‘What about us?’ Gypsies,Travellers and ‘White racism’ in secondary schools in England

This article examines the concept of ‘White racism’ in relation to the experiences of Gypsy and Traveller groups in England. It is based on ethnographic research conducted in two secondary schools during the years 2006–2009. Interviews were carried out with pupils attending the secondary schools, their mothers and members of the Traveller Education Service. The research reveals that racism experienced by White Gypsy and Traveller groups is understood differently to that experienced by non-White minority ethnic groups. This is further related to how Gypsy and Traveller groups are perceived inside and outside schools, as ‘others’ and ‘outsiders’. The article considers discourses around racism and discrimination and how they might work to disadvantage Gypsy and Traveller groups in schools.     

Fight, flight and playing white: An examination of coping strategies adopted by Gypsy Traveller Adolescents in English secondary schools

This paper draws on findings from a longitudinal study of Gypsy Traveller¹ students attending English secondary schools. Analysis of over 400 interviews with 44 Gypsy Traveller students, their parents and teachers over a 5-year period identified several pull and push factors that impact on secondary school engagement and retention. Of these, cultural dissonance (a result of conflicting expectations between home and school) and social exclusion feature strongly. Students who relied on maladaptive coping strategies to deal with psychosocial stress associated with cultural dissonance and social exclusion tended to drop out of school early. These maladaptive strategies are referred to here as fight (physical and verbal retaliation and non-compliance), flight (self-imposed exclusion) and playing white (passing identity by concealing or denying one's heritage). Those who were retained in school to the age of 16 displayed more adaptive strategies such as cognitive re-framing, developing social support networks and adopting a bicultural identity.     

‘This is a school,it's not a site’: Teachers' attitudes towards Gypsy and Traveller pupils in schools in England,UK

This article examines teachers' attitudes towards Gypsy and Traveller pupils in one primary and one secondary school in an inner‐London borough in England, UK. The research is based on in‐depth interviews with 20 teachers, heads, deputies and classroom assistants. The main aims of the study were to examine examples of ‘good practice’ in schools and to explore strategies that would improve the educational outcomes for Gypsy and Traveller groups. This article will argue that despite schools implementing inclusive measures for Gypsy and Traveller pupils, this alone does not encourage positive attitudes or change attitudes towards them. In some cases, such practices work to emphasise the difference and outsider status of these groups.     

Gypsy,Roma and Traveller pupils in schools in the UK: inclusion and ‘good practice’

This paper examines inclusionary processes and examples of ‘good practice’ in primary and secondary schools for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils in one inner London Borough in the UK. It will explore the role of the Traveller Education Service (TES) and argue that the support provided by the TES to schools is essential for the development of ‘good practice’, but at the same time it stresses that the TES is not a substitute for the school’s educational and welfare responsibilities. The paper will also argue that the commitment of the head teacher and senior management team to the inclusive ethos of the school is crucial in setting the tone of the school towards positive treatment of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils. Where an inclusive ethos works successfully it is often the result of a wider social engagement between the school and community. The paper will draw on qualitative interview data with parents, head teachers, deputies, heads of year, teachers, and classroom assistants at the schools.     

Engaging Gypsy and Traveller pupils in secondary education in Wales: tensions and dilemmas of addressing difference

Despite decades of research and policy, we are still some way in the U.K. from ameliorating barriers for Gypsy and Traveller pupils. A complex set of factors exist which influence young people’s engagement with secondary education. This interpretive-deductive study, which draws upon ‘tensions and dilemmas of difference’, presents Gypsy/Traveller learners’ perceptions and those of their parents and teachers about the barriers encountered. Findings around ‘intra-cultural conflict’ demonstrate significant tensions between and within cultures that are profound for young people during this stage of education. Resilient, supportive mothers and strong bonds with teachers and children from the mainstream community, appeared essential in helping young people to manage criticism and resist pressure to conform to cultural norms. However, a fundamental shift in societal attitude is required and critical thought paid to inclusive education, or young learners who remain in education may end up on the periphery of both societies.     

