COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 28.10.1996 
COM(96) 494 final 
School Provision for Children 
of Occupational Travellers 
Report on the implementation of measures planned 
by the Council and the Ministers of Education 
22 may 1989 - 89/C 153/01 
(presented by the Commission) 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Introduction 3 
CHAPTER 1 
General data defining the context 
1.1 Quantitative data regarding Occupational Travellers 5 
1.2 Socio-Economie Data 16 
1.3 School attendance of the children of Occupational Travellers 22 
CHAPTER 2 
Actions developing information and aid on behalf of parents 26 
CHAPTER 3 
Access to pre-school and primary education 29 
CHAPTER 4 
Secondary school education and vocational training 33 
CHAPTER 5 
Boarding school provisions 36 
CHAPTER 6 
Information, support and training provided for teachers, educators and heads of schools 37 
CHAPTER 7 
Other actions taken 38 
CHAPTER 8 
Outcomes and directions of work 39 
Annex 42 
1 
INTRODUCTION 
In 1984, a resolution (Doc. 1 - 1522/83)1 was adopted by the, European Parliament in connection 
with the education of children whose parents have no fixed abode. 
As a consequence of this resolution, the Commission of tne European Communities completed a 
study with regard to the educational situation of children of bargee, circus and fairground families 
within the twelve Member States. 
The results and conclusions of this study are described in two reports. The first report (1987) 
covers the educational situation of bargee and circus children. 
The second report (1988) covsrs the educational situation of fairground children. 
At the Commission's initiative the conclusions and rec mmendations included in these reports 
were discussed with representatives of the Ministries of Education and experts/representatives of 
the population groups concerned (including professional organisations) of various Member 
States. (The first report in March 1987 - The second report in May 1988). 
The results and recommendations of the study carried out on behalf of the Commission; the 
guidelines emerging from the consultations with the Occupational Traveller representatives and 
the discussions between experts and representatives of the Ministries of Education were noted. 
On 22 May 1989 2, the Council and the Ministers of Education meeting within the Council, 
adopted a resolution on school provision for children of Occupational Travellers. 
The aim of the Resolution is to develop a global and structural approach to help these children 
overcome the obstacles which hinder their access to schooling. 
The Council and the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council v/ill make every effort to 
promote a set of measures concerning school provision for children of Occupational Travellers. 
These measures will aim at : 
promoting innovatory initiatives; 
proposing and supporting positive and appropriate measures; 
inter-relating achievements; 
widely disseminating the lessons learned. 
Therefore the Resolution calls on the Member States to make every effort to: 
Improve information for travelling families; 
Improve access to nursery and primary school; 
1 OJN° 104, 16.4.1984, p. 144 
2 OJNcC 153, 21.6.1989, p. 1-2 
Take steps to make available full secondary education and appropriate vocational training; 
Encourage the provision of accommodation in boarding schools or in lodgings in 
appropriate cases; 
Encourage appropriate agencies to inform teachers during their initial and in-
service training of the specific circumstances and needs of Occupational 
Travellers' children; 
Promote support for teachers, educators, heads of schools and boarding schools 
and mobile teaching units. 
The Resolution proposes that Community support is useful here when it stimulates national 
initiatives and encourages the exchange of experiences and insights between all those 
concerned. 
This report is provided for in the Resolution adopted in May 1989. Its first objective is to present, 
as requested by the Ministers, the various stages required to put the Resolution into operation a 
few years after its adoption. 
In consultation with the representatives of the Member States in the Ad Hoc group for inter-
cultural education, each Member State has prepared a national report. Naturally, these reports 
are an important source of information for the present report. 
The objectives of this report are : 
to present a total view of the situation within the Union with regard to the 
implementation of the Resolution of May 1989, both at Member States and at 
Community levei, 
to make a dynamic inventory and evaluation of achievements, so as to examine 
experiences and consolidate knowledge; 
to examine the development of community added value across the exchanges of 
experience and information between the various partners involved in educational 
questions in the different Member States; 
to examine the synergy created by the co-ordination of the activities developed, by 
the co-ordination with other community actions and by the links with the activities 
of other international institutions, 
This document also has a prospective character: the analysis and evaluation should result in 
orientations and proposals for work for tbei short, medium and long term. 
This document also has an informative objective, so that the partners concerned can be aware of 
the global situation and its development. Its distribution will stimulate reflection, action and co­
operation in the areas identified. 
CHAPTER 1 
GENERAL DATA DEFINING THE CONTEXT 
1.1 Quantitative data regarding the Occupational Travellers 
1.1.1 Overview of the quantitative data available on the various sectors 
There are major difficulties in collecting data on the various groups of Occupational 
Travellers. It is always very difficult and sometimes impossible to get accurate figures and 
much of the data is estimated or incomplete. The populations' mobility does not facilitate 
the collection of reliable data. In some cases, there is a danger of multiple-counting and 
in others of not counting at all. In this report, the difficulties are compounded in that the 
data was collected retrospectively in the summer of 1993 for the period "as at the end of 
1991". The data should therefore be seen as an indicative snapshot. 
In comparison with the data collected as part of the C.E.C. study (1985-1988) it appears 
that : 
the number of bargee families in the Member States concerned (B, F, D, NL) has 
fallen in recent years (especially in F). 
the circus and fairground population has remained stable (although Germany's 
reunification has caused the "D" figures to rise sharply). 
The field of operations in the fairs and circuses sector has grown over the past few years, 
and as a result, various circuses plant their tentposts for long (er) periods in several 
countries. These are often the middling-to-big circuses with a large number of artists and 
workers' families. 
Host countries often report the problem of not being able to know with any degree of 
accuracy just how many children / young adults of compulsory school age make up the 
retinue, which -of course- raises the question as to how their schooling can or should 
best be organised. 
Projects have also been extended to include Occupational Travellers other than bargees, 
circus and fairground people, such as seasonal workers and fishermen. 
TABLE 1: Occupational Travellers in BELGIUM 
BELGIUM 
TYPE of 
POPULATION 
Bargees 
Circus 
fairground 
others 
totals NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
1289 
6 
1380 
2675 FAMILIES 
1639 
1639 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
4261 
74 
3500 
7835 SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
819 
10 
464(B/fl) 
1293 
SOURCES: 
Bargees: 
Circus: 
Fairgrounds: 
REMARKS: National Institute for Social Insurance for the Self-employed 
National Institute for Statistics 
Residential provision for the children of parents with no fixed abode 
Flemish berth side nursery classes 
Data from an unofficial census earned out in 1992 
Fairground Professional Associations 
1. The channels of information regarding bargees is very limited. Establishing the total 
number of bargees and their age range is based on estimates and/or not entirely reliable 
sources. 
2. Also, with regard to fairgrounds, the numbers are derived from estimates. The 
administrative channels do not allow for systematic data collection. As the fairground 
profession is not recognised as such, showmen are registered as tradesmen. 
3. The data with respect to the circus world are estimates given by reliable sources. 
TABLE 2: Occupational Travellers in GERMANY 
GERMANY 
TYPE of 
POPULATION 
Bargees 
Circus 
fairground 
others 
totals NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
1751 
230 
7500 
9481 FAMILIES TOTAL 
POPULATION 
8761 
8761 SCHOOL AGE 
CHILDREN 
1526 
1200 
4000 
6726 
SOURCES: 
Bargees: 
Circus: 
Fairground: Statistiches Bundesamt (Arbeitsverband der Deutsche Binnenschiffahrt) 
Bund der Selbstandigen in der Binnenschiffahrt 
Gesellschaft de Circusfreunde 
Circuszeitung 
Circusseelsorge 
Deutsche Schausteller Verband e.V. 
Schaustellerseelso-ge 
REMARKS: 
1. Data collection cannot reach the levels of detail desired because official state and federal 
statistics are not available. 
2. The question of ethnic groups was not raised with any authority or institution, school or 
institute nor in censuses or surveys. 
3. Since unification, the number of people involved with Occupational Travellers has greatly 
increased. This is particularly true of the circus and fairground sectors. 
4. The number of children is particularly high in family circus. 
5. Concerning the number of fairground enterprises in the table, it should be mentioned that 
this is the number of enterprises which are members of a professional association. There 
are however a number of enterprises, (particularly the so-called "Komodiaten") which are 
not members of professional associations. 
TABLE 3: Occupational Travellers in FRANCE 
FRANCE 
TYPE of 
POPULATION 
BARGEES 
CIRCUS 
FAIRGROUND 
OTHERS 
TOTALS NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
2660 
140 
15000 (7500 Trav.) 
17800 FAMILIES 
808 
4000 
15000 
67000 (15000 Trav.) 
86808 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
3259 (?) 
