Response Data

Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales

Y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Children, Young People and Education Committee

Grant gwella addysg: Plant Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr, a phlant o leiafrifoedd ethnig | Education Improvement Grant: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller, and Minority Ethnic Children

EIG 02

Ymateb gan :

Response from : St Anne’s Catholic Primary School

Q1. From 2015-16, the Gypsy Children and Traveller Children Grant and the Minority Ethnic Achievement Grant were merged into the new Education Improvement Grant. What impact has this had on the levels of educational support available to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller and Minority Ethnic children, and their educational outcomes?

Support from the traveller service has been cut.

If this is a concern to you, how should this be addressed?

More money is needed within local authority to support schools with travellers.

Q2. How effective are other Welsh Government policies and strategies for supporting the education of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller, and Minority Ethnic children?

Unsure.

If this is a concern to you, how should this be addressed?
No Response

Q3. What more could be done to support the educational attainment of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller and Minority Ethnic children: 1. in schools; 2. by Local Authorities; 3. by regional consortia; and 4. by the Welsh Government.

Our school currently has 25 travellers on role. There are 50 traveller based in Wrexham county borough. Our traveller support has been reduced due to lack of funding. We currently have one member of the traveller team who supports within the school on a shortened timetable.

The LA need to recognise that we need more support within school due to the large amount of travellers we have. Many of the traveller children have poor basic skills and the older children have behaviour issues.

Do you know of examples of good practice or successful policies? If so, what are they?
No Response

Q4. If you could recommend to the Welsh Government one thing it could do to improve the educational attainment of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller, and Minority Ethnic children, what would it be?

In St Anne's we need additional support for our traveller pupils, to enable them to have more practical based activities. Many of the travellers do not continue into high school.
Attendance is particularly poor and the dual registration system is unfair. Many families use this just so that they have a base. Many of the families are not travelling and only visiting. We are turning other catholic families away as we are keeping spaces open for dual registered pupils.
We have 1 dual registered pupil in Year 3. Last year he did 15 sessions in St Anne's and spent the remainder of the time in another school in North Wales. This is difficult for collating data as we couldn't comment on his performance. The dual registered system needs addressing.
The families are often catholic and want a catholic school for their children. There are only 2 catholic schools in Wrexham and we have ALL of the travellers.

Q5. Do you have any other concerns about the amalgamation of the other previously separate grants into the Education Improvement Grant? If so, please provide details.

Q6. Finally, are there any other issues relating to the terms of reference that you would like to draw to the Committee’s attention?