School books or wedding dresses? Examining the cultural dissonance experienced by young Gypsy/Traveller women in secondary education

Although considerable attention has been given to issues impacting on the educational experiences of Gypsy/Traveller learners in the UK, most of the literature is oriented towards ethnicity rather than gender. This paper illuminates the experiences of young Gypsy/Traveller women who are engaging with secondary education, and functioning in a dual cultural framework, in a time of increased gender equality. The intersectionality of culture, class and religion frequently conflicts with the notions of gender equality and education, requiring young women to make difficult choices. It is suggested there is an urgent need to problematise and deconstruct stereotypes typically held about Gypsy/Traveller girls, as not all young women feel disengaged, restricted, excluded and in conflict. While some young women, as is their right, wish to conform to cultural-gendered norms, this study has revealed some strong, resilient women who critically challenge values and norms within their community, which negate their right to a full education, to bring about positive change.     

Traveller culture and lifestyle as factors influencing children's integration into mainstream secondary schools in West Belfast

In 1997, the Department of Education for Northern Ireland made the decision to mainstream Traveller children into secondary schools including those in West Belfast. Before then, Traveller children over 11 years of age remained in a dedicated school for all Traveller children of school age living within the catchment area of West Belfast. This paper presents the findings of a small‐scale research project that examined the experiences of Traveller children attending two West Belfast secondary schools which have integrated Traveller children into mainstream education since 1997. It also discusses ramifications of mainstreaming for Traveller parents in West Belfast. The project focused particularly on the following: the attitudes of Traveller children to mainstreaming and inclusion at secondary level; the possibilities mainstreaming offers for furthering the inclusion of Travellers into the community at large; and the perceptions of Traveller parents in West Belfast to mainstreaming in secondary schools.     

Culture and the school: The degree of educational integration of Roma and Gypsies in the Peloponnese region of Greece

This article examines the degree of integration of Roma and Gypsy children in formal education in the Peloponnese region of Greece. It is based on field research conducted by the University of Patras during the school year 2006/07 within the framework of the Greek Ministry of Education’s “Integration of Roma children in school” programme, funded by the European Union. Despite governmental incentives for poor families to enrol their school-aged children, school attendance of Roma and Gypsy children was found to decline from primary year one to primary year six, with hardly any of them entering secondary school at all. Besides looking at school attendance figures and Roma and Gypsy children’s proficiency in reading, writing and numeracy, this paper also considers gender, family composition, living conditions and economic situation, as well as culturally constructed perceptions of childhood and a person’s life cycle. The aim of this article is to highlight the contradictions and ambiguities involved in the process of incorporating Roma and Gypsy children in formal education, and to evaluate their school performance and assess their academic choices.     

‘We're still human beings,we're not aliens’: promoting the citizenship rights and cultural diversity of Traveller children in schools: Scottish and English perspectives

This article examines the experiences of Traveller children in schools. It uses data from two studies (one in Scotland and the other in England) to examine Traveller children's views about attending school (particularly in relation to their values and ambitions), their experiences of racism and prejudice and their views on how teachers perceive them. In our research, we draw from case study data to argue that despite public policy discourse around citizenship, the reality is one in which Traveller children continue to be viewed as outsiders. Due to this positioning, they do not enjoy the same rights as other children and they are not regarded as full citizens in the school environment. We argue that in order for schools to consider issues of diversity and inclusion, they must address ways in which Traveller children can be included as full citizens in schools, particularly in relation to their marginalised position in society.     

Partnerships depend on power-sharing: an exploration of the relationships between Fairground and Gypsy Traveller parents and their children's teachers in England

In England opportunities for Traveller children to gain access to mainstream schools have increased substantially over the past thirty years. Parents have been increasingly willing to put their children into schools, while education outreach services have developed in parallel to facilitate regular attendance. Local authority based Traveller Education Support Service (TESS) projects have been the strategy most frequently used for this outreach work, the success of which depends largely on the quality of the parent/teacher relationships. Is it possible for conditions to exist that will enable real partnerships between parents and teachers to develop? As the coordinator of one of the oldest TESSs, the author answers this crucial question by drawing on participant observation, formal interviews and policy documents, as well as comparative projects with other partners in the European Federation for the Education of the Children of the Occupational Travellers (EFECOT).     

