the two young people were enrolled.
During the 1st week, the young people completed a number of initial
assessments in literacy and numeracy and took their place during
afternoons in the Colleges‘ Hair Salon. The course leader
commented how ‗able the young people were,‘ readily completing the
assessments and showing good aptitude to complete the course.
During the next two weeks, one or other of the young people was
unable to attend due to: illness of a parent and child caring
responsibilities; family away from the site; and dental or medical
appointments. In the event more often than not while one was
unable to attend, both young people remained absent. There was an
occasion when one of the young people attended alone, she recalled
being followed by students at the College and afraid of being there
alone.
Attendance at the College was broken and despite encouragement
and support from the EWOs and WDT the young people did not
attend college again. In discussion with parents, there were a
number of factors that resulted in the placement stopping – it was
inappropriate for any young person to attend alone; the groups of
settled young people at the college were seen as a threat to the
Traveller young peoples‘ safety; and the young people themselves
had lost interest in the course.
At the time of writing additional support has been taken up by 3
young people at the community Hut.
Some Learning...?
- There is obvious interest in vocational learning that can lead to
employment opportunities.
- There are very real issues over safety in the community that are
often expressed through non-attendance. A cohort of community
learners is preferred to a singleton approach.
- Young peoples‘ responsibilities in the home around caring for
children and family members are an essential part of Traveller family
life. This can be a barrier to attendance and should be given due
consideration at enrolment,
FIGURE 2: Two Case Study examples of learning activities on Stable Way

8. RESEARCH FINDINGS
6. INTRODUCTION TO THE TRAVELLER
COMMUNITY AT STABLE WAY
6.1. Gypsy and Traveller communities are among the
UK‘s most marginalised groups (CRE, 2006) with
children/young people experiencing the very
worst in educational opportunities. Successive
research, policy and guidance materials have
recognised the difficulties faced by Traveller
children/young people both in accessing school
and in achieving in line with others (Plowden,
1967; Swann, 1983; Ofsted, 2003; DCSF, 2009a).
Despite some gains, particularly in Nursery and
Primary education, the exclusion persists and
Gypsy and Traveller „children's educational
achievements are worse, and declining still
further (contrary to the national trend)‘ (Cemlyn et
al, 2009, p.V).
6.2. Set against this history of exclusion in education,
are inequalities in health and well-being (Parry et
al., 2004), accommodation (Greenfields and
Smith, 2010) and employment (Ryder and
Greenfields, 2010). To understand Irish
Travellers educational exclusion is to recognise
the multi-discriminatory experience of many
families.
6.3. This study has a clear focus on education it is
recognised that it is impossible to disentangle
exclusion in education from other inequalities,
particularly from those of accommodation. As
Cemlyn et al asserts „the lack of secure
accommodation for nomadic groups remains
the lynchpin of a plethora of other inequalities‟
(2009, p.252).
6.4. Made official in 1976, Stable Way (formerly the
Westway Travellers site) has been a traditional
stopping place for Gypsies and Irish Travellers
for centuries. With 19 pitches and a community
Hut, it is home to Irish Traveller families
comprising approximately 95 people.
6.5. The location of Stable Way is both ideal and a
nightmare. Close to a primary school, college,
doctors, shopping amenities and sports centre, in
some ways it could have come out of the
government guidelines for good practice.
However all this is over shadowed by the
Westway flyover and the 24/7 traffic travelling
overhead. Surrounded by garages and
workshops, „there is no pavement along the road
leading to it. Mothers have to push prams along a
bendy and pitted approach lane. There used to be
another footpath. But when the Westway
Development Trust took over some adjacent land
to make riding stables, they blocked this with a
concrete slab.‟ (Independent Catholic News,
2007) Residents explain that, in desperation they
have knocked down the slab wall twice, though it
keeps being replaced. WDT plans to widen the
entrance/remove the wall and is awaiting
confirmation of funding to carry this out.
Families on Stable Way describe living conditions
that include dust and noise pollution, rubbish
being thrown onto them by passing motorists,
even a lorry load overturning on to the site and
destroying a home. One incident included a
coach load of football supporters stopping on their
way to an FA Cup final, and through a loud hailer
hurling racist abuse from the motorway at families
below.
6.6. Refurbishment of the site occurred in 2007, where
bathrooms and kitchens were upgraded.
However this left some families frustrated
because, as one resident complains „her and four
other kitchens were not refurbished without any
explanation why?‟ Further refurbishment to the
road surface, fencing, electricity connections and
site entrance is planned for 2011 through funding
from RBKC and Hammersmith and Fulham.
[See section 27 for recommendations on
Accommodation]

9. RECOMMENDATION: MONITORING AND EVALUTION
Develop baseline of education participation/exclusion
for housed and sited, Gypsy Roma and Traveller
children and young people in RBKC, capturing
attendance and attainment in Primary, Secondary,
Further and Higher Education.
7. EDUCATION STATISTICS ON
ATTENDANCE AND ATTAINMENT
7.1. DCSF statistics show that nationally, as of
2007, 2,880 Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils
and 5,400 Gypsy/Roma pupils were registered
in grant maintained Primary Schools in
England. This gross figure amounts to 0.25 per
cent of the total Primary School population.
Nationally1,040 Traveller of Irish Heritage
pupils and 2,620 Gypsy/Roma pupils attended
grant maintained Secondary Schools. This
gross figure equates to 0.1 per cent of the total
Secondary School population.
A total of 100 Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils
and 160 Gypsy/Roma pupils nationally,
attended grant maintained Special Schools.
This gross figure amounts to 0.3 per cent of the
total Special School population. (DCSF,
2008a).
7.2. The profile of education statistics for Traveller
children is stark. Data provided by DCSF
(2009b, p.20) indicates that 'nationally, 49.5
percent of Gypsy or Roma children and 52 per
cent of Traveller children of Irish heritage
groups are in the bottom 20 per cent of the
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.'
7.3. Statistics indicate 28 per cent of Traveller of
Irish Heritage; and 42 per cent of Gypsy /
Roma pupils achieved level 2 or above in
reading at Key Stage 1 compared to 84 per
cent of all pupils in 2003 (DfES, 2005). By 2007
these low levels of achievement had been
driven further down with 26 per cent of
Travellers of Irish Heritage pupils, and 27 per
cent of Gypsy/Roma pupils achieving level 2 or
above in comparison to an average of 84 per
cent overall. (DCSF, 2008b)
Figures 3 and 4 show the RBKC context for
Traveller primary education attendance and
attainment. 71.9 per cent of children attended
school in 2009-10. In that same year attainment
figures indicate that 66 percent in Maths and 80
percent in Writing and Reading of primary age
Gypsy Roma and Traveller pupils are below the
nationally expected average.
FIGURE 3: Numbers of pupils attaining and
progressing at primary school in RBKC, 2009 – 2010
reading writing maths
AboveNE
AtNE
BelowNE
AboveNE
AtNE
BelowNE
AboveNE
AtNE
BelowNE
KS1 0 1 4 0 1 4 0 3 2
KS2 2 0 8 2 0 8 1 1 8
* NE=National Expectation
Source: RBKC Language Development Service,
Autumn 2010
Source: RBKC Language Development Service,
Autumn 2010
7.4. Statistics provided by the ONS (2008) in
Figure 5 (overleaf), report a continuing downward
trend in the achievement of Traveller pupils at
Secondary School. In 2003, 42 per cent of
Travellers of Irish Heritage pupils and 23 per cent
of Gypsy/Roma pupils gained 5 or more A* - C
GCSEs, in comparison to 52 percent of pupils
overall. By 2007, this figure has dramatically
fallen to 16 per cent of Travellers of Irish Heritage
pupils and 14 per cent of Gypsy/Roma pupils, in
stark contrast to the rising achievement of pupils
overall to 59 per cent.
7.5. RBKC data for secondary schooling was not
available. The lack of official statistics on
attendance and attainment at Secondary School
reflects a general lack of detail in RBKC regarding
secondary, post-16, and housed Traveller
education. It is anticipated that the recent
inclusion of ‗Gypsy‘ and ‗Irish Traveller‘
categories in the 2011 Census may help alleviate
this, however that does rely on Travellers‘
ascribing to their ethnicity.
66.2
67.9
67
71.9
70
62 64 66 68 70 72 74
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
FIGURE 4: Average percentage in attendance at
primary school in RBKC, 2006 - 2011

