Effective strategies to support Gypsy Traveller pupils

Effective Practice
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St Joseph’s Catholic and Anglican Secondary School

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Context

St. Joseph’s Catholic and Anglican High School in Wrexham, educates a number of pupils from the local Gypsy Traveller community and is committed to ensuring these pupils achieve to the best of their ability.

Strategy

The school has put in place a number of strategies to support these pupils and evaluate the success that these initiatives had on pupils’ achievements and wellbeing.

Action

Staff used a range of data and other information, such as talking to pupils and their parents to identify the impact of the support strategies. Additional support included: a curriculum enrichment programme; joint provision with the local youth service; support from a traveller education service secondary teacher; links with the community to develop ‘street dance’; and a homework club.

Outcomes

The school found pupils are becoming more confident to move on to post-16 education. Exclusion rates have fallen as have reported incidents of bullying. Participation in extracurricular activities has increased.

Overall, levels of achievement are still low, but have improved through alternative curriculum provision and more pupils are attending into key stage 4.