Student voice: Which supportive parental behaviours first-generation immigrant students in Australia find beneficial

There is considerable evidence that parents/guardians play an important role in their children's education. The supportive behaviours of parents have important implications for children's learning. However, most research in this area has focused primarily on the perspectives of school leaders, teachers and parents. One area that thus remains relatively under-studied is student perspectives on what constitutes beneficial parental supports. This research explores two case studies: one with primary school students, the other with secondary students. Both studies interviewed students from former-refugee and non-English speaking backgrounds who had recently settled with their families in Australia. The students were asked to reflect on supportive behaviours of their parents/guardians relating to their education. Findings suggest that despite many barriers, parents demonstrated high levels of support for their children's education. By foregrounding student voice, this study identifies several types of parental behaviours that students find most helpful for effective learning. These include: affirmation, role-modelling, backup supports, conversations and discussions, encouragement and advice, and decision-making and problem-solving. Students’ responses suggest that slightly different sets of behaviours may be required at primary and secondary levels. This study highlights the types of supportive parental behaviours which schools could encourage, to help parents maximise the impacts of their supports for students, so these students are enabled to achieve effective learning and—more broadly—educational and career aspirations.     

A comparative study of learning patterns of secondary school,high school and college students

The main aim of the current research was to identify the similarities and differences in learning patterns used by secondary school, high school and college students. There were 8,072 participants and they responded to the Chinese version of Inventory of Learning Styles (ILS) online. Findings show that the three groups of students were significantly different in their adoption of learning patterns; the dimensionalities of learning patterns observed in secondary school and high school students were similar, but were different from those of college students; these students’ learning patterns differed from each other in relation to personal characteristics (i.e. gender and age), but tended to have similar strong relationships with parents’ education level and parents’ jobs. This study contributes to the understanding of the learning patterns characterized by school and college students. By acknowledging this, educators can help to develop better support for students in adapting to new study environments.     

Promoting the social inclusion and academic progress of Gypsy,Roma and Traveller children: a secondary school case study

The aim of this study was to identify support strategies used to promote “social inclusion” and “academic progress” of Key Stage 3 and 4 Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) pupils. The study used an interpretivist approach, incorporating an embedded single case study with several participant groups, namely GRT pupils, GRT parents, school staff and supporting professionals. The data were collected using interviews, focus groups and questionnaires and were analysed using explanation building – a pattern matching technique which uses theoretical propositions (generated from existing research) to guide analysis and organise data. The study identified one consistent strategy (focussed staff support) to promote both the social inclusion and the academic progress of GRT pupils, and several additional strategies to address each of these areas. The focussed staff support consisted of a dedicated staff member employed to support GRT pupils and families, and act as a consultant for other members of school staff.     

An exploration of school communication approaches for newly arrived EAL students: applying three dimensions of organisational communication theory

This article explores the modes of school communication associated with language and cultural diversity, demonstrating how organisational communication theory can be applied to the analysis of schools’ communication responses to the presence of pupils who have English as an additional language (EAL). The article highlights three analytical dimensions: the external factors influencing school communication systems; communication models reflected in school structures; and the content of communication between stakeholders. An exploratory study of a primary and a secondary school in the East of England, involving 32 semi-structured interviews with school managers, teachers, EAL staff, parents and newly arrived Eastern European students, reveals the interactional and transactional models of communication in the primary school, while the secondary school frequently used a linear approach. Communication in both schools showed a lack of information on EAL students and their parents, hindering a sustained outreach and empowering partnership, and possibly placing these students at a disadvantage.     

Book Reviews

Key themes in qualitative research: continuities and change : P. Atkinson, A. Coffey & S. Delamont Gypsy traveller students in secondary school : C. Derrington & S. Kendall Race, masculinity and schooling: Muslim boys and education : L. Archer Faith‐based schools and the state. Catholics in America, France and England : H. Judge The creative school. A framework for success, quality and effectiveness : B. Jeffrey & P. Woods Reclaiming universities from a runaway world : M. Walker & J. Nixon (Eds) The TUC and education reform 1926–1970 : C. Griggs Physical education teachers on physical education : K. Green Models of learning—tools for teaching : B. Joyce, E. Calhoun & D. Hopkins     