10. Source, Taken ONS (2008)
7.6. Figure 6 provides information from interviewees
on the attendance of their children at school
and illustrates a sharp decrease in involvement
in secondary education. Interviewees indicated
100 per cent of their children attended Primary
School and 16 per cent attended Secondary
School.
7.7. Recorded national figures for Gypsies and
Travellers entering post-16 education are less
than 1% of those who had attended secondary
school, a mere 26 students in 2007 (DCSF,
2008). Anecdotal evidence about broader
ranges of traveller education 'success' should
supplement our understanding of the picture
qualitatively, but should not distract from the
stark reality of the facts.
7.8. A Final Recommendations and Report of the
Panel Review into the Impact of the Coalition
Government Policy on Gypsies and Travellers,
(Panel Review, May 2011) provides testimony
to the current education context for Gypsy
Roma and Traveller families:
„The findings from the research [DCSF,
(2009a)] graphically illustrated the profound
levels of educational exclusion suffered by this
group. Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) children
made reasonable progress in Key Stages 1 and
2 but tended to be located in low achieving
schools. Fifty percent of GRT children were
eligible for free school meals and high levels of
special educational needs were found amongst
the population. Travellers of Irish Heritage and
Gypsy and Roma pupils are nearly 3 times
more likely than White British pupils to be
identified as having special educational needs.
Fewer than 10 percent of Gypsy, Roma,
Traveller pupils was among the top 50 percent
of achievers at Key Stage 4. Earlier DCSF
research had also demonstrated that
Gypsies/Roma and Irish Travellers had the
highest exclusion and absence rates of any
other minority in school, and the NFER
research reported that many children stated
that they felt unwelcome in schools. The NFER
research, calculated that the level of secondary
school „drop out‟ figures for this minority are
exceptionally high, as just over 50% of the Year
6 cohort that were tracked throughout their
educational history also appeared in the Year
11 cohort.‟3
3
0
5
0
1
5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0-4 Not of school age
0-4 Attending Pre-…
0-4 Not Attending
5-11 Attending School
5-11 Not Attending
12 - 16 Attending School
12 - 16 Not Attending
PrimarySecondary
FIGURE 5: Per cent of pupils achieving 5 or more
A*– C GCSEs or equivalents by ethnic group in England,
2003 - 2007
FIGURE 6: Interviewees reporting the number of their
children/young people attending Primary and Secondary
School, 2010 – 11

11. 8. FINDINGS:
ORGANISATIONS AND SERVICES
8.1. The experiences and views of those
organisations and services interviewed as part
of this study are discussed. Drawing from
national, regional and local Traveller focussed
organisations/services, and education providers
in the Royal Borough of Kensington and
Chelsea, the view presented here informs the
context of Traveller education and identifies
emerging themes and good practice.
9. TRAVELLER EDUCATION SERVICES
9.1. The role of Traveller Education Services
(TESS) has been crucial in supporting Traveller
involvement in education since the 1970s and
is recognised particularly with improving
attendance and attainment in Nursery and
Primary Education. Figures suggest that
―whilst only 4% of Gypsy and Traveller children
were registered with LEA Primary schools in
1967, by the mid-1990‟s that figure had risen to
around 70% and this figure has remained fairly
constant since.‖ (Bhopal and Myers, 2009, p.5)
9.2. The London Traveller Education Inner Area
Consortium is typical of other TESS in working to:
- ‗build the capacity of families to become
independent users of the education service,
independent and assertive users. To build the
capacity of schools to respond to their Traveller
needs. Develop the capacity of local authorities
to support schools and families to understand
the issues, to work in an inter-agency way
because a lot of the issues relating to Traveller
education actually involve accommodation,
health, safety and various other things. And
then a general equalities brief to try and make
sure that schools follow their responsibilities
under the Race Relations Act, community
cohesion, build awareness, build
understanding‘ (London Traveller Education
Inner Area Consortium).
9.3. TESS is at threat of being diminished to
obscurity with current Coalition policy. The
Comprehensive Review and Localism are
leading to cuts in the very services tasked to
support the Traveller community to meet their
schooling and other learning needs.
Interviewees repeatedly called for a continued
investment by Government in order to
challenge Traveller exclusion from education: -
‗Don‟t put the community on the scrap heap,
invest in them.‟ (ITMB)
9.4. Figure 7 reflects evidence presented to the
Panel Review (2011) and demonstrates a stark
reminder of the impact of Coalition policy on
local TESS.
FIGURE 7 The Future of Traveller Education Support in
69 Local Authorities, May 2011
9.5. In RBKC the Language Development Service
supports the education of Traveller families in
the Borough. With a part time worker in
schools and a team of Education Welfare
Officers this support has been essential in the
helping families to understand, access and
benefit from schooling in the Borough. With the
Comprehensive Spending Review cuts, a more
streamlined Language Development Service
(EAL, Ethnic Minority and Traveller
Achievement) is being encouraged to sell its
services to schools in order to continue.
10. CULTURE AND VALUES
10.1. It is important to understand the desired effect of
reform on the nature of the interaction between
the Traveller community and the sedentary
population. Although integration and cultural
difference are binary opposites, there is a scale
between these positions, and it is important for
Travellers to take the lead in determining where
on this scale they believe their interests and
heritage would be best served and protected.
10.2. Interviewees stressed the importance of a wider
societal understanding of traditional and emerging
values within the Traveller culture. “We need to,
as professionals, understand what the value
systems in the travelling community are.” [ITMB]
Unknown
NoCuts
Unfilled
Vacancies
Cuts
Threatened
Restructure
andCuts
PostsLost
Significant
StaffLoss
Service
Threatened
Service
Deleted
18% 13% 4% 13% 12% 14% 10% 6% 10%
RECOMMENDATION: POLICY DEVELOPMENT Deliver
Irish Traveller cultural awareness training to local
authority, educational, voluntary and community
services/organisations in the Borough. Training to be
delivered in collaboration with families on Stable Way
RECOMMENDATION: POLICY DEVELOPMENT Give high
priority to protecting the Language Development
Service funding in RBKC.

