Activities to Support the

Inclusion of Traveller Cultures Across the Curriculum

A culturally relevant and affirming curriculum is important for all pupils. It is particularly important for children and young people from Gypsy Traveller backgrounds to see their culture, history,

language and values reflected in their school experience.

Aiming High: Raising the Achievement of Gypsy Traveller Pupils (DfES 2003)

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For all pupils, Quality First teaching should take place within the framework of an inclusive curriculum. This is

particularly important for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils because their cultures are often portrayed (if at all) in a negative or stereotypical way. This can lead to low self-esteem and a feeling that their ‘real’ lives are

not reflected in the school curriculum.Moving Forward Together: Raising Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement (DCSF

2009)

Where the presence of Travelling children is openly acknowledged, and where positive and accurate images of different communities are featured within both the resources of the school and the curriculum, then the

pupil response is lively and there is a genuine openness to learning

The Inclusion of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children and Young People (DCSF 2008)

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Table of ContentsHistory 4

Geography 6

Art & Design/Technology 7

Science 8

PSHE/RE 9

Maths 11

English 12

Traveller Resources and the Literacy Framework

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History

Knowledge Skills and understanding

Chronological Understanding

Use Traveller artefacts from past and present and place in chronological order, e.g. water carriers, bird cages, cooking pots, wagon steps, modes of transport, fairground rides

Make a timeline of the history of Travellers in Britain Make a family tree – Traveller families may be able to trace their family

history back a number of years

Knowledge and Understanding of events, people and changes in the past

Explore how Travellers homes have changed over time – traditional wagons, modern trailers, chalets, houses

Explore traditional skills e.g. wagon-making, blacksmithing etc Interview a grandparent and explore what a Traveller childhood was like –

make comparisons Explore the history of the circus Research the history of horse fairs – the charter for Stow Fair is at least

500 years old The experience of Gypsies during WW2 – porrajmos is the Romany word

for the Gypsy holocaust

Historical Interpretation

‘Oral tradition’ of Gypsy history – Romany is a spoken, not written, language; story-telling, music-making and poetry were all used to represent the Traveller experience

There are a number of biographies and auto-biographies available that give accounts of Travellers lives

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Breadth of Study

Travellers during Tudor times Victorian fairs Travelling since the 1930’s

Resources

Artefacts from John Moore Countryside Museum, Life On the Verge, photographs (www.johnmooremuseum.org)

The Travelling People Pack (Newham TES) – Books, activities, posters Travellers’ Homes pack (Suffolk TES) – photographs and stories A Way to Earn a Living book set (Bolton TES) – includes the work of

farriers, fairground operatives and musicians Following the Trail (Devon TES) – CD including pictures, puzzles and

stories from the start of the 19th century to today

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Geography

Geographical enquiry and skills

Observing local areas – make a visit, look at photos of a local Traveller site Make a plan or map of a Traveller site – positioning of site, provision of

services, applying for planning permission Make a plan for a fairground – positioning of rides, health and safety

requirements Use maps to plot route of a travelling fair Data gathering – population, number of trailers, chalets, houses

Knowledge and understanding

Use geographical language to describe a local Traveller site and how it could be improved

Compare urban and rural sites

Resources

Appleby and its Fair (Cheshire TES) – a contrasting locality pack including photographs and maps

Moving Pasts (Newham TES) – autobiographies about the travelling lives of an English Romany and a Polish Roma

Wheels of Change (Essex TES) – pack including maps and ordnance survey information

Art and Design/Technology8

Design and make a moving fairground ride – explore a variety of mechanisms

Design and make a Gypsy vardo/modern trailer – which materials most suitable

Fairground art – traditional Victorian fairs, painted designs on Gallopers etc., lettering on hoardings

Explore paintings on traditional bow-top wagons Design your own Crown Derby plate Explore traditional Traveller crafts – making paper flowers, holly wreaths

for Christmas Cooking traditional Romany recipes Look at artwork by Romany artists – Ferdinand Koci, Delaine and Damian

Le Bas

Resources

Let’s Look at a Fairground Ride by Margaret Campbell – A4 picture book showing how a fairground ride is put together

Spotting Old Vardos by Robert Dawson – a book describing old living wagons including show wagons

A Young Showman Introduces (Devon TES) – resource sheets about fairground rides

Bowtop Caravan kit by Robert Dawson GRT History month posters – posters designed by professional Roma

Traveller artists

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Science

Life Processes and Living Things

Many Travellers work with/keep animals – horses, birds, ferrets etc. Explore how animals can be cared for, how they move etc.

Examine animals/plants in their local environment – grouping and classifying

Materials and their Properties

Making a bender (temporary shelter). Explore best materials for this purpose – strength, waterproof qualities, flexibility etc.

Carrying/storing water – which containers/materials are most suitable

Physical Processes

Electricity – explore lights for fairground rides Forces – moving fairground rides, wagons and trailers

Resources

Pictures of animals Traditional/modern water carriers Models of fairground rides, traditional vardos, modern trailers

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PSHE/RE

Developing Confidence and Responsibility and Making the Most of their Abilities

Explore traditional Traveller skills and jobso Blacksmithing/farriero Childcareo Building worko Buying and selling

Discuss issues of identity and belonging, what makes a community, shared beliefs and practices

Look at issues specific to Traveller lifestyles and explore how they affect them and society at large

Preparing to Play an Active Role as Citizens

Debate topical issues such as finding stopping places, planning permission Recognise that Gypsies and Irish Travellers are distinct ethnic groups and

are protected under the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000

Developing Good Relationships and Respecting Differences between People

Explore issues of tolerance and diversity within different communities Look at stereotypes – how can they be challenged Look at media representations of Traveller groups – how balanced is it

