For the first time we have included a Pupils and Parents section which we believe provides compelling reading. In the pupils’ part we have covered virtually the whole age range across a good spread of schools. In the parents’ part there is a spread of perspectives from past and present servicemen from different backgrounds and circumstances, but all focusing on how best as individuals they could educate their children. For those with reservations about boarding it is marvellously positive advert for one of the real beacons of British education and a great credit to the whole of the boarding sector.


Pupils boarding in the 21st Century – this is just a small cross section of the many contributions we have received from those currently boarding in the UK.


We thank all those who contributed and we believe they are a great credit not only to their schools, but to boarding in all schools.


James McCran (Year 6)
I missed Mum, Dad and Kitty, especially at first. But I was kept so busy and doing so much fun stuff I didn’t have too much time to think. The Matrons are always there to help you and if you feel homesick they talk to you and make sure you are okay.


My favourite thing about boarding school is that my teachers are funny and enthusiastic and the lessons are a lot more interesting. Plus we have a games session every day which I never had at my old schools. I get to play football, rugby, hockey and dodgeball and I am looking forward to learning how to play cricket in the summer. Other stuff that’s better at boarding school is: longer art lessons; proper science lessons; French, design and Tech, music and drama.


I like being at a boys’ school because we do all the stuff that is fun for boys, such as building camps in the shrubs. When you are a Y6 and above you are allowed to climb the trees. I think it is good to board now because I will be really used to it when I go to senior school. I think if you wait it is hard to fit in. Plus I think you would have a lot of work to catch up on.


I was worried about the food before I went because my experiences of school dinners had been bad ones! The food is tasty and there is nearly always something I like. I would give it 8 out of 10. My Mum is really happy because now I eat lots more different types of foods than before I went.


Rory Talbott (Year 7)
I like being a boarder – it is a really dramatic change for most people and although there is the option of being a day pupil, there is a lot more fun in boarding. It helps you to grow up but you can still have fun with your friends. I have found there is a friend for everyone here, whether they are in your house or not. I do think it is important to choose the right house, but the school will help you and we talked to the boys who showed us round who told us some really good stuff about the houses and what they are like.


Over the holidays, towards the end you find that you want to go back to school. Mum and Dad are much more chilled with us at home and although I miss home and my dog, boarding is really good fun. The schoolwork is good and they build up the work steadily so you don’t get overloaded.


My brother Cameron is much more organised than I am and so while his cubie is really neat and organised, mine is not quite as good. In fact, the Housemaster says I create my own disaster area every morning but it works for me (with a lot of help from Matron).


Bethan Sanderson (Year 8)
I have been boarding since year three and not have to have moved once which I like very much. I think that my Father chose this school as he didn't want me moving all the time and he never knows when he will be posted as he is in the RAF. Since coming to this school my father has been offered many jobs abroad but actually took the posting to Belgium and we lived there for 3 years. If I was not in this school I would have gone to a school over there and it was not a very educational school. I like going to this school because even if I move away or even move country I still stay at the same school on the same subject with all my friends. I like the fact that if your parent moves or goes away you can talk to the teachers about it and they understand.


For example my father recently returned from Basra in Iraq and I was obviously worried but could talk to the teachers and they knew how to deal with it as many girls have been in that circumstance. I also know that I am getting the education I need and can stay in one school and keep my education at my highest point. I also like not having to think that I could settle into one school and then move again a year later and start the new girls’ process again.
So I enjoy this school a lot from many aspects.


Cameron Talbott (Year 9)
At my school, they give you the freedom to sort yourself out and make your own choices. There are always people to talk to and always people who will help you, even if it is a bit of homesickness (which I never got), schoolwork problems or just working out how to live away from home. The teachers are good and the subjects you like will always have a teacher who will really devote time and effort to you if you are prepared to do the same.


Since coming here I have become really keen on sailing and the school has really good sailing stuff – lots of different boats, including racing dinghies and the Reservoir nearby to learn how to sail them and race them properly. They have a full time Sailing Instructor who has really helped me improve, and I have already represented the school several times. They also have small yachts that the staff and pupils can take out over weekends – it is really good fun and a good break from the school.


I do look forward to the holidays as a chance to get some rest and meet my local friends, who are always asking lots of questions about boarding school. I thought really carefully before deciding to board because I knew it would be a big change but I am glad I did as my schoolwork is better, I like being a boarder and I love the sailing. Any complaints? Yes – the showers in our boarding house are crap!