12. 10.3. The value of formal qualification, though
embedded in much of the sedentary population, is
not necessarily shared by Travellers: - „There are
family ways of learning that may not be so
competitive, where you learn with your family.
The whole idea of getting status out of education,
with degrees and so on, at the moment doesn‟t
seem to be deeply ingrained as an aspiration in
Traveller culture.‟ (Social Worker in the South of
England)
10.4. Being an educated Traveller maybe perceived as
a contradiction of terms, for some members of the
community. There remains the „fear that if their
children were educated they would not learn the
life skills that the community teaches, they'd
become kind of soft, book-based, and if they were
successful within education they would move
away from the culture.‟ (London Traveller
Education Inner Area Consortium)
10.5. Alternative constructions of childhood and
adulthood can exist in the Traveller community.
Particularly an earlier concept of adulthood
where Travellers can be perceived as adults or
having some adult responsibilities from the ages
of 12 or 13. This can lead to conflicting
responsibilities for young Traveller people and
additional tension particularly at Secondary
School, for example, where sedentary regimes of
homework exist.
10.6. A gendered way of learning persists with some
Gypsy and Traveller families: - ‗Boys can be
expected to go working with their uncles and
their cousins from an early age and it can be
seen as stigma to still be in school. It can be
seen as a threat to their identity.‟ (Social
Worker in the South of England) With the
Traveller female population, a concept of early
marriage and honour maintains. „It can be
seen as dishonourable for a Traveller
woman/girl to be going to secondary school for
a long period of time, where she is mixing
outside the community with non-Travellers.‟
(Social Worker in the South of England)
10.7. Ryder and Greenfields (2010) identified that
amongst their younger female sample there
was a ‗strong interest in gaining vocational
qualifications which would enable them to
balance gender roles rather than performing a
purely domestic role in marriage.'
10.8. An article by Levinson and Sparkes (2003)
concerns the relationship between Gypsy
culture and the educational system of the South
West of England. The article draws out the
issues related to identity, and how it is asserted
and maintained, for young Gypsy males. It
highlights the ways in which different forms of
masculine identity are 'performed' and the
tensions that are 'highlighted regarding the
ways in which these performances are valued
in different communities of practice, and how
this operates to maintain an atmosphere of
suspicion regarding the educational system'.
These tensions, the authors maintain, arise
because 'the characteristics of these
performances are valued differently in schools
when compared with Gypsy families and
communities. It is in the latter that their
masculine practices (e.g. fighting) and identities
are constructed, confirmed, and valued, and it
is here that they experience meaningful and
authentic engagement.'
The research drew out the recurrent theme that
a large number of parents have apprehensions
that their children might be exposed to
oppositional value systems. The evidence
gathered highlighted that whilst opportunities
are decreasing for all members of the Gypsy
community as a result of the re-orientation of
the economy in recent times, that 'males were
encountering greater difficulties in adaptation.'
10.9. The community is affected by a history of
racism and exclusion, resulting in a lack of
confidence and esteem that can exhibit itself in
negative attitudes towards education, training
and employment. These „roots in racism, make
it very hard to get a 'yes we can' attitude.‟
(London Traveller Education Inner Area
Consortium) The experiences of employed
Travellers, with the Irish Traveller Movement in
Britain seem to echo this. „We have a number
of young Travellers, five or so and they are
getting a really rough ride from the
community...They get a rough ride from the
community because they are seen to be rising
above their station. But if they are seen as
rising above their station, it implies to me that
their expectation as a community in life is quite
low. We need to understand what that is
about.‟ (ITMB)
10.10. Ireland is often cited as more progressive in
including Travellers in education, with a
network of more than 74 graduates. However
new tensions are arising as a consequence of
this ‗success‘. „The community themselves
are feeling under siege almost and threatened
by educated Travellers, Travellers who are
developing and progressing....There are
almost two types of Traveller in Ireland, there
are those that are the real Travellers and
those that are called the „half Travellers‟. The
„half Travellers‟ are the people that are
educated, moving up the social strata. They
are almost frowned upon because they can
read, they can write, because they are

13. barristers, they are teachers, they are
directors of organisations. They have got a
really rough ride despite a lot of these
Travellers still living on sites.‟ (ITMB)
10.11. The culture is not static. Whilst Gypsies and
Travellers have traditionally been demonised by
the mass media and more recent portrayals,
such as the ‗My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding‘
provide a controversial image created in the
production studios, this interpretation
underestimates the real diversity of housed and
sited Traveller communities.
10.12. There are indications that the community is
changing, particularly the housed Traveller
community – which, due to the shortage of
sites, is the largest majority. They are looking
at ways of developing new skills and new
values. However „what the community is
struggling with is how to move forward whilst
retaining their own cultural identity and
values. Accepting that they have all changed
like everybody else, but it‟s the pace of
change and how to do it in the education
system whilst giving the Travellers a voice‘
(Social Worker in the South of England).
10.13. Whilst traditionally Travellers „have had to
educate their children for the skills they would
need in life,‟ (London Traveller Education
Inner Area Consortium) there is an increased
recognition from the community that the jobs
that Travellers would have traditionally done
now require qualifications - health and safety
legislation, building regulations etc.
11. GYPSY ROMA TRAVELLER HISTORY
MONTH (GRTHM)
11.1. Developed initially in Brent a decade ago, this
celebratory month is now moving into its fourth
year as a national event. Replicating the Black
History Month model, it serves to raise awareness
across the wider sedentary population about
Gypsy Roma and Traveller culture. This has
been a tent pole for a range of activity supported
by Traveller Education Services, and assorted
third sector groups, in recognising and
legitimating Gypsy and Traveller experiences and
cultural history as valid.
11.2. Interviewees overwhelmingly supported the
month. There should be ‗more of the concept
behind Gypsy Roma and Traveller history
month. Demystifying and sharing the good bits
of the traveller culture with other pupils in the
school. Making the traveller child feel more
valued and feel therefore more welcome.‟
(RBKC, Supporting People)
11.3. There are serious concerns about the extent
and nature of GRTHM activity given the
withdrawal of national funding and cutbacks in
TESS.
11.4. Harrow Club, Maxilla and NOVA all expressed
willingness and a commitment to develop
activities for GRTHM.
12. RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION
12.1. Gypsy Travellers have long been marginalised
as the 'other'. Recent legislation and policy
initiatives have served, in effect, to criminalise a
way of life that has existed in this nation for
centuries: - deepening the sense of 'otherness'
and adding a veneer of legitimacy to displays of
open discrimination and acceptable racism.
12.2. Traditionally „the intense racism that Travellers
have experienced in the education system is
one of the key factors that lead to drop out rate
at secondary school level.‟ (Social Worker in
the South of England) Overt racism creates
increased anxiety amongst Travellers about
revealing their ethnicity. „There‟s a complex
dynamic, to do with Travellers being a white
group where there is the possibility of passing
as a settled person and then being revealed as
Travellers in school. There‟s tremendous
anxiety around that.‘ (Social Worker in the
South of England)
12.3. A worrying finding is the covert discrimination by
schools that are different in their dealings with
Traveller pupils. This subtle bigotry of absent
expectations reinforces that the Traveller
community is „still the last bastion of
discrimination. I think there are still things that
can be perpetrated against Gypsy Roma and
Traveller communities that simply would not be
tolerated with other communities. It has been
very accepted that Traveller people will opt for
home education - that‟s them out of the way –
let‟s concentrate on the people that we know we
can work with...I think there are still instances
where people pay lip service, because figures are
all important. They are not being whole hearted
RECOMMENDATION: POLICY DEVELOPMENT Gypsy
Roma and Traveller History Month has gone some
way towards informing schools and the wider settled
community about Gypsy Roma and Traveller culture,
its values and heritage. With changes to funding
nationally, it is important that funding locally and
embedding in local policy occurs to continue the
momentum gained so far. GRTHM activity should be
coordinated with residents on Stable Way.

