Who are we?
ACTES (Avon Consortium Traveller Education Service) was established in 1987 and now serves the unitary authorities of South Gloucestershire, Bristol, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset. The service is led by South Gloucestershire Council on behalf of the four unitary authorities.
ACTES supports five groups of Travellers:
- Gypsies
- Irish Travellers
- Circus Travellers
- Showmen (fairground) Travellers
- New Travellers
ACTES aims to ensure that the educational needs of Traveller children are addressed by working in partnership with Traveller families, mainstream schools and other professionals in order to achieve access to and continuity of education.
The main functions of the service are:
- To provide a support service to schools and Traveller families in South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset to improve access to education, enhance the quality of educational opportunities and raise educational attainment
- To ensure that school placements are obtained for Traveller children in school as soon as possible following their arrival in the area
- To provide curriculum and social support to Traveller children in school in response to their assessed needs
- To provide resources to better enable Teachers to meet the needs of Traveller children
To provide welfare support to the children and their families promoting increased attendance of Traveller children - To work with schools and parents to extend parental involvement in their children's learning
- To provide advice and support about pre-school services to Traveller families
- To liaise with the four unitary authorities, with other Traveller education support services, with traveller organisations and with the DfES in order to maintain and enhance the service
- To provide information and training for teachers and others, in order to increase understanding and support for the Traveller communities
How to refer
ACTES receives referrals from a wide variety of sources including:
- Direct contact by phone or in person from Traveller parents
- ACTES welfare liaison officer contact following a site visit
- Directly from schools - some with Traveller children already on roll
- From the South Gloucestershire Traveller Unit
- From agencies/institutions requesting awareness-raising input
- From Traveller education services in other areas
Resources available
Gypsies and Travellers
A classroom resource to support citizenship at Key Stage 3. Units 3 and 4 include a 50-panel photographic exhibition 'Gypsies and Travellers', a short autobiographical story by Caroline Smith 'The Life of a Welsh Romany in the 20th Century' and a CD-ROM containing a teaching/learning plan, teacher guidance and information sheets plus student activities for individual group and whole class study. Hillview Horse Books Published by Avon Consortium Traveller Education Service. Each pack contains 7 core reading books, 1 Wordbank and 1 Workbook (photocopiable). Mikela Books These two books 'Mikela at Home' and 'Mikela's Black Beauty goes to School' are sold as a pack and are for use with 'early years' children. |
To order any of these books/resources please contact :ACTES
South Gloucestershire Council
PO Box 2082
The Council Offices
Castle Street
Thornbury
South Glosucestershire
BS35 9BQ
Tel: 01454 862620/21
Fax: 01454 862619