Victoria Mullin (Year 13)
Now in my final year I look back at my nine year school career. At the age of nine it was decided that I would go to boarding school once we returned from Germany that summer. Being at boarding school was once a daunting prospect but that is now a distant memory. The Junior School helped me to settle down into a stable education where I received extra English lessons due to my dyslexia, which I carried on until year eleven. The Senior School has given me many opportunities of which I am very grateful for. In year nine I went on a Canadian exchange, an experience that would not have been offered to me if I had still been living at home and moving school every two to three years. The boarding has always offered something to do on the weekends you spend away from home and there is never a dull moment throughout the week. I now have many friends some of which I would like to think I will be friends with for a long time. You have stable friendships because when people do move they stay at school therefore you do not lose friends every year and have to make new ones. Of course there have been bad times at school; I would be lying if I said otherwise, but I now know that the decision made nearly nine years ago was the right one.


Hamish Stafford (Year 13)
As I have experienced, growing up in the Forces can result in a lack of educational stability. Though globe-trotting can bring many positive experiences into our lives, the lack of stability can be an issue. Boarding schools like mine however successfully address these issues by providing a stable and friendly environment in which to live and learn.

Long postings can result in children becoming upset. The House system provides a very supportive environment where both Housemaster and friends are easily approachable and comforting. This sense of support really helped me concentrate on my academic work and was very reassuring. Housemasters are in regular communication with your parents, meaning that any issues that arise as a result of a parent’s temporary absence are swiftly addressed. There is also constant communication between teachers and your Housemaster. This allows your Housemaster to be fully aware of your academic work as a whole and thus spot any change that may occur in it.

I think some schools can be too full of Forces children to the extent that a distinct military character emerges, but we have a good balance. In my case there are three Forces boys in my house. I have found that having friends from other cultures has been the biggest asset for children like me. Being able to debate different views on conflict manages to produce a balanced and open individual, brought up in a culture of tolerance and mutual understanding, and this has to be a good thing for the future.


The fact I could board was the main reason I was sent here by my parents, and I can easily see why. It allowed me to construct firm friendships that are strong and enduring. The hard days of regular moving has been replaced with a sense of much needed stability – I really feel I belong here.


Hattie Holliday (Year 13)
From when I first started boarding at the age of nine I loved it and I still do. Being able to board has allowed me to stay at the same school whilst my parents have moved around the world. It has given me the chance to make close friends and also the privilege of going to a first class school.


The skills that I have learned from the boarding experience have really helped me to develop as a person and I feel this will benefit me enormously in later life. Boarding also enables you to meet lots of others kids whose parents are in HM Forces and it’s great to know you have friends in same situation as you who understand the special type of family life this brings with it.


I started boarding at Prep School and moved here as an Art Scholar when I was 13. I love it here and can’t see myself being anywhere else. I have made some really close friendships and have been given some fantastic opportunities in the CCF, community service, charity work sport and music. My brother also came here for the Sixth Form and had a great time too. It’s a very full and rewarding life and neither he nor I would swap it for any other type education.


How boarding school has prepared me for life – Joshua Green gives a former pupil’s perspective
My mind was made up about going to boarding school when my family moved from Scotland to Swindon, just before I went into Year 9. I realised that if I stayed in day school, I would have to keep making new friends every two years or so, and so my parents and I decided it would be best if I went to boarding school, especially with GCSE’s approaching. However, boarding school has given me more than just a firm base of friends.

My school gave me a great, rounded education, and gave me plenty of opportunities to do extra-curricular activities. Amongst other things I learnt to play piano, started to enjoy cricket and played football regularly. During my Lower Sixth form I directed the house drama production, which was extremely rewarding and further increased my self confidence, as well as giving me valuable experience in teamwork and leadership.

My experience on the House Council gave me a fantastic opportunity to work with people and taught me a lot about problem solving.

In Scotland, I was in large classes of about thirty, with several disruptive pupils guaranteed in each class. In contrast, at my boarding school the classes were much smaller, there were less disruptive children and discipline issues were actually dealt with promptly and effectively. I left school with four A levels, in History, Biology, Maths and Chemistry, and went on to University. Then I discovered that boarding school had helped even more than I thought as I realised just how independent I had become. At university I was surprised at how many people had never really been away from home, and so found the transition to university more difficult than I did.