14. in their approach to welcome Traveller children
into their school because there is this feeling that
it will pull down their stats and bring them down
the league tables. Perhaps temporarily, Gypsy
and Traveller children could be removed from
those tables.‟ (RBKC, Supporting People)
12.4. There are suggestions that Traveller children are
being treated differently, with a no registration
policy at school. In talking about funding for
learning activity at the Harrow Club, the workers
describe how ‗the children actually didn't have a
place at secondary schools, so there was no
follow up.‟
12.5. „Some boroughs have rigid adherence to the
rules. So that if a child has poor attendance there
will be a meeting and pressure will be put on
parents for their children to be attending school.
Whereas in this Borough children are very
frequently, removed from roll – they are not on roll
at any school – and that takes away any
responsibility of enforcement by the education
authority.‟ (RBKC, Supporting People)
13. PARENTAL INVOLVMENT
13.1. Parental involvement is recognised as a key
factor in the attainment of pupils. (DCSF, 2008c)
“What seems to be a rupture with the Travelling
community is that the parents‟ generation has had
very little contact with education even at primary
school level. That seems to be a big problem
because the parents have had negative
experiences of education.‟ (Social Worker in the
South of England).
13.2. The evidence suggests that children and young
people are reflecting their parent‘s expectations of
education. „With this particular Gypsy Roma
Traveller group, there are particular problems with
things like people being quite afraid of stepping
outside their parents‟ experience.‟ (RBKC,
Supporting People)
13.3. This generation of younger Travellers are the first
to engage in significant numbers with a formal
education system and it is important to ensure
that the environment is supportive and
encouraging. „We have got to remember that
these Travellers are the first generations that are
coming through. None of their parents have ever
been inside the door of any kind of training
facility. There‟s baggage and that needs to be
acknowledged and recognised. Maybe we all
don‟t have parents that are doctors, lawyers or
teachers though I can guarantee you that there
are very few of us, whose parents have had no
national schooling. These guys, their parents
haven‟t had it, and their grandparents most
certainly haven‟t had any of it. These are the first
generation.‟ (ITMB)
14. LITERACY
14.1. In engaging with the sedentary system of
schooling, literacy is essential. The Traveller
community has strong oral traditions that can be
adverse to reading and writing. Greater
understanding of this oral heritage should be
developed to ensure that the curriculum has
relevance to Traveller culture.
14.2. In a paper by Levinson (2007) it was argued that
the conception of 'literacy' that is used in
educational policy and provision is too narrow.
This is a critical area to for discussion. In a
society where verbal modes of communication
are essential in every profession, it is startling that
this whole mode of understanding and grappling
with the world and other social beings is not
recognised in so much of the standardised
syllabus. Levinson considers alternative
conceptions of literacy, areas where Gypsy and
Traveller children may have enhanced skills, but
which the mainstream educational system fails to
recognise, such as, linguistic competencies in
negotiation and argumentation. It is important to
emphasise that this is not devaluing literacy
down, but valuing other skills in verbal
expression.
14.3. In education and employment, literacy is a crucial
pre-requisite. „Whether you are training to be a
Corgi engineer, working in gangs, whatever,
dealing with machinery and equipment you have
to have some kind of literacy. So literacy
absolutely has to be built into things because a lot
the guys can‟t move on without it.‟ (ITMB)
14.4. Approximately one third of the interviewees in
research by Ryder and Greenfields (2010) had
returned to further/vocational education to
improve their literacy skills or gain vocational
qualifications.
RECOMMENDATION: INTEGENERATIONAL LEARNING
Develop new and existing opportunities for parents and
children to learn together. Some options already exist,
for example, with Parents and Children becoming
computer literate together at NOVA; or adults delivering
informal sessions around cooking, flower making or
Story Telling at the mini-club.
RECOMMENDATION: POLICY DEVELOPMENT Parents
can use their own experiences of racism and broken
schooling as a rationale for their children being kept
‗safe‘ and out of school. In developing educational
inclusion policy for Travellers, very real consideration
should be given to community issues of trust and safety.

15. RECOMMENDATION: SUPPORTING INFORMAL
LEARNING Share and build on good practice
examples of adult learning activity that exist in other
Boroughs. In one London Borough good practice is
forged around a partnership between families, Library
and Adult Education Services and includes successful
courses in Driving Theory, Computer Literacy and
Cultural awareness in schools.
.
15. SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
15.1. There are very high levels of SEN identification
amongst the Traveller community and „although
there are genuine SEN related health issues,
which can be related to families not being aware
of health provision, not identifying things early
enough, so there can be a cultural component to
that, but I think there is another group who
schools are identifying as SEN because their
education needs are different.‟ (London Traveller
Education Inner Area Consortium)
15.2. A further set of issues is raised with respect to
the existence and response to the prevalence
of special educational needs in the Traveller
community. Following the general pattern of
high representation of special educational
needs amongst ethnic minority groupings, there
is specific concern over the methodology that
results in Irish Traveller pupils being 270 per
cent more likely to have a special educational
need. (Lindsay et al, 2006)
16. PRACTICAL WAYS TO ENGAGEMENT
16.1. Interviewees identified practices that had been
used in engaging Traveller children, young
people and adults in learning. These included
building on the communities‘ oral traditions,
Apprenticeship Schemes, Driving Theory
provision, Community Development courses,
computer literacy sessions and health
awareness programs.
16.2. In one example, a local authority built on the
rich story telling tradition of Scottish Travellers
particularly the published works of Duncan
Williamson - a Scottish Traveller who has
written a number of Traveller stories that have
been collected from Scotland. „What we have
done is worked with Irish Travellers
themselves, to develop their skills in storytelling
based on his stories, and then to read those
stories, with accompanying illustrations, to
mainstream groups of school children...That‟s
been run in mainstream [schools] to improve
communication between the cultures. The end
of these sessions have involved flower making
sessions where Travellers have shared with
mainstream school children, the traditional arts
of Traveller families. The mainstream children
did really enjoy that. That‟s one way of trying to
develop positive images of the Travelling
community within the local schools.‟ (Social
Worker in the South of England)
16.3. In responding to the notion that for some young
Traveller people their first encounter with the
criminal justice system is as a consequence of
not having a Driving License, and that low
levels of literacy were barriers against gaining a
full license, a programme of support was
developed to help Travellers pass their Driving
Theory Test. This hugely successful model has
been replicated in Boroughs across London.
16.4. Computer literacy sessions have been
developed that respond to the needs of
Traveller families; in one example „introducing
computer awareness, so that adults can bid for
housing.‟ (Social Worker in the South of
England).
In one London Bourough these computer
literacy sessions have been delivered at the
library and have been part of a wider push to
make the libraries more accessible and user
friendly for the Travelling community. In
addition to the computer literacy sessions the
library service has ordered a range of books on
Traveller history and culture, and is currently
looking to order more films and more visual
materials so that it will be easier to access for
Travellers.
16.5. The Irish Traveller Movement in Britain
currently offers a Level 2 Community
Development course to Traveller men and
women. From this it is hoped that participants
will gain „a much wider understanding of
society. Understanding their role in civil
society. Understanding the opportunities
available to them... And it‟s also about learning
very much about other communities. Just
because they are Travellers, Gypsy or Roma it
doesn‟t mean that they should have to work
with their own community.‟ (ITMB)
16.6. The Irish Traveller Movement in Britain is
developing training around the chronic health
issues within the community. In teaching
people about „good nutrition, about good
childcare, about access to good facilities and
services. When they know about their
healthcare they can challenge and make better
decisions....It will also look at well being -
mental health - it will look at violence - which is,
when I say violence, I‟m talking about domestic,
but I‟m also talking about conflict‟. (ITMB)

