Limited Options & Opportunities

Participants told us that the focus and requirements of schools and colleges often does not recognise and support the needs of children and young people from the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities.

Limited Subject Relevance

We go to school but we don’t like it .. there’s nothing for us .. they need to teach us differently … what they teach us … I don’t really need it … [child/young person]

They waste my day - I could go in there for three hours … I could do English, maths and science … and I would be fine – but I do six hours of like boringnesswhat do I need history for? what do I do geography for? ... I don’t need them … it goes through one ear … and out the other … [child/young person]

… [h]alf the stuff they learn they don’t need ... [parent/carer/member of family group]

FORMAL SUBJECT REQUIREMENTS ARE BARRIERS TO 16-18

EDUCATIONAL PARTICIPATION & PROGRESSION but if they’re not learning anything before that it’s not going to make a difference …

… but that’s when they’re older and you have to get certain GCSEs to get into that course,

I think that’s why children part and don’t like school because they’re not interested in what they’re learning … [parent/ carer/member of family group]