Sam Walton, Matthew Winters and Ben Kemp pictured after passing the highly competitive entrance to The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Matthew Winters and Ben Kemp were also awarded Sixth Form Scholarships. The boys are Lower Sixth form pupils and will finish their studies and complete a degree at University before taking up their places at the Academy to train as officers. The rigorous selection procedure, competing against applicants from all across the UK, involved a two day assessment by the Army Officer Selection Board at Westbury in Wiltshire and consisted of a variety of aptitude and fitness tests, leadership skills and interviews. All the boys fostered their interest in the army through the School's Combined Cadet Force.

 

BOARDING SCHOOL – ONE PARENT’S RETROSPECTIVE VIEW
– recently retired Rocky Goodall reflects

 

Introduction
In agreeing to write a parent’s view, I accept that decisions on whether to send one’s children to boarding school, and when and where to send them, are very personal. They require a multitude of factors to be taken into consideration and most of those factors will be unique to all the individuals concerned. I am therefore not trying to preach, teach or advertise. I hope that this article might inform your thinking if you are considering these momentous personal decisions. Our 2 daughters attended boarding school under BSA rules over a period of 9 years.



Background
Service life has changed significantly since we made our decisions, but it seems to me that enforced separation, turbulence and frequent postings still remain an essential factor of service life. Stability of family life, education and friends therefore remains problematic for many of the children of servicemen and women today. I need not rehearse all our details, suffice it to say that, following our marriage in 1973 until our younger daughter went to University in 1996, we lived in 18 different flats or houses. We had 6 tours in Germany and 4 in UK, we attended 2 major staff courses, each of a year’s duration, and I undertook 2 operational detachments. Significantly, my wife was required to accompany me on my 3 command appointments. Had she not agreed to follow the flag, I would not have been given command in rank and would therefore have been very poorly placed for subsequent promotion.



Considerations
We confronted the boarding school issue seriously when our children were 6 and 4 years old. If we were to opt for a full career beyond 38, when the children would be 10 and 8, we wanted to have the flexibility to choose to send both to the best boarding school we could afford. We knew that neither set of grandparents, nor our siblings, would be able to offer any help, either financial or physical. We also decided that the girls should go together to the same school and that 11 and 9 years old were the very earliest ages we would consider sending them. We had a minimum of 4 years to plan and prepare.



What Could We Afford?
In order to quantify the funding problem, we looked at the full list of girls boarding schools in ascending order of fees. We chose a representative school about three quarters of the way up the list and inflated the fees at 10% pa and the BSA at 5% for the period until the girls were 18. We felt that this would provide realistic annual targets. Our first conclusion was that the early years would be the biggest problem and that we would need to use our savings. We took advice from seniors, peers, financial articles and brokers. We decided to make our savings tax efficient wherever possible and to use a number of smaller schemes rather than a few big ones, as a way of spreading risk. We used investment trusts and tax free savings schemes for the latter years and National Savings tax free fixed interest schemes to fund the early years. Saving for school fees was our number one saving priority and we made the maximum use of regular savings schemes. We discovered a Friendly Society where all 4 of us could save £21.25 per month, either directly or through an annuity. This was grossed up to £25.00 and all the proceeds were tax free. In all, we had to save some 36% of our disposable income (about 15% of our total income) from the time we decided to fund school fees.



The Reality
Some 4 years later, the girls embarked together on life at boarding school aged 11 and 9. Importantly, we had a significant group of potential schools from which to choose because we knew we could afford the fees. The selection process over the 4 years was daunting as the children developed and our criteria changed. We spent a great deal of time and care making the final selection having reduced the contenders to a short list. In making that final selection, we weighted all the factors in order of importance as we saw them. On balance, boarding school proved to be a good preparation for University. Both our daughters went on to achieve good degrees and are very happy living and working in London.



On Reflection
Hind sight is a wonderful thing and, on balance, we got right about as much as we got wrong in choosing the School. Of course, we have nothing to compare our decisions against and no way of knowing what might have happened in different circumstances. In particular on the down side, the school we chose had 3 headmistresses in the 9 years and there were 2 small but significant recessions which had an adverse effect on stability of the girl’s friends. I doubt we could have anticipated either problem.



Financial Planning
Our financial planning, on the other hand, proved to be remarkably accurate and extremely useful. Here too circumstances changed significantly. My records show that we needed to find £171 in the first and £53 in the second years from income, in addition to our savings, to cover the balance of fees. Thereafter all fees could be met from savings. We were also fortunate that our daughters won scholarships and exhibitions on entry to the sixth form, worth 33% and 25% of the total fees respectively. Scholarships are an important addition to any list of criteria and certainly made a very considerable difference to the fees.
I was also fortunate to be promoted at fairly regular intervals and, with the scholarships, we were able to pay the fees from income rather than savings from the fifth year. Four of our original 11 tax free savings plans are still running. The others provided rent and living expenses through University, and helped provide the girls with their first deposits as they clawed their way onto the housing ladder.
In conclusion, and from our experience, plan for school fees from birth, be realistic in your goals, and stick with it. BSA was essential for us, but any savings will come in very handy even if your circumstances
change and you decide not to send your children to boarding school. University is also a daunting financial challenge.