16. RECOMMENDATION: SUSTAINABILITY Short-term
initiatives encourage broken learning experiences. A
medium to long term (3-5 year) action plan to be
prepared that tackles Traveller exclusion from
education.
16.7. Interviewees identified that there is a significant
section of the Traveller community whose
preference in education is primarily vocational -
„life school training, hands on training, stuff that
they can see they can make a living out of
training, much more so than academia.‟ (ITMB).
‗There is a section of the Traveller community,
like sections of other ethnic minorities or the
working class communities that want trade
courses or apprenticeship courses. It seems
that these needs are not being met effectively
by mainstream education for the Travelling
community. We should look for the
development of more appropriate courses and
more research among Travellers, Gypsy and
Roma about exactly what sort of training
courses they would like and look forward to
being part of.‟ (Social Worker in the South of
England)
„There is a real interest in things like hair and
beauty, childcare, skills which Travellers feel
they can use within their culture‟ (London
Traveller Education Inner Area Consortium)
16.8. In an attempt to provide alternative learning
activities for those secondary age pupils not
attending school, daytime education classes were
established at the Harrow Club.
Built on the back of school age people attending
the youth club during school time the Harrow Club
approached the local authority to identify ways of
engaging with these young people. „We were
concerned that we didn't want to work with them
unless they were supposed to be out of school,
that's something we're very clear on with the
Education Department.‟ (Harrow Club)
Numeracy and Literacy sessions were delivered
by tutors from a local Pupil Referral Unit and
supported with youth work activities delivered by
the Harrow Club. In the event this provision
occurred for one academic year and involved
year 9, 10 and 11 pupils. ‗Their creative writing
and poetry was fantastic...quite a lot of really
positive, nice work came from that‟ (Harrow Club)
Whilst some „positive destinations´ were achieved
with pupils attending college and exploring other
routes into employment, education and training,
this pilot partnership between the LEA and the
Harrow Club has now ceased.
16.9. The Harrow Club has provided a ‗Homework
Club‘ for the last two and a half years - supporting
Traveller children and young people with their
homework needs. This provision has been
received really well and two of the young people
attending the Homework Club have gone on to be
part of the Harrow Clubs Children‘s Forum –
ensuring that the Traveller youth voice is heard.
16.10. A hugely successful Traveller organised boxing
and fitness session is delivered at the Harrow
Club by one of the young men from Stable Way,
and involves settled and Traveller members and
a number of young people from the site who
attend. Funding has been sought to provide
equipment and payment for space, however this
still has to be secured.
16.11. NOVA has attended the Traveller Residents
Meeting and is develop computer literacy
sessions with residents. Starting at entry level
NOVA offers provision to adults or children and
their parents.
While computer literacy is the hook, NOVA
provides opportunities to develop new and
existing skills in literacy and numeracy; and
raise self esteem and confidence amongst
participants.
NOVA has committed to working with families
on Stable Way either on site or at NOVA‘s
facility on Portobello Road.
16.12. Kensington and Chelsea College at Maxilla
Gardens provides vocational and life skills
programmes for young people aged 14-19. The
programmes are extremely flexible, looking to
build on where the young person is at.
Provision includes:
Alternative Schools Programme – „full time
course, 5 days a week, from 10-3:15. That
programme covers functional skills, which is
English, Maths and ICT, it covers a vocational
option and it covers personal social
development, where they look at rights and
responsibilities, preparation for work, all those
kind of core skills that you need in order to exist
in society.‟(Maxilla)
Foundation Learning Tier – „A new
programme which is ideal for Travellers and
learners that can attend sometimes and then
have to have a break for a while, and then come
back again – for example, if people are having
children. It‟s been created so that people don‟t
have to do consecutive 9 months to get a
qualification.‟ (Maxilla) Where learners are able
to return and complete Units, eventually a full
qualification will be gained.

17. RECOMMENDATION: SUPPORTING FORMAL
QUALIFICATION Kensington and Chelsea College
at Maxilla Gardens, is an ideal resource for
secondary and FE age young people offering
flexible and appropriate academic and vocational
provision. Build links between college and families
on Stable Way.
Stepping Stones Programme. „This is for
16-19 year olds. That programme is exactly
the same as Alternative Schools except there
is more of a strong emphasis on finding a
course, or finding a job, or finding an
apprenticeship. There is a lots of mentoring
and youth work. The SS course is designed to
get the learners thinking about: realistically
where am I heading, what do I want to do,
what jobs are out there, what apprenticeships
are out there, what other courses could I go
on from here? SS is a programme that leads
into another course on the other site called
First Steps. FS I think, is in every subject
area. So there should be a FS in
Construction, Engineering or Hairdressing, all
those things, though they won‟t take you on
FS until you have got, at least really a level 1
in literacy and numeracy because obviously
you need that before you can go on‟ (Maxilla)
16.13. With close proximity to Stable Way, Maxilla
provides an ideal alternative to secondary
schooling. Attempts have been made to
encourage some of the young people, not
attending Secondary School, to attend the
Maxilla programmes in Hair and Beauty,
however to date have proved unsuccessful.
17. Education, Education, Education
17.1. It is clear that formal education particularly
secondary and above, is not providing an
equality of service to Traveller and settled
people alike. While ‗success‘ in attendance at
Primary School is well documented it is clear
that this is not transferred onto secondary
schooling. It is equally clear that at across all
sectors, educational achievement is
significantly below the rest of the population.
Too often Traveller children are faced with a
system which implicitly generates a choice
between shame and rejection of their identity in
favour of anonymity, or the experience of
exclusion and a racism that is still, for too
many, a social reality.
The last government's policy framework for
child safety, Every Child Matters, failed to
remedy the situation. With its introduction this
policy was heralded by most as progressive,
however the framework became more a tool for
funding than an effective protocol for practice.
„With Every Child Matters, everybody for one
moment was singing form the same hymn
sheet as us, and then they stopped...There was
this sort of notion that schools have
responsibility for all aspects of the child's life,
but then they realised that they were still being
expected to hit all the targets in relation to
education and so they began to draw in their
horns so they went back to education.‟ (London
Traveller Education Inner Area Consortium)
17.2. The education system is not only failing Irish
Travellers. The fact that it is orientated towards
a deficit model that aims at individuals
achieving an elite Higher Education experience
means that it is fundamentally unsustainable.
The education system is structurally designed
to fail the majority (Illich, 1971).
„[W]e place too much value on going to university
and getting a degree, and that you must do
that...Some of the brightest, most intelligent
people I know are people that haven‟t got that
formalised learning. It‟s a very different type of
learning that they actually have. They are very
streetwise, they are intelligent, and they are
emotionally intelligent. It‟s a very different type of
intelligence and learning. And I think it‟s about
valuing and harnessing that in a very different
way.‟ (ITMB)
17.3. Lee and Warren's (1991) paper 'Alternative
Education: Lessons from Gypsy Thought and
Practice' contains an important defence of
alternative theories of education as they relate to
nomadic communities.
The central argument recognised that
alternative theories of education need to be
more praxelogical, adopting concrete practices
that challenge the traditional, and failed,
approaches within education.
The task for alternative education is thus not
merely to advocate for an alternative paradigm,
but to show its possibility and practicality. With
the Romany community in mind the authors
argued that a conscious distinction between
schooling and education must remain present,
and an openness must be argued for in the
development of institutions of education that
remain cognitively open to perspective of the
Romany community.
The authors note that 'an objective
consideration of a genuine alternative
perspective such as that of the Romanis,

