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)
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)
2
Table of Contents
History
4
Geography
6
Art & Design/Technology
7
Science
8
PSHE/RE
9
Maths
11
English
12
Traveller Resources and the Literacy
Framework
13
3
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; storytelling, 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
4
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
5
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
6
Art and Design/Technology

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
7
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
8
PSHE/RE
Developing Confidence and Responsibility and Making the Most of their Abilities


Explore traditional Traveller skills and jobs
o
Blacksmithing/farrier
o
Childcare
o
Building work
o
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
9
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
10
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
11
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
12
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
13
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
14

A Time to Go Travelling by Charlotte Webster – Bolton TES

Let’s Look at a Fairground Ride by Margaret Campbell

Boxing by Marky Burnside

The Travelling People Pack – Newham TES
Key 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 TES
Key Stage 3/4

Moving with the Times by Goodiey Reilly – Devon TES

Moving Pasts – Newham TES
15

One Day at a Time by Rosanna Price

A Wandering of Gypsies by Julie and Tom McCready
Recounts
Key Stage 1/2

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 Dodds
Key Stage 3/4

Wheels of Change – Essex TES

Fowey Fair – Cornwall County Council

Seasons in Time by Siobhan Spencer
16