 

Air Marshal Sir Roderick Goodall, KBE, CB, AFC was educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey and RAF College Cranwell. He was Chief of Staff, Component Command Air North, NATO from 1999-2003. He educated his daughters at St Felix School in Southwold.

 

CHOOSING BOARDING SCHOOLS IN THE 21st CENTURY
– Aidan and Julia Talbott provide their perspectives as current parents

 

Both my wife and I separately read a recent article about financial planning for boarding schools in the Service Parents Guide to Boarding Schools, which although it contained some interesting advice and guidance, with its emphasis on financial planning, left us feeling it did not truly reflect our experience. In contrast we have found within reasonable constraints, it is possible to board your children without having made these provisions way in advance.


We are, I would surmise, a typical modern military family. I joined the Royal Navy at 21 and have done a standard blend of shore and sea posts. My wife Julia gave up work to have our two boys in 1994 and 1996, so for that time we survived on a single income, including moving from quarters to our own home in 1996. We have moved once more since, and now have a relatively large mortgage, an occasional overdraft, little disposable income and no family money or savings to fallback on. I don’t suppose that we are so very different from many other young families these days in financial terms – at least that is what we keep telling ourselves! We have two boys with different characters who have been educated in small local schools, with 4 changes in 4 years, including two years in primary school abroad. Again, probably nothing unusual for a modern military family, particularly for the RN, who tend to bounce back and forth between the Plymouth and Portsmouth areas before settling down.


So why board our boys? On returning home after two years abroad, with the boys settled back into local schools and Julia in a great job she loved, we nevertheless became nervous about our local state secondary education system. I had been privately educated as a day pupil at the school where my father taught whereas Julia had been state educated, but I had seen enough to know that the right boarding school can be an immensely positive experience. I had also seen, and heard enough through my parents and their colleagues, to know it can go disastrously wrong. Initially we planned to focus on a few schools and trust our instincts.
Personal recommendations, warts and all, from older friends and their children were also invaluable. We had been aware of the Royal Hospital School (RHS) in Holbrook, Suffolk, for a while and knew that friends who had been educated there and colleagues with children at the school had all said positive things. At the very least, going and looking at the school, and attending one of the Headmaster’s presentations, would give us an early feel for whether boarding was right for us and the boys. Julia needed more convincing, but recognised that we had to consider very carefully all the boys’ options, and in fact, by the end of the Headmaster’s presentation in Portsmouth in the autumn of 2004, we both knew this was an opportunity that simply could not be missed. We were also helped by the boys’ very supportive headteacher in their local school, who knew them well enough to support our decision. Picking the right school was, in fact, remarkably easy and RHS sold itself to us quickly. The Headmaster’s honesty and interest in the boys during our visit to the school, and seeing pupils who were polite, self assured but not arrogant, and more importantly, happy and enjoying boarding life confirmed it for us. The school itself (as many independent schools are) is in a dramatically impressive location, and if some areas looked a bit tired and in need of upgrading, this is now the aim of a large investment programme. RHS’ maritime background was a plus point for us (and for the many civilian parents whom we have met subsequently) with its heavy emphasis on sailing and outward bound activities. Also we were impressed that RHS did its utmost to keep boarding expenses down – by tracking the MOD allowance system for its fee setting, providing uniform (which can be a significant initial outlay) centrally at very much reduced cost and, increasingly, other necessities such as IT. We were also confident that RHS would suit our sons, and decided not to even look at any other schools.

Uniquely, RHS’s charter to educate the children of seafarers meant that private parental wealth is almost irrelevant as a factor amongst the pupils, something I had been acutely conscious of myself when at school and was determined to avoid if at all possible – as a rough and ready indicator, a glance around the RHS car park makes it quite obvious that many parents are making similar or greater sacrifices to send their children to RHS, a remarkably binding factor.

