Doncaster Council

About the Service

In order to access any of these services please contact EMTAS, at the above address.

• Christine Parker - Head of Service
• Peter Bacon - Service Coordinator BME
• Malcom Wilson - Service Coordinator Traveller

Training

Training is available to schools on request. Training can be tailor made to the school's requirements and could be presented in twilight sessions or as a part or complete training day. Training is free but if you wish it to be held at the Carr House Centre room hire and refreshments will be charged to the school. Training is available in the following areas:

• Racism and Racist Incidents
• Racial equality
• Cultural Diversity/Awareness
• Traveller Culture
• Meeting the specific needs of pupils for whom English is an Additional Language 
• Educational provision for refugees and asylum seekers
• Strategies for raising the attainment of ethnic minority pupils                

Advice and Consultancy

Advice and consultancy is available in various formats. These range from sessions with relevant personnel in schools such as heads, co-ordinators or class teachers to specialist advice from EMTAS staff working in schools on a day to day basis. Advice and consultancy is a free service although there may be a charge for photocopying of materials or resources left permanently with a school. Advice and consultancy is available in the following areas:

• Racism and Racist Incidents Racial Equality
• Cultural Diversity/Awareness
• Refugees and asylum seekers
• English as an Additional Language
• Raising the attainment of ethnic minority pupils 
• Support to extend the curriculum to include a multicultural perspective 
• Resources with regard to any of the above areas                

Resources

EMTAS has a loan base of books, artifacts and posters to develop the curriculum to include a multicultural perspective. These resources are available to teachers in Doncaster schools. The centre can also be used as a reference base by appointment. This service is free but loss and damage will be charged to the school. 

New DVD available - Traveller Voices. Super new resource for Cultural Training Contact EMTAS for details.

Support for Pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL) including refugees and asylum seekers.

EAL support staff work in collaboration with mainstream colleagues in order to provide EAL support to targeted pupils. This will include the following key activities:

• The initial assessment of pupils referred for EAL support
• The planning, preparation and delivery of curriculum based language learning activities
• The identification of resources to meet specific needs
• The regular evaluation of the support provided
• The monitoring and recording of the progress of targeted pupils and the provision of feedback to teachers, pupils and parents/carers
• The establishment and maintenance of regular contact with the parents/carers of targeted pupils
• Participation in school-based meetings concerned with the education and welfare of targeted pupils.

Pupils identified as being in need of EAL support should be referred to EMTAS, and appropriate assessment and support will be arranged. EAL teacher support is available for targeted pupils of statutory school age. Bilingual Classroom Assistant (BCA) support may also be available for nursery children as well as those of statutory school age. Bilingual support is dependent on the availability of EMTAS staff members that speak the relevant languages. 

Support is currently free but schools are expected to take some responsibility for the management and guidance of BCAs. Detailed guidelines on the respective roles and responsibilities of EAL teachers and BCAs are available separately.

Support for Refugee and Asylum Seeker Pupils

• Supporting schools in the initial induction of pupils
• Providing cultural and home country information for schools, and awareness raising of refugee issues
• EAL teacher support for children whose first language is not English
• Bilingual Classroom Assistants, wherever available, support the child in mother-tongue
• Training and teacher networks for mainstream teachers working with refugees
• Access to dual-language materials
• Updated information on national and regional developments 
• Information sharing meetings with schools, support services, and other related parties.                 

EMTAS also provides some translated materials for use by schools e.g. letter packs and contacts for schools to access translation services, and interpreters for meetings with parents etc. 

These services are free but schools are expected to pay for translation and interpretation to meet the needs of individual pupils. 

Support for Traveller Pupils

EMTAS Traveller Service is able to offer a wide range of support to schools and families. Support may include:

• Liaison with schools, parents, outside agencies and other Traveller Education Services.
• Delivery of training for schools and other agencies.
• Resources and displays for use in promoting cultural awareness.
• Direct teaching of pupils, including assessment, target setting and provision of support packages.
• Advice to schools on the content of Distance Learning Packs. Training for parents on how to use Distance Learning packs
• Advice to schools and parents.
• Assistance to meet Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) targets for Traveller pupils.
• Initiatives to promote educational provision for children from Traveller communities.