3259 SCHOOL AGE 
CHILDREN 
1643 
1643 
SOURCES 
Bargees : 
Circus : 
Fairground 
Others : La Caisse d'Allocations familiales de la navigation intérieure 
Research organised by EFECOTwith the collaboration of the "Centre 
National de Formation des Personnels d'Inspection et de Direction" 
(Centre CONDORCET) (1992-1993) 
Enquiry organised by ANDAC (Association Nationale pour le 
Développement des Arts du Cirque 
Syndicat National des Industriels Forains (SNIF) 
Research (cf. Bargees) 
Fédération des Commerçants non Sédentaires 
TABLE 4: Occupational Travellers in LUXEMBOURG 
LUXEMBOURG 
TYPE OF 
POPULATION 
BARGEES 
CIRCUS 
FAIRGROUND 
OTHERS 
TOTALS NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
50 
50 FAMILIES 
50 
50 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
160 
160 SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
. 
55 
55 
SOURCES : 
Fairground : The Showmen's Guild of Luxembourg G.D. 
TABLE 5: Occupational Travellers in GREECE 
GREECE 
TYPE OF 
POPULATION 
BARGEES 
CIRCUS 
FAIRGROUND 
OTHERS 
TOTALS NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
110 
110 FAMILIES 
600 
600 TOTAL 
POPULATION SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
300 
300 
SOURCES : 
Fairground : The showmen's Union of Greece 
TABLE 6: Occupational Travellers in IRELAND 
IRELAND 
TYPE of 
POPULATION 
BARGEES 
CIRCUS 
FAIRGROUND 
OTHERS 
TOTALS NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES FAMILIES 
92 
92 TOTAL 
POPULATION SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
173 
173 
SOURCES/REMARKS : 
1. In 1991-92 a survey was carried out on behalf of the Irish Showmen's Guild, with the 
assistance of a research grant from the department of Education and with the 
collaboration of EFECOT. 
2. A margin of 10% will adequately account for the difference between the recorded and 
actual number. 
TABLE 7: Occupational Travellers in ITALY 
ITALY 
TYPE OF 
POPULATION 
BARGEES 
CIRCUS 
FAIRGROUND 
OTHERS 
TOTALS NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
130 
7000 
7130 FAMILIES 
650 
7000 
7650 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
2902 
31594 
34496 SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
1109 
13400 
145.09 
SOURCES/REMARKS : 
1. The number of enterprises (circus and fairground) are delivered by the ANESV 
(Associazione Nationale Esercenti Spettacoli Viaggiantl) 
2. The numbers of families/total population/school age children are the result of a calculated 
estimation based upon the figures of an enquiry organised by the ANESV in collaboration 
with EFECOT (European Federation for the Education of Children of Occupational 
Travellers) 
3. The enquiry mentioned in number 2 concerning circus families produced, among others, 
the following results : 
number of respondents =116 (all travelling circus families who operate throughout Italy). 
These 116 families represent 286 children (198 of School age). 
4. The number of respondents to this enquiry (cf number 2) from the fairground sector was 
886 families. 
396 of these families operate throughout Italy 
287 of these families travel in central Italy 
223 of these families travel in southern Italy 
The 886 families represent 2227 children of which 1696 are of school age. 
10 
TABLE 8: Occupational Travellers in THE NETHERLANDS 
THE NETHERLANDS 
TYPE OF 
POPULATION 
BARGEES 
CIRCUS 
FAIRGROUND 
OTHERS 
TOTALS NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
4560 
13 
1200 
5773 FAMILIES 
4560 
46 
1200 
5806 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
12000 
169 
2950 
15119 SCHOOL AGE 
CHILDREN 
2749 
43 
550 
3342 
SOURCES : 
Bargees : CBS (Rapport statiestiek van de binnenvloot 1991) 
CAIS(1993) 
Study Vander Ploeg 1990) 
LSOVK (Landelijke Stichting Onderwijs Varefide Kleuters) 
Fairground & Circus : - Stichting Rijdende School (SRS) 
TABLE 9: Occupational Travellers in UNITED KINGDOM 
U.K. 
TYPE of 
POPULATION 
BARGEES 
CIRCUS 
FAIRGROUND 
OTHERS 
TOTALS NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES FAMILIES TOTAL 
POPULATION SCHOOL AGE 
CHILDREN 
22 
158 
1116 
1296 
SOURCES/REMARKS : 
1. In England and Wales a specific grant programme is established under Section 210 of 
the Education Reform Act 1988 to provide grants for additional educational provision for 
travellers including Occupational Travellers. The grant provision mainly for additional 
peripatetic teaching staff and educational welfare officers and helps improve attendance 
at school, access to the curriculum and the level of attainment for traveller children. This 
grant supports additional expenditure : schools receive funding for traveller children on 
their rolls in the same way as for other children. 
11 
2. For England and Wales, the data in the report was drawn from questionnaires completed 
by Local Education Authorities (LEA). Questionnaires were sent to all leas in England and 
to five LEAS in Wales currently receiving the Section 210 grant. In Northern Ireland 
relevant information was collated by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland 
(DEI) but few, if any, Occupational Travellers reside in this region. In Scotland data was 
gathered by the Scottish Travellers Education Programme (STEP). STEP sent every 
school a questionnaire requesting details regarding the Occupational Travellers and their 
schooling (academic year 1991-92) 
3. Table 9 presents an overview of the data collected from 58 LEAS in England, 2 from 
Wales and 12 from Scotland. There is no data for Northern Ireland as the number of 
Occupational Travellers is insignificant in Northern Ireland. 
4. In England 4 LEAS reported the presence of 22 bargee children in their area. (17 primary 
age and attending school/5 of secondary age and attending school). 
5. 13 LEAS reported the presence in their area of a total of 158 circus children. 65 of these 
were of primary age and in school, 34 of primary age and not in school; 15 of secondary 
age and in school, 44 of secondary age and not in school. 
6. In England 31 LEAS reported the presence of 1116 fairground children in their area.(681 
primary age and in school, 102 primary age and not in school/253 of secondary age and 
in school, 75 of secondary age and not in school). 
7. For Scotland the number of fairground children is not recorded. The STEP enquiries 
identified a total of 70 families with children enrolled in school during the winter period. In 
1988 the Scottish section of the Showmen's guild of Great Britain had 609 members in 
their section. For 1993 this section estimated there were 500 show families based in 
Glasgow (travelling across Scotland and into the North of England). 
12 
TABLE 10: Occupational Travellers in SPAIN 
SPAIN 
TYPE OF 
POPULATION 
BARGEES 
CIRCUS 
FAIRGROUND 
OTHERS(=SOSO»*M WORK.) 
TOTALS NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
30 
3500 
3530 FAMILIES 
300 
3500 
7000 
10800 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
1200 
10000 
48157 
59357 SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
600 
3000 
20457 
24057 
SOURCES : 
Circus : 
Fairground : 
Seasonal Workers Ministry of Education and Science (Madrid) 
Showmen's Guilds Spain 
Ministries for Education and Science (Madrid & SeviHa) 
(Number of families/children involved in projects in Rioja and Andalucia) 
The quantitative data collected at national/regional level are incomplete and often estimated. In 
this regard see the sources and comments given for the various tables. The totals for the EU, 
both of separate groups and of the entire occupational travelling population, as presented in the 
following tables, can only give an approximate picture. 
The Member States P and DK are not mentioned in these overviews, because detailed quantitative 
data are not available. But there are also Occupational Travellers in these Member States. According 
to the Ministry for Education in Portugal, for instance, there are at least 1000 school age children (22 
circus children - 916 fairground children - 61 children of other Occupational Travellers). 
TABLE 11 : QUANTITATIVE DATA BARGEES in the EU 
Member States 
POPuTJVPfoN 
B 
D 
F 
NL 
UK 
totals NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
1289 
1751 
2660 
4560 
10260 FAMILIES 
1639 
1751 (?) 
808 
4560 
8758 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
4261 
8761 
3259 (?) 
12000 
28281 SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
819(B-fl) 
. 1526 
1643 
2749 
22 
6759 
13 
TABLE 12: quantitative data circus population in the EU 
MEMBER STATES 
B 
D 
E 
F 
G 
IRL. 
I 
L 
NL 
UK 
totals NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
6 
230 
30 
140 FAMILIES 
300 
4000 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
74 
1200 SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
10 
1200 
600 
(cf. Table Fairground) 
130 
13 
549 650 
46 
4996 2902 
169 
4345 1109 
43 
158 
3120 
TABLE 13: quantitative data Fairground population in the EU 
Member States 
POÊtftfrPfoN 
B 
. D 
• E 
F 
G 
IRL 
I 
L 
NL 
UK 
totals NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES 
1380 
7500 
3500 
15000 
110 
92 
7000 
50 
1200 
? 
