The Sussex schools leading the way in creating GRT inclusive environments
The South East has one of the UK’s highest GRT populations and across our region there are several thousand GRT heritage learners. Discover how schools are creating more GRT friendly environments and find out how you can join them…
Across our region we’ve been working with local authorities, community groups, local schools and Higher Education Intuitions to build more joined up approaches to creating GRT inclusive learning environments. Back in 2020-21 we worked with West Sussex County Council and three secondary schools with GRT student populations– Steyning Grammar School, The Weald in Billingshurst and Imberhorne in East Grinstead – to put in place a comprehensive support programmes for GRT learners and the results have been both positive and far reaching.
Working in partnership with SLN, the University of Sussex and leading GRT charity Friends, Families and Travellers, West Sussex County Council supported schools by:
- Delivering activities to promote awareness and understanding of GRT culture amongst pupils and staff with activities including GRT assemblies, art and cooking workshops and celebrations of GRT History Month
- Creating a dedicated learner workshop to help GRT young people explore the higher education pathways open to them
- Offering tailored one-to-one careers advice sessions delivered by the council’s careers advisors
- Encouraging the development of links between the university and local GRT learners
The results of the dedicated support programme have been inspiring. A NERUPI outreach evaluation of the programme indicated significantly enhanced knowledge and awareness of the benefits of higher education and graduate employment amongst GRT learners, as well as enhanced confidence around negotiating the challenges of university life.
The programme also helped establish greater county-wide connectivity between key stakeholders and practitioners with the sharing of best practice and ideas continuing well beyond the project. West Sussex County Council’s project lead commented: ‘The benefits already seem huge as relationships and opportunities for conversations have developed and are already suggesting new directions and areas to focus on.”
Participating schools were also incredibly positive about the programme’s impact: “Staff have told me that the project positively challenged their own and their students’ perceptions of the GRT community.” (Representative, The Weald Community School)
The Weald Community School also found that celebrating the GRT community had a huge impact on their GRT learners’ confidence and feeling of belonging: “Our GRT students were so pleased when they saw the GRT flag hung up and were keen, off the back of this, to tell me all about their culture. Having their people represented at school is massive for them.”
As part of SLN’s commitment to GRT work, SLN and the University of Sussex are now jointly funding the development of this schools’ programme, which will now be led by Friends, Families and Traveller’s youth team. This will enable the programme to reach more students across West Sussex and to reach GRT learners across East Sussex including in Hailsham Community College, Uckfield College, Uplands School and Robertsbridge Community College.
In the next phase of work, Friends, Families and Travellers will run dedicated Further Education and Higher Education workshops to familiarise GRT students with their options and with negotiating applications, student finance and student accommodation. The workshops will also explore barriers to aspirations and will help students develop the confidence to broaden their thinking around their future.
Taster day trips to further education and higher education campuses including East Sussex College, Plumpton Agricultural College and University of Sussex will help increase confidence in considering progression by increasing understanding and familiarity.
If you’re been inspired by the positive impact school programmes can have, why not explore some of the fantastic education resources out there that can help you build more GRT inclusive learning environments?
East Sussex schools with children from GRT communities can get advice and guidance from the East Sussex Teaching and Learning Provision GRT team here.
If you’re a school in West Sussex you can find out more about the council’s dedicated Traveller Education Support (TES) support offer here.
And if you're a school in Brighton and Hove you can find out more about the support you can access for GRT learners here.
Using Friends, Families and Travellers’ teaching resources you can help bring GRT histories & cultures into the classroom. You can discover our brand new, free teaching resource (see Snapshot story one). And if you’re thinking of celebrating GRT History Month for the first time in June 2023, why not check out The Weald Community School’s assembly here.