Parental perspectives on the transition to secondary school for students with Asperger syndrome and high‐functioning autism: a pilot survey study

The transition to secondary school is a common cause of stress and anxiety, which can be exacerbated by the innate characteristics associated with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high‐functioning autism (HFA). This study aimed to explore experiences of the transition to secondary school for students with AS/HFA from the parental perspective. Seventeen parents of children with AS/HFA from the north of England completed an online questionnaire about their child's school transitional experience. Responses indicated that there were a number of factors that influenced the experiences of pupils with AS/HFA at school and the preceding transition, including anxiety, bullying, friendship and support at school. Girls with AS/HFA presented with unique issues not commonly seen in the male dominated condition. The transition to secondary school was seen to encompass a number of difficulties for students with AS/HFA. Health and educational services can learn from the experiences explored in this survey in order to inform future practice.     

‘Becoming co-operative’ – challenges and insights: repositioning school engagement as a collective endeavour

ABSTRACT

This article explores how a school’s decision to become co-operative affects its engagement relationships with students and parents. The findings stem from a wider study exploring approaches to engagement in a recently converted co-operative academy, a large secondary school in a northern English city. The article surfaces the possibilities and tensions that occur as the school seeks to reposition itself in the English education marketplace, with a co-operative model that explicitly sets out to promote mutualisation, not privatisation; ‘we’ rather than ‘me’. The process of becoming co-operative is examined by exploring the underlying purposes of the school’s engagement with students and parents and the relationships that emerge as a result. The study surfaces the issues faced as a co-operative school seeks to enact thicker, ‘collective forms’ of democratic engagement against a backdrop of English education policy based on individualistic notions of democracy as freedom of choice. The findings point to the need for a different policy understanding of school engagement, an understanding that suggests engagement is about the process of developing more equitable, collaborative relationships with stakeholders and rests on the repositioning of students, parents and community members – from ‘choosers’ and ‘consumers’ to a collective public in education.     

‘There are lots of different kinds of normal’: families and sex education – styles,approaches and concerns

This paper reports on qualitative research with Australian parents concerning their attitudes to sexuality and relationships education, both at home and in school. A wide range of values and attitudes were represented among parents in this study. Regardless of the varying approaches parents used, all participants expressed a desire for their children to be well informed about sex, sexual health and relationships, yet many felt inadequate to the task of providing high-quality sex education to their children. Some participants blamed this lack of confidence on their own limited education about sexuality. Their main concern was to ensure that their children are safe and that when they do become sexually active their experiences of sex are positive. Most participants saw sex education as primarily their responsibility, with school sex education as an important adjunct. They wanted to be well informed about the timing and content of school programmes for their children, and to be assured that those educators who will be teaching their children about sexual health have the skills and qualifications to do their job well, while remaining sensitive to the diversity of values among students and their families. While most parents who participated in the research supported sexuality education in schools, they did so with reservations. In particular, they wanted schools to take an active role in communicating with them about the content of sexuality education programmes and be open to meeting with those parents who expressed concerns.     

I blame the mother: educating parents and the gendered nature of parenting orders

There has been an increasing focus from policymakers, academics and journalists on parents as the source of their child's anti-social behaviour both in and outside of the formal school setting. One intervention proffered is the parenting order. The language of parenting orders and parenting interventions obscures a distinct truth, that parenting orders are really mothering orders. This paper draws on findings generated during interviews with 26 parents attending a parenting education programme in a city in the north of England. This paper explores the gendered nature of parental education, in that the overwhelming majority of parents ordered by the courts to attend parenting classes are women. The paper explores mothers' experiences of receiving coercive parenting education, examines the reasons why mothers were given parenting orders and explores the nature of these mothers' relationships with their child's school.     

中职生家庭教育现状与对策摭探

孩子出现的问题,从一定层面上能多多少少地反映出家庭教育的问题。为引起社会各界对家庭教育问题的重视,提高家庭教育的有效性,文章以某中职学校为个案课题研究对象,从中职生的父母、家庭情况等方面进行调查,梳理中职生家庭教育影响因素,并提出提高中职生家庭教育质量的一些可行性建议。