35832 FAMILIES 
1380 
7500 
3500 
15000 
600 
92 
7000 
50 
1200 
? 
36322 TOTAL 
POPULATION 
3500 
19000 
10000 
? 
1,100 
3i7 
31594 
160 
2950 
? 
69061 SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 
464 
4000 
3000 
? 
300 
173 
13400 
55 
550 
1116 
23058 
14 
TABLE 14: TOTAL POPULATION OCCUPATIONAL TRAVELLERS in the EU 
TYPE of POPULATION NUMBER OF 
ENTERPRISES TOTAL POPULATION 
Bargees 10260 28281 
Circus Q 549 13560 
fairground (**) 35832 114361 
others ( F / £)(***) ru\ 267880 
totals 46641 424082 
REMARKS : 
(*) Circus population (method of calculation) : 
On the basis of the data available from three Member States (E, I and NL) it is 
possible to calculate an average of the total population per enterprise relative to 
the number of enterprises. In these three member states there are 173 
enterprises with a total population of 4271. Extrapolating to the rest of the EU, 549 
enterprises should therefore represent a population of approximately 13560. 
(**) Fairground population (method of calculation) : 
8 Member States (B, D, E, G, IRL, I, and NL) represent 21942 school age children 
(=x) and 21322 families (=y-. x/y = 1.03 (number of school age children per 
family). If we take this number (1.03) as the average for the remaining Member 
States (F) it is possible to estimate a total population for the fairground sector in 
the EU (excluding the population of the UK, for which neither the number of 
enterprises not the number of families is known. 
(***) Other types of Occupational Travellers (method of calculation) : 
2 Member States (F, E) have data for other groups of Occupational Travellers 
(seasonal workers, itinerant traders). 
4 Member States do not have data for groups other than bargees, circuses and 
fairgrounds. 
The data available does not enable the calculation of accurate numbers for the 
total population to be made. A calculated estimate is required to gain some idea 
of the total population. 
The average number of children per family per group on the basis of the data 
available is as follows : 
• circus sector (E, I, NL) 1.76/family 
• fairground sector (B, D, E, G, IRL, I, L, NL) 1.03/family 
• bargees (B, D, F, NL) 0.76/family 
• seasonal workers (E) 2.92/family 
The average number of children per family for the groups mentioned above is 
1.62. Taking account of the number of families recorded (seasonal 
workers/itinerant traders) and taking account of the estimated average number of 
children per family (1.62) the population can be estimated at a minimum 267,880. 
15 
1.2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA 
1.2.1. Inland Navigation (3) 
During the period from 1979 to 1988 a decrease in the total number of vessels and in 
tonnage of 20,3 % and 4,8 % respectively took place in the European Union. However in 
1988, over-capacity in the sector was estimated at 20% of the hold. The structural imbalance 
between supply and demand in inland waterway transport continues unresolved. The factors 
which have led to this situation are, on the demand side: 
the slump in the production of coal, a product which has always been an important 
component in demand for waterway transport; 
the iron and steel crisis which led to a decrease in the transport of minerals inland 
and caused firms demanding those products to look for new locations near the major 
seaports where they have easier access to minerals imported from overseas; 
the crisis in the building sector, which brings with it a decrease in the transport of 
sand, cement and gravel, essential products in waterway traffic, especially in the 
Rhine market where building materials account for 47 % of the total volume of traffic. 
On the supply side, the most important factors are: 
the essentially protectionist intervention of Member States in the waterway transport 
market; 
over-investment in transport equipment, in excess of real market requirements; 
tax facilities which encourage shipbuilding in certain countries; 
the lack of versatility of small flat boats and inadequate adaptation to the new 
requirements of demand. 
In April 1989 the Community adopted Regulation (CEE) n° 1101/89 of the Council, implementing a 
programme of reduction of the fleet on the basis of paid-up membership of the profession, which 
enabled the withdrawal of 8% of dry-cargo vessels and 13% of liquid-cargo vessels. There is no doubt 
that these measures effectively contributed to a re-balancing of the market but the recent economic 
recession and the necessity to open the market have endangered this balance. 
In order to remedy this, the Commission adopted on 23 May 19954 a general package of proposals 
to the Council relating to the organisation of internal navigation and accompanying measures which 
aim to give à new impetus to river transport: a progressive liberalisation of covered river market up to 
1 January 2000 accompanied by measures aimed to reduce over capacity at a structural level ( down­
sizing during the period 1996-1998) and supporting investment in river ports. 
The Commission also expressed a wish to promote combined transportP) The objectives 
are: 
to create the general framework for a combined transport system based on rail and 
road covering the whole Community and which will remove a sizeable tonnage from 
the congested community road network; 
to integrate into this rail and road- based system inland waterways and maritime 
services. 
The inland waterway is a suitable alternative to road and rail transport, which is threatened 
with congestion on a certain number of European links, and the growing use of which can 
only cause increasingly greater disadvantages in the areas of the environment and transport 
costs. The European waterway network has the capacity to assimilate volumes of traffic far 
European Parliament/Directorate General for Research : Working Papers/The Future of Inland Waterway Transport 
in Europe, Luxembourg, 1993. 
Common position, adopted by the Council on 27 June 1996. 
16 
in excess of the existing volume, provided that investments are made in maintenance and 
suitable improvements. 
Another important advantage of inland waterway transport as regards respect for the 
environment is its safety for the transport of dangerous materials. Tankers and vessels 
adapted for container traffic have special safety equipment. These vessels have twin hulls. 
Their speed is always constant and they have a very small number of dangerous 
manoeuvres to execute. 
The firms involved in transportation along the European inland waterways are typical family 
businesses. These firms travel all the year round. Some have fixed routes. The routes are 
determined principally by the type of boat and supply and demand. 
In relation to the limited number of firms involved, the businesses make a relatively important 
contribution to employment. So, for example, in 1991 the 1776 independent firms in Belgium 
had 1584 employees. (This data comes from the I.T.B. = Instituut voor het Transport Jangs 
de Binnenwateren - B -1991) 
The businesses concerned have organised themselves into representative professional 
organisations in the various Member States (B.D.F.NL). Moreover, at a European level, 
these organisations are linked by representative umbrella organisations, such as : 
the Union Internationale pour la Navigation Fluviale (U.I.N.F.) for the ship owners, 
the Internationale Tankvaartvereniging (I.T.V.) and 
the Europese Schippersorganisatie (E.S.O.). This last represents 90% of the family 
firms mentioned above and is at the same time a co-founder of EFECOT (European 
Federation for the Education of the Children of Occupational Travellers). 
1.2.2. Circus world 
A circus is a family business. Very often the core of a circus business consists of one or 
more families who have worked in the circus environment for several generations. Next to 
the family core, the circus business can engage circus artists and/or associates (technicians, 
chauffeurs, etc....). Hiring or not is determined by the financial possibilities of the business. 
Evidently large circuses hire more artists and other collaborators. 
These engagements are usually meant for the duration of one tour. The length of the 
engagements is, in fact, determined by the rate of renewal of show programmes. This leads 
to the fact that in circus businesses, in addition to the regular core, a rather variable group 
of associates travels along. 
Circus activities take place in two periods, namely the winter period (mostly from November 
to March) and the summer period. In most Member States circuses are trying to prolong the 
travelling season. In some countries - mostly in southern Europe - the circuses travel the 
whole year round.. 
Circus businesses cover a huge number of kilometres during each summer season. 
The frequency of movement is determined by the number of locations that will be visited 
during a tour, as well as the number of performances that will be given in a particular 
location. Of course, more performances can be given in larger cities. In smaller countries 
17 
(Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands) circuses mostly stay only one or two days in a 
particular location. 
Operating a circus is a tough business. Especially during a tour many activities succeed each 
other at an rapid tempo : preparing the tour, administration, travelling, erecting, dismantling, 
material and equipment maintenance, performances, tending to animals. Add to this the fact 
that one also has to provide for one's familyl Furthermore, training is necessary and new 
acts for the forthcoming season must be studied and coached. The work can be divided 
depending on the number of workers. It is a fact that men, women and children work together 
in the circus business. 
In some Member States (e.g. France) it appears that the travel pattern of circus families -
especially in small circuses - has changed in recent years. Seeing that they operate in 
smaller areas, they are leading a more and more sedentary life. In these Member States it 
also often happens that the children do not travel with the parents but stay behind and lodge 
with families (either relatives or friends). 