Of course, the rubber meets the road in paying for it all. In doing our thinking and research on this, we learnt a few key things. Clearly, picking the right school is paramount, particularly one where military children are an important constituent that the school has to understand and respect, such as the impact of parents deploying and involvement in ongoing military operations. Secondly, heavy spending on private education is accepted by many financial institutions, particularly as many of us now have a lot of inherent equity in our properties. But principally, take full advantage of what is almost certainly the best perk left to Armed Forces’ families – the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), the replacement to Boarding School Allowance (BSA).

CEA recognises that our regular moves as military personnel involving re-location can be very disruptive to a child’s education, and providing you fulfil a reasonable set of requirements, the MOD will assist – in our case by paying 90% of our boarding fees. At a stroke, this makes boarding school very financially feasible for many of us. The main drawback is that the non-serving partner has to move in most circumstances to wherever the serving partner is based, which for those committed or dependent on a career could lead to a difficult decision. However, we took the view that we would cross that bridge if and when it happened, and that if domestic upheaval for us as the parents meant educational continuity for our children, we would gladly bite on the bullet. Julia takes the view that a two or three year break could be used to gain further qualifications and she is now rather looking forward to a change of scene, if and when it comes! We also strongly felt that because of the separation and the enforced house moves, children often got a raw deal out of Service life, and this was a tremendous chance to redress the balance very positively for their benefit.

Fundamentally, it is a massive perk, and we were determined to take advantage of it. We also found a lot of help from Service organisations, such as the Service Children’s Education Authority (SCEA), and colleagues. The process for applying for and then claiming CEA is straightforward though it is worth familiarising yourself with the regulations. Claiming CEA is now even easier with JPA, which means it can now be done completely online. We accepted that we would have to make financial sacrifices but in truth, it has been manageable with CEA and careful budgeting. We have accepted that we will have to be careful with money until the boys leave school (and then no doubt paying for university will start…) but we are very content that it is a fair exchange in order to receive a quality education.

So we found the school, we’d sorted the finances (just about), all we now needed to do was sell it to the boys. Perhaps predictably, I was a lot less concerned about this, but Julia recognised that her natural maternal instincts should not stand in the way of such a golden opportunity. Both of us agreed that a stable school environment and tremendous educational resources were opportunities too good to miss, so we portrayed it to the boys as an adventure, highlighting the huge range of opportunities available and as a chance to take responsibility for themselves and also gain some independence. We left the school brochures around and our game plan of getting the boys to make the final decision that we also wanted worked well.

Cameron started in Year 7 in September 2005 and Rory this last September. Leaving Cameron was a very tough moment but the look of confidence and pride in himself a few weeks later when we next met up put all worries at bay. With his elder brother in the same house, it was actually less of a wrench leaving Rory. Now the boys are thoroughly well entrenched and mobile phones and email give excellent connectivity – when the boys decide to call or answer that is, and normally only when they want something! We know the boys are deliberately kept very busy so we take no news as good news, using the house staff (who have been quite brilliant) as our normal conduit, something they are clearly well used to. Boarding house staff now are much more alert to parents’ concerns and put great emphasis on compassionate issues – unsurprisingly, we were keen for early reassurance, especially throughout the first term as each boy in turn settled in to what was an equally big culture change for them. However, RHS have a very well thought out induction process over the first few weeks of the first term and any qualms we did have were quickly assuaged by early happy and confident phone calls from the boys.


There have been some other unexpected benefits. Boarding school allows children an early opportunity to take responsibility for themselves with a subtle blend of freedom and guidance in a controlled and experienced environment, so we very firmly take the view that we are “letting them go to get them back”. We don’t have to do any nagging about homework, and as RHS has imparted its invaluable corporate ethos that it is cool to work hard, both our boys are already more dedicated and academically focussed than ever before. And whilst talking of Matron and the Housemaster may sound wryly old fashioned, we found they ‘clicked in’ and understood both our boys very quickly and thoroughly; having Matron (who has an influence akin to a Jedi Knight on her young boys’ lives!) play the bad cop about tidiness, haircuts, personal cleanliness and appearance allows us to play the good cop for a change. Home is now very definitely for relaxation and we find the boys want to spend time with us, although their local friends (whom they have stayed close to) are usually on the doorstep very quickly after they get home.
As term is so busy, the boys want holidays to be slower paced and relaxed, which suits us fine. We have taken the clear decision to respect that and we have noticed a real change for the better to the parent/child relationship. Living with children from other backgrounds has also been beneficial for them, and we find the boys even better company at home, although Blackadder style boarding school humour inevitably dominates!


