The Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Keith Towler, has praised Monkton Priory CP School in his internet blog.
Mr Towler visited the secondary school project based in the Primary School recently and heard how successful it has been in helping local Gypsy Traveller children make the transition from primary to secondary.
He said that as Commissioner, he has encountered a reluctance elsewhere in Wales within the Gypsy Traveller community for children to progress to secondary education.
“It is well known that the Gypsy Traveller community places great store on protecting their children and that sometimes that desire to protect meant that many children did not continue with their education after primary school,” said Mr Towler.
“Instead, boys would join the men at work and girls would help the women domestically.
“But here in Monkton that trend has been reversed and as I was to find out the Gypsy Traveller community not only trust what the school does, they have come to rely on what the whole school can offer.”
During his visit, he met some Gypsy Traveller children, who were doing some artwork research. Together with Kirby Jones, Learning Support Assistant, they told him about their culture, history and concerns about racial discrimination, and showed him a DVD they had made, including an animation.
“The DVD is good because it really helps to inform people about Gypsy Traveller culture. Understanding helps to combat discrimination and I would recommend that everyone views this film. It is, like the children who made it, inspirational,” said Mr Towler.
Monkton Priory CP School educates 55% of Gypsy Traveller children in Pembrokeshire. Mr Towler said it had ‘built a deserved excellent reputation for the work it does with the Gypsy Traveller community’.
“At the school there has been a positive attitude to developing a community focussed approach,” he said. “So much so that adults are learning on the same site and the school has become trusted within Monkton and within the Gypsy Traveller community. In fact it feels like a hub. The place to go if you need advice or help.”
Mr Towler was very complimentary of Bev Stephens, Head of the Pembrokeshire Gypsy Traveller Education Service, describing her as ‘inspirational’.
“She is also passionate about the Gypsy Traveller community and providing opportunity for children and young people,” he said.
“In the staff common room where we had coffee and ate lunch there was an interesting quotation on the wall. It read: ‘When the wind of change blows, some people build walls and some people build windmills’. I googled it when I got home and discovered it is an ancient Chinese proverb. Ancient it might be but its spirit lives on in Monkton.”
He added: “Working with Gypsy Traveller children and young people is an objective in my Corporate Plan and listening to what everyone was saying it is clear that Gypsy Traveller children do face discrimination. The issue for me is what I can do to improve outcomes for these children and young people.”
Bev Stephens said everyone at the school had very much enjoyed Mr Towler’s visit.
“The Children’s Comissioner had a great understanding of issues affecting young Gypsy Travellers in Wales. Pupils felt that Mr Towler was really interested in their culture and educational issues. The Gypsy Traveller Education Service in Pembrokeshire works very much as a team and all teachers and learning support assistants were encouraged by the positive comments he made.”
