EDUCATION & CHILDCARE
Carterton Primary School wins £500. Prize kindly sponsored by Sodexo.
Excellent support in schools AFF’s Excellence for Forces Children (Service Pupil Premium) Award, sponsored by Sodexo, aims to highlight some of the best examples of how the extra money given to state schools in England with Service children is spent…
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ROM this year’s 69 nominations, we received some fantastic ideas on how to spend the premium, which is mainly designed to provide pastoral support for children with a parent in the Armed Forces. Our judging panel included Adjutant General Lt Gen Gerry Berragan and David Fugurally, from the Department for Education. THE WINNER Congratulations to our 2015 winner
❝ ❞ 20 Army&You autumn 2015
Carterton Primary School, based close to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire with 75 Service children. The school’s Service Families’ Support Worker, Tess Broker, who is a military wife and mum, understands the issues Service children face. Tess provides welcome calls, letters, visits and packs for all families. Transition support includes three sessions out of the classroom using “My Passport” to help children settle in. When they move on, the sessions give leavers an opportunity to find out about
their new school, create a memory booklet, talk through worries and update their passport to take with them.
“We have made changes to the school website to make it easier for Service families to find out about us and our provision”
“Netbook computers are available for loan to Service children and their families. These are Skype enabled and can be used during deployments, exercises or courses” South Farnborough Infants, Hampshire
South Camberley Primary and Nursery School
SHARING WORRIES Tess also runs Keeping in Touch, a lunchtime club for children with a parent away from home. It’s a chance to write eBlueys or take part in craft activities and games. For younger children, the one-toone focus is essential for extra emotional support. Another lunchtime session, Time to Talk, allows pupils to have a one-to-one chat
or quiet time away from the hustle of the school day. BEARS THAT CARE Other initiatives included: l Brave the camo bear and Hero the RAF bear given to children who have a parent away so they can keep a diary of their adventures l Five hours of catch-up support per week – vital for new Service pupils who have missed parts of the curriculum l Membership of the HMS Heroes support group l Regular Service families
“Our summer outward bound course encourages team building, independence and resilience among Service children” Longfield Academy, Kent @ArmyandYou