News & Views

The second session of the Thriving Lives Toolkit webinar series focused on supporting Service children in schools with small cohorts. Introduced by Philip Dent, the Director of the SCiP Alliance, the session provided invaluable insights into how schools can effectively support Service children even when their numbers are low.

Philip Dent began the session by discussing Service children as a cohort across the UK, emphasising the importance of providing tailored support to ensure their educational progression. He promoted the SCiP Alliance’s online targeting tool, which aims to assist professionals working with Service children by:

• Driving increased engagement in work supporting Service children’s education and progression.
• Helping professionals better target and plan their investment and activity for supporting Service children.

The session then featured insights from Linsey Owens, Headteacher, and Kayley Phillips, Deputy Head, of Cwmclydach Primary School. Despite having only one child from an Armed Forces family, they have implemented a robust strategy to provide effective support. Their top tips included:

1. Identifying and engaging Service children and their families – Recognising them within the school community and maintaining open communication with parents about available support.
   
2. Enhancing visibility and awareness – Updating school websites and newsletters with Armed Forces information, inviting visitors from the military, and marking Armed Forces Day with school-wide activities.
3. Fostering collaboration – Communicating with cluster schools to share best practices and organise joint events, ensuring the presence of Service children remains acknowledged.
4. Empowering school staff – Educating all staff on the unique needs of Service children, encouraging multiple members to access the Thriving Lives Toolkit, and revisiting it regularly to refine strategies.

Charmian Hickman, CEO of the Armed Forces Education Trust, provided an overview of her organisation’s mission to mitigate the disadvantages that Service children may face. She highlighted the unique challenges these children encounter, such as frequent school transitions, parental deployment, and social-emotional adjustments.

The Trust provides financial support and resources to assist schools in bridging the educational gaps for Service children. Charmian illustrated these efforts with case studies, demonstrating how targeted funding and interventions have positively impacted the academic and personal growth of Service children across the UK.

The session reinforced the importance of recognising and supporting Service children, even in schools with small numbers. The insights from Cwmclydach Primary School and the Armed Forces Education Trust demonstrated that with proactive strategies and effective collaboration, Service children can receive the support they need to thrive. The Thriving Lives Toolkit remains an essential resource, and schools are encouraged to continually engage with it to enhance their practices and create an inclusive environment for Service children.

Session 2: Supporting Service children in schools with small cohorts webinar slides