In conclusion, our experience is that even without prior financial planning, boarding education is achievable thanks to CEA. You clearly need to make the right choice of school, and although there is lots of advice and support, only you can really make the call by knowing your children. CEA is an enormous and fiercely protected perk that can make a real difference to your children’s lives – from the first term onwards, we have seen our children benefit academically and individually in comparison to their state educated friends at home. Ask yourself ‘Why not?’ and be prepared to justify yourself to your adult children if you denied them the opportunity. We can assure you it really is worth every penny to see them enjoying greater opportunities and growing in confidence, self-assurance and life skills.

Commander Aidan Talbott joined the RN in 1988 as a Supply Officer. He served at sea on most classes of ship, and ashore in a range of logistics, staff and training appointments, including an operational tour in Bosnia with an armoured infantry battalion. Married Julia in 1992 and they have two boys, Cameron, aged 13, and Rory aged 11. From 2001-2003, they lived in San Diego, California, whilst Aidan did an exchange posting with the US Navy. They currently live in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, where their life revolves around boats, the beach and dogs.

 

 

REFLECTIONS ON BOARDING
–Warrant Officer Neil Hammond gives various reflections on boarding

 

On Neil Hammond’s return from a posting to Cyprus his eldest daughter Laura initially attended a local school but neither she nor her parents were happy with the education she was receiving. Having spoken to other boarders it was Laura herself who expressed an interest with boarding at Wymondham College. WO Hammond said “we never would have considered boarding as an option for our children until Laura’s concern at the standard of education she was receiving triggered our interest. Also after leaving Cyprus and Laura starting her fifth school we knew that it was time to give her stability and continuity.”


The family attended an open day and were immediately impressed by the confident student that showed them around. The family soon realised that the boarding environment is one where everyone is treated as an equal and that this gives the students a level of maturity that they had not anticipated. WO Hammond said “from our very first visit the impression made on us that day has never changed. The school offers children the opportunity to flourish into worthy citizens with good morals and values, whilst achieving a first rate education.


WO Hammond commented “we recognised that boarding would give our children stability during a vital time in their education. We were impressed with the school and also its understanding of the needs of service families. The school always did what they promised and were incredibly enthusiastic about all aspects of our daughter’s education. The continuity of education allowance has allowed us to send both children to a boarding school and receive not only a settled education, but a social grounding that they may not achieved elsewhere; without draining the family resources.”


When the time came for the Hammond’s second daughter to attend secondary school she had no doubt that boarding would be the right option for her. Danielle is now in the sixth form at Wymondham College and a member of the PR and charity fundraising committee and Principals’ Council. At the times when WO Hammond has been posted to other locations the family has always been confident that the education of their children would not be interrupted.


WO Hammond feels fortunate that both of his daughters have had the stability and the continuity of education that the boarding environment has provided. He says “they have had a great life at school, they have made many friends and the routine that they have in school means that it’s the norm to do the right thing. In our house we have never had the usual arguments about doing homework or what time they have to go to bed because they have acquired such good habits from being at school. We feel fortunate that they have grown into well rounded and confident young adults and we are sure that the boarding environment along with stability at home have helped to achieve this”.

Neil Hammond is a Warrant Officer (WO) in the Royal Air Force and has been based at RAF Marham in Norfolk on and off for the past 8 years, with a 2½ year tour to RAF Wyton, Cambs completed during this period. He is currently WO Mechanical within the Tornado Components Squadron at Marham and is responsible for armament and surface finish tradesmen. Neil is married to Lynn, who also works on the base, as a civil servant. The family currently reside in Swaffham, but will re-locate to Lincolnshire in the summer, as WO Hammond is close to completing his time in the RAF

 

 

YES, WE MISS HIM TERRIBLY…..BUT
….. Lindsay McCran the Army wife’s and mother’s view

 

Mother’s view

I have just checked with my husband and he has moved 21 times in his lifetime. Both of our fathers were in the forces and our nomadic childhood experiences have undoubtedly influenced our decisions regarding James’ education. I was fairly fortunate in that my father was in the Royal Air Force, hence did not move quite as frequently. Yet I still have vivid memories of being the “new girl” (usually mid-term) and all that entailed. Moving as a teenager can be particularly unsettling and indeed, my husband remembers moving slap-bang in the middle of his O’ Levels. I recently read a letter in the “Sixth Sense” forces newspaper confirming that this is still an issue for families, as even SCE schools cannot guarantee parity between curriculums and schools.


