Reconfiguring the Spatial Constructions of Schooling for Gypsy/traveller Children

The unique spatial orientations of many Gypsy/Traveller communities are often at odds with the spatial construction of the school environment. As a result, this paper argues that many children from these communities remain marginalised within the structural configuration of the schools they attend. One of the main concerns of this paper is the prejudice and bullying from both staff and non-gypsy children that children from Gypsy/Traveller communities experience in the schools they attend. Furthermore, many children from these communities are often misunderstood and actively marginalized within a structure that has become driven by a performance agenda at the expense of genuine ‘inclusive schooling’ for all children. By examining their situation within spatial theory, this paper attempts to locate the marginalization and exclusion of these children within the context of the spatial configuration of what goes on in schools. The article will draw on interview material from parents and others who work with these children in schools, as well as observations in schools. By examining such material this article will suggest how individual schools have the potential to operate differently in order to create the spatial conditions in which children from Gypsy/Traveller communities feel accepted and equally accommodated in school.