Most of the circus children however remain in the neighbourhood of their parent's. Family and 
professional life are one. They always remain in a very busy environment. Lots of 
impressions and experiences move very swiftly. Circus children are affected by the wearing 
character of circus life. They are subjected to the circus business as a whole from an early 
age, both artistically (namely participation in a modest way in the programmes) and in the 
organisation of, for instance, tending the animals, selling programmes, etc. 
Many circus children can function in several languages from an early age. In fact, they 
always move in an international company. Many of them are very creative, inventive and 
flexible in their total functioning. Their way of life enables them to find their own solutions to 
the problems they meet. 
When checking the extent to which the parties concerned in the circus world are organized, 
it is necessary to make a distinction between organisations for circus management and those 
for circus artists and other associated workers. 
There is strong competition between the various circus businesses. This is probably the 
reason why, in the circus world, there is little talk of well functioning, operational master 
organisations. 
In only a few countries are there professional organisations for circus directors. 
From the Paret report5 it also appeared that artists and associate workers seldom join a 
professional organisation (union). The circus still plays an important role in the cultural life 
of the citizens of the European Union. In 1992, at the request of ANDAC (Association 
Nationale pour le Développement des Arts du Cirque) and of the - Direction du Theatre et 
des Spectacles - of the Ministry of Culture, research was carried out in connection with visits 
to the circus in France. From this investigation it appeared that 16% of French citizens (=10 
million people) visited a circus at least once a year. (See table 15). 
Report from a study carried out by Pierre Paret in 1980 for the CEC "La situation économique et sociale 
des entreprises de cirque et des professionels du cirque dans les pays de la Communauté." 
18 
Table 15. Visits to the circus in France 
This study was based on 100 people from all ages who went to the circus in the last 12 months 
0 to 5 Bto10 11 to 14 15 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 48 50 to 64 +65 
Age 
Source : Département des études et de la prospective (F) 
In the cultural life of the French citizens, visits to the circus are in fourth place. 
See Table 16. 
19 
TABLE 16 : Cultural excursions of the French 
Percentage of French people (15 and over) who have visited .. 
m in the last 12 months fl already, but not in the last 12 months • never | 
cinema 
historical monument 
public dance 
second-hand, furniture market 
temporary paint/sculpture 
exhibition 
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 
Sources : Département des Etudes et de la Prospective (F) 
20 
1.2.3. The fairground 
The vast majority of fairground businesses are family businesses. Among these businesses, 
there is naturally a diversity regarding offer (sales, amusement, show, ...), regarding size 
(e.g. dodgems, cakewalks, 8-tracks compared to a shooting gallery) and regarding travelling 
areas. 
Most families have been involved with the fairground world for many generations. Their pace 
of life is entirely determined by fairground events. In most countries, the season starts in 
March and lasts until November. This period is the intensive travelling season. In some 
Member States (the southern ones) showmen travel the whole year round. Furthermore, 
more and more of them, in all the Member States, are trying to find work for the winter 
period. In the winter season for example, Christmas fairs are being organised in more and 
more countries. 
The number of movements is largely determined by the size of the business, but especially 
by the duration of the fairs. This duration varies greatly depending on whether one is dealing 
with a village fair or with in a small or larger city. 
In large cities the fairs often last for several weeks. Most of the fairground businesses travel 
from week to week, from one place to another. Most fairground families have to make many 
moves during the season but some businesses confine their movements to one area. Others 
(mainly the largest businesses) consider a wider range. 
Fairground activity also has an international dimension. Especially with fair businesses from 
Belgium/Netherlands, France/Germany and Great Britain/Ireland. The number of border-
crossing activities to and from is increasing. 
Making a fair is a labour intensive occupation. Especially in the larger Member States (F,D, 
GB and I) the big fairground businesses provide employment for quite a number of people. 
For purposes of illustration, some figures in Germany (1979) : next to the 12.000 "family staff 
members", there were also 22.300 staff members employed by the fairground businesses. 
Only the largest businesses can afford to hire staff. This is why some businesses hire 
temporary staff at particular periods (e.g. when dismantling and when setting up). New 
material purchases and its maintenance and rebuilding require substantial investments by 
the fairground operators in order to lend sufficient glamour to the business and keeping it up 
to date. 
For instance, the total investments of the German fairground business in 1987 were 
estimated at 55 million Dmark (= 32 million ECU}. 
As for the interest of the public in fairs, annual fairs, etc., there is a little quantitative data. 
For instance, in Germany, 170 million visitors were recorded. Table 16 illustrates how 
popular the fair is in France! 
The fairground business within the EU amounts to an annual turnover of some 2.5 billion 
ECU. (Source = The European Showmen's Union). 
The large number of movements, together with erecting and dismantling the business again 
and again, force the fairground people to work very hard during the travelling season. The 
winter period (December, January, February) is a period in which the fairground families have 
to manage to tide themselves over. This time is used to improve and service materials and 
vehicles. During this period the families sojourn in winter quarters, some in fixed abodes, 
others with their caravans and equipment on reserved grounds. 
21 
Typical of the fairground family is the fact that family life and professional life run together. 
In a fairground business husband and wife (as well as the children) work together. 
In most Member States the economic and social interests of fairground operators are looked 
after by professional organisations. In some countries, these professional organisations 
represent the majority of the fairground businesses. In the largest Member States it is often 
the case that regional professional organisations have united in master/national 
organisations. Some of the professional organisations have been operating for decades 
already. They have their own management and advisors and in some countries they also 
have their own publications and journals. 
In some Member States there are sociocultural, educational and church organisations which 
care for the needs and wishes of the fairground world. 
Next to the national/regional professional organisations, there is also the "European 
Showmen's Union" (E.S.U.). This organisation was founded in 1954. 
All the Member States of the European Union and the E.F.T.A. countries are represented. 
1.3. School attendance of the children of Occupational Travellers 
1.3.1 Preschool education 
In the Member States (B,F,NL) where there are berth side nursery schools (schools close 
to the waterways), preschool bargee children attend school with increasing regularity. In most 
Member States circus and fairground children receive virtually no preschool education. 
1.3.2 Primary education 
In the Member States concerned (B, F,NL, D) the vast majority of bargee children receive 
primary education. Extensive use is made of residential facilities (standard or special). In 
some Member States (e.g. D) this causes parents considerable financial problems (see 
Chapter 5). 
In various Member States the children of fairground and circus families attend normal 
schools during the winter period. Children who travel with their parents during the travelling 
season go to school in the vicinity of the fair or circus. As a result their schooling during the 
travelling season is very irregular and they attend a number of schools. In some Member 
States there are mobile schools for the benefit of travelling fairground children (NL) and 
circus children (E, NL, 1 Land of D and 1 LEA of UK). At the time for which the report was 
seeking data, the UK had one mobile circus school but this has since closed. However 
Traveller Education Services, funded by the Section 210 grant, are active in meeting the 
educational needs of children from circus families in a variety of other ways. In some Member 
States (e.g. UK, F) the education of travelling children is supported by the provision of 
distance learning materials. 
In some Member States the fairground/circus children do not travel with their parents during 
the travelling season. These children stay in residential facilities or with host families 
(relatives). This is particularly true of Belgium, where the majority of fairground children use 
residential facilities. In other Member States (e.g. F, NL, I) few to very few chose residential 
facilities. 
It must be mentioned here that the school attendance of travelling circus children is very 
irregular. This is mostly because circuses (particularly the smaller ones which make up the 
22 
great majority) often visit many locations during the travelling season and seldom stay more 
than a few days. 
There are particular problems with the education of children from circuses which travel 
internationally (the number of which is increasing). The host country hardly ever has a clear 
idea of the number of children involved or of the way in which the education of these children 
is or could be organised. The individual parents of the children concerned must mostly rely 
on their own abilities and means to arrange for the education of their children. Various 
Member States now suggest that this situation can only be solved on the basis of concrete 
measures, agreements and co-operation at a European level. 
1.3.3. Secondary education 
The majority of bargee children in the Member States concerned appear to attend secondary 
education regularly (vocational training). This is mostly because of the use of residential 
facilities. 
From the limited information available it appears that the secondary education of circus and 
fairground children is irregular to very irregular. This is particularly true of travelling children 
(see 1.3.2.). Developing adequate and adapted models is still a major problem for various 
Member States. 