18. RECOMMENDATION: POLICY DEVELOPMENT
Local authority to look more closely at disadvantage
and good practice amongst other ethnic groups –
are there common issues to be addressed?
serves to well illuminate our reflection on the
whole gamut of educational thought.' This
insight is critical. Sometimes we can learn more
about the norm by examining the alternative.
The perspectives of nomadic communities must
not be tied to their own immediate context
alone. Rather relations of mutual respect and
reciprocity will only be attained when we seek
what is universal from this particular
perspective and try to incorporate it into our
own generalised understanding.
The authors write against the emphasis on
increased mainstream opportunities for
nomadic children, the 'What can we do for
them' approach. They go further and argue that
mainstream schooling is demonstrably
counterproductive for Romany children as it
alienates them from their own identities, whilst
simultaneously devaluing these identities as
something to be transcended. Furthermore, a
mainstream system fails to provide genuinely
adequate substitutes in terms of marketable
skills.
They argue that '...Romanis can, with some
justification, point to the success of their own
educational system in providing members of
their given society with independence, work
satisfaction through non-alienated labour,
family solidarity and cohesion, and group
survival.' The alternative economic skills
developed in the community form a deep sense
of pride whereby many Romani are in firm
agreement with the statement that 'You could
put me down anywhere in the world and I could
make a living'.
17.4. Exclusion from secondary education is not the
prerogative of Travellers. „Quite a lot of kids
don't make much progress between KS2 aged
11 and KS3 aged 14, they just kind of plateau,
and my personal feeling is that they move from
a very kind of cosy class teacher base in
primary into secondary where large institutions,
a lot of different teachers, a lot of stuff going on
socially between the kids. In secondary school
kids actually look for a role for themselves and
most Travellers aren't going to take the role of
boffin they're going to be proud of a „wide boy‟.‟
(London Traveller Education Inner Area
Consortium)
17.5. The experiences of a significant number of
young black and white working class men,
replicates that of Traveller communities.
„I went to a presentation in Brixton on the
diplomas and almost everyone else there was a
Black Connexions worker. They were talking
about disengaged black kids in Brixton and we
were all saying the same things:- parents want to
know: Is there going to be a pathway into
employment through the diploma? And the guy
who was delivering said “No that isn't what it's
doing. This is not vocational education.” That‟s a
shame and I think it's a missed opportunity.
There's a philosophical thing about the education
system which I feel is dominated by the higher
education system and there was this feeling that
we can't be too vocational, so we can teach
people about hair and beauty but we can't teach
them to cut hair, we can give them the skills to
run a salon, do a spreadsheet, business
management all those sorts of things but we‟re
not going to give you anything actually useful, and
I think that's an issue for a whole section of
working class kids, I don' think that's an issue for
Travellers, but is a problem working in this
educational system.‟ (London Traveller Education
Inner Area Consortium)
17.6. The focus on attainment statistics is not providing
a suitable emphasis. It fails to consider issues of
environment and specifically what environments
different individuals and groups may need to
succeed in. It does not begin from where people
are. In setting benchmarks, targets and national
expectations, children‘s and young people‘s
personal achievements can be sidelined.
„You have to move kids from where they are to
where they can get to, so if you have a target
which is for many families, they know it's not their
target it's a target of the system, but for many
families you might have a kid with serious special
needs and getting to a level 2 at some point in
their education might be a big achievement for
that kid, but the kind of national target setting and
all those benchmarks don't take account of that,
and I have a personal beef about statistics, I
mean I actually love statistics but they're meant to
give you a clue what to look at in more detail so
it's not 'oh, you know you have failed'‟ (London
Traveller Education Inner Area Consortium)
17.7. „There is ample evidence that it is not a good idea
to have a singleton child. Traveller children are
most comfortable when they have other Traveller
children – they are a little cohort. I think that the
idea of trying to stick a child in a secondary
school, as has happened in this Borough, is not
the way to go. I don‟t honestly think that
sometimes all services are creative and flexible
enough.‟ (RBKC, Supporting People)

19. 18. FINDINGS:
FAMILIES ON STABLE WAY
18.1. The experiences and views of those Irish
Traveller families on Stable Way are presented
here. Drawing from individual and group
discussions, formal recorded interviews, noted
interviews, participation at resident meetings;
and participant observation these views and
experiences are presented to inform the
context of Traveller education and identifies
emerging themes.
19. EXPERIENCE OF SCHOOLING
19.1. Participants were asked to recall their
experience of schooling. Responses included
what they found useful and enjoyed, negative
experiences of discrimination and more general
statements about leaving school.
19.2. Most respondents (80 per cent) indicated that
they enjoyed certain parts of the curriculum wile
at school. Art, English, PE, Needlework,
Mathematics, Cooking and History were
subjects identified as enjoyable whilst at
school.
19.3. Interestingly, those 3 respondents aged 17-24
all reported having largely positive memories of
schooling. One respondent reflected „looking
back it wasn‟t so bad, it was a safe
environment. When I left I missed it.‘ Another
explained that they ‗liked everything about
school. The teachers and other kids were
friendly.‟ While too small a sample to draw any
wider conclusions, these comments provides a
contrast to much of the research that indicates
issues of discrimination are key factors in the
non-attendance and attainment of Traveller
children/young people.
19.4. The responses of older Travellers however,
very much reflect experiences at school littered
with racism and discrimination. There was
frequent reference to being treated differently
by teachers and pupils: -
‗Some Travellers were put in special class just
with other Travellers, though my parents made
the decision that I would be in the main class
with settled people.‟
„I got bullied at school and I was afraid to speak
out...got called a „knacker‟ and „tinker‟ and all
sorts of things.‟
19.5. Of current interest is an increase in the
reported levels of discrimination at school, as a
result of the Channel 4 documentary ‗A Big Fat
Gypsy Wedding‘. Parents explained that their
children, since the show has been broadcast,
have received an increase in abusive
comments including regular reference to
‗grabbing a wife.‘ Such programmes present a
biased view, reinforcing stereotypes that fail to
recognise the diversity of the Traveller culture
and that help foster discriminatory experiences.
20. SCHOOL ABSENTEEISM
20.1. There was some evidence that a multi-
generational absence from school provides
additional barriers, even fear of schooling: -
‗That thing home work, I couldn‟t do it. My
mother and dad couldn‟t read or write. I used
to be terrified on a night about going to school
in the morning, in case they asked for this
homework.‟
20.2. Conversely the lack of adult schooling for some
provides a spur to ensure their children have a
different experience. „It‟s a big thing today for
the Irish Travellers to get education. As I said
before their fathers and mothers never got
none. So they don‟t want to bring up the
children in the same way they were brought up.
With the Travelling people, there are some of
them now working with the council. You must
read and write if you want to work with the
council.‟
20.3. The total sample (100 per cent) explained that
they had left school at or before the age of
thirteen. In all cases this absenteeism had not
been challenged by the local authority
Education Service.
„My children just dropped out of school.
Nobody ever came and asked why they weren‟t
at school or why they didn‟t go back.‟
20.4. Some respondents explained that even if this
‗drop out‘ were challenged; their children would
not attend school: -
„Once you got to that age 13, you didn‟t want to
go to school. At that age you are too big to go
to school.‟
„When I finished 6th
class I would be taken out
of school as that is tradition.‟
„We live a different life. Looking at that
[education] as a settled life - college, school
and all that.