2006 was a juncture for us: my husband had been selected for a commission meaning another 10 or possibly more years of service, and crucially, the remainder of James’ school years. Of course, it also meant another posting. How many more times would we move? What schools would be available? What about postings to the UK and joining the postal code/ catchment area “lottery”. We had experienced it at primary level and knew from friends it could be nightmarish at senior school level.


We have always involved James when talking about postings and schooling options. Boarding school had been mentioned in the past, but in reality as an option for when he was older. It was James himself though, who wisely pointed out that he “may as well go now rather than move again”. He was 8, nearly 9 years old, had only been at a school for 2 months and was already having to think about the next one.


So boarding it was and the search began in earnest. It is not an easy task to find the right school for your child, especially when they are so young. I would take as much advice as you can, involve your children and of course, visit. James started at Lockers Park School in September 2007 in a year 5 class. He is settling in really well: only one tearful call during the first week and now he is too busy to ever call! Friends and family comment upon how enthusiastic he appears to be about his lessons and “life at Lockers”. I hope that he continues to flourish and truly fulfil his potential.


I am often asked questions by other parents considering the boarding school route. Most frequently, “Is it affordable?” and “Don’t you miss him?” To answer the first, yes, thanks to the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) it is (just!) affordable. There is absolutely no way on earth that we could afford to give James this fantastic opportunity to attend a top notch school plus stability of education without this allowance. It covers a large percentage of the fees; in addition, Lockers Park gives a generous forces discount. You should, however, be realistic when calculating further costs such as travelling and uniform.


In answer to the second question? Honestly? Yes, we miss him terribly and when he goes back to school there is a huge void. But he is happier and more settled than he has ever been at a school, and he returns to school quite happily. Lockers Park is small enough to be friendly, comfortable and familiar for a young boy, but large enough to offer wonderful opportunities. At this point, may I return to the beginning of my article: I have moved 17 times and my husband 21. Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) provides exactly that. One constant, one continuity and one less adjustment that a forces child has to deal with. And do not forget that they get very, very long holidays to enjoy with you when they board!

Lindsay McCran has been married 20 years this year. Her husband, Andrew, is in the Royal Engineers. They have two children, James, 10, and Kitty 2. Her last job was as Projects Manager for Pre-school Learning Alliance, but currently is a full-time mum and keeping busy with voluntary work. Her hobbies and interests are netball, running (or plodding as my husband calls it), Book Club, cooking, board games, any activities that include my friends and family and, most recently, Face Book-ing! She has moved house 17 times...so far!

 

 

FOR WHOSE BENEFIT? A Family Perspective
– Commander Tim Green Royal Navy has three sons and one daughter

 

If you are seeking a demanding job with plenty of variety and challenges, both mentally and physically, the Armed Forces are a good choice. However, it is just this variety that can present one of the most significant challenges, with the potential changes in location of employment which bring with them family instability. We have lived in most corners of the UK (Portsmouth, Plymouth, Farnborough, Scotland and Shrivenham), in Italy and Belgium and if family upheaval has not been difficult enough you can throw in a helpful glass of deployments – moving to the other end of the country and shortly thereafter your husband disappears from the face of the earth for several months. A boarding school education is one way of relieving some of the pressure of these moves, providing an element of an established environment for your children, in terms of a stable education and continuity of friendships. It is not an option that suits everyone but it is the solution that we opted for as a family and it works for us.


I was blessed with a pretty stable education, one move aged 8 thereafter one school for my GCEs and a sixth form college for my A levels. So when we started a family I never thought that it would be any different for my children. While in Plymouth our family grew to four children with my two eldest sons moving through a local nursery into primary schooland their younger sister and brother at home. During this time I had to attend two career courses, both of which were outside the Plymouth area and for extended periods and for which I chose to commute weekly. After six years living in one spot I was moved to a staff appointment in Farnborough and we decided that this would be a family move.

However, the reality of service life kicked in and 8 months later we were on our way, northern bound to Scotland so that I could take my Command. This was great for me as it is what I had aspired to since joining the Royal Navy, but for my children it meant three schools in less than year. If the stress of the moves was not enough, both relocations came with difficulties finding schools that could accommodate all three children. For the first move we had the added pressure of attending an appeal panel for my second son to gain entry into the same school as his siblings. On the second occasion it was the anxiety of joining a waiting list for our son and daughter to attend the same local school as their elder brother.