1.3.4. Quantitative data 
TABLE 17: BELGIUM 
Educational arrangements 
BARGEE CHILDREN 
PRE SCHOOL EDUCATION (in 3 moorning classes: 2 in Flanders /1 in Wallonia) 
School year 1991-1992: 244 nursery children (Belgium) •_ 
School year 1992-1993: 147 nursery children (Flanders) 
PRIMARY EDUCATION 
In boarding schools 535 children 
FAIRGROUND CHILDREN 
Primary Education (School year 1992/93) 
30% of children attend the regular school system 
70% of children attend boarding schools 
23 
Table 18: FRANCE: Number of Children registered in some regions 
Académie de Créteil 
Académie d'Orléans-Tours 
Académie de Versailles 
Académie d'Aix-Marseille PRIMARY 
1000 
600 
1693 
1021 SECONDARY 
1020 
42 
36 NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL 
1640 
4099 
379 
Table 19 : IRELAND 
Educational arrangements (Results 1991 /1992 Survey) 
N = 92 families /173 Children (Fairground and circus) 
NUMBER OF CHILDREN ARRANGEMENTS during TRAVELLING SEASON 
40% Remain at winter quarters during school week to continue attendance at 
^ local school 
38% Commute daily to school from fairground 
19% Miss school entirely 
3% Attend boarding school (*) 
NUMBER OF CHILDREN ARRANGEMENTS during NON-TRAVELLING SEASON 
97% Attend school near winter quarters 
3% Attendoboarding schools (*) 
(*) At families' own expense 
AGE DISTRIBUTION CHILDREN 
Pre-school age 40 
Primary school age 99 
Post-primary school age 34 
TOTAL 173 
24 
Table 20: THE NETHERLANDS 
BARGEE CHILDREN 
PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION 
500 nursery school children attend the berth side schools (7) or normal schools more or less regularly 
PRIMARY EDUCATION 
1074 children make use of residential facilities 
SECONDARY EDUCATION 
916 children make use of residential facilities 
CIRCUS CHILDREN 
during the non-travelling season the circus children attend the regular school system 
during the travelling season they attend the mobile school system. 
FAIRGROUND CHILDREN 
- during the non-travelling season (October - March) the fairground children (primary level) attend the regular 
school system 
- during the travelling season they attend the mobile school system. When possible the travelling fairground 
children attend the regular school system (25%) 
TABLE 21: 63 LEA's ( England 58 -Wales 5) 
UNITED KINGDOM 
Occupational travellers 
Bargees 
Circus 
Fairground 
totals NUMBER OF Children 
TOTAL 
22 
158 
1116 
1296 of PRIMARY age 
in school 
17 
65 
681 
763 not in school 
34 
102 
136 of SECONDARY age 
in school 
5 
15 
258 
278 not in school 
44 
75 
119 
25 
CHAPTER 2 
ACTIONS DEVELOPING INFORMATION AND AID ON BEHALF OF PARENTS 
1. The various national reports stress the fact that if the education of the children of 
Occupational Travellers is ever to be improved, good communication and proper co­
operation with their parents is sine qua non. Various Member States are investing heavily 
to meet this requirement. 
2. Much of this communication and co-operation "falls by the wayside" due to the very mobility 
o* its target groups. 
The preparation, execution and follow-up of initiatives now underway in this connection rely 
on co-operation with : 
the representatives of the target groups, 
the representative organisations of the target groups (the professional organisations, 
social organisations, pastoral organisations and the like), 
the individuals, organisations and institutes involved in one way or another with the 
target groups. 
Special attention is paid to : 
research into and/or handling of suitable information channels, 
creation of navigable channels of information, 
development of purposeful, concrete, clear information (as regards both form and 
content). 
3. These actions and initiatives are meant to : facilitate discussion with parents (3.1.), organize 
information campaigns for parents (3.2.), or else offer direct support to parents (3.3.). 
3.1. Discussion with parents : 
Discussions (at local, regional or national level) were held with the parents according to the 
phase of a pilot project (preparation, start-up, follow-up, evaluation), e.g. : what specific 
expectations, experiences do the parents have ? 
Inquiries were prepared or organised with the target groups, the results and 
conclusions were discussed; 
The creation, at regional and/or national level, of mechanisms of discussion. (Support 
groups, discussion committees, and networks of representatives from the 
representative committees, etc). 
3.2. Information campaigns : 
Information brochures and folders are distributed to parents in various States on a regular 
basis 
these publications contain facts and figures regarding the educational facilities and initiatives 
available to their children (at regional and/or national level); publication of information (by the 
competent Ministries of Education and/or the representative organisations concerned) in the 
mass-circulation Press and/or in the special-interest target group periodicals (including 
EFECOT's "Newsline"). 
26 
3.3. Direct support for parents : 
The development of monitoring systems, with special attention to easy lines of 
communication between the parents and schools, and between the various schools 
that take in Occupational Travellers' children; 
The development of educational tools that bargee families can use on board when 
unable to put their littie ones off at a nearby landside school. This means e.g. work 
folders, brochures and audio cassettes which the parents can use to guide and direct 
the development of their preschool children. Particular emphasis is placed on 
language development of preschool children. 
In some Member States advisors/mobile teachers are provided. The intention is to 
build up and sustain good relations with individual parents. Sometimes they are made 
responsible for developing good contact between parents and the educational 
provisions concerned. 
4. Various activities and initiatives as described above are prepared and executed with the co­
operation and support of the EC. 
4.1. Concrete results 
In various Member States, the professional organisation of the bargee and fairground sectors 
are set to play a more active role regarding the education of their members' children : 
education and training are discussed during meetings with the partners concerned; 
education and training are now subjects of interest in their own magazines and 
publications; 
administrative measures have been taken in a number of countries to ensure a 
systematic follow-up of education/training and guarantee the same as an item in their 
organisational policy. Some of the professional organisations have appointed an 
executive (at national and/or regional level) to handle policy on education and 
schooling matters. 
4.2. The channels through which individual parents can make their wishes known concerning the 
education of their children are more clearly signposted. There are also signs that individual 
parents are making more and more use of these channels, e.g. : 
parents.bring individual issues before their professional organisations 
more and more parents in cross-frontier professional activities are applying for 
information on educational facilities in other countries; 
the EFECOT office in Brussels is regularly approached with questions from parents. 
4.3. In certain regions, individual parents- with the support of their professional organisation- have 
joined together in groups. This has generated regional parents' (fairground families) 
associations. The purpose of this exercise is to pinpoint -and defend- educational needs 
more efficiently. 
4.4. The representatives from the Ministries of Education concerned found the consultations with 
parents, professional associations, pastoral and social workers to be extremely useful and 
productive : 
the specific nature of the sectors was explained, 
parents' specific problems and expectations were also made clear 
the discussion produced concrete new initiatives. 
27 
4.5. Leaflets were compiled for the parents in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish and 
Dutch. These leaflets aim: 
to make the parents aware of the great importance of education for their children; 
to give the parents a few pointers re. the question "what do we do when we go off 
and work for a while in another country ?" 
Practical experience revealed that these leaflets should be reworked as regards form and 
content. As an instrument, the "European leaflet" seems to answer a real need. 
4.6. The setting-up of such initiatives for circus families appears extremely difficult. This is 
essentially due to the absence of national/regional or European professional associations for 
this sector. 
5. Conclusions 
The results appear to show that there is a real need for initiatives designed to involve 
parents, both formally, in everything concerning the education of their children. 
Both information campaigns for parents and the setting up of consultations between parents 
and other concerned parties seem important levers in the preparation and implementation 
of suitable educational facilities. 
Regarding the implementation of the Resolution of May '89, the initiatives have a very 
important role. * 
The initiatives contribute to meeting the short- and medium- term requirements of improving 
the educational situation of the children of Occupational Travellers. 
The start of a "structured discussion" between professional associations and policy 
representatives is particularly important for the latter to have up-to-date information about 
the number of families, the number of children, number/location of the fairs, itineraries, etc. 
Continuity is especially important in the learning process. Regarding travelling children - who 
often end up in a number of different schools - this continuity cannot be provided unless all 
concerned enter the discussion and make the necessary efforts. The parents themselves 
have an important role to play here. 
It is equally necessary that they receive concrete assistance. As a result of information 
campaigns for the parents and consultation meetings between parents and teaching staff or, 
as the case may be, administrative representatives, instruments can now be elaborated and 
distributed for the benefit of the parents. The possibilities include lists of questions and 
suggestions that parents could put forward whenever they take up contact with a school. 
Because of their mobility, the parents can seldom, if indeed ever, participate in the regular 
structuring of discussions between school and family. It will therefore be necessary to devise 
specific structures for such communication. 
28 
CHAPTER 3 
ACCESS TO PRE-SCHOOL AND PRIMARY EDUCATION 
1. Pre-school education 
It is precisely the first steps of the school career that confront the children of Occupational 
Travellers with their worst problems. Particular attention is therefore to be paid to the pre­
school education of itinerant children. 
