Some groups have a centuries-long culture of travelling, while others have adopted the life more recently, either by choice or to escape poverty or abuse. Some, such as fairground people, follow regular routes for work, but others move more haphazardly from place to place, often unable to find a legal campsite. Whatever the reasons, their children are entitled to education.

Continuity is difficult when children are on the move. Parents using the national “green card” system can give the receiving school details of their child’s previous school. And children who use regular routes can have dual registration, both long-term at a base school and short term at other schools as they travel.

Many fairground children have fixed winter quarters where they attend the local school. When they go on the road, they take record books and distance learning packs, praised by Ofsted as “well designed”. Schools can keep brief A4 short- stay reports and forward the details to the next receiving school.

The Devon Consortium Traveller Education Service (with Plymouth and Torbay) makes teaching materials available to schools from its resource base and provides training to schools and parents. The Service dealt with approximately 550 children last year and attendance improved from 76 per cent to 82 per cent. “Officers know the communities well and there is good co-operation between staff and parents,” said Ofsted.

Further details at www.devon.gov.ukealtraveller