Addressing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Attendance Issues
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Guidance on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Attendance
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The ethnic groups with the highest overall absence rates were Traveller of Irish Heritage (18.8% of all sessions missed) and Gypsy/Roma (13.0%).

65.2% of Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils were persistently absent, the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups, the second highest group was Gypsy/Roma at 48.5%.

Absence from School, updated September 2020: Ethnicity Facts and Figures Gov.UK

The Equality Diversity Inclusion Team offers schools and settings consultancy and support to ensure all educational establishments can address Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Attendance Issues.

Training and support can be delivered bespoke to schools or via a consultancy basis.  For more details and information on how EDIT can help, please click one of the boxes below.

School Attendance Guidance for maintained schools, academies, independent schools and local authorities. Updated 2020 School attendance Guidance for maintained schools, academies, independent schools and local authorities. Updated 2020 of particular relevance is: Code D: Dual Registered and Code T: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller absence, see below:

Code T: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller absence
A number of different groups are covered by the generic term Traveller – Roma, English and Welsh Gypsies, Irish and Scottish Travellers, Showmen (fairground people) and Circus people, Bargees (occupational boat dwellers) and New Travellers. This code should be used when Traveller families are known to be travelling for occupational purposes and have agreed this with the school but it is not known whether the pupil is attending educational provision. It should not be used for any other types of absence by these groups. To help ensure continuity of education for Traveller children it is expected that the child should attend school elsewhere when their family is travelling and be dual registered at that school and the main school. Children from these groups whose families do not travel are expected to register at a school and attend as normal. They are subject to the same rules as other children in terms of the requirement to attend school regularly once registered at a school.

Improving school attendance: support for schools and local authorities Updated 7 January 2021

School attendance parental responsibility measures Statutory guidance for local authorities,
school leaders, school staff, governing bodies and the police January 2015

You can get in touch with us using our designated contact page - contact EDIT here!