The initiatives mentioned in the national reports (usually pilot project- or project-stage) are 
designed to : 
lower the thresholds for parents (and children) for access to educational facilities, 
stimulate socialisation, 
promote integration in society (including regular school establishments), 
develop adequate pupil tracking systems, 
promote the acquisition of language skills. 
Various Member States (B.F.NL) have devised special projects for the children of bargee 
families. Given the itineraries of this target group (the length and breadth of the land as well 
as cross-frontier), these projects are especially careful to establish co-operation between the 
various educational facilities concerned (berth side classes - reception centres) at 
regional/national and international level (= networks at national and European level). In B 
(fl) two reception centres (berth side schools) are included in the formal structure of the 
"Netwerk voor Onderwijs aan Varende Kleuters". There is an advisor responsible for co­
ordination. 
There is intensive co-operation between the seven berth side schools and two mobile 
teachers in NL, the two berth side schools in B (Flanders), the berth side school in B (fr) and 
the reception centre in northern France (Conflans-Ste-Honorine) with the support of the EC. 
The intention is to develop a fully-functioning European network for the education of 
internationally travelling preschool children. 
In the framework of this European project an "International Educational Passport" has been 
developed. By means of this passport alHhose concerned can keep track of the child. 
Furthermore an educational guide for parents is being developed. This guide will provide 
parents with useful information and guidelines. 
In the berth side schools in the various Member States particular attention is given to: 
the language development of bargee children 
sensory-motor development 
the setting up of activities to encourage integration between bargee children and the 
children on shore. 
A number of these projects have reached a phase where considerable experience has 
already been gained among both the teachers and the parents involved. Some Member 
States are considering institutionalising these teaching facilities (B/fl). 
29 
Regarding the young children of circus and fairground families, most Member States are still 
trying to find their bearings : 
arranging discussions with the parents concerned, 
looking into needs and requirements, 
setting up small-scale (local) pilot projects. 
In the Member States where mobile schools are provided for the travelling children of 
fairground and circus families (E, F, NL) pre-school children are also provided for during the 
travelling season. 
In some Member States (B/fl) pilot projects are being set up in consultation with the 
professional organisations of the fairground sector, which are intended to investigate what 
method of provision for pre-school children can best be achieved during the travelling 
season. 
In some Member States (e.g. D and L) provision for pre-school children during certain fairs 
is made on the initiative of certain organisations. 
Various national reports mention the positive effects of promotional activities. This is 
expressed by the fact that such projects lead to increased participation of travelling nursery 
children in formal education. 
2. Primary school education 
2.1. Primary school education, bargee children: 
Regarding junior education, the national reports would seem to show that the great majority 
of bargee children make use of boarding school facilities (cf. Chapter 1+ 5). This bears out 
the conclusions in the EC-study (1985-1988). This chapter shall therefore limit itseif to 
reporting on junior education options for fairground and circus children. 
2.2. Primary school education, fairground and circus children: 
In the majority of Member States, most parents of circus and fairground children opt for state 
primary schools rather than for boarding schools. The great majority of the children go on 
tour with their parents during the travelling season (except in a few Member States). 
Certain Member States have had a range of supporting measures in place for some 
considerable time, designed to upgrade the primary school education of these target groups. 
Furthermore a number of Member States (D, E, F, I, NL, UK) are co-operating on an in-depth 
study in connection with a pupil-monitoring system adapted to travelling children (alongside 
bargee, circus and fairground children also the children of seasonal workers are a target 
group). It is the intention of this study to lay down the criteria for an adapted pupil-monitoring 
system and compose a guide with recommendations and guidelines for its use, on the basis 
of existing experience in the Member States concerned as well as the experience which will 
be acquired in various pilot studies. 
Within the framework of the European projects mentioned above several Member States (D, 
NL, UK) are co-operating in the development of adapted distance-learning materials and the 
exchange of relevant experiences and insights. 
30 
On top of this, their current course is, as ever, adjusted in the light of experience (and guided 
by the implementation of Resolution 89/C 153/02) e.g. 
the development of suitable monitoring systems, 
the development of suitable materials for distance learning 
In the various Member States the education of travelling children is achieved by means of 
various educational models (or combinations of models). In this connection it must be stated 
that in several Member States these models have been operating for a considerable time 
(NL, UK). Equally, in most Member States these models have only come into operation in 
the recent past and therefore often have the character of pilot projects. 
In some Member States the education of fairground and circus children (NL, UK) or of circus 
children (D, E, F) is organised by means of mobile schools. The use of mobile educational 
units by local Traveller Education Services in the UK must be seen in the context of 
Government policy to promote the integration of travellers into ordinary schools and their 
access to the mainstream curriculum. In one Member State (NL) mini-mobile schools have 
recently been introduced in addition to the existing network of mobile schools. These mini-
mobile schools are intended to provide for travelling children in small fairs. 
Some Member States opt for a model in which the travelling children attend normal schools. 
In this model expressly diverse educational measures are taken to support the schools 
concerned. 
In some Member States supplementary teachers are engaged, scmetimes in significant 
numbers (D, UK). Here special attention is paid to smooth co-operation between the schools 
concerned, on the one hand those which the children attend during the winter and on the 
other hand the various schools which they attend during the travelling season. 
Several Member States make systematic distance-learning material available for travelling 
children (F, UK). A number of Traveller Education Services in the UK have been involved in 
the provision of distance learning materials in order to help with continuity of schooling during 
the travelling season. The EC has funded project work within the UK to help carry forward 
and coordinate further developments in this field. 
Certain Member States (B.E.I) are preparing or executing projects with an eye to a tailored 
educational ensemble, made to the measure of the specific situation of these children in the 
travelling season. 
The reports show that special attention has been focussed on : 
meaningful co-operation between educational establishments during the Winter and 
Summer terms; 
the choice of teaching material for the travelling period; 
the development of suitable pupil tracking/tagging systems; 
the development of suitable materials for "correspondence" type education (e.g., the 
rudiments of reading and writing). 
Regarding the education of circus and fairground children, the various Member States 
concerned have given us to understand that they have paid special attention to the 
development of teacher networks at national and European level. 
31 
3. General Remark 
All national reports indicate that the many and various actions and projects of this chapter 
are developed in co-operation with (and support of) the EC 
The following aspects of these actions and projects strike us as being the heart of the matter: 
arranging discussions with the target groups (spokes people, representative 
organisations and institutes...), 
developing suitable monitoring systems, 
developing suitable distance learning materials 
32 
CHAPTER 4 
SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING 
1. The Member States concemed (B.NL.F.D) possess specific facilities for the vocational 
training of bargee families. The bargee children can attend these classes in part-time or full-
time education. Arrangements have further been made for such schooling to lead to the 
award of specific certificates. 
2. Certain Member States have developed (or have prepared) facilities for the part-time 
vocational training of fairground children. These facilities are (or were) prepared in close 
consultation with representatives from the fairground sector. In addition to specific vocational 
skills, particular attention was also paid to liberal studies and an all-round education. 
Two European seminars, at Vilvoorde (B) and Munsbach (L) were organised with the 
cooperation of the EC. 
The aim of these initiatives was to formulate a well-founded answer to the questions: 
Is there a need for sound training in the European fairground sector? 
If sound training is required, what must this offer? How can it be organised? 
As a result of the above-mentioned seminars, co-operation between the Apeldoom College 
(NL) and the Centre for Part-time Vocational Secondary Education -K.T.A. Evere (B) and the 
Centre for Part-time Vocational Secondary Education Overpelt/Maasmechelen (B) came into 
existence. 
This co-operation lead in 1993 to ths starting of two projects with the support of the 
Commission of the European Communities within the framework of the PETRA II 
programme. Moduies are made subject by subject for the various parts of the programme 
so that each student will be able to work at his/her own tempo. It is the aim of the project 
to develop a package of modules, so that the various areas of training are covered. In 
addition to the general training more specialised and technical training areas are treated. In 
choosing, preparing, developing and evaluating the curriculum the partners concerned have 
systematically consulted the professional organisations from the fairground sector. 
In 1992 a European consultative group working with the support of the EC was set up 
concerning training in the fairground sector. Within the framework of this group the present 
PETRA projects were prepared. Gradually more participants from educational institutions 
in various Member States ( D, UK : England & Scotland) have come forward to be involved 
in this consultation. 
The consultative group's intention is two-fold. On the one hand the group intends to find out 
in which regions of the European Union there are still interested partners, who would like to 
be involved in future projects and actions. On the other hand, consultation must lead to 
definition of the priorities on the grounds of which the future actions and projects will be 
developed. 