20. 20.5. There are strongly held mores particularly with
regard to gender and sexuality. These
traditions can result in young women,
particularly, leaving school at an early age.
„When they come to 12 or 13 they can‟t mix. If a
girl is seen talking to a boy, things are going to
be said and no parent wants anything said
about their children. You have to protect the
young ones; you don‟t want their name going
out.‟
20.6. In looking at experiences/memories of
schooling, 2 respondents indicated that they
became disengaged from schooling around a
move in accommodation.
„I moved from my address so didn‟t go to
secondary after year 9.‟
„Left school at 11. Was in a house and when
we moved I didn‟t go back to school.‟
21. HEALTH INEQUALITIES
21.1. Inequalities in health on Stable Way are
evident. Many children suffer from Asthma and
skin irritations. ‗Nerves‘ – anxiety and
depression, are prevalent in many families and
often prescriptive medication is used as the
only remedy.
21.2. Caring for other children and family members
can be a core part of many young peoples‘
everyday experience. Where a parent has
particular health and well-being needs, those
young peoples‘ caring responsibilities at home
can be demanding and results in school
absenteeism.
„It may be in my mind anyways to overdose and
someone has to watch me. Someone has to
be watching me. I know it‟s hard for the
children to have to watch me though that‟s why
I‟m on anti-depressants.‟
21.3. Health inequalities add to school absenteeism.
With more frequent illness and consequent
medical appointments Traveller children/young
people will be absent more often.
22. ELECTIVE HOME EDUCATION
22.1. Some of the respondents (20 percent) indicated
that they had chosen, at some point, to opt for
‗Elective Home Education‘, rather than send
their child to school.
„I got a home tutor for [my daughter]. We had
to do it ourselves, get some kind of help. What
we done is contacted someone who helped us,
contact a tutor who came down twice a week,
£25/hour. She was doing good, as a matter of
fact they were doing better than they were
doing in school, though I couldn‟t keep paying
for the tutor and maybe at the time, if I had got
more help with the tutor, they would have been
better off.‟
„We are still trying to get a tutor onto the site to
take the kids two days a week at least. And if
the mothers have to pay something, we get a
bit of help; we are willing to pay the rest. At
least you‟re getting 2 or 3 days education...If
the Trust can pay towards it; we can pay
towards it as well.'
23. SERVICES AND ORGANISATIONS
PREVIOUSLY ACCESSED
23.1. Participants were asked to identify services that
they had usefully accessed during the last five
years. Figure 8 shows the results of these
responses.
23.2. Nearly half of the responses (46 per cent)
identify accessing a WDT funded or supported
activity. Considering the overwhelming
response it is clear that WDT has provided
services that are meeting need and the
commissioning of this study will hopefully
continue that trend.
FIGURE 8 Interviewee reporting of services accessed by
Traveller families during the last 5 years
RECOMMENDATION: POLICY DEVELOPMENT
Research absenteeism due to a move in
accommodation. Explore targeted intervention for
those pupils newly moving into the Borough.
RECOMMENDATION: HEALTH PROMOTION Explore
a more holistic approach to tackling anxiety and
depression, including counselling and conflict
resolution alternatives.

21. 24. SOUTHWARK TRAVELLER ACTION
GROUP (STAG)
24.1. There is disagreement amongst some families
and WDT, over the decommissioning of
Southwark Traveller Action Group (STAG).
STAG has provided essential support and
advocacy work on the site for more than four
years, gaining the respect and trust of many
families. With an across-Borough network and
expertise in legal matters, STAG has been
invaluable in helping families and there is
frustration that this service will no longer be
available in its current form on Stable Way.
Whilst other local advocacy and support
services will be available to pick up some of
this work (Advice Now for example), for some
residents, the relationship with STAG goes
beyond just the work. Residents have built a
relationship with STAG and there is strong
feeling that „whilst the Trust talks about
listening to our needs, it doesn‟t really. We
want an independent group to help us and
STAG is.‘ While not a universal voice, many of
residents value STAG‘s input and want it to
continue.
The relationship with the STAG worker, Claire
Irving, was highly valued by many respondents.
As one resident explains „we can say things to
Claire, that we can‟t say to you as a man or
Rose as she works for the council‟
25. TYPES OF SERVICES ACCESSED
25.1. STAG, Advice Now, RBKC Supporting People,
Citizen Advice Bureau and the WDT
Freelancer, were Advocacy and Support
services accessed by residents. In total nearly
70 per cent of all responses related to these
services. This high incidence of access begs
questions as to the amount of advocacy and
support required and the skills of the
community to meet their needs.
25.2. As part of the study, participant observation at
the Mini-Club, is taking place. Funded by
RBKC Early Years team and supported by staff
and volunteers from WDT, this on-site
playgroup for under eights, takes place twice a
week, during evenings.
Attendance at the Mini-Club varies though
regular attendance of between 5-8 children is
guaranteed. With an ethos of learning through
play, activities include: play indoors with sand
or outside with the slide, developing numeracy
with card games, building with LEGO, creative
drawing, story reading and recently discovering
more about the world through e-learning
resources.
Though targeted at under eights there are
frequently older young people who attend,
sometimes as helpers and at other times simply
because they want to be involved.
The mini-club is mostly valued by residents,
providing a much needed respite for parents
around a busy part of the day. Indeed there is
an identified demand that the group meet more
nights and be visibly open to different age
groups.
25.3. Though not referred to by respondents, the
study has witnessed that RBKC Health services
are accessed by residents on Stable Way. For
example, a health awareness day on Stable
Way in April, around dentistry, was attended by
22 people.
25.4. Interesting by their absence is the non-
involvement of Connexions or the Youth
Service on the site. None of the respondents
indicated accessing these services. This has
not always been the case though certainly
during the time of the study Connexions have
provided a much reduced service.
25.5. Interviewees valued services where they had a
history and trust with an individual. There were
repeated comments around the community
„getting to know someone, and then they are
gone.‟
RECOMMENDATION: COMMUNITY VOICE AND
INFLUENCE There are genuine resident concerns
over the decommissioning of STAG on the site. In
listening to residents it is highly recommended that they
be involved in future commissioning of services – for
example, as part of the interviewing panel.
RECOMMENDATION: SUPPORT INFORMAL LEARNING
The mini-club is well received and may be extended
to more nights per week and open to different age
groups. With a captive audience of primary age
pupil’s consideration should be given to structured
sessions, with outcomes for the children that reflect
those at school.
RECOMMENDATION: SUSTAINABILITY Long term input
with consistency/familiarity of workers is essential to
tackle education exclusion. Delivering on the WDT
£15,000 / annum could happen in many ways. However
the funding is allocated it is highly recommended that a
familiar face remains in place.

22. 1
3
1 1 1 1 1
4
1 1 1 1
2
Welding Computer
training
Knitting Cooking and
Baking
Trips for
women
Karaoke Bingo
evening
STAG Support with
form
filling/phone
calls
Womens
Rugby Team
Parent and
Toddler
Group
Improved
repair
services
Hut open
during the
day
Vocational
Training
Formal
education
Informal education Leisure Activities Support and Advocacy Sporting
Activities
Family
Activity
Other
26. REQUIRED SERVICES IN THE FUTURE
26.1. Respondents were asked to indicate areas of
interest (Figure 9) and specifically what WDT
should be promoting as future activity (Figure
10)
26.2. Computer Literacy was identified by 4
respondents as an area of interest that they
would like to explore further. This interest
included generic computer skills, specific web
searching to be able to find pictures and songs
and social networking
„I‟d love to learn how to use the laptop.‟
26.3. Among the interviewees there was a high
response to interests that had a vocational
element to them, for example, advanced
courses in Welding and Plumbing, First Aid
Certificate, Building Safety Badge and Maths
for Construction. This is in keeping with
research by Ryder and Greenfields (2010,
p.120) where participants reported a preference
for vocational and experiential learning that
„would better reflect the cultural aspirations of
their communities.‟
„Without the education, you couldn‟t go forward.
Without education you couldn‟t get a driving
license. And when you went for a job, they‟d
say can you fill that in. A lot of Irish people
couldn‟t fill that in, so that was no driving
license, no job.‟
26.4. Interviewees clearly identified that, more than
any other service, support and advocacy
should be promoted in future activity. Of this
STAG was identified by 4 of the 10
respondents (40 per cent) as being the service
to promote.
26.5. The interest in computer literacy was again
reflected in interviewees‘ responses, with 3 of the
10 respondents (30 per cent) indicating that this
provision should be promoted by WDT. „The
emphasis on e-inclusion and the development of
top-down IT inclusion strategies are particularly
important, considering there is significant and
increasing evidence that the internet can play an
important part in supporting disadvantaged
groups to improve their literacy and numeracy
skills and to learn about employment and training
opportunities‟ (Connecting Communities, Tackling
Exclusion, 2003 as cited in Ryder and
Greenfields, 2010, p.129).
The desire for additional education support to
be delivered on site was echoed by residents.
by 2 respondents who felt that the community
Hut should be open during the daytime.
„There should be tutors on the sites for the
young ones. Courses where they want to go
to, like hairdressing and childcare.‟
4
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
0 1 2 3 4
Computer Literacy
Fitness Classes
Beauty Classes for adults
Knitting and Crochering
Maths course for construction
First Aid
Building Safety Badge
Advance Course in plumbing
History of Travellers
Advance course in Welding
Boxing coach certificate
Childcare
FIGURE 9: Number of Interviewees reporting their interest
FIGURE 10: Number of Interviewees reporting the types of
activity WDT should be promoting in the futre

23. RECOMMENDATION: ACCOMMODATION Poor
accommodation underpins other inequalities.
Attempts to include Travellers in education have to
work hand-in-hand with securing decent and
appropriate site accommodation.
RECOMMENDATION: ACCOMMODATION Develop
new group housing provision as part of the White
City Opportunity Area
RECOMMENDATION: COMMUNITY VOICE AND
INFLUENCE Continued support and development of the
Residents Association. This group is still embryonic and
whilst there has been some limited success through small
grants applications, the group requires additional officer
role training and intensive support to become self-
managing.
27. ACCOMMODATION AND EDUCATION
27.1. Although the focus of the study is education,
respondents clearly stated that accommodation
was the key to unpicking educational inequality.
Responses by residents indicated that the
physical environment is the single most important
factor. 9 of the 10 respondents (90 per cent)
stated that in order to improve educational
inclusion, first they had to have somewhere
decent to live.
„One thing would be to build new sites. Not to try
and push us in to a life that they live and that we
don‟t know. It would be like asking them go come
and live on a site when they were reared and
grew up in a house. If they built sites it would
take an awful lot of pressure off Travellers.‟
„Now people are coming along and saying to us,
would you like to live in bricks and mortar. I lived
in bricks and mortar for 6 years waiting for a
council house. My children nearly went mad. If
they played football, the neighbours complained.
They complained 24/7, the council never left my
door. I was more time having the children sitting
in front of me because they couldn‟t play....A pitch
came up and I‟m on my own ground. The
children can play, they can run and scream and
there‟s no-one coming and saying „you stop that!
They are closing down Traveller sites all over the
country, then they discriminate against Travellers
in houses. Where are we supposed to go?‟
„Without the education and without sites the Irish
people aren‟t going to get treated equally.‟
„To reduce inequality you need steel cages along
the top of the motorway so they don‟t throw stuff
over. Reduce visibility of Tower Blocks. Sound
proofing against traffic noise - like M1 entrance to
London‟
„Build a new site. Obviously we want to be
together and not go in houses. We want to be
together as we are so used to being around each
other.‟
27.2. In improving accommodation provision, opinions
were divided between those who required a new
site or sites; and those who thought that the
existing site should be refurbished to enable it to
be of decent standard.
28. STABLE WAY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
(Association)
28.1. It seems fitting to end this interim summary with a
brief discussion of the residents own Association.
The Association has existed since October 2008.
Closely supported by RBKC, Supporting People,
ITMB, WDT, Harrow Club and Advice Now, the
association has recently (August 2010)
constituted itself as a formal and legal voluntary
group. It aims:
- To improve the quality of life of Travellers living in
the RBKC
- To improve the voice and participation of
Travellers in the policies and decisions affecting
them
- To enable access to debt and legal advice
- To enable a place for children, young people and
adults to come together to learn and have fun
together
- To work for and with, and to represent, Travellers
living on Stable Way
28.2. The Association is currently establishing a bank
account and seeking registration with the
Charities Commission.
28.3. Recently securing funding from Grassroots Grant
and WDT and in kind contributions from NOVA
and RBKC the Association has developed a
programme of Computer Literacy in April – June
2011. This will involve taster session on site in the
Hut, and activity with Parents and Children at
NOVA. In addition the Royal Borough of
Kensington and Chelsea will deliver Introduction
to IT sessions again in the Hut.
28.4. Whilst there is support for the Association by
most residents, there is still the fear that this is
another ‗red herring‘ that does a lot of talking
though without much meaningful action. For those
officers actively involved with the Association this
can be a barrier to full participation.

24. REFERENCES
Burchill,J. Flynn, W and Russell M (2005) A report on the work by the
PCT‘s Health Support and Health Improvement teams in conjunction with
other services on the Westway Travellers‘ Site, Available at:
http://archive.westminster.nhs.uk/pdfs/TravellersSiteReport.pdf (15 April
2011)
Bhopal, K and Myers, M (2009) A Pilot Study to Investigate Reasons for
Elective Home Education for Gypsy and Traveller Children in Hampshire,
Hampshire County Council: Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement
Service
Cemlyn, S, Greenfields, M, Whitwell, C and Matthews, Z, (2009)
Inequalities experienced by Gypsy and Traveller communities: a review.
(Research Report no. 12), London: Equality and Human Rights
Commission, Available at:
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/12inequaliti
es_experienced_by_gypsy_and_traveller_communities_a_review.pdf [28
March, 2011]
Commission for Racial Equality, (CRE) (2006) Common Ground:
Equality, good relations and sites for Gypsies and Irish Traveller, London:
CRE
Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) (2008a). Pupil
Characteristics and Class Sizes in Maintained Schools in England,
January 2007(Provisional). London: HMSO. Available at:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000726/index.shtml [20 March, 2011]
Department for Children, Schools and Families, (DCSF) (2008b)
Attendance advice: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children, London: HMSO
Department for Children, Schools and Families, (DCSF) (2008c) The
Impact of Parental Involvement on Children's Education, London: HMSO
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