With MOD JITG (Chicksands) only a short distance from our school, many of our pupils are from Service families.

Over the years, our school staff has become increasingly aware of particular pressures that may affect children from Service families due to postings and deployments. In order to help children and their families cope with these additional pressures, we have put certain measures in place partly funded by the additional Service Family Pupil Premium the school currently receives.

 

Mrs. Carolyn Allen (Pastoral Lead) is a very experienced member of staff who has trained with CHUMS and the Local Authority Early Help team to support children with emotional well-being. She aside time each week for a 15 minute ‘Time to Talk’ session with any child who has been identified as likely to benefit from this support. A child can be identified by parents or by school staff – no planned sessions take place without permission from parents.

 

Children are free to talk about whatever they want; many like to speak to someone who understands their situation but is not directly involved. From feedback to date, both children and parents find ‘Time to Talk’ to be very helpful, particularly whilst a parent is deployed.

Please contact Mrs Allen if you feel your child would benefit from this service:

CMA-Support@bestacademies.org.uk or telephone the School Office: Tel - 01462 813359

 

Informing the School

Please let your child’s class teacher know if a parent is to be deployed. Some children cope very well when a parent is away; others do not. This may depend on a child’s personality or age. If a teacher knows that a child might be feeling upset because of circumstances at home, it is much easier than trying to work out why a child is upset or not concentrating well.

 

JITG Phone back

This service has been set up to support parents/families who would like to discuss any matters concerning them with Mrs Allen, our Pastoral Lead. Please email Mrs Allen at: CMA-Support@bestacademies.org.uk

 

Holidays in Term Time

Taking holidays in term time is not authorised by the Principal unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Exceptional circumstances would include absences from school for Service Family children relating to R & R or a short holiday during post-operational leave (normally a maximum of a week after a 6 month tour) if these fall outside normal school holidays. Such circumstances need to be confirmed in writing from the parents Senior Officer.

With school holidays for all pupils totalling 14 weeks per year, it is to be hoped that much post-operational leave will coincide with some school holidays.

 

Special Educational Needs

If your child has special educational needs, it is advisable that you register with CEAS (Children’s Educational Advisory Service) in order to access current SEN advice for Service Family children. Several families have reported that they have found CEAS to be a helpful contact.

CEAS contact details: Tel: 01980 618244 e-mail: enquiries@ceas.detsa.co.uk

 

Welfare Office (JITG)

Mr Alan Hatton, Welfare Officer at JITG, is available to offer confidential support, advice and guidance to all military personnel and their families. He has access to a large number of welfare agencies both military and civilian that he can signpost military families to if appropriate.

Mr. Hatton’s contact details: Tel: 01462 752175 e-mail: alan.hatton115@mod.gov.uk

 

Service Family Pupil Premium

Schools currently receive ‘Pupil Premium’ in the School Budget to help support Service Family children in school, with a particular emphasis on emotional support.

 

The amount of funding for each year is calculated by the number of identified Service Family children on roll on the day of the previous January School Census. Although the number of Service Family pupils in school may change, sometimes considerably, throughout the year, the Census Day numbers give an indication for funding purposes.

 

Service Family Pupil Premium is not the same as Pupil Premium received for pupils on Free School Meals or ‘Looked After’ Children.