E d u c a t i o n
Spirit by Joy O’Neill
A Pioneering
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ike many other Service wives and mothers, I am fully aware of the problems families face as a result of being constantly ‘on
the move’. Postings and the unique pressures and anxieties that arise when a parent is deployed all play a part. But as an early year’s teacher, a member of the Service Children in State Schools National Executive and Chair of Governors at a school where the pupil roll consists of seventy-five percent Service children, I have a wider perspective, too.
This position has allowed me an insight, not only into the needs of Service families, but also into the issues that schools have to tackle as they try to support the needs of Service pupils. In my experience, the specific needs of Service children and their families are often overlooked because of a lack of knowledge and understanding. I believe that it is vital that educational professionals be made aware of the challenges that arise as a result of military life and the potential impacts on such children and how they can support them more effectively by working in conjunction with parents.
Summer 2010
In an effort to try to address these shortfalls within provision I have been working on two projects in my local area. Firstly, To establish a Mobility Coordinator appointment at Halton School to provide specialist advice and support directly to staff and pupils and to promote the wider recognition of Service pupils across Buckinghamshire and secondly to secure an additional funding stream to provide the extra help they so desperately need.
In 2009, and working in partnership with Halton’s head teacher, parents, pupils, staff and fellow governors, we successfully campaigned for a new ‘Mobility Coordinator’ within the school. The one-year pilot scheme, thought to be the first of its kind in the country, was launched in January this year and offers specialist support to the children of Service personnel based at RAF Halton.
The lady appointed has many years previous experience of working with Service families, she works specifically with Halton School pupils for three days a week, and offers outreach support for those children of personnel based at RAF Halton who attend other schools in the local area for the other two days a week. This support includes designing bespoke packages for
new arrivals, those children leaving the school and those others whose parents are deployed. The appointment has been funded with a grant from Buckinghamshire Extended Services and it is clear, even in these early days, that there has been a high take up of the provision.
We have also secured over £154,000 in additional funding to provide further support to Service pupils in Buckinghamshire over the next 12 months. The Buckinghamshire School Forum gave the green light to the bid after receiving an application in December 09 from myself and the Chair of Governors at Naphill and Walters Ash School. Starting in April 2010 schools across the county are receiving £220 per Service child. Since changes in school census data gathering in 2009, this funding is now able to be rolled out automatically to all schools in Buckinghamshire that have Service children on their registers. Each school will be allowed to use the money as they deem appropriate to meet the needs of their Service children. Halton School for example has already seen the benefit of having the Coordinator on the staff and has decided to use some of this additional money to continue the employment of a mobility coordinator beyond the pilot year.
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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