For the children it was the issues of having to make new friends and stability of education. Moving twice in relatively quick succession and not knowing how long they would be in one spot was unsettling. Educationally, we moved at the time when they were probably better served by only having to learn one technique for the foundation subjects of their education, such as handwriting style. This was also the time when course work was becoming an important part of many secondary education syllabi to supplement the end of course examinations. We were becoming conscious of the potential disruption of any future moves and ultimately their performance in external examinations.


We never started a family with any intention of sending them away for a boarding school education and certainly we had never planned financially for such an event, but the prospect of a move at the end of four happy years in Scotland made us ask questions about their future.


Another move was unavoidable, our eldest would be entering Year 9 and number two son and our daughter would be following into secondary education in relatively short order. Where would I be appointed, what would the local schools be like and would be able to get the children into the schools of our choice. We had to be honest and ask ourselves – was keeping them at home in their best interests or were we just being selfish to satisfy our own parental instincts? We started looking at the possibilities of a boarding school education.


We looked at a large number of schools on the internet and obtained prospectuses from about 30 covering areas of the country that were either close to family or equidistant from likely areas of future appointments. In addition to location there was the element of cost with at least one child at the school for 12 years and the potential for paying fees for three children at the same time for five of those years.We whittled these down to six, which we visited.


Choosing the Right School
Four children is a great number but as they get older they develop their own personalities, likes and dislikes and with each their very different requests for extra curricular activities. As parents we all know how difficult if can be to balance the timetable that these demands place on us – rugby training for one, scouts for another, piano lesson for the third etc. Our children certainly span the spectrum of personalities and one of the most important things was to find a school that could cater for all their needs.


In academics we wanted a well balanced curriculum through to GCSEs that included a science and a foreign language. We were also looking for a school that, although selective, would cater for differing academic abilities. Not every child is a budding International Rugby or Cricket player and we wanted somewhere that catered for those with interests outside the mainstream sports – rugby and cricket for boys, hockey and netball for girls. The school we chose has a proud record in major sports but it also offers a considerable breadth of sports for those so inclined.


For us it was important that full boarding meant just that - boarding for the entire term. What happens at weekends is worthy of some consideration. We were looking at two aspects of this; firstly we did not want compulsory exeact weekends when everyone has to leave the school. These are no good if you are based at the other end of the country or serving abroad.
Secondly, if the school predominantly serves a local area it is easy for boarding houses to empty at weekends, with many of the children going home after the Saturday sports fixture.


Pastoral care – will the school look after my child? It is not just the teacher/pupil relationship and anti bullying regimes but also the pupil/pupil relationships around the school and in the boarding houses and such things as the monitoring of ‘prep’. These sorts of things can best be assessed by visiting the school.


Then finally, and no less important, there is the cost. If you have not planned for a boarding school education how do you meet the cost? For us, there was the potential (and now a reality) to have at least three children at boarding school for a number of years. But cost is not just about the fees, it is also the added extras, whether it is uniform upkeep, insurance, educational trips, extra curricular activities or pocket money. It all adds up and has to be factored into your budgeting. We had to be realistic about what we could afford and to a certain extent this became a compromising factor for location.


Although many schools will offer a sibling discount it is the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) that makes boarding school a viable option when you have a large family. We calculated that it would cost us approximately £250 per month per child to cover our contribution to the fees and the ‘extras-bills’ per term. Over the last 6 years this has proved a pretty accurate assessment over a 12 month period.


So, with six years experience as parents of boarding school children how do we think we are faring?
Our school has been an excellent choice. The major disadvantage has been that we have not been able to support as many sports fixtures, house plays or other performances as we would like. One of the pleasant surprises has been the amount of contact we have with staff, not just boarding housemasters/mistresses but with all staff at every visit to the school.
This extremely friendly environment has often provided that snippet of ‘inside information’ into our children’s school life that allows you to share the experience.
Our eldest son has left with a string of good academic qualifications but just as importantly a rounded education that has provided him with the confidence and independence to move on to university.
Our daughter and other two sons are all thriving academically and making the most of the opportunity to participate in significantly more activities than perhaps they would have had the chance to do if at home, reliant on Mum and Dad to fetch and carry.


There is nothing more depressing, but at the same time uplifting than your son or daughter telling you that they can not wait to get back to school.

Commander Tim Green was educated at Penrice Comprehensive School and St Austell Sixth Form College, joined the Royal Navy at 18 as a Warfare Officer. Choosing to specialise in submarines, after a full gamut of operational appointments in all classes of submarine he commanded HMS VIGILANT. He is currently serving on the staff of the UK Military Representative to NATO and the European Union in Brussels as a defence advisor in the UK Embassy to the EU.