Aithough.the discussions are not yet finalised several working areas are already defined: 
33 
In preparing and realising all the actions and projects there must be systematic 
consultation with the representatives of the fairground sector (professional 
organisations); 
In future, the materials and experiences of the present PETRA projects will have to 
be distributed. For this, special attention will certainly have to be paid to the 
exchange of experiences with regard to the strategies adopted; 
With respect to achieving sound training, teachers play a very important role. 
Therefore -also within the framework of European co-operation- special attention is 
paid to the training and guidance of teachers. 
Some themes which could be developed in possible actions and projects are: 
information regarding the social and professional life of the target group 
methodological approach and educational strategy 
attitudes of teachers 
the development of modules, begun in the present PETRA projects, must be 
continued in the future. 
Various modules must be developed to have available in the medium term an appropriate, 
efficient and complete syllabus. The complete syllabus must also give attention to general 
education. The syllabus, i.e. the modules, must offer the best opportunities for training to 
both girls and boys; for the partners concerned it is in no way the intention to determine a 
vocational profile. What is intended is to offer, through the actions and projects, an attractive 
and appropriate training package. 
3. Certain Member States (B,D,F,I) have officially-recognised facilities for the training of circus 
artists. The institutions concemed have recently formed a network. This will provide the basis 
for co-ordination the length and breadth of Europe. In addition, co-operation and consultation 
with the circus sector will be developed. 
The concrete objectives are: 
to bring the different vocational training courses for circus artists in Europe into a 
relationship 
to inform and to cooperate with circus families on the subject of educational 
opportunities, both general and vocational, for their children 
to improve the quality of non professional education in circus skills in Europe. 
Vocational education in circus skills is recent. Only a few schools specialise in this area. 
There are great differences from one to the other, now centred on performance, tradition or 
creation, each involved according to its history, influences, objectives. All have one thing in 
common: the training of future artists specialising in circus artistry. The families demand 
vocational training for their children, because the traditional method of transmitting 
knowledge is not always sufficient to offer them a secure future. The coordination of the 
institutions concerned allows travelling parents to find schools in accordance with their 
preferences. For 15 years the number of circus schools has grown throughout Europe. This 
is due not only to the effort of enthusiastic circus families, but also to political will. In spite of 
the intentions of certain schools or federations concemed to see a development in the quality 
of the education of circus children, the tremendous expansion of circus schools has not 
always adhered to essential educational principles with respect to the children. 
4. In some Member States the curriculum offers space for the training of Occupational 
Travellers. Within the framework of the National Curriculum (UK - England and Wales) there 
is flexibility for work to take account of the particular needs of minority groups including 
Occupational Travellers. For example in literature, criteria for selecting books may include 
34 
their relevance to the culture of Travellers. Similarly, choices of curriculum teaching material 
in subjects such as Design, Technology, Art and Music may allow Occupational Travellers 
to do work which is relevant to their experience and background. In addition, there have been 
some modest developments in the fundamental education specifically aimed at adapting 
courses for young people from an Occupational Traveller background, such as specially 
designed courses in Food, Hygiene, Electronics and Safety. 
In Scotland, schools are developing a range of short modules which can be accumulated and 
exchanged for SCOTVEC qualifications. This approach offers the possibility of a mixture of 
school-based and site-based learning. 
5. In some Member States (UK, F) adapted distance learning materials are available for the 
children of Occupational Travellers. 
35 
CHAPTER 5 
BOARDING SCHOOL PROVISIONS 
1. Certain Member States have boarding establishments in which the children of Occupational 
Travellers can stay during their school careers. These boarding facilities are sometimes 
responsible not only for accommodation but also for formal classroom instruction. In other 
situations, accommodation and schooling are given separately. 
Certain Member States have specific boarding establishments for Occupational Travellers 
(so-called "homes for children of families without fixed abode") (B.F.NL). 
2. The governments of certain Member States have arrangements for financial aid for parents' 
expenses prior to ihe acceptance of their children in the boarding school. The actual costs 
that the parents have to pay can vary considerably from one Member State to the next. Some 
parents have to leave their professional sector (and thus have to seek other employment) 
to give their children the chance to receive formal education. This is the case in the Member 
States (e.g. D) where many Occupational Traveller families cannct afford boarding school 
fees. 
3. In most Member States, (period of compulsory education) the boarding facilities are open to 
children/teenagers throughout their school careers. In two Member States there are boarding 
facilities for pre-school education. 
4. The great majority of bargee families opt for a boarding facility for their children (primary and 
secondary level). In most Member States, only a limited number of fairground and circus 
families favour the boarding solution, (see also Chapter 1) 
5. Within the framework of a European project with the support of EC. those concerned from 
several Member States (B, F, D, NL, I) are working together on an investigation into boarding 
facilities available for the children of Occupational Travellers. 
36 
CHAPTER 6 
INFORMATION, SUPPORT AND TRAINING PROVIDED FOR TEACHERS, 
EDUCATORS AND HEADS OF SCHOOLS 
1. Putting educational provision for Occupational Travellers into operation involves the 
appointment of extra staff in various Member States. 
2. From the national reports it appears that special attention is paid to informing the teachers 
concemed about the specific situation, needs and requirements of Occupational Travellers. 
3. In some Member States measures are being prepared to instruct and guide the teachers by 
means of initial training and in service training with regard to the education of children from 
the various target groups of Occupational Travellers. 
4. The networks, both at national and at European levels, are an important support for the 
teachers concerned. By means of these networks, materials, experiences and insights, 
among other things, can be exchanged. 
In recent years a number of exchanges have taken place between teachers working with the 
children of Occupational Travellers (preschool, primary and secondary education). Various 
Member States (B, D, E, F, NL, UK) have taken part in these projects. From the national 
reports of the Member States concerned, it is evident that these exchange projects were 
judged very positively. 
It <s on the basis of these exchange projects that the European network for the education of 
bailee nursery-school children can be developed (see Chapter 3). Within the framework of 
these exchange projects two European seminars were also organised for teachers of 
travelling circus children (Asten (NL) / Madrid (E)). On the basis of the results and 
conclusions of these seminars the teachers concerned have developed a concrete plan of 
action. Thus a European network for teachers of travelling circus children is being 
constructed. In consultation and co-operation witn EFECOT (European Federation for the 
Education of the Children of Occupational Travellers) an investigation into the education of 
Occupational Travellers was carried out by CONDORCET (Centre National de Formation des 
Personnels d'Inspection et de Direction) (F) in 1992/1993. This research (with the connected 
study trips to B, NL, I IK) was an integrated part of the training of the candidate-inspectors 
who carried out the research. 
All the initiatives mentioned in this paragraph (4) were undertaken with the support of the EC. 
prepared, co-ordinated and followed up by EFECOT. 
37 
CHAPTER 7 
OTHER ACTIONS TAKEN 
1. Certain Member States have announced the placement of various discussion structures. 
These discussion structures will be used in the preparation and the nurturing of various 
actions and projects regarding tfie education of Occupational Travellers. These discussion 
structures include the parents, teachers and representatives of the professional 
organisations, and social and pastoral workers ( e.g. BERID in D). 
2. In some Member States (e.g. F) literacy projects have been organised for the parents. 
3. In various Member States the Ministry of Education has set up (or is setting up) a unit which 
is responsible for policy preparation, coordination and monitoring of the education of 
Occupational Travellers. 
4. In various Member States initiatives are being prepared and/or taken to systematically 
sensitise those concerned with regard to the education of Occupational Travellers. 
5. In England and Wales, Section 210 grant support is available to a variety of provisions 
outside the scope of the actual EC resolution. A number of LEA plans for Traveller education 
similarly reflect objectives extending beyond the scope of the EC resolution. 
6. In Scotland, there have been meetings between the Show Parents Association, EAs, the 
relevant HMI for traveller education and STEP (Scottish Traveller Education Project). Four 
Education Liaison officers have been appointed. As representatives of the Showmen's Guild 
they visit schools to .raise the awareness of teachers and children with regard to the 
Showmen's Culture. STEP will providing training for these Education Liaison Officers. 
7. In the Netherlands the B.S.O.S. (Bestuuriijk Overieg van de Schippersscholen) has been set 
up. This consultative body consists of representatives of the governors of the schools 
concerned. The consultation is intended to make a contribution to policy preparation. 
Moreover in the Netherlands an initiative was taken in 1991 to set up a network of all 
teachers concemed with the education of bargee children. 
8. In 1992 the Russian State Circus toured the Netherlands with a score of Russian children 
and children of various other nationalities (including Dutch). This circus asked the Stichting 
Rijdende School to provide education for these children. 
