The Armed Forces Covenant was first introduced in 2011 and focuses on helping the Armed Forces Community have the same access to government and commercial services as the public.
Support is provided across a number of areas, including having a home, the provision of employment opportunities and access to healthcare and education. But how much do you know about what it provides? Well you can find out more about how it supports the Armed Forces Community with children in the education system below.
Service Pupil Premium
Over £22.5 million of Service Pupil Premium payments have been made supporting 75,000 service children. This service provides pastoral care to children who relocate frequently or have a parent who is away from home due to being on training, exercise or operational duty. Reception to Year 11 (age 16) can receive the Service Pupil Premium funding.
Common Transfer File
The CTF is used by schools and local authorities to enable information on pupils to be shared between schools when families relocate. In September 2017 the Department for Education (DfE) introduced a Service child flag to enable identification of a pupil as part of a Service family. Since then the DfE has been working with providers to improve the detail available to education professionals and from September 2018, it will be possible to include new information which captures any concerns the child may have about moving schools, parental deployment and separation or anything else they may be worried about. The changes to the system will also mean that teachers at the new school will be alerted to the arrival of the Service child, allowing them to make early contact with the family and previous school to build an understanding of needs.
The Service Pupils Progression Alliance (SCiP)
Funded by the MOD, the SCiP is a partnership of organisations with representation from local government, schools, universities, the MOD’s Directorate for Children and Young People and the Families Federations. The SCiP’s goal is to:
“Champion the progression of the children of military personnel, so that they can make informed and confident transitions through further and higher education into thriving adult lives and careers.”
In its first year the Alliance has published research identifying the low participation rate of Service children in further and higher education. The Alliance’s research hub, which brings together inter-disciplinary experts from across the UK, is looking to better understand the reasons for this trend.