Roma pupils must be better supported to learn, says Ofsted

Effective integration into schools and an uninterrupted education are the keys to improving the progress of Roma pupils, says an Ofsted report published today.

‘Overcoming barriers: ensuring that Roma children are fully engaged and achieving in education’ summarises how a number of schools and local authorities have been working to meet the needs of Roma children from Eastern Europe. It found a strong commitment to improving the engagement and achievement of Roma children, but also identified challenges in supporting pupils who were new to speaking English and who had little prior experience of formal education.

Through its survey of three local authorities and 11 schools that had experienced a significant rise in the number of Roma pupils from Eastern Europe, the report also identifies case studies of good practice and makes a number of recommendations for local authorities, schools and the Department for Education.

Sean Harford, Ofsted National Director, Schools, said:

This report sets out to provide an accurate assessment of the barriers to educational engagement and attainment that Roma pupils experience, as well as the specific challenges faced by particular schools and local authorities in supporting pupils.

Through this report, we also identify the strategies that are being employed successfully by local authorities and schools to support Roma pupils.

Notes to editors

The Ofsted report, Overcoming barriers: ensuring that Roma children are fully engaged and achieving in education, is published online.