A German circus with among others Russian artists also requested education. In addition, 
a German circus with German-speaking children and a stunt team with Dutch- and German-
speaking children also made this request in 1992/1993. Co-operation with the 
Kulturministerie in Nordrhein-Westfalen (D) meant that the German-speaking pupils could 
tour the Netherlands with usable learning material. The education of the children of the 
above-mentioned Russian State Circus could continue in Flanders (1992) thanks to co­
operation and consultation with the Department for Education of the Flemish Community in 
Belgium and with EFECOT. These facts as described in the Dutch report are not isolated 
phenomena. They are concrete illustrations of the problems already mentioned in chapter 
3. 
9. At a European level an information and documentation centre is now being developed in 
connection with the education of Occupational Travellers. This is being done with the support 
of the EC. 
38 
CHAPTER 8 
OUTCOMES AND RECOMMENDATIONS 
1. It is clearly apparent from the national reports that the various Member States are preparing 
and/or carrying out different measures and initiatives in connection with the implementation 
of Resolution 89 /C 153 /01. Since these are almost always very new measures and 
initiatives, measures necessary for the further development of this involvement must be 
taken both at the national/regional and at the European level. Moreover the different national 
reports have also made clear what the short-hand middle-term priorities are for future policy 
and future actions and projects (see below). 
2. The very nature of the lifestyle of Occupational Travellers is such that they travel between 
different countries and their work requires them to move across Europe. In view of their 
economic activity, Occupational Travellers are covered by Community law. Consequently, 
their children have access to education under the same conditions as nationals of the host 
Member State. 
Beyond the recognition of this fundamental right it is essential that the Member States of the 
European Union cooperate in this field in order to guarantee a decent education for these 
children. Furthermore Article 126 of the Treaty on European Union states tha' Community 
action contributing to the development of quality education aims at developing the exchange 
of information and experience on issues common to the education systems of the Member 
States and promoting cooperation between educational establishments. 
3. The various actions and projects started up during recent years (some actions/projects in a 
preliminary stage, others in the course of execution) must be further implemented. 
In various Member States, the intention is to use the experiences achieved in these actions 
and projects : 
to develop educational facilities taking account of the spécifie situation of 
Occupational Travellers, and/or 
taking the necessary measures to render regular educational establishments capable 
of accommodating the children of Occupational Travellers in a sane, sensible and, 
above all, flexible manner. 
4. The aim of educational policy is to offer Occupational Travellers in all respects -despite their 
mobility - the same chances as regards education as the sedentary rest of the population 
enjoys. 
5. In many Member States, secondary school attendance remains a cause of particular 
' concern. 
6. Special efforts must be made to organise adapted vocational training for the sectors which 
meet the actual needs and requirements. In this respect special attention should be paid to: 
the preparation of the youngsters with respect to entering a profession 
'the possibilities for permanent education. 
The creation of vocational training should take place in consultation with representatives of 
the sectors concemed. 
39 
Considering the international character and/or the increasing cross-order activities in the 
sectors concerned, consultation and co-operation with regard to preparation, creation and 
monitoring is necessary at a European level. 
7. It is apparent from the national reports that for the education of circus children - especially 
children from circuses who travel internationally - concrete agreements and co-operation are 
necessary. In this connection the creation of a pool of European teachers from the Member 
States should oe considered by the Member States. (Teachers who can be brought in in 
connection with visits of circuses travelling internationally). A databank of educational and 
learning-materials should be developed to support these teachers. This task could possibly 
be linked to the information and documentation centre which is already being developed (see 
Chapter 7). 
8. The mobility of Occupational Travellers represents a social challenge of importance to 
education in generjl. It should be borne in mind that there is more to "Occupational 
Travellers" than just bargees, circus families, fairground families or seasonal workers. Their 
specific problems spill over beyond their social situation. The gradual gelling of Europe gives 
grounds for 3xpecting a big increase in the toing and froing of men, women and children 
within the European Community. The phenomenon of "mobility for professional reasons" will 
continue to move centre stage. Educational policy will be faced with the problem of 
accommodating the specific needs and requirements arising from this very mobility. 
9. The transfrontier toing and froing of persons and families promotes the co-operation and 
exchanges in the educational policies of various regions at national level, and of the various 
Member States concerned. It also encourages co-ordinated actions on the EC. level. 
Educational policy will keep an eye on the European horizon. This involves inter alia allowing 
for the consequences of the increasing mobility of the population of Europe as regards 
education. This is quite particularly the case as regards Occupational Travellers. 
Conversation and co-operation across the border will be necessary to create more continuity 
in educational facilities within the reach of these groups of the population. 
10. The educational innovations and actions on behalf of the Occupational Traveller are also 
quite specifically intended to ensure quality control in general. The instruments that education 
develops for use in a quicksilver environment and for the personal and professional 
autonomy of Occupational Travellers are innovatory initiatives whose development can be 
transplanted to other (broader) target groups -virtually any other group deemed to require 
educational outreach. 
11. Actions and projects prepared and organized with the co-operation and support of the EC 
have done much to spread good practice and to make those involved in the education of 
travelling children at local level more aware of developments elsewhere in the home country 
and abroad. Those actions and projects have also helped to promote innovatory initiatives, 
ensuring that experiences are exchanged and achievements interrelated, and widely 
disseminating the lessons learned, such as : 
development of distance learning materials, 
development of adopted monitoring systems, 
development of materials on behalf of parents). 
The development of networks with those responsible for the classroom instruction of children 
of the various target groups (at national and European level) must still continue. 
40 
12. The reports of the Member States show that the preparation and execution of future actions 
and projects could be considered in the following areas: 
information, discussion and co-operation with the parents concerned, 
directives and advice as per local school policy, 
the development of suitable teaching and educational material. Distribution and 
exchange of such materials at European level, 
the development of adapted open and distance learning materials (supported by 
information and communication technologies). Distribution and exchange of such 
materials at European level. 
the development and distribution of suitable functional monitoring systems at 
European level. 
testing the initial achievement level and the learning outcomes, 
initial and in-service training for teachers (with special reference to, interalia, 
"multilingualism" in the educational facilities). 
13. From the various national reports it is apparent that sound co-ordination with regard to the 
education of Occupational Travellers is necessary both at a national/regional and at a 
European level. 
14. It is desirable that the Member States should consider to make a thorough study of the 
various tendencies in the aspirations of parents and children in the different sectors of 
Occupational Travellers. This survey should give an accurate quantitative picture with regard 
to the motivation, options and results of those studying and with regard to the way in which 
education and actual teachers interact with these. 
15. With regard to the development of actions and projects, the Member States have set their 
sights on co-operation across the whole of Europe. With regard to co-ordination of the 
various actions and projects the important role of EFECOT -the European Federation for the 
Education of the Children of Occupational Travellers- must be emphasised. 
41 
ANNEX 
NATIONAL REPORTS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESOLUTION OF 22 MAY 1989 
(89/C 153/01) 
(B) Belgium (fl) 
Marc Verlot, met Sven Sierend en Nele Goethals, Scolarisatie van kinderen uit de trekkende 
beroepsbevolking, Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap,Département Onderwijs, Januari 
1994,38 p. 
(B) Belgium (fr) 
Alain Reyniers, La scolarisation en Communauté française de Belgique des enfants de culture 
itinérante, Communauté française de Belgique, Scolarisation en milieu multicultural, October 
1993, 56 p. 
(D) Germany 
Martin Emundts, Die Schulische Betreuung der Kinder von Binnenschiffem, Circusangehôrigen 
und Schaustellem / der Kinder von Sinti und Roma und Fahrenden,Kultusministerium Nordrhein-
Westfalen, 16 p. 
(E) Spain 
Informe Sobre la Atencion Educativa a la poblacion Itinérante, Ministerio de Educaciôn y Ciencia, 
10 p. 
(F) France 
La scolarisation des enfants de parents exerçants des professions itinérantes, Ministère de 
l'Education Nationale, Direction des Ecoles, Direction des Lycées et Collèges, December 1993, 
25 p. 
(IRL) Ireland 
Report on the implementation of E.CResolution 89/C 153/01 on School provision for children of 
Occupational Travellers, October 1993, 10 p. 
(I) Italy 
Rapporte sulla scollarizazione dei figli di esercenti spettacoli viaggianti e circensi, 
Associazione Nazionale Esercenti Spettacoli Viaggianti, October 1993, 3 p. 
(NL) The Netherlands 
Overzicht van voorzieningen in Nederland voor het onderwijs aan kinderen van de trekkende 
bevolking, Kermisexploitanten, Circusmedewerkers en Schippers, Ministerie van Onderwijs en 
Wetenschappen, December 1993, 30 p. + annexes 
(UK) United Kingdom 
School provision for Occupational Travellers in the UK Relevant to E.C. Resolution 89/C 153/01, 
Department for Education, 10 p. 
42 
ISSN 0254-1475 
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