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Breadth of Study

Festivals and Fairs Weddings and Christenings Funeral Rituals

Resources

Travellers – A Talkabout Book – Oxford TES Kushti Atchin Tan DVD and Pack – Kent County Council Me Too! Pack – Cheshire TES Colours of Hope – Roma Support Group Our Lives – Durham TES Open Roads, Open Minds Pack – Leeds TES Gypsy and Traveller Picture Library Pack – Durham TES Young Gypsies: Our Lives, Culture and Traditions – Essex TES Introduction to the Culture and Beliefs of the Traveller Community –

Dorset TES

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Maths

Number and Algebra Use a Traveller context to everyday number activities e.g. use

Traveller images such as horses/trailers/vehicles for counting activities

Buying and selling at Stow Fair/Fairground stall for money activities

Shape, Space and Measure Use 2D/3D shapes to make pictures/models of trailers, fairground

rides etc. Measure distances between trailers on a site, map out a site Find out the area of a trailer

Handling Data Collate information on types of pets, number of trailers on a site,

different types of vehicles

Resources

Come and Count with Us – Nottingham TES Poorly Patrick’s Counting Book by Mike Baldwin Counting Animals by Siobhan Spencer Counting at Appleby – Bolton TES

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English

Speaking and Listening

Oral tradition of story-telling Oral presentation on aspects of Traveller life Record interviews with parents and grandparents Act out traditional Traveller tales

Reading

See below

Writing

Stories, poems and play scripts within a Traveller context Reviews of Traveller story books Reports and recounts about Traveller lifestyles e.g. visiting Stow Fair,

travelling with the Fair, going to a wedding Biographies of parents, grandparents Instructions e.g. pulling down a ride, caring for horses

Resources

There are a number of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller resources available – see document Traveller Resources and the Literacy Framework

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Traveller Resources and the Literacy Framework

Stories with Familiar Settings

Key Stage 1

My Trailer by Karen Taylor – Cheshire Consortium TES Rebecca’s Day and Colletta goes to School by Karen Taylor Where’s My Teddy by Margeret Hockey – Durham TES Hen’s Grand Day Out by Tim Beevers –West Midlands Consortium Shaun’s Wellies – Norfolk TES Ruby’s Rabbits – Norfolk TES Melissa to the Rescue by Sandy madden – Avon Consortium Doctor Jim by Karen Taylor Hide and Seek/I Spy/Me and My Family – Cardiff TES Lazylegs – Cardiff TES Mikela at Home – Avon TES

Key Stage 2

My Week and My Year by Cassie Jones and David Johnstone – Somerset TES

A Horse for Joe and Two for One – Wiltshire TES Swapping Tommy by Karen Taylor

Key Stage 3/4

Moving On by Alan Gibbons Briggsy By Isla Dewar Red-Eye Ghost by Mickey MacPhee The Smiths by EDM Smith

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Alphabet and Counting Books

Key Stage 1

Come and Count with Us – Nottingham TES Poorly Patrick’s Counting Book by Mike Baldwin A First Gypsy Alphabet by Tim Beevers Traveller Alphabet – Essex TES Stevie’s ABC Book – West Midlands Consortium Counting Animals by Siobhan Spencer

Rhyming Stories , Poetry and Legends

Key Stage 1/2

The Tadpole Trailer by Karen Taylor The Broken Broomstick by Karen Taylor Jell Akai Chavvies by Kathleen Cunningham Moving On songs CD – Cambridgeshire TES

Key Stage 2/3

A Moving Way of Life by Kathleen Cunningham Not All Wagons and Lanes by Charles Smith – Essex TES How Rabbits Arrived in England by Ginge Brown

Information texts

Key Stage 1/2

A Week in the Life of a Showman’s Family – Manchester TES Travellers’ Tales – Gypsy Media Company Hatching Tan – Cheshire TES Tony’s Tarmac by Tony Saunders Hillview Horse Books – Avon Consortium TES A Time to Go Travelling by Charlotte Webster – Bolton TES Let’s Look at a Fairground Ride by Margaret Campbell Boxing by Marky Burnside

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The Travelling People Pack – Newham TESKey Stage 3/4

A Young Showman Introduces: Resource Sheets – Devon TES The Romani Language – NATT A Way of Life – West Midlands TES Rokkering, Clecking and Cracking by Robert Dawson The Way of the Romany by Fred Price Spotting Old Vardos by Robert Dawson

Instructions

Key Stage 1/2

Hillview Horse Books – Avon Consortium TES Playground Games – Essex TES Gypsy horses by Lise McNamara Favourite Romany Recipes

Biography/Autobiography

Key Stage 1/2

One in a Million – Essex TES Gypsies and Travellers in their Own Words by Peter Saunders My Gran by Lena Parker – Cambridgeshire TES The life and Story of May Orchard by Dorothy Orchard – Devon TES Looking Back on my Gypsy Childhood by Louise Orchard – Devon TESKey Stage 3/4

Moving with the Times by Goodiey Reilly – Devon TES Moving Pasts – Newham TES One Day at a Time by Rosanna Price A Wandering of Gypsies by Julie and Tom McCready

Recounts

Key Stage 1/2

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A Week in the Life of a Showman’s Family CD – Manchester TES Traveller’s Tales DVD by the Gypsy media Company My Wonderful Place by Sally Barter – Hillingdon TES My Fairground Home by Karen Taylor A Time to go Travelling by Charlotte Webster – Bolton TES The Christening by Lisa Young and Val Mannering A Traveller Boy and his Horses – Cheshire TES Life on the Fair by Valerie Moody – Devon TES My Day at Ballinsloe by Sylvia DoddsKey Stage 3/4

Wheels of Change – Essex TES Fowey Fair – Cornwall County Council Seasons in Time by Siobhan Spencer

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