GTRSB Pledge for Schools - Information
GTRSB Pledge for Schools - Information
The Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boaters’ Pledge for Schools
Thursday 16 June, 4.30-5.45 pm
The Pledge for Schools is a commitment schools sign up to, to work towards creating a welcoming environment and conditions in which Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB) pupils can stay resilient and thrive academically. It contains actions such as building a supporting and welcoming culture for GTRSB pupils, data monitoring of GTRSB pupils and staff, cultural awareness training for staff, including GTRSB history and culture on the curriculum, having a named contact point for GTRSB pupils and outreach and engagement to local GTRSB communities.
Come and hear what the Pledge contains, how it is working in a signed-up school, and from practitioners in Traveller education, as well as from community members as to why the Pledge is needed.
- Chaired by Dr Carol Rogers, Senior Lecturer in Education, Buckinghamshire New University, the speakers are:
- Introduction, Baroness Janet Whitaker, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, and Chair of the Department of Education’s Gypsy and Traveller Stakeholder Group.
- Margaret Greenfields, Anglia Ruskin University, explaining what the Pledge contains.
- Colleen Roper, from Future4Fairgrounds.
- Jassy Powles and her son Jem Purry, from the Boater community.
- Rosa Cisneros, artist-researcher, and film maker (Coventry University and RosaSenCis Films).
- Martin Gallagher, Irish Traveller and academic at Northumbria University.
- Sally Barter, Romany, GRT Schools’ link officer for the London Borough of Hillingdon, one of the pilot areas who have received the recent £1m government funding for Traveller education.
- Sadie Barter, Romany Gypsy young person, talking about her experiences at school.
- Paula Strachan, Head of St Teresa’s school, Darlington, signatory to the Pledge, talking about good practice at the school. St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School serves a diverse community with 54% of pupils from an ethnic minority group. The school and Paula’s leadership are used by the Catholic Education Service as a role model for schools with a diverse community and those with a high percentage of GRT pupils. Paula is regularly asked to speak about inclusion including recently providing oral evidence to the Education Select Committee regarding GRT barriers to education.
- Liffy Bond, the Anti-bullying Alliance, talking about the Alliance’s Gypsy and Traveller Anti-Bullying project and audit tool.
- Theodora Brady, Department for Education.
Questions